Okay, here’s a quick run through of what I’ve been reading..

Magic Study is the sequel to Poison Study, once again following the adventures of Yelena as she continues to encounter political power plays and navigates her new-found magical powers. Interestingly, she discovers that she’s not at all a super-powered demi-goddess. She’s got some neato powers, sure, but she can’t start fires, which is a pretty common magic, and her insistent desire to be independent still gets her into trouble. She’s def … READ MORE

The main female character in Watchmen is Laurie Jupiter,* the second Silk Spectre. Her mother Sally Jupiter, the original Silk Spectre, was one of the first generation of costumed heroes. While Watchmen’s other “legacy hero,” Nite Owl, was inspired to follow in his predecessor’s footsteps, Laurie was pushed onto her path by her domineering mother.

One common complaint that I have heard directed at Watchmen is that Laurie is defined by her relationships to men, romantic relationships with first Doctor Manhattan … READ MORE

Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’ Watchmen is widely regarded as one of the greatest graphic novels ever written. Along with several other seminal works of the 1980s, it helped to change the way comic books were made and read. (Whether that is a good thing or not has been the subject of much debate.)

Now, after more than 20 years in “development hell,” we have a Wtachmen film courtesy of 300 director Zack Snyder.  Expectations were all over the place for … READ MORE

Back in 1978, Ballantine Books released a collection of short stories and novellas called Best of Edmond Hamilton. Most of the stories were from his planet-busting hey-day, full of Flash Gordonesque adventures with planets moving from their orbits, scientists discovering accelerated evolution (a real classic) BUT, what sparked my imagination was the cover: it featured a man, with wings, flying naked (but delicately blocked by his wings) over patchwork farmland.

That was great, because at that time, I wanted nothing more … READ MORE

Sorry this is late, my loves! Starline was incredibly professional and easy to interview. I, on the other hand, am a massive flake.

Candi is an AWARD WINNING strip by Starline Hodge, one of the hottest young comics artists working right now. Candi  is semi-autobiographical, and features a fascinating cast of characters, including a ferret engaged in an a battle of wits with some evil squirrels and the Sexy Police!  

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1. One of the neato things about … READ MORE

Sorry for the brief hiatus, folks! Every piece of technology I brought with me on vacation died within 3 days of each other. . Thankfully, T. was totally awesome about that. Go Penny and Aggie!
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1. I first encountered your work via Penny and Aggie and Cool Cat Studio. One of the things I’ve noticed throughout the series you’ve been involved in has been that you have consistently awesome characters, particularly female ones. Where do you draw your inspiration for … READ MORE

Gina is the talented artist/writer behind Red String. She’s also the founder of Strawberry Comics, an all female group of comic writers. Dark Horse publishing recently picked up Red String, and has published them in three volumes. On to the interview!

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1. What was it like to fund Strawberry Comics?

ANSWER: Expensive. Everything I do for Strawberry Comics is out of my own pocket and I am not a rich woman by any definition. Luckily with some of the projects, like Red … READ MORE

This month, our 20 on the 20th Author is Paul Taylor from Wapsi Square. Taylor, an Iowa native, is the mind behind Wapsi Square. Wapsi Square is a slice of life comic centering on the adventures of Monica Villareal, a busty, short, and nerdy Latina, and the eclectic cast of characters that seem to be gathering in Wapsi. Monica’s life has been getting more and more complicated, since it seems like she might be at the center of a great … READ MORE

Gina Biggs’ long-running Red String series (volumes one, two, and three are all available at Amazon) is reaching a climax. The series has been focusing on the trials and tribulations of three high school girls as they come to terms with their sexuality and burgeoning adulthood. While it’s drawn/plotted as a conventional manga, it’s far more than that. Miharu is bold, assertive, and the aggressor in her relationship with her soulmate Kazuo. Reika, the shy one, has been growing into … READ MORE

In most ways, The Dark Knight is a truly spectacular film. It is certainly the best Batman film ever made (better even than the animated Mask of the Phantasm), and one of the best superhero movies ever made. Almost every character in the film has great characterization and development.

But on the female characters, it gets a big fat zero.

In Batman Begins, Rachel Dawes (Katie Holmes) serves as the love interest, yes, but was still an active character. She dedicated her … READ MORE