Utilitarian Review 9/3/11

News

Next week we’ve got an exciting blog crossover event happening…and at the end of October, beginning of November we’ve got not one but two roundtables. So keep your internet pointed here, true believers!

On HU

This weeks’ Featured Archive post discusses the Amish battle against the superheroes.

We started the week out with Erica Friedman on Yamazaki Mari’s cross-cultural public bath manga Thermae Romae.

I talked about men, feminism, Die Hard and Y: The Last Man.

I discussed my mild disappointment with Bob Haney and Ramona Fradon’s Metamorpho.

I have a brief piece on Perotin, Juliana Barwick, and solipsistic oneness.

Sean Michael Robinson talks about the fallout of becoming an internet meme.

Ian Scott explains why Dave Sim’s Judenhass is a mess.

A free pop crap download mix for your listening pleasure.

And Nadim Damluji provides a survey of contemporary Arab comics.

Utilitarians Everywhere

At Splice Today I review Steven Glain’s State vs. Defense and wonder why American’s are such craven cowards.

I review the botched genre product of Colombiana.

And I discuss Amen Dunes’ latest album Through Donkey Jaws, and discuss the deadend pop avant garde legacy of the Beatles.

Other Links

Forbidden Planet on the HU best comics poll.

Alyssa Rosenberg on superheroes and marriage.

Heidi needs to switch to Green Lantern websites.

Michael Fiffe talks about indie creators and superhero work at the Factual Opinion.

The Atlantic looks at the legacy of Thelma and Louise.

At Comixology, Tucker Stone talks about the DC relaunch.

Utilitarian Review 8/27/11

On HU

Featured Archive Post: Sean Michael Robinson on Choose Your Own Adventure books.

I discuss Rienhold Neibuhr and the egotism of pragmatism.

Erica Friedman on why she loves anime and manga, and the relation of both to Japanese culture.

I talk about the Hernandez Bros, Kirby, Barefoot Gen, and other disappointments in summer reading. A long rambling but entertaining comments thread ensues.

Marguerite Van Cook on Kirby, Lee, class, text, and credit.

I argue that schools should not be prisons.

Qiana Whitted on Blues Comics.

Interviews with J.R. Brown, Lillian Diaz-Przybyl, and Shaenon Garrity on the effect of Borders closing on manga.

Vom Marlowe on Monet and gardening.

Utilitarians Everywhere

At Splice Today I talk about Sly Stone’s disappointing new album.

Also at Splice, I review the mediocre Troll Hunter.

Other Links

Dan Nadel smacks down Grant Morrison.

Jog on his selections for the best comics poll.

And Boing Boing linked our best comics poll. People in comments hate Peanuts. Who knew such sacrilege was possible?

Utilitarian Review 8/19/11

On HU

This week we finished up the Best Comics Poll with Robert’s concluding essay and the rest of the participant lists.

With the poll roll out finally completed, this seems like a good moment to thank Robert Stanley Martin. Robert put in an obscene amount of work organizing the polls, the essays, and the lists. It’s been an enormous undertaking, and I’ve been honored to help with it, and to have it hosted on HU. It’s been a great experience, and (if HU is still around then!) I’d be thrilled to do it again in 2021.

Other Links

Sean Witzke with some thoughts on his best of list.

Martin Wisse on the lack of women on the best of list.

John Porcellino with some thoughts on his best of list.
 
 


Robert Stanley Martin

Utilitarian Review 8/13/11

News

I’m out of town next week, so there will be a reduced blogging schedule. We’ll finish up with the remainder of the best comics poll lists, and Robert Stanley Martin will have some final thoughts on the poll results. We’ll be back in force Monday, August 22.

On HU

Our best comics poll index has all the essays and participant lists that have appeared through the week.

Utilitarians Everywhere

At Splice Today I talked about Eugene Thacker’s book about philosophy and horror and also cockroaches.

Also at Splice I review Kelly Rowland’s new album.

At the Chicago Reader I’ve got a brief review of Matt Irie’s Chicago opening at Ebersmoore.

Other Links

James Romberger interviews Anders Nilsen.

Slavoj Zizek on the Norway attacks and antisemitism.

Alyssa Rosenberg on Frank Miller and Alan Moore.

Alyssa again on horror television shows, or the lack thereof.

Utilitarian Review 8/7/11

On HU

This week was devoted to our countdown of the top ten comics of all time according to our poll. We also revealed the list of the top 115 comics from our poll. More information about the poll is at Robert Stanley Martin’s introduction and intro.

Utilitarians Everywhere

I have a piece at the Washington Times about the effect of Borders closing on manga.

At the Chicago Reader I have a piece reviewing Annette Fuentes’ Lockdown High, a book about security measures in schools.

For Splice Today I have an essay about Reinhold Niebuhr.

Also at Splice, a review of Cowboys and Aliens.

And finally at Splice, a discussion of Joss Stone and Amy Winehouse.

Other Links

David Welsh with thoughts on women’s representation at DC and tcj.com.

Ta-Nehisi Coates on Obama and the left.

Utilitarian Review 7/31/11

News

Next week begins our Best Comics Poll countdown. Discussions, essays, lists, and more will be running on this site over the next two weeks. Robert Stanley Martin has knocked himself out putting this together, and we’re very excited to be presenting it here on HU. So please stop back throughout the week!

On HU

This week on HU was devoted to our Illustrated Wallace Stevens roundtable. The easiest way to navigate the roundtable is probably to start at the index. Many, many thanks to all the artists who participated. It’s been a wonderful project, and I’m really grateful to have had the opportunity to host it.

Utilitarians Everywhere

On Splice Today I have a review of the new documentary The Interrupters about violence in Chicago.

Bert Stabler and I talk about Zizek and Christianity and more at his blog.

Other Links

Alyssa Rosenberg on race and magic pixie dreamgirls.

Interesting article on sexism in the scientific community.

Shaenon Garrity’s review of Wandering Son.

Uncomfortable questions about women in DC titles.

Utilitarian Review 7/23/11

News

The blog is going to be very busy. Starting tomorrow we have an exciting artists roundtable which will run through the week. After that it is looking as though Robert should be ready to do his Best Comics Poll results extravaganza in early August. So check back with us!

On HU

In our featured archive post, Jones, One of the Jones Boys, talks about visual aliens.

We started the week off with a meditation on Gasoline Alley and change by Sean Michael Robinson.

Robert Stanley Martin looked at Godard’s Les Carabiniers.

Franklin Einspruch discussed the Krazy Kat inspired abstractions of Walter Darby Bannard.

I expressed mixed feelings about Shimura Takako’s Wandering Son.

Richard Cook looked at ten types of stupid in transformers 3.

I posted a neo soul download mix.

Russ Maheras wondered why the Air Force gets such a bad rap in Super 8.

And Caroline Small…

Utilitarians Everywhere

At Splice Today I discuss the ecological black metal of Botanist.

I argue that Harry Potter is mediocre and Quidditch makes no sense.

And I talk about Tomas Sedlacek’s book The Economics of Good and Evil.

Other Links

Craig Fischer on Gene Colan.

Conor Friedersdorf on Obama’s broken promises.

Alyssa Rosenberg speculates on why people freak out at politics in their pop culture.

And Switchblade Sisters is available on netflix instant. Watch it!