Utilitarian Review 3/7/15

Posted on March 7, 2015 by Noah Berlatsky

Wonder Woman News

I’m reading Wednesday, March 11, at 6:30 in Chicago at 57th Street Books.

I’m reading Saturday, March 14 from 4-5:30 at the Urbana Free Library down in Urbana, IL.

On HU

Featured Archive Post: Ilana Gershon on policing teachers on social media.

On how the Batman TV show never goes bad.

I compiled a list of my writing about misandry.

Adrian Bonenberger on Bill O’Reilly and why we like some liars and not others.

Tracy Q. Loxley compares Iggy Azalea and Vanilla Ice.

Donovan Grant on the new Captain America and the dream of a black superhero who doesn’t suck.

Chris Gavaler tells “12 Monkeys” how to fix their Time Machine.

Kristian Williams on John Constantine and the art of magic (and/or the magic of art.)

Utilitarians Everywhere

At Reason I wrote about the Homan Square black site and the history of police torture in Chicago.

At Ravishly I wrote about:

— Spock’s sex appeal and the downsides of Vulcan masculinity.

—Michelle Rodriguez, whiteness, and superheroes.

—why superheroes of all sizes are better.

—call-out culture, and how critics of it seem to assume that twitter is a left space (it isn’t.)

At Splice Today I reviewed a bunch of awesome metal albums.

At the Reader:

—I wrote about a nifty anniversary show at the Smart Gallery

— I reviewed D&D prog metal band Elder

Other Links

Russ Smith on how David Brooks is still awful.

You can buy a book for an incarcerated child.

Ta-Nehisi Coates on the Ferguson report and America’s history of stealing stuff from black people.

Aaron Bady on American academia’s ignorance of African literature.

Interesting piece on booking women authors on television talk shows.

Utilitarian Review 2/28/15

Posted on February 28, 2015 by Noah Berlatsky

On HU

Featured Archive Post: Comics vs. fashion editorials.

James Lamb on why superhero diversity isn’t enough.

Me on Static and how if you see racism you’re a supervillain.

Tom Syverson on The Bachelor, hysteria, and the pain of being an object.

Chris Gavaler on Paradise Lost, the first superhero story.

R.M. Rhodes on the contribution of art director John Workman to Heavy Metal.

Me on X-Men: Days of Future Past and the coming post-racial genocide.

Shonté Daniels reviewed the game Hot Tin Roof.

Utilitarians Everywhere

At the New Republic I wrote about the limits of diversity and how Octavia Butler created the greatest black superhero.

At Ravishly I wrote about:

—I interviewed Dee of blackrocktumblr about genre, rock, and race.

—I wrote about our forthcoming dog.

—I write about how writers aren’t romantic heroes.

At Splice I cheered Rahm not winning because he is a terrible mayor.

Other Links

Kenya Golden on Amber Rose.

Alyssa Rosenberg on barriers to the entertainment industry getting more diverse.

C.T. May on Harlequin and feminism.

New Open Mike Eagle EP

Utilitarian Review 2/21/15

Posted on February 21, 2015 by Noah Berlatsky

Wonder Woman News

I am reading at Women and Children First on Thursday at 7:30. Be there! (something compels you.)

Aimee Levitt with a brief review and a preview of the reading.

Catherine Kustanczy interviewed me for Mic.

On HU

Featured Archive Post: Dana Schechter on why Natural Snow Buildings is the best band you’ve never hear of.

Caroline Small on Delany and comics definitions.

Me on Static and diverse mediocre genre product.

Kim O’Connor on Michael DeForge’s First Year Healthy and mental illness.

Chris Gavaler on how the evil corporate Hydra monster has hijacked Marvel.

Osvaldo Oyola on romance comics and the weirdness of heteronormativity.

Ng Suat Tong on Dylan Horrocks’ mediocre Sam Zabel, and pens as penises.

Robert Stanley Martin on what’s been overlooked at the Oscars.

Utilitarians Everywhere

At the New Republic I said we should get rid of public intellectuals.

At the Atlantic I wrote about why we should keep the guilt in guilty pleasures.

At Pacific Standard I wrote about

— how copyright damages learning and how I had to use pirated scans to write my Wonder Woman book.

—who is and isn’t responsible in totalitarian regimes.

At Ravishly I wrote about:

—how scientists who fear alien invasion should read Octavia Butler.

—The hidden queer history of the blues.

— To Kill a Mockingbird and imagining that all the racists are poor people.

At Splice Today I wrote about how

—Atheists should own their violence.

—Scott Walker is scary, but not because he’s electable.

Other Links

Terrell Jermaine Starr on harassment of black women online.

Ta-Nehisi Coates remembers David Carr.

Aimee Levitt on chick lit, lit fic, and Single, Carefree, Mellow.

Mikki Kendall on why Mary Shelly isn’t the first sci-fi writer.

Utilitarian Review 2/14/15

Posted on February 14, 2015 by Noah Berlatsky

On HU

From the Archive: Aaron Costain on architecture and comics.

Christina Wintturi on why you can’t take the sex out of Barbie.

Me on Batgirl overturning the patriarchy.

Chris Gavaler on ouija boards and superpowers.

I interviewed Jordannah Elizabeth about her lovely new album.

Ibrahim Ineke on how the gothic and comics are intertwined.

On art, society, and fear of a Beyoncé think piece.

On how the right can’t even tell when it hates Jews anymore.

Utilitarians Everywhere

At Reason I wrote about how sex work stigma precedes criminalization, rather than the other way around.

At the Daily Beast I argued that Marvel comics aren’t better than the films in the handling of race.

At the Atlantic I reviewed Ted Gioia’s book on love songs (and Jessie J.)

At Ravishly I wrote about:

—the crappy cover for the new all-female Avengers title

— Beyoncé and all the better versions of Precious Lord.

—Dawn Richard and the reluctance to see black women as geniuses.

— being bored with your spouse.

At the Chicago Reader I did a review of a show on nudity.

At Splice I explained why Bobby Jindal insults John Boehner.

Other Links

Tessa Dare has a brilliant Taylor Swift fanfic.

Brianna Wu with some concrete actions folks can take to reduce harassment of women online.

Jessica Luther has a lengthy discussion of the implications of a Vanderbilt rape case.

Utilitarian Review 2/7/15

Posted on February 7, 2015 by Noah Berlatsky

On HU

Featured Archive Post: Darryl Ayo on public readings of comics.

Me on reverse racism and segregation in Chicago.

Me on Andrew Sullivan and the Iraq war as blogging psychodrama.

Julian Chambliss on Flash, Arrow, and the history of the world’s greatest crossovers.

Chris Gavaler on Justified and how if a series goes on too long you end up with nihilism.

Me on Kathleen Gilles Seidel’s “More Than You Dreamed” and the how romance novels can be ambiguous.

Roy T. Cook with a transitional post for PencilPanelPage — they’re going to be posting irregularly rather than weekly. Check the post out for their votes for the best posts they’ve done so far.

Jog on Aamir Khan’s PK and gentle religious satire, Bollywood style.

Utilitarians Everywhere

At the Atlantic I talked about the possibility of suing people who don’t vaccinate their kids.

At Ravishly I:

— wrote about how the original Ghostbusters is a sexist piece of shit.

—wrote about This One Summer and adults being teens and vice versa.

—interviewed Julia Serano about making left spaces more inclusive.

— talked about Black Sea and hating men (unless they’re dead.)

At Splice Today:

— I wrote about P.C., Charles C.W. Cooke, and purity politics.

— I wrote about Andrew Sullivan and the hubris of humility.

At the Chicago Reader I reviewed stoned behemoths Drug Honkey.

Other Links

Kevin Carson on Watchmen and why you shouldn’t let the neoliberals have a monopoly on hating the government.

You don’t get much better than X-rated LaVern Baker and Jackie Wilson.

Shea Hennum expresses skepticism about Scott McCloud’s The Sculptor.

Kelly Conaboy on the disastrous 50 Shades press tour.

And hey, Feministing gave away copies of my book.

Utilitarian Review 1/24/15

Posted on January 24, 2015 by Noah Berlatsky

Wonder Woman News

This Wednesday, at 6:00PM, I am going to be signing books at the lovely First Aid Comics, 1617 East 55th Street, Chicago, IL 60615. If you are in Chicago, come on by and chat about space kangaroos!

Lauren Davis did a really fun interview with me; we talked about Steve and castration and Etta Candy and love leaders, which haven’t come up in other interviews so much.

Other News

Jacob Canfield talks about the depressing and overwhelming response to his viral internet piece on Charlie Hebdo which ran on HU.

On HU

Featured Archive Post: Subdee on Britpop and Phonogram.

Josselin Moneyron looked at a year of Charlie Hebdo covers (most of them aren’t about Islam.)

Folks asked me questions about Wonder Woman, and I answered.

I interviewed Andrew Hoberek about Watchmen and neoliberalism.

Sarah Shoker on whether science fiction will lead us to a better future.

Naphtali Rivkin on Junot Diaz, Isabel Allende, and superbildungsromans.

Kim O’Connor brings you fables from your comics industry.

Michael Carson on American Sniper as authenticity kitsch.

Utilitarians Everywhere

At the Atlantic:

— I wrote about Bart Beaty’s new Archie book and the advantages of no continuity.

—I explained that the point of The Man in the High Castle is that the Nazi dystopia isn’t that dystopic.

At Ravishly:

— I talked about why Beyonce and Wonder Woman are alike (they will save the world through sex.

—I argued that Lucy in the Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe can be seen as a feminist character.

At Pacific Standard I reviewed Edward Struzik’s Future Arctic, about practical responses to climate change.

At Splice Today I wrote about

— why you can write about a trailer without seeing the movie.

— how my cat does not want to be cozy.

At the Chicago Reader I did short reviews of

— a nifty Posada tribute show

—woozy loungey hipsters Woo Park.

Other Links

Forrest Wickman on how women don’t get credit for their music.

Anthony Failola on the French Muslim community and Charlie Hebdo.

Utilitarian Review 1/17/15

Posted on January 17, 2015 by Noah Berlatsky

Wonder Woman News

My book was (finally!) released this week. There were a number of reviews and interviews and such.

The Atlantic printed an excerpt adapted from the book’s intro.

Alex Deuben interviewed me at Comic Book Resources.

Paul Semel interviewed me at his site.

Suzette Chan reviewed the book at Sequential Tart.

Tim Hanley reviewed it at The Comics Journal. (Tim had a little more to say at his blog here.

Sheryl Kirby reviewed my book and Jill Lepore’s together.

On HU

This was a kind of overwhelming week on HU. We had a bunch of posts about my Wonder Woman book release, and then everybody wanted to write about Charlie Hebdo.

So Wonder Woman first:

I interviewed Carla Speed McNeil about how Marston/Peter’s take on gender inspires her.

I posted a gallery of images from my book.

Kailyn Kent wrote a review of my book and talked about how boring super-hero movies are.

I interviewed Trina Robbins about her love of the Marston/Peter comics (and got her to admit there’s a lot of bondage in them!)

And now Charlie Hebdo:

Kim O’Connor, listens as comics speaks to you.

Michael Kupperman on cartooning for the NYT and being edited by hobbits.

Marguerite Dabaie on Arab cartoonists whose repression has been sidelined in the Charlie Hebdo discussion.

Caroline Small on satire and empathy and the disconnect between the two.

Ben Saunders on why Charlie Hebdo should not be blamed for the attacks.

Bert Stabler on why Joe Sacco’s Charlie Hebdo cartoon was wishy-washy and awful.

Janell Hobson on how racism is, and is not, lost in translation.

Whew! It’s been nice to have so much interest, but a bit exhausting too. It’ll be nice to get back to just posting once a day and I presume being ignored by most of the internets.

Utilitarians Everywhere

At Pacific Standard I wrote about plus-sized models and the gaze of the sociologist.

At Ravishly:

— I wrote about how even in death, you can have privilege.

—I did a list of great women of gospel.

— I wondered whether a romance novel needs a happy ending.

— I wrote about the Adam West Batman and manly violence.

At Splice Today

— I explained that the Senate is not undemocratic.

—I endorsed Romney for President.

Other Links

There’s too much here already; no more links this week.