On HU

Featured Archive Post: Matthias Wivel on racism and free speech articles in Scandinavia.

Ariel Schrag‘s “Wandering Hands” — Gay Utopia cartoons.

Who is the most overrated 20th century novelist? Hemingway! (we talk about most underrated too.

Chris Gavaler finally unmasks the Joker.

I wrote about YA dystopias and historical romances.

Subdee reviews Noah and the not totally awful apocalypse.

Roy T. Cook wonders if She-Hulk doesn’t superhero, is she still in a superhero comic?

Chris Gavaler on Native American schools and supeheroes.
 
Utilitarians Everywhere

At Salon:

— I asked, ““why should we care about Wonder Woman?” (and reviewed Tim Hanley’s excellent new WW book.)

— I listed 12 great Beyonce mash-ups, from Nirvana to Abba.

At the Atlantic I wrote about James Baldwin’s The Devil Finds Work, the greatest piece of film criticism ever.

At Splice Today I wrote about:

— Carlene Carter‘s lovely new album, and how she makes more sense as she ages.

— Jonathan Chait telling non-white people of the world to give thanks

— the Rumsfeld bullshit and why we love it.

At the Reader I reviewed an amazing show on the visual culture of Chinese opera.

At Salon Sean McElwee argues that only privileged people get to be writers. He uses a piece I wrote a bit back as a launching pad, and somewhat distorts it to do so, but overall it’s a good piece.

And at Reason I was quoted in this article by Elizabeth Nolan Brown, talking about sex work and Katha Pollitt.
 
Other Links

Monika Bartyzel explaining to Hollywood why it sucks for not making female superhero movies.

There was an interesting conversation on twitter about race and rock music. (I joined in a bit.)

Nic Subtirelu on the linguistics of “bossy”.

Ta-Nehisi Coates on his origin story.

R. Fiore wrote a piece on Walt Kelly’s relationship with race that I disagree with fairly strongly. There are good comments from David Brothers, Sarah Horrocks, Jeet Heer, Brian Cremins and others though. (I left a comment or two as well.)