Matt D. Wilson
‘Arrow’ Post-Show Analysis: Season 4, Episode 14: ‘Code of Silence’
It’s time for another installment of Pointed Commentary, the feature where grizzled Arrow watcher Matt D. Wilson and newcomer Chris Haley dig into the details of Team Arrow cleaning up the filthy, crime-ridden streets of Star City.
In this week’s episode, “Code of Silence,” Ollie’s campaign for mayor is going just great, and three bad people are really good at making buildings fall down one room at a time. There’s almost no debate! Someone throws a party! Can your heart handle the excitement? The episode was directed by James Bamford and written by Wendy Mericle and Oscar Balderrama.
The Ghost Who Walks: An Anniversary Celebration of The Phantom
Cartoonist Lee Falk debuted costumed hero The Phantom in his own newspaper strip on this day in 1936, two full years before Superman debuted in Action Comics #1. He isn't considered the first superhero, but Falk's pulp creation would establish quite a few tropes that would become hallmarks of the genre for decades to come. And like Superman, The Phantom has endured, with comic stories and re-imaginings continuing to this day.
‘Legends of Tomorrow’ Post-Show Analysis: Season 1, Episode 4: ‘White Knights’
After a half-season of set-up in both Arrow and The Flash, it’s finally here: the CW’s latest super-show, Legends of Tomorrow. Featuring Arrow’s Atom and White Canary, as well as Hawkgirl, both halves of Firestorm, and rogues Captain Cold and Heat Wave from The Flash, the show follows Rip Hunter and his team of misfits across time.
Our longest-serving Arrow and Flash recappers, Matt Wilson and Dylan Todd, have joined forces to deliver our Legends of Tomorrow post-show analysis, Stuff of Legends. In this week's "White Knights," the team heads off to "the height of the Cold War." No, not the Cuban Missile Crisis like the history books told you: 1986! They're here to uncover a fiendish plan to create a new weapon. The episode was written by Sarah Nicole Jones and Phil Klemmer, and was directed by Antonio Negret.
How Invading a Spider-Man Comic Cemented Deadpool’s Character
Over the past couple of decades, a narrative has built up around Deadpool's character evolution: He started out like any other mercenary, sword-carrying '90s badass, and it wasn't until the debut of his Joe Kelly-written and largely Ed McGuinness-drawn solo series in 1997 that the character came into his own.
I'd argue that it's not quite that cut-and-dry. Go back and read Deadpool's early X-Force appearances and you'll discover he was still a wisecracker, though a bit more mean-spirited. Where Deadpool really seemed to come into his own, though, was almost a year into his solo series, in an issue that would long be hailed as the best single-issue Deadpool story: Deadpool #11, written by Kelly, with art by Pete Woods.
Just Making a Good Show: A Birthday Tribute to Bruce Timm
Ask a generation of cartoon watchers what their prototypical Batman or Superman would look like, and there's a pretty good chance the image that will pop into the heads of many will look a whole lot like a Bruce Timm drawing. Same goes for Wonder Woman, Hawkgirl, Harley Quinn, The Flash, Martian Manhunter, Robin, Batgirl, Lois Lane and dozens of other DC characters.
Timm, born on this day in 1961, has made his career in animation, co-creating Batman: The Animated Series, Batman Beyond, Superman: The Animated Series and Justice League, among other shows, but he has arguably had as much of an impact on superheroes as any living comic artist.
‘Legends of Tomorrow’ Post-Show Analysis: Season 1, Episode 3: ‘Blood Ties’
After a half-season of set-up in both Arrow and The Flash, it’s finally here: the CW’s latest super-show, Legends of Tomorrow, featuring Arrow’s Atom and White Canary, as well as both halves of Firestorm, the Hawkpersons, and rogues Captain Cold and Heat Wave from The Flash, the show follows Rip Hunter and his team of misfits across time.
Our longest-serving Arrow and Flash recappers, Matt Wilson and Dylan Todd, have joined forces for Stuff of Legends, our Legends of Tomorrow post-show analysis. This week in “Blood Ties,” cults are revealed, heists are pulled off, and voyages are fantastic. The episode was directed by Dermott Downs, and written by Chris Fedak and Marc Guggenheim.
‘Arrow’ Post-Show Analysis: Season 4, Episode 11: ‘A.W.O.L.’
It’s time for another installment of Pointed Commentary, the feature where grizzled Arrow watcher Matt D. Wilson and newcomer Chris Haley dig into the details of Team Arrow cleaning up the filthy, crime-ridden streets of Star City.
In this week’s “A.W.O.L.,” Dig and the rest of the team try to stop a team of rogue military men from taking over ARGUS while Felicity finds herself in a debate with...herself. Charlotte Brandstrom directed the episode, and it was written by Emilio Ortega Aldrich and Brian Ford Sullivan.
Real Troublemaker: Celebrating The Work Of Frank Miller
Though his work has been divisive over the past decade or more, it's hard to deny just how big a name Frank Miller is in the world of comics. He's one of just a handful of comics creators you might consider a household name, in part because so many of his comics have become cultural landmarks, and in part because of his influence and participation in the film industry. Like him or not, Frank the Tank, born on this day in 1957, is an institution.
Daydreams as Stories: Jody Houser on Valiant’s New ‘Faith’ Series [Interview]
There are few superheroes like Faith Herbert, a.k.a. Zephyr.
Aside from the obvious --- she's a superheroine whose body type is uncommon among comics superheroines --- Faith also has an attitude and outlook few others share. She's a fan, and as a result, she sees the world in a way unique among superpowered heroes.
Until now, both in the previous and current Valiant Universes, Faith has brought the perspective mostly to team books, with only a 2014 solo one-shot to her name --- and that was more or less a Unity tie-in. January 27th sees the release of her first true solo series. ComicsAlliance talked to writer Jody Houser about what we'll see through Faith's eyes with the help of artists Francis Portela and Marguerite Sauvage.
32 Years Ago: The Mega-Event Was Born In ‘Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars’ #1
Superhero comics had crossed over many times before 1984, with various crises on various earths and plenty of Marvel characters invading other characters' titles, but the comic that set the template for the event series as we know it today is undoubtedly Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars, the first issue of which was released on this week in 1984 (cover dated May).
The brainchild of Marvel Comics editor-in-chief Jim Shooter, the series spanned 12 issues and threw nearly every Marvel Comics character into the mix. It even started the trend of more than one artist taking on penciling duties, as Mike Zeck and Bob Layton traded off every few issues.