comics, Media Literacy and Analysis, Writing Theory

We Need the Term Graphic Novel to Actually Mean Something

If I talk about a โ€œgraphic novelโ€ vs a โ€œcomicโ€ in a very casual way, youโ€™d probably generally understand what kind of distinction Iโ€™m trying to make there. At the same time, comic book writers havenโ€™t always had a positive interaction with the term โ€œgraphic novel.โ€ Alan Moore is famous for relegating it to a… Continue reading We Need the Term Graphic Novel to Actually Mean Something

Books and Literature, Reviews

June Reads and Reviews

Check the end for promos, free books, and special sales from the Bookfunnel community of indie authors. For updates on my own books delivered to your inbox, sign up for your newsletter of choice. Queer Fantasy :: Sci-Fi Romance Surfing Samurai RobotsMel GildenScience Fiction, Cyperpunk, Satire Lite (1988) From Goodreads: They have the agility of surfers and… Continue reading June Reads and Reviews

Queer Art and Identity, Queerness

Your John 3:16 Car Sticker Makes Me Nervous

The first June in our first house, I put out a Pride flag on the already installed flagpole mount. This was in a blue dot in a red state, in 2016 ish, at the incipient rise of modern Rainbow Capitalism. I had been pretty solid on the pan-ace thing for awhile but non-binary was still… Continue reading Your John 3:16 Car Sticker Makes Me Nervous

comics, Queer Art and Identity, Queerness, Social Deconstruction, World Building

The Bi-Vestigation of Eddie Brock

Pride month means all my queer comic and comic adjacent subReddits are talking canon sexuality among Marvel characters, particularly the Marvel Rivals cast. And I do have to express a level of chagrin that people are boxing it into โ€œgay, straight, biโ€ because likeโ€ฆasexual? Split theory of attraction? Whatever.One of the big points of discussion,… Continue reading The Bi-Vestigation of Eddie Brock

Books and Literature, comics, Reviews

May Reads and Reviews

For updates on my own books delivered to your inbox, sign up for your newsletter of choice. Queer Fantasy :: Sci-Fi Romance The Cosmic ColorT.T. MaddenScience Fiction (2025, Recent Release!) From Storygraph: Eric Fisher, a Black recruit finishing up his training, has always felt strange in his own skin. Now that heโ€™s finally a mecha pilot, ready… Continue reading May Reads and Reviews

Books and Literature, comics, Queer Art and Identity

To Support Queer Artists, You Actually Have to Know Who They Are

A discussion came up in on of my comic subreddits about the Marvel Pride issue coming out this month. There were a lot of good-natured jokes about Dakenโ€™s yassification on the cover and the nature of rainbow capitalism and how they pull these characters out once a year, then place them back on the shelves.… Continue reading To Support Queer Artists, You Actually Have to Know Who They Are

Creating

These Crafting Communities are Freaking Me Out

Thereโ€™s this exercise that I did back in middle school at least a couple of times. Itโ€™s the peanut butter and jelly activity. You basically take turns explaining to the teacher or the camp counselor or whatever how to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, and the adult in question follows your directions literally… Continue reading These Crafting Communities are Freaking Me Out

Books and Literature, comics, Media Literacy and Analysis

Media is More Fun When You Don’t Waste Time Hating It

Itโ€™s a very weird time to be a Venom fan with the current All-New Venom run. Iโ€™m genuinely enjoying it, curious to see where it goes, and think thereโ€™s some very clever use of language. Two of my favorite symbiotes, Toxin and Sleeper, got some panel time, and thereโ€™s clearly something happening there with SCAR.… Continue reading Media is More Fun When You Don’t Waste Time Hating It

Books and Literature, Reviews, Uncategorized

April Reads and Reviews

Check the end for promos, free books, and special sales from the Bookfunnel community of indie authors. For updates on my own books delivered to your inbox, sign up for your newsletter of choice. Queer Fantasy :: Sci-Fi Romance When the Moon Hits Your EyeJohn ScalziSci-fi (2025, Recent Release!) From Storygraph: One day soon, suddenly… Continue reading April Reads and Reviews

Social Deconstruction

You Can’t Just Boycott, You Actually Have to Understand Ethical Consumption

The past year there has been a lot of new focus on consumption habits, particularly consumer boycotts. Theyโ€™re a common topic of discussion in the various progressive sub-reddits and other communities Iโ€™m in, and I see two things happen with the most frequency. The first is people absolutely falling over themselves for validation that theyโ€™re… Continue reading You Can’t Just Boycott, You Actually Have to Understand Ethical Consumption