INTERVIEW: Filmmaker Robert Meyer Burnett Discusses YouTube And New Film TANGO SHALOM

September 7, 2021

Robert Myer Burnett is an editor, producer, writer, and YouTube host of The Burnettwork where he has a lot to say about Star Trek, Star Wars, the MCU, and all things pop culture.

Robert delivers new episodes of his show every week. On it, he’ll cover the latest releases from Marvel, Disney, Warner Brothers, and the rest of mainstream Hollywood. Like many YouTubers commenting on film and television franchises with a big fanbase, Robert can be polarizing to some and insightful to others. He’s a man who’s a lifelong fan of things like Star Trek and Star Wars but also one who’s worked for decades behind-the-scenes on films like Lord of the Rings or Superman Returns and directed a movie with a guest appearance by William Shatner.

PopAxiom and Robert Myer Burnett, the tongue-in-cheek self-professed viceroy of verisimilitude and imagination connoisseur, spoke about going from fan to filmmaker and his upcoming movie Tango Shalom.

Loved Everything

“I wanted to make movies my whole life,” Robert begins the story of his connection to filmed storytelling. “The original Star Trek is the first thing I remember watching as a kid. I was enamored. Because of that, I watched anything to do with science fiction, fantasy, and horror.”

Robert grew up in Seattle, and “there was ‘Sci-Fi Theater’ on Sundays on Channel 11. I would come back from Sunday School and watch whatever was on. When I was five years old, I watched War of the Worlds for the first time. That was it, man. After I saw that, I loved movies.”

“Twilight Zone, Outer Limits, Star Trek, Hammer movies, all the 50s sci-fi, and Ray Harryhausen” are some of the early influences on Robert. “I wanted to do that, but I didn’t know it was possible to get into as a job.”

Now ten years old, things changed with the release of Star Wars “and everything in the wake of Star Wars, all the books on making the film, the documentary on the making. Suddenly, I’m seeing all this material being made about how movies are being made. I started reading Star Log magazine and Fangoria. Cinefantastique and in 1980, CineFX magazine came out which talked about visual effects. Starlog had a sister publication called CineMagic about movie-making. I was gone after that. By the time I was 11 or 12, I wanted to make movies.”

“At the same time,” he continues, “home video started to take off. For the very first time, you could own movies. I worked in one of the first video stores in Seattle. At that time, you could rent a movie for a month. Then, you would take it home, keep it for a month, and then buy the movie if you wanted for like fifty or sixty bucks.”

Between getting cable and having a VCR, Robert could “start studying movies. So, that’s what I did. I became completely enamored of movie-making. I worked in home video from the time I was 13 in 1980 to 1988. I loved everything about it.”

Special Features

The movie business includes many jobs, including entire companies devoted to working on special features for films released on laserdisc and DVD. “A friend of mine started a company called Kurtti-Pellerin producing laserdisc content,” Robert explains, “The laserdisc format starting in 84 with Criterion, their first releases were King Kong and Citizen Kane, they were the first laserdiscs that had special features. Throughout the 80s and 90s, special features were on laserdisc.”

In the 90s, Robert says he “moved to LA, I’d gone to film school, and I was working on low-budget movies. I started as the art department production assistant on Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3. In 99, I wrote and directed my first film, Free Enterprise. Pioneer Entertainment acquired our film for home video, for laserdisc, and then DVD. So, I made my first documentary for laserdisc. I’d done a few while I worked at a company called Full Moon as an editor. I’d done some special features for their videotapes and laser discs.”

“The company began exclusively working for Disney,” he continues, “In the early 00s, we were working on these extensive DVD special editions, which was the natural progression of the laserdisc stuff we were doing, and then we were awarded Lord of the Rings.”

The rise of DVD and BluRay created a healthy market for special features. “An MGM executive called me up one day asking if I’d produce the DVD for The Usual Suspects. I took it to Michael Pellerin, and he suggested I do it on my own. So, I started my own company Ludivico Technique, and we started doing DVD special editions. We did The Usual Suspects, X-Men 1 & 2, Valley Girl, and at the same time, I was working on things like Lord of the Rings and Tron.”

Embedded

Producing content for special features had Robert “traveling worldwide to shoot behind the scenes stuff.”

“One of the things I was able to do with my DVD or BluRay producing,” he says, “was that I would get embedded with productions. When I worked on The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, which shot in New Zealand, I was there for fourteen months.”

From the world of Narnia, Robert hopped over to Australia for Superman Returns. “I made a three-hour documentary on the making of that film. I was in Australia for 11 months. I was on set every day watching these movies getting made.”

About Tango Shalom

Robert’s latest film project is Tango Shalom which he helped produce, edit, and was VFX and post-production supervisor. “I was waiting for my car at the Rosevelt Hotel in Hollywood,” he begins the story of how he became part of the Tango Shalom team. “There was an AFM, American Film Market event where people come together to sell films to distributors.”

“A woman was waiting for her car,” he continues, “and we struck up a conversation. She was a producer on this movie, and they didn’t have an editor. She’s had it sitting on the shelf for almost a year. I said, ‘I’m a film editor.’ She gave me the director’s name, and suddenly I’m working on this movie.”

Making movies is not an exact science, especially when working in the independent realm. “As happens with independent film, you have to raise money and do what you can and then raise more money. So, we put it on the festival circuit. It had its world premiere in Jaipur, India, where it won some awards; it’s played in Turkey and Morocco. Now, it’s come to America. It’s been picked up for distribution by Vision Films, and it’s been great.”

So what is Tango Shalom? “It’s a low-budget movie, and it’s the story of a married Hasidic rabbi who believes he’s heard the word of God and God has told him to alleviate his financial difficulties and learn to dance the tango. Being that he’s a Hasidic rabbi, he’s not allowed to touch another woman other than his wife, but she doesn’t know how to tango.”

“He ends up coming across a young, sexy tango instructor,” Robert explains. “He has to figure out a way that she can help him achieve his goal of learning the tango and perhaps using that to alleviate his financial problems.:

“Tango Shalom gets a limited theatrical release on September 3rd in New York and LA; hopefully, it’ll expand, and then it goes to VOD at the end of October.”

YouTube

Three decades of working in the film and television industry and counting, how did YouTube become part of Robert’s creative endeavors? “In 2015, a friend of mine named John Schnepp, who passed away three years ago, was doing a show with John Campea on AMC, and then it moved to Collider. He asked me if I wanted to be a guest one day. Then, he kept inviting me back, and I became a series regular. We did it for three and a half years until he passed away. He was always telling me, ‘You should start your own channel.’

Robert had doubts about doing it on his own. “I said, ‘really?’ I’m kind of old, and do I want to get in on YouTube? He said, ‘You’ve already been doing it for three years.’ My girlfriend bought me a microphone and said, ‘It’s time.'”

“I didn’t know what I was going to do,” he explains of his approaching streaming life. “So, I talked about my industry experience and not review movies but talk about them and what I liked. I started regularly in late 2018 and all through the pandemic, and here I am, over a thousand episodes.”

Robert credits YouTube with doing something quite profound. “YouTube got me more in touch with my filmmaking and the audience. It re-ignited my passion for filmmaking because so many times you can get beat down by the industry.”

“Usually, since I do a morning show with John Campea about news, doing that and opining on the news of the day is not what I want to discuss,” he says about his approach to his show. “I like to talk about things philosophically and from a business perspective about what it all means. That’s kind of where I’m always coming from. We like all this stuff, but what does it mean in the larger context?”

Robert never thought he’d be discussing the industry on YouTube. “But I like the industry, I like the way that it works, and I like making films. I’m a big fan of all this stuff, so the YouTube channel was a natural extension.”

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Review: THE SWAMP THING #7 and the Burdens We Carry

Zac Owens

The Swamp Thing is, ironically, one of DC Comics’ most human titles. Writer Ram V, artist Mike Perkins, colorist Mike Spicer, and letterer Aditya Bidikar use the big, green plant guy to talk about things that plague everyday people. The Swamp Thing #7 is all about the burdens we carry and the scars of our past.

Writing

V’s writing in this issue is rhythmic and poetic. He interlaces scenes of the Suicide Squad hunting Swamp Thing with scenes of Levi Kamei visiting the Kaziranga Forest in the past. V subtly coaxes deeper messages out of his story. As Levi is talking with his father, he is told an old Indian folk tale. It seems to have nothing to do with the rest of the plot and his father walks on, disappointed that Levi got nothing out of it. But later, the pieces all fit. V brings the story back in as the issue closes, and hands us the key to understanding it. It’s a satisfying way of tying the whole issue together and V does it brilliantly.

Art

Perkins’ art is stunning as usual. But in this issue, his ability to characterize the Swamp Thing is really on display. When we first see Swamp Thing, he’s lumbering through the woods. His silhouette looks like something out of a Boris Karloff monster movie. But, later in the issue, Perkins focuses us in on Swamp Thing’s expressions. He’s human. We can see the fear, joy and love, written on his face.

Perkins’ depictions of Kaziranga and Levi’s time at home feels like something out of a storybook. Each scene is picturesque and beautiful. When Levi’s father tells the Indian folk tale, Perkins places two images in between the panels, drawn in the same style as a lot of Hindi art. It adds the subtle touch of India to the page, reminding us how much this series ties back to Levi’s homeland.

Coloring

Spicer’s coloring helps the reader place where each scene is occurring. The modern day scenes, of Swamp Thing being hunted through the woods, are show in dark purples and neon greens. We can practically see the glow of Chemo coming to kill Swamp Thing. The scenes of Levi’s trip home to India are shown in a warm color palette. But as Levi’s memories turn darker, the color palette shifts too. We see some of the purple of Levi’s present start to mix in with the warm orange of his past. Spicer shows us how Levi’s memories are souring on him. They aren’t the warm, cozy memories of home he wishes they were.

Lettering

Bidikar’s lettering is full of surprises. Every sound leaps off the page. From the “AAAGH!” of Swamp Thing being attacked, shown in rough orange and black lettering, to the almost invisible “RRRMMMBLL” of Chemo approaching. But one really interesting moment in the lettering happens in Swamp Thing/Levi’s caption boxes. At first, they show up as the rough orange and black lettering. It’s just like Swamp Thing’s dialogue. But as Swamp Thing thinks back to his visit to India, the captions change. They become a light green color with neat lettering. It’s as though Swamp Thing is reconnecting with his humanity. He’s forgetting that he’s a monster and just thinking about what it’s like to be Levi.

DC Comics’ The Swamp Thing is a beautiful series, intent on being bravely human. This creative team uses this big, green monster to help us examine our own burdens and scars. Yet, they’re never preachy or heavy-handed. Everything is done with subtlety and finesse. Pick up The Swamp Thing #7, out from DC Comics September 7th, at a comic shop near you!

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Review: BATMAN/CATWOMAN #7’s Weaknesses are Also Its Strengths

Zac Owens

DC Comics’ Batman/Catwoman #7 sees a few changes to the series. In place of artist Clay Mann and colorist Tomeu Morey, the brilliant Liam Sharp provides art and colors. Tom King pens a complicated but riveting script, Sharp delivers mesmerizing visuals, and Clayton Cowles ties everything together with his brilliant lettering.

Writing

There’s an intensity to this issue that we haven’t yet seen in Batman/Catwoman. It’s almost as though King specifically wrote the issue with Sharp’s gritty style in mind. At times, the script feels a little confusing. King jumps between timelines often. And while the distant future, with an older Catwoman and an adult Helena Wayne, has clear distinguishing factors, others appear quite similar. Yet, the whole issue is tied together by violence. Even when Bruce and Selina make love, it’s with violent passion. King is sowing the seeds for darker times in this series, and it’s the perfect time for Sharp to jump on board.

Art & Colors

One major thing feels missing in this issue, and that’s the visual rhythm. Though Sharp is a fantastic artist — every panel is breathtaking — readers have gotten used to the subtle visual cues of Mann and Morey. Whether it was Selina’s haircut, or the slight tints Morey assigned to each timeline, readers could tell from a glance what time period a panel was happening in. Batman/Catwoman #7 requires a more careful reading. Not to say that there isn’t Sharp’s own visual rhythm, but that it’s different and new to readers.

Yet all of this is actually a result of something quite exciting. Sharp makes no effort to copy Mann or Morey’s style. No, this issue is unmistakably the work of Liam Sharp. His gritty style and his colors that almost seem to glow are all welcome additions to this series. And we get a different side to the characters. Where Mann’s old lady Selina was regal and refined, Sharp’s feels like the danger is bubbling just beneath the surface. And so, even the weaknesses to this comic’s visual storytelling are its strengths. Readers may take a while to get used to Sharp’s subtle cues, but once we do, we’ll have two of the best artists in the industry, each telling this story in their own uninhibited style.

Lettering

Cowles’ lettering is simple but brilliant. He pushes word balloons into the far corners of each panel, not only giving room for Sharp’s figures but for his atmosphere as well. It makes the characters seem powerful. There’s a margin around them, nothing dares go near them. But it also makes them seem lonely. Even as Bruce and Selina grab ahold of one another, the dialogue in the scene keeps its distance, making an intimate scene also feel like a desperate grab for attachment from two lonely people.

In one scene, Gordon describes a grisly crime scene that involves a chimney. Brilliantly, Cowles stacks each word balloon, one on top of the other. It makes Gordon’s dialogue look like a chimney too.

While Batman/Catwoman #7 does feel like a bump in the road in some ways, it’s also an exciting new chapter for the series. This issue suffers from some of the normal growing pains of a series taking on another artist. Yet, many of these issues are also a result of Sharp working unapologetically in his own style. Which, for everyone reading this series, is very exciting news! Batman/Catwoman #7 is out from DC Comics September 7th at a comic shop near you!

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Review: DEADBOX #1 – An Incisive Slice of Americana

Justin Munday

From the brilliant Mark Russell (Snagglepuss: Exit Stage Left; The Flintstones) and artist Benjamin Tiesma comes a deeply incisive and mysterious first issue in Deadbox #1. Along with colorist Vladimir Popov and letters from Andworld Design, this comic takes what seems like a ridiculous premise and ties it into a dark and depressingly relevant examination of small-town America. With a stellar script and expressive visuals, this is one of the most promising first issues of the year.

“Welcome to the town of Lost Turkey, where the main source of entertainment is a cursed DVD machine that seems to know more about the fate of its citizens than they do.”

Writing & Plot

Writer Mark Russell takes the first issue of Deadbox to let readers know where he and this story are coming from. This comic’s unusual premise is put on the backburner for now in favor of a sort of sociological dissection. Russell states that his main motivation for writing this comic is to detail what living in a small, close-minded town and desperately needing to escape is like. Deadbox is a deeply political comic book, make no mistake. However instead of beating readers over the head with jargon, it instead begs perspective. This comic definitely takes a stance, but in the form of scathing truth over all else. Russell’s evocative narration reads like the voice of an imposing harbinger of societal damnation. His poetic and cutting words sting with the pain of uncomfortable relevance. It’s easy to forget that there’s a supernatural horror comic underneath all of this.

Russell keeps the true main plot of the comic pretty close to the chest. There are distinct moments where there’s a sudden tonal shift due to something on the page, but this issue never chases the thread. The first hint we get is in this issue’s internal parallel story in the form of a movie. I can’t go into anymore detail, but I’ll just say Russell is making the reader do their own headwork here. Luckily, that’s the exact kind of script I like. The way Russell intertwines political observation, unnatural suspense, and personal storytelling is outstanding. I won’t get into spoilers, but this silly-sounding “evil Redbox” idea is so well presented here that I am hooked on whatever is next.

Art Direction

Deadbox #1’s shifting tones and wildly different setting are brought to life by artist Benjamin Tiesma. His pencils craft an accurate snapshot of insular small-town America. The exact kind of small town you may stop to get gas in on a road trip, then get the hell out of as fast as possible. Tiesma draws with immense detail here, and continues to do so when the setting drastically changes. Again I can’t get into spoilers, but the in-story film has near-opposite aesthetic to Lost Turkey. Tiesma draws this new setting as if it were where the main story was actually taking place.

His characterization is fantastic as well. Each person looks wholly unique, and their emotion is played out in subtleties across their faces. This is especially true of our protagonist. The complex combination of desperation to leave Lost Turkey and worry for the reason she has to stay is effectively displayed in how she’s drawn.

Vladimir Popov’s colors are just as dynamic as the pencils. They present Lost Turkey in the drab hues of rust and decay, lit by flickering fluorescent lights and tube televisions. Then the colors are juxtaposed with the setting in the film (again, no spoilers). Popov displays lighting effects remarkably well. Every surface in a setting directly reflects the light (or lack thereof) and sets the tone for an entire sequence. Andworld Design’s lettering subdued but effectively varied. They use an almost classic-styled font with just the right font and italic shifts to get the tone right. SFX lettering is minimal, but also kind of effectively subdues. This comic is gifted with effective and atmospheric visuals on all fronts.

Verdict

Deadbox #1 is a powerful and delightfully intriguing opening issue to this supernatural comic story. Mark Russell crafts a personal script with cutting societal insight and a clever supernatural concept that he still keeps close to the chest. Benjamin Tiesma and Vladimir Popov create an atmospheric and detailed portrait of small-town America that changes on a dime to vastly different settings. This is one of the most intriguing first issues of 2021. Be sure to grab a copy when it hits shelves on 9-8!

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Comics Studies: COMICS: AN INTRODUCTION Book Review

Darryll Robson

September 5, 2021

Cover to Comics An Introduction by Harriet E.H. Earle, published by Routledge

People consume comics for different reasons. There are those who enjoy the non-stop action of superhero comics, those who like to escape into a detailed fantasy world, and those who read literal stacks of comics to experience the form in as many ways as possible. Over recent years there has been a growing audience of readers whose desire is to study the comic in the same way that, for decades, people have studied literature and film. This has led to a growth spurt in the publishing of books about comics and the many aspects and themes that comics represent and embrace.

However, everyone has to start somewhere, whether it’s finding your first comic strip as a child or first independent comic book as a teenager, and for those interested in studying comics there isn’t a massive selection of books that can get you comfortably onto the first step. It goes without saying that Scott McCloud’s work is an easy recommendation, but his are not the only books out there. In 2021 there have already been a number of handy guides or introductory books released about comics and one of the best is Comics: An Introduction by Harriet E.H. Earle.

A New Guide

Comics: An Introduction is a small, handy sized, book published by Routledge and boasts a ‘clear and detailed introduction to the Comics form.’ Harriet Earle is a lecturer in English at a UK University and she has written about comics numerous times, often in relation to War and trauma. But in this latest book, she has widened her scope to focus on the history and definitions of the comic format. This is no simple task, as anyone who has studied comics will attest, but Earle manages to simplify the complicated history into bite sized chunks of information and present them in a meaningful way. The book is broken into chapters that feed off each other and create a linear reading out of a complex history of ideas and creative experiments. The growth of comics is very often not linear and different influences occur in different cultures which then seep into other aspects of comics. Earle keeps her focus on the book and holds your attention with straightforward explanations of terms and concepts so that even uninitiated readers won’t get lost in technical terms.

The first half of Comics: An Introduction is a useful exploration of the form, as the titles of the early chapters indicate: Histories, Going global: comics on the world stage, and Cultures and commodities. Earle covers a lot of the ground found in other titles but does so in a more condensed and educational way. This is a sophisticated, well thought out “Comics 101.” Where some books are daunting, especially to readers just getting into Comics Studies, Comics: An Introduction is welcoming and easily digestible. After the broad introduction, the chapters are broken down into short sections for easy reading and later reference. Returning to this book after the first read is a delight because it is so easy to find what you are looking for. If you want to refer to Proto-comics, for example, a quick flick through will allow you to find the short section without having to plough through paragraphs of dense text.

But the book isn’t just a beginners guide to comics. Earle dedicates two chapters to more focused studies of particular kinds of comics. One chapter is on Journalism and the other on autobiographical works. These focused chapters are a gateway to more complex studies and they lean towards Earle’s personal study interests. They are literary heavy chapters reflecting the author’s background, but Earle does not dismiss comics as a whole by focusing only on a few worthy examples, as other writers have done. Instead, the book is inclusive and draws on all aspects of the form. This is clear from the range of topics and themes that are covered across the chapters. There are sections relating to cultural practices, geographical differences, historical significance, and even the audience itself by the way of fans and conventions. In some ways the size of the book is deceiving as Earle packs a massive amount of information into the modest page count.

Conclusion

Where McCloud’s Understanding Comics is a visual dive into the production and mechanics of comics, Comics: An Introduction is more of an academic overview with delightful hints at the possibilities that the form contains. It is an easy and enlightening read aimed more at people starting on their Comics Studies journey, but contains enough gems of information to make it worth reading for anyone in the field. There are more focused books out there, for example Comics Studies: A Guidebook or the new to 2021 Keywords for Comic Studies, each containing essays from a range of scholars and creatives. However, Comics: An Introduction offers a single coherent voice that guides you through the often difficult field of study that is Comics Studies.

Comics Trauma — Also available by Harriet Earle: Comics, Trauma, and the New Art of War published by the University Press of Mississippi

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Review: CRIME COMICS CONFIDENTIAL Reprints And Misdemeanors

Darryll Robson

September 4, 2021

Crime Comics Cover — Crime Comics Confidential cover Credit: IDW Publishing

Yoe Books, IDW Publishing, and Steven Brower have brought together a collection of crime comics that, unless you are already a dedicated fan of the genre, you probably won’t have seen before. Focusing on the 1950’s, but avoiding the obvious choices from EC Comics, Crime Comics Confidential touches on a period of comics history that was as volatile as the lives the comics depicted. Dr. Fredric Wertham was stirring the pot, encouraging a number of parent organizations, churches, and community groups to stand up against the evil of comics and the Senate Subcommittee on Juvenile Delinquency was held in the center of the decade that this book covers.

Featuring a number of recognizable names within the narratives as well as in the bylines, Crime Comics Confidential is a window into a different time, mixing history and creativity like an episode of a science fiction time travelling show.

Al Capone Comic — First page from Al Capone, published in Famous Gangsters #1 1951

Opening the Case

Crime Comics Confidential opens with a detailed essay written by editor Steven Brower. This is one of the highlights of the book and provides a mix of historical background and intriguing critique. Obvious elements of this introduction are followed up in the strips selected for the collection, in particular the biographies of such famous mobsters as Al Capone, Lucky Luciano, and John Dillinger. In an age where the lives of these criminals have been regurgitated several times on television and in the movies, mixing fact with cinematic license, it’s surprising that these strips still have anything to offer. And yet they do. The art direction and comic design is reflective of the period and the stories take a backseat to the more interesting study of the comic format itself.

The comics have been grouped in the book in such a way that as a reader you can compare and contrast specific narrative types, flicking back only a few pages to see how different writers and artists have dealt with a specific trope of the genre. The string of biographies that open the book are particularly interesting as they highlight the approaches that the creators took to representing fact as entertainment. Several of the narratives are a touch dry and heavy on text that could be read as preaching to the young audience the comics were aimed at, while others have the elements of danger and glorification that formed the heart of the moral crusade against comics at the time.

Re-reading these comics today, they seem tame in comparison to the current offerings from independent publishers and even the larger companies. But with the context given from Brower’s introduction it is possible to see how they could have been interpreted in a different manner. At the annual meeting of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Culture in Washington DC in 1995, Linda Adler-Kassner presented a paper highlighting the differences in attitudes towards comic consumption between adults and children, both in the 1950s and the present day.

The stories that were told in genre comics, such as crime and horror, were seen by those in authority as damaging to the youth, and glorifying the criminal aspects of society. However, one thing that is clear from each of the comics selected for this book is that crime never pays. There is a price for the lives the criminals lead and they always get their comeuppance before the final panel. There is very little shocking material from a visual point of view in these comics and, as Brower points out, the hero worship of the underdog villain is nothing new, even in the 1950s. Instead of a series of grotesque or violent tales, what this book contains is a selection of intriguing, well constructed short stories told by some of the biggest names in the industry at the time.

A page from War on the Streets by Alex Toth, published in Crime and Punishment #66 1954

Artist recognition

Bernie Krigstein, Dick Briefer, Alex Toth, and John Buscema all have stories featured in this book. One of the most outstanding, visually as well as narratively, is Alex Toth’s War on the Streets. A story that deals with juvenile delinquency head on with no metaphors or cloaked superhero analogies, War on the Streets is a magnificent tale of a boy becoming embroiled in a gang. Toth highlights not only the dangers of being in a gang but also demonstrates the social mechanisms behind the decisions that the boy makes: bullying, coercion, and family neglect are all to blame for the path the boy follows. It is possible to see why such a story would be deemed unsuitable by parents or community organizations in 1950, because this is placing a lot of the blame at their doorsteps.

Crime Comics Confidential‘s strength is that it presents the collection as something of historical interest, rather than pure entertainment. It would be easy to select the most famous crime comics and reprint them in a new collection, but there is a more curated feel to this book. Contained within is an evolving thematic thread running through the comic strips as if they themselves have a deeper narrative beyond the surface readings. Brower places the comics in an order that makes you question aspects of the stories, such as the authenticity of the biographies, the moral aspect of the narrative, and even the culture in which these comics were born.

Conclusion

These crime comics are from the end of the Golden Age of comics which saw the horror genre explode across America and beyond. Crime was central to that explosion and the two genres are often featured together in anthology comics. It is not surprising that communities were easily turned against these forms of youthful entertainment, especially when you look at some of the stories portrayed in this book. Reprints for comics such as Crime and Punishment, Famous Gangsters, and Wanted Comics, may seem tame by today’s standards, but 70 years ago, these stories would have been shocking and exactly what the young audience was looking for.

This book offers a glimpse into what was available to readers in tumultuous times of mass distribution, newspaper racks, senate hearings, and witch hunts against the peddlers of filth. Crime Comics Confidential is a perfect book for the shelf of anyone interested in this period of comic history and a great collection of stories that deserve a new audience.

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Marvel Comics Exclusive Preview: DEADPOOL: BLACK, WHITE, & BLOOD #2

Anthony Composto - EIC

September 2, 2021

marvel comics exclusive preview deadpool black white blood

DEADPOOL: BLACK, WHITE, & BLOOD #2 hits your local comic book store September 8th, but thanks to Marvel Comics, Monkeys Fighting Robots has an exclusive 4-page preview for you.

About the issue:
WAIT, WHAT? THEY’RE LETTING US DO ANOTHER ONE? Did they not read the last one? That one was wild for sure, but this one… Hoo boy. WOW. I mean, look at those credits. You think this one’s gonna be LESS gonzo? I’m gonna need to buy our lawyers a nice fruit basket or something.

The issue features stories by David & Maria Lapham, Pete Woods, Karla Pacheco, Leonard Kirk, Rachelle Rosenberg, Daniel Warren Johnson, and Joe Sabino. The main cover is by Declan Shalvey.

Check out the DEADPOOL: BLACK, WHITE, & BLOOD #2 preview below:

What creators do you want to see on DEADPOOL: BLACK, WHITE, & BLOOD? Sound off in the comments!

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AfterShock Comics Exclusive Preview: BUNNY MASK #4

Anthony Composto - EIC

September 2, 2021

aftershock comics exclusive preview bunny mask #4

BUNNY MASK #4 hits your local comic book store September 22nd, but thanks to AfterShock Comics, Monkeys Fighting Robots has an exclusive four-page preview for you.

About the issue:
When the Snitch speaks, the truth isn’t just out there, it’s inside your head, gnawing at your sanity and seeping through the walls of your world. On the verge of absolute madness, Tyler and Sheriff Tate return to the cave where it all began, where the Snitch was given voice, and where Bunny Mask was set free. Will Bunny Mask help Tyler save himself, and, if so, what unthinkable price will she ask?

The series is by writer Paul Tobin and artist Andrea Mutti, with letters by Taylor Esposito. The cover is by Mutti and Colleen Coover.

Check out the BUNNY MASK #4 preview below:

Are you reading BUNNY MASK from AfterShock? Sound off in the comments!

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Review: Sharing Nightmares In PARASOMNIA #3

Justin Munday

Writer Cullen Bunn and artist Andrea Mutti, along with letterer Simon Bowland, bring us the penultimate chapter of their supernatural thriller. Parasomnia #3 is a well-paced and suspenseful comic, even though it’s plot is still a bit fuzzy. With engaging writing and atmospheric, gorgeous visuals, this series still proves to be a slow burn – a bold choice for only a four-issue series.

“In a twisted dream world, a nameless stranger battles nightmares in his hunt for his missing son–while in the waking world, the boy’s parents find their lives falling apart. As the search for his son in his dreams carries on a bizarre plot is uncovered of children being used as bait for monsters.”

Writing & Plot

Cullen Bunn (Harrow County, Bone Parrish) cleans up some of the prior’s issues problems in Parasomnia #3. The dialogue is more focused on the task at hand, opening up only at character’s distinct realizations. The last issue’s blocky pacing and excessive exposition are replaced by much more alluring scripting. The discoveries in this comic are tense and unnerving, just what I’d expect from a Cullen Bunn comic.

As much as I like the idea behind this supernatural thriller, I can’t help but still find it’s plot to still be a bit fuzzy. The distinction between dream and reality is clear. The facts behind the missing children in the story have also been mostly stated. It’s hard to articulate what the problem is without spoiling the story. Essentially, it seems too far in for elements to still be so unclear. This is the second to last issue, and unfortunately I’m having trouble picturing this comic ending satisfactorily. Bunn is a stellar writer though, so I’m optimistic. The ingredients and much of the process thus far have been fascinating to watch come together. I just hope the final script can stick the landing.

Art Direction

The absolute star of Parasomnia #3 is the atmospheric art of Andrea Mutti. His foggy watercolor visuals once again create the perfect nightmare-scape for this comic. Our protagonists remain mysterious and appropriately stoic. The stranger is almost entirely covered in his garments, so his expressions can only come from body language. Fortunately Mutti does a stellar job of demonstrating that emotion through posture. Small details like head tilts and shoulder level tell us where our mysterious lead is at mentally. The less mysterious human characters back in reality are drawn with great animated detail as well. We get our first look at some monsters in this issue, and they are satisfyingly creepy. They give off a slight Mignolaverse-esque feel while still being something uniquely of Mutti’s design.

Mutti’s colors once again perfectly set the tone for this story. Each page is bathed in a light, foggy hue that adds to the unnerving chill in this comic. He abstains from using any sort of traditional coloring, and instead creates entire pages with this singular vision. The lettering from Simon Bowland is solid, but doesn’t do much to stand out or enhance the experience. He uses a standard contemporary font along with some good yet slightly generic SFX lettering. Visually, Parasomnia remains a stellar atmospheric horror comic experience.

Verdict

Parasomnia #3 is an engaging issue that leaves a worrying amount of questions before the final issue. Cullen Bunn’s script is well-paced and offers more answers for this world’s lore, but still leaves some plot elements fuzzy. Andrea Mutti’s art is dense and atmospheric, putting together this supernatural thriller’s atmosphere perfectly. Be sure to grab this penultimate issue when it hits shelves on 9-1!

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Review: MIDNIGHTER ANNUAL 2021: Time Travel And Cyborg Beatdowns – Wildstorm Style

Justin Munday

From writers Becky Cloonan and Michael W. Conrad and artist Michael Avon Oeming comes the standalone conclusion to a complex and fraught story. Midnighter Annual 2021 takes our favorite Wildstorm couple and places them within their own struggle in a complex internal and external fight. Despite being held back by a semi-confusing and formulaic script as well as oddly-fit visuals, this is still a thoroughly entertaining annual.

“Midnighter traveled into the future to help get himself out of a jam, only to swap places with his future self. Now, the Midnighter from the future finds himself trapped in a paradox, working his way back to his onetime present to swap places again. Don’t worry if you’re confused—so is he! The key to this whole thing is Andrej Trojan, the nefarious industrialist who tried using Superman’s mission on Warworld to his own end. Midnighter has been carrying Trojan’s robotic skull with him, hunting for the 2021 iteration of the man, and shutting his whole company down before any of this trouble even starts.”

Writing & Plot

Becky Cloonan and Michael W. Conrad take Midnighter Annual 2021 as an opportunity to tie off a loose end. This issue takes place after Future State: Superman and resolves plot points introduced there. It doesn’t end there though. This Annual also leads into Grant Morrison and Mikel Janin’s Superman And The Authority. While this is all cool news for fans of the DC Universe at large who have been keeping up, what does it mean for more purist Midnighter fans? Unfortunately, this comic does suffer from feeling like a small part in a larger story.

In my view, annuals and one-shots are a good opportunity to tell a single solid story. The story can of course connect to other plot events going on in the surrounding universe, but I feel that it should be an accessible single chapter. Midnighter Annual partially accomplishes this. At the very least it smooths out the “you had to be there” moments from prior books to be more palatable. It does still read like you’re walking into a room halfway through a conversation though. I have to give Cloonan and Conrad credit where it’s due. Their script manages to take some pretty off-the-wall events and sort them out to a new reader without gobs of exposition.

Any fans of Midnighter and Apollo, aka the best couple in comics, will still be pleased with this Annual. Despite its connection with other DC plot points, this still remains an entertaining comic on its own.

Art Direction

It has to be said that Michael Avon Oeming (Powers, Cave Carson Has A Cybernetic Eye) is an odd fit for Midnighter. I sincerely adore Oeming’s singular cartoony-pulp art style. His work is pure perfection on certain comics, such as Cave Carson. However, his art just doesn’t do Midnighter any justice, and vice versa. Oeming’s brand of animation and expression don’t fit the intensity of a Midnighter comic book. Even with the stereotypically silly cyborg enemies (the kind of thing Oeming excels at) the human weapon fights here, the pencils just don’t work.

This effect is unfortunately doubled down on by Taki Soma’s colors. Soma does a fantastic job filling in Oeming’s pencils with her saturated and deep palette selection. There’s an almost early 90’s Genndy Tartakovsky aesthetic to this comic thanks largely to Soma’s work here. The visuals are fantastic on their own. They just happen to be in a comic that does them no justice. Dave Sharpe’s lettering is solid work, but nothing exemplary. He uses a clean, contemporary font for dialogue and standard, unobtrusive SFX lettering. This is a great looking comic book. It just has the wrong team for this character and story.

Verdict

Midnighter Annual 2021 is a decently entertaining one-shot that suffers from its connections with other DC Comics events. Cloonan and Conrad manage to smooth over of the more obtuse references and get the gist of the story without too much exposition. However, it still feels like walking into the middle of a conversation. Oeming and Soma’s visual work is brilliant in its own right. That’s why it’s sad to say that it has been placed in the wrong comic. If you’re a diehard fan of Midnighter and Apollo, be sure to grab this Annual when it hits shelves on 8/31!

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