Here are the latest reports from The Washington Posts ‘Comic Riffs’.
On Left-Handers Day, a new Bill of Rights — or Lefts — for aggrieved southpaws
WE’RE A distinct minority group — only about 10 percent of the world’s population —but we have a definite radar for each other. We are the proud southpaws who walk among you. And in honor of international Left-Handers Day, which is celebrated Saturday, I’ll share now a few of our inside secrets with you righties. […]
Faster, higher, stronger: Star Wars: ‘Rogue One’ lands during the Olympics with a big Darth tease
Katie Ledecky and Simone Biles may be leading heroes at the 2016 Rio Games, but Disney took advantage of a break in its televised action to remind us of another young heroine that it is featuring this year: Jyn Erso, as played by star Felicity Jones. Disney landed its latest “Rogue One: A Star […]
Why ‘Maus’ remains ‘the greatest graphic novel ever written,’ 30 years later
ART SPIEGELMAN didn’t set out to reinvent his chosen field. He was only trying to tap his family history, even as he sat clear across the country estranged from his New York father, several years after his mother committed suicide. Spiegelman, having survived a nervous breakdown while living in New York, had set out for […]
New ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ series to boldly ramp up inclusion with gay character and female lead
LAST MONTH, upon the release of Justin Lin’s “Star Trek Beyond,” there was a ripple of controversy over the feature-film franchise’s decision to out the character Sulu as gay, with even George Takei — the popular actor and gay activist who originated the role — questioning the choice to alter late creator Gene Roddenberry’s vision. […]
In ‘All-Star Batman,’ the Dark Knight leaves Gotham and goes on the road
As his time writing DC Comics’ flagship “Batman” series was coming to an end, Scott Snyder realized he had many more bat-tales to tell. So when the final issue of his five-year run writing “Batman” finally arrived this spring, Snyder was already hard at work on a new Batman project, collaborating with veteran artist and […]
From A (thletes) to Z (ika): These are the strongest Rio Olympics cartoons so far
WE NEED Michael Phelps to float through his butterfly — so we can forget the Zika skeeters that can sting like a bee. We need Katie Ledecky to sweep through her events with inspiring excellence in the water — to divert our attention from all the unswept garbage and polluted waters. We need the American women’s gymnastics […]
New ‘Luke Cage’ trailer shows off Harlem’s newest defender
“I’ve got you.” If you hear those words, then you know you’re under the protection of Harlem’s defender. After teasing fans for a minute and a half at San Diego Comic-Con last month, Marvel and Netflix have released a new trailer for “Luke Cage,” their third superhero series after “Daredevil” and “Jessica Jones,” which stars […]
The one aspect of ‘Suicide Squad’ that saved it from becoming a flop
IT WAS ALREADY clear nearly a year ago, from the floor of Baltimore Comic-Con, that this month’s “Suicide Squad” would be a hit. There in Charm City, as cosplayers flocked to the Inner Harbor, a costumed Harley Quinn couldn’t swing her supersize mallet over her head without hitting, well, another Harley Quinn. Some of the […]
As ‘Suicide Squad’ opens big, here’s why the year’s top 10 films all spotlight animation or superheroes
SOME VIEWERS bemoan the domination of animated and comic-book films at the multiplex, but the current figures for 2016 bear out why Hollywood isn’t markedly altering its recipe any time soon. Of the top 10 new films at the North American box office this year, all 10 releases are either animated or almost entirely CGI, […]
Remembering Richard Thompson: See the now-revealed comic ideas he contributed to Pixar’s ‘Inside Out’
THEY HAD been little seen. Even when I first interviewed the filmmaker, I hadn’t glimpsed Richard Thompson’s sketched contributions to the Oscar-winning Pixar film “Inside Out.” “I starting working on this thing, ‘Inside Out,’ ” in 2010, Pete Docter told me early last year, ahead of the release of the film centered on a girl’s emotional […]
‘Ghostbusters’! ‘Suicide Squad’! Here’s how Hollywood should next unspool its vortex of special effects…
COME THE SUMMER of 2016, we knew that we would get a “Ghostbusters” remake. What we did not know is that the latest take on that hit 1984 comedy would actually be titled “Suicide Squad.” What’s that? What could DC’s worst-of-the-worst supervillains and Peter Venkman’s cheeky spectral exterminators have in common? Well, at least 15 […]
Let’s talk about why we loved ‘Suicide Squad’
With “Suicide Squad” now in theaters, Michael Cavna and David Betancourt of The Post’s Comic Riffs discuss their thoughts on what looks to be yet another DC Comics movie that is dividing critics and hardcore fans. Slight spoilers ahead. MICHAEL CAVNA: So after many months and random Jared Leto tweets of anticipation, we finally got […]
Margot Robbie on becoming Harley Quinn and ‘the most unpleasant thing I’ve ever done’
Margot Robbie was almost where she needed to be. Prior to beginning filming on “Suicide Squad,” the Australian actress had just about completed her transformation into Harley Quinn. In preparation for the role, she dived into online forums to find out what it was fans loved most about the popular DC Comics character, who’s known as the […]
Forget the critics: 7 reasons ‘Suicide Squad’ is undeniably awesome if you’re a fanboy
“Suicide Squad” is a much-needed win for Warner Bros. and DC Entertainment. Originally thought by some to be the other DC Comics movie of 2016 that would come after “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,” instead “Suicide Squad” is confirmation that the DC cinematic universe has a place in this current era of superhero movies. That’s […]
ABZÛ review: A nice swim through a virtual world
ABZÛ Developed by: Giant Squid Published by: 505 Games Available on: PlayStation 4, Xbox One During the past console cycle, a small genre became increasingly visible. Collectively known as exploration games or, somewhat derisively, as walking simulators, titles like thatgamecompany’s “Flower” (2009) and “Journey” (2012) demonstrated that the craft of making 3d virtual worlds had […]
‘Suicide Squad’ could be huge. Can the comic books capitalize by attracting new fans?
The Suicide Squad is ready for their comic-book close-up. With the blockbuster movie of the same name about to hit theaters, DC Comics will be giving fans a brand new series featuring a team of its most ruthless villains, who are occasionally tasked with saving the world. The new “Suicide Squad” series from DC will hit newsstands real and […]
Harley Quinn of ‘Suicide Squad’ could be 2016’s most popular movie character. How did she get started?
A deranged psychiatrist wouldn’t seem like something you’d want to be for Halloween, but once Harley Quinn is unleashed on the world this week, it very well could be the hot costume this fall. One of DC Comics most popular anti-heroes, Harley Quinn is the doctor who thought she could get in the Joker’s mind and understand what […]
In Rep. John Lewis’s new ‘March: Book Three,’ the art rises to the historic occasion
I CAN’T QUITE TELL, as I stare at the armed and deputized white racists way down below, whether artist Nate Powell has been building toward this eye-popping scene himself — steadying his nerve across years — or whether he generously has been building the story up to this staggering visual pinnacle all along, saving it […]
RIP, Richard Thompson: How the artist extends to us the hand of profound wit and humanity
WHEN YOU shake the hand of a right-handed artist, you are not merely gripping fingers. You are, in the parlance of show business, shaking the moneymaker — the very instrument that, by putting idea to canvas, also puts bread to table. So it was that in 2005, I shook hands for the first time with […]
RIP Jack Davis, legendary sports cartoonist and MAD magazine illustrator
For decade upon decade, if you wanted to become a devoted sports cartoonist, as I did, you had to reckon with the talent of one man. When making the stations of the crosshatch, you had to understand the vocabulary of Jack Davis. Davis, who died Wednesday at age 91, received formal art training, yet he also had the […]
These are the Richard Thompson masterpieces we’ll most remember him by
EVERY FAN seems to has a separate entry point into the varied, decades-long career of Richard Thompson, the cartoon genius who died Wednesday at age 58. Some readers cite their favorite Alice Otterloop observation or Petey Otterloop flight of imagination from his syndicated strip, “Cul de Sac.” Others describe a highly specific moment of Washington life […]
The best cartoons making fun of Hillary Clinton’s Democratic Convention
THE BEATLES’ “Hack in the U.S.S.R.” “Vlad to the Bone / Putin’ on the Ritz (medley)” “Debbie in a Blue Dress” So many songs, it seems, could have made the Democratic Convention playlist so far to aptly reflect the headlines and headliners of the week in Philly. “He Ain’t Heavy (He’s My Bernie)” “Michelle (Her […]
Richard Thompson, acclaimed ‘Cul de Sac’ creator and Post contributor, dies at 58
RICHARD THOMPSON, the “Cul de Sac” cartoonist who is widely considered one of the greatest comic-strip creators and illustrators of his generation, died Wednesday in Northern Virginia, family friends confirm. He was 58. Thompson, who lived in Arlington, died of complications from Parkinson’s disease, the effects of which he had endured for eight years. Thompson was perhaps […]
Angry about the election? Political coloring books can soothe your soul
WHETHER YOU’RE a Hillary fan, a Trumpeteer or a Bernie Bro, this month’s national political conventions can leave you fired up, riled up or awfully agitated. So how to unwind before all the red-and-white rhetoric has you turning blue? Well, as we’ve been hearing for a few years, the adult coloring book is the best-selling way […]
‘Headlander’ review: An interesting combination of boisterously odd and chill
Headlander Developed by: Double Fine Productions Published by: Adult Swim Games Available on: PC, PlayStation 4 Every so often a game comes along that reminds me of how boisterously odd the medium can be. Actually, boisterously odd could describe the house style of Double Fine Productions, the makers of the cult classic “Psychonauts,” which is […]
Here is the secret to effectively skewering Hillary Clinton
HOW DOES one lampoon Hillary Clinton? Ask nine of the nation’s top political cartoonists, and they reference a couple of noted historic leaders from across recent centuries. Specifically, Napoleon and Nixon. Last week, The Washington Post’s Comic Riffs asked satirists about their trade secrets for skewering Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, and the incisive replies included nods […]
Who won Comic-Con: Marvel or DC?
MARVEL invited Doctor Strange, Captain Marvel and the Black Panther to the party. DC Entertainment, meanwhile, made sure that Wonder Woman and the Justice League, as well as the Suicide Squad, were on hand for this San Diego shindig. Comic-Con concluded over the weekend, with the Hall H throngs being treated to the big Hollywood […]
‘Star Trek Beyond’ ($59M), enduring a domestic dip, will now rely on global audiences to engage
FIFTY YEARS ago, the bridge of the starship Enterprise was written and cast to suggest a multinational diversity as wide-ranging as the United Nations. Now, the newest Star Trek film will need to navigate deftly toward such multinational appeal, especially needing to engage audiences in such large markets as Asia and Latin America. That’s because […]
Greg Grunberg’s son had a dream. Now it’s a high-flying graphic-novel series and Paramount project
GREG GRUNBERG is utterly in his element at San Diego’s Comic-Con, perhaps because he embodies so many facets of America’s big daddy of pop-culture festivals. Grunberg is best known as an actor, from such shows as “Heroes,” “Alias” and “Felicity” to his current double duty in Hollywood’s big-two space franchises, “Star Trek” and “Star Wars.” His […]
Comic-Con: Marvel’s big night spotlights ‘Doctor Strange,’ ‘Captain Marvel’ and ‘Black Panther’
Not to be outdone by a spectacular display from DC Comics, Marvel left Hall H buzzing on Saturday night — unfurling the studio’s new trailer for this fall’s “Doctor Strange,” starring Benedict Cumberbatch, and announcing that the Oscar-winning Brie Larson has been cast as Captain Marvel. And because these big announcements are rolled out with […]
Comic-Con: DC dazzles with Hall H footage of ‘Justice League, ‘Wonder Woman’ and ‘Suicide Squad’
The future of DC Entertainment’s cinematic universe was on full display Saturday during the studio’s Hall H presentation at San Diego Comic-Con. The dark cloud that was this year’s polarizing reaction to “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” has made way for the light that is DC’s next phase of films. Hall H fans were treated […]
Comic-Con: ‘Overjoyed’ Rep. John Lewis wins ‘the Oscar of comics’ for his civil rights memoir (+ winners’ list)
SIX DECADES ago, Congress was weighing whether comics were fostering delinquency among America’s young. On Friday night, on the opposite coast, a sitting congressman was honored for his creative commitment to educating through comics. Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), who was a cartoon-reading teenager when the Comics Code Authority began issuing its protective stamp of approval […]
‘I Am Setsuna’ review: A JRPG with heart
I Am Setsuna Developed by: Tokyo RPG Factory Published by: Square Enix Available on: PC, PlayStation 4 I can be a little grumpy when I start playing a game. Though I try to keep an open mind when reviewing something that falls outside my usual interests, some games stir me with less enthusiasm than others. […]
The fanboy review: How does ‘Star Trek Beyond’ measure up to the films that boldly went before?
“THING HAVE started to feel a little episodic,” Capt Kirk, as played by Chris Pine, says with a verbal wink in the opening moments of “Star Trek Beyond.” And with that, the latest Trek outing, which opens Friday, doesn’t so much nod to the previous dozen films in the franchise, as it does bow knowingly to the […]
Comic-Con: Netflix/Marvel entice with ‘Luke Cage’ and ‘Iron Fist’ trailers — and confirm ‘Daredevil’s’ return
Some of the first major reveals of Comic-Con 2016 come from Marvel’s Netflix universe. “Luke Cage” and “Iron Fist” brought new trailers to San Diego, showcasing series stars Mike Colter and Finn Jones as Marvel’s indestructible hero and martial-arts expert, respectively. Bring it. #LukeCagehttps://t.co/J04pZrEGPQ — Luke Cage (@LukeCage) July 22, 2016 With a musical assist […]
Here is the true secret to mocking newly minted nominee Donald Trump
NOW THAT Donald Trump has officially accepted his party’s nomination, one profession in particular has its work cut out for it. Pity America’s cartoonists. Sure, mocking the Donald might seem like gleeful sport to many, but what to do next if you’re a professional? For more than a year now, editorial artists all along the political spectrum […]
Comic-Con: Eisner nominee Tom King turned five months in Iraq into a Vertigo Comics hit
For Tom King, writing about superheroes in impossible situations comes easy. But sifting through his memories of his time in Iraq and finding a story to tell would prove much more difficult. King, a Washington-area native who most recently had the challenging task of becoming DC Comics’ new Batman writer following Scott Snyder’s popular run, finally […]
Exclusive: New DeLisle and Trondheim graphic memoirs to be offered in English, via Drawn & Quarterly
SOME CARTOONISTS excel at conveying a profound sense of displacement, when the physical begets the psychological. Two of the best creators around at painting this mental state are the French-language cartoonists Guy DeLisle — whose true-life “Pyongyang” is one of my favorite bio-travelogues — and Lewis Trondheim, that co-master of the sword-and-sorcery parody “Dungeon.” Now, Drawn & […]
Comic-Con: How one of comics’ funniest observational artists says she sees the world
ONE OF the funniest observational artists around hardly sees herself as such. “I’m still surprised when other people think I’m funny,” Lisa Hanawalt, the comics author (“My Dirty Dumb Eyes”) and producer/production designer (Netflix’s “BoJack Horseman”), tells The Post’s Comic Riffs. “I just learned to make jokes as a way of moving through the world.” […]
The GOP convention’s pomp, circumstance and plagiarism, according to cartoons
THE BALLOONS. The star-spangled banners. The posters touting the man of the hour with his fashionable young family. Then again, all that could simply be Melania Trump recalling the 2008 Democratic convention. Yes, this week’s parade of RNC political figures in Cleveland has included a spouse speech’s plagiarism, as well as Ted Cruz perhaps upstaging […]
How Star Trek embraced diversity 50 years ago — and continues to do so today
JOHN CHO was in the United Arab Emirates, seeking an Asian husband. “Star Trek Beyond” was shooting in Dubai, and Cho’s character, Sulu, would come out as gay in the new movie. The filmmakers had decided on a simple, brief scene of family reunion in which we glimpse the warm, quiet embrace of the starship Enterprise helmsman, his co-parent […]
‘Star Trek Beyond’ castmate is heartbroken over Anton Yelchin, whose Chekov role won’t be recast
YOU CANNOT knowledgeably watch “Star Trek Beyond” without the pang of awareness that this is the last we’ll see of Anton Yelchin’s Chekov. Now, producer J.J. Abrams says, it’s the last we’ll see of Chekov, period. At least in terms of new work within Abrams’s run on the rebooted film franchise. “Star Trek Beyond” premieres […]
DC Comics’ beloved superhero Nightwing returns — no longer a spy, but still undercover
Few comic-book characters have had as many iterations as Dick Grayson, which should come as no surprise when you consider he’s been a superhero since childhood. From Batman’s kid sidekick, Robin the Boy Wonder, to member of the Teen Titans, an adult vigilante life as Nightwing, and most recently, faking his death while secretly […]
Wait — just how did Ohio become the cradle of great cartoonists?
OHIO just can’t seem to stay out of the spotlight this year, whether its Cavaliers win big, its Indians are winning big or Donald Trump takes the Cleveland stage on Monday evening to promise a win that will be “so big.” Yet as delegates and pundits descend on Ohio for this week’s Republican National Convention, […]
How the rest of the world views American violence and police
BATON ROUGE. St. Paul. Dallas. The latest case in Baltimore. And back to Baton Rouge. Violence involving American police officers and civilians can read like a never-ending tour of death in 2016. And with the past weekend’s latest fatal eruption in Louisiana, ahead of the Republican and Democratic political conventions, many people say the nation […]
Faith and politics will collide when Hillary Clinton appears in Valiant Comics
Faith and politics will meet head-on in November. Hillary Clinton will appear in the fifth issue of Faith, one of Valiant Comics’ most popular characters, in a special election-edition issue that will hit newsstands real and digital on Nov. 2. Clinton will be on the front of the comic book (with cover art by Paolo Rivera) and […]
From boyhood to Hollywood: Jeff Bezos, who played Star Trek as a kid, has a role in ‘Star Trek Beyond’
ONE QUIRK of working at The Washington Post is that, on occasion, you glimpse one of your bosses — or an iteration thereof — smack in the middle of a Hollywood film, from “All the President’s Men” to “State of Play” to last year’s Oscar-winning “Spotlight.” But this is the first time I can recall […]
Exclusive: Iranian cartoonist opens up about her captivity — and new freedom. #Draw4Atena
OF THE THOUSANDS of artists I have interviewed over the years, few have been as demonstrably brave as Atena Farghadani. Atena was already an experienced activist in her 20s when she drew a cartoon mocking Iran’s parliament to protest her native nation’s anti-birth control policies. She was arrested by the Revolutionary Guard in the summer […]
The most moving art that mourns the Nice attack
YET AGAIN, we turn our mourning eyes toward France. Yet again, so soon after the last massacre in a hurting nation, another attack of apparent terrorism strikes, this time along the French Riviera. And again, we try to absorb the toll exacted by murderous evil targeting innocent civilians. Some say, “Remember Brussels,” but we haven’t […]
Gotta see ’em all! The best of this week’s Pokémon Go cartoons
MANY ARTISTS just cannot resist drawing popular cartoon characters; it’s simply too much fun. And when those characters find a new type of virality across national borders, well, then it becomes like skewering fish in a barrel. So when the phenomenon that is Pokémon Go exploded after the release of its app last week, cartoonists were primed […]
The writer who helped kill Superman is bringing him new life
Dan Jurgens is perhaps most famous as the person who wrote and drew one of the biggest moments in the history of comic-books back in 1992, “The Death of Superman.” He is now writing the DC Comics series that gave birth to the superhero era: Action Comics, in DC’s new “Rebirth” era. Jurgens takes the first word […]
Author illuminates through art how bridging American differences mattered during World War II
FOR AUTHOR Warren Bernard, it has been a long road to San Diego — one that went through the Allied’s front lines and along the American home front. At next week’s Comic-Con International in Southern California, the result of Bernard’s decade of World War II research, “Cartoons for Victory” (Fantagraphics), will be up for an […]
Now that Kid Flash has arrived, is he here to stay?
The countdown to Wally West making his debut as Kid Flash on CW’s “The Flash” just got a lot shorter. Variety has revealed the first image of the sidekick speedster. Actor Keiynan Lonsdale will make his first appearance in the yellow and red super-suit in “The Flash” Season 3 premiere, titled “Flashpoint,” on Oct. 4. Fans will recall […]
7 graphic novels and memoirs you should read this summer
NOW THAT we’re in the month of Comic-Con, the new graphic-novel reading season really heats up. Many of the midyear author tours crank into full gear, and in comes a new wave of quality comics. With that in mind, here are seven fascinating graphic-narrative books that Comic Riffs recommends for your reading list this summer: “Dream Jumper“ […]
After watching teens play ‘Pokémon Go,’ I’m convinced it shows the future of gaming — and more
ON SUNDAY, a parent I know took a group of teenage girls to Washington’s Newseum, ostensibly for them to learn about the news-gathering business. Instead, one of the girls said that they spent “about 60 percent of the time playing Pokémon Go.” Perhaps, though, the girls were on to something, because relatively few news stories have been […]
As ‘Secret Life of Pets’ ($103M) soars, say hello to Hollywood’s newest animated franchise
AND JUST like that, the Minions, those little lemon laborers, won’t have to do all of the heavy lifting anymore. That’s because their daddy, Illumination Entertainment, has just birthed a new franchise. Illumination and Universal’s “The Secret Life of Pets” outpaced expectations to gross $103.2 million in its domestic debut, according to studio estimates — not […]
Sketchbook: The lasting Wimbledon image that renders Roger Federer a greatly relatable figure
I FIRST began sketching tennis players when I hit my teen years, right about the same time I also began hitting a tennis ball competitively. It was instructive to study not only how the top players strike the ball, but also how they pivot and back-pedal and scramble and lunge and recover. To better understand […]
Draw your best Donald Trump and share it with us via #PostMyTrump
THERE IS just something about Donald Trump. From rhetoric to hairstyle, he has that certain, oh, je ne sais coif. And the world’s cartoonists can’t help themselves. Ahead of the Republican convention in Cleveland, you can join in the visual joy, too. The project: Show us your Trump! Some actors simply spawn impersonators, and some public […]
The state of Black Lives and police violence, according to American cartoonists
I AM READING an advance galley copy of Rep. John Lewis’s civil-rights memoir “March: Book Three” this week and seeing perilous ’60s scenes unfold, as white police attack black men in the South. I take a break from the brutality to flip on the news, and in the modern-day South, Alton Sterling has just been […]
Warren Ellis will bring the six-issue ‘Shipwreck’ to AfterShock Comics
Warren Ellis has set sail for AfterShock Comics. An English writer known for Transmetropolitan, The Authority, Red and the Extremis storyline in Iron Man comics, Ellis will join artist Phil Hester and colorist Mike Spicer on Shipwreck, a six-issue miniseries that will debut Oct. 5. Ellis previously worked with AfterShock CCO Joe Pruett at Caliber Press, […]
SPX 2016 announces slate of alt-comics greats to celebrate Fantagraphics Books’ 40th
EVERY YEAR, it seems, the weekend jewel that is Washington’s Small Press Expo aims to top itself with its talent rollout. We’ve almost gotten spoiled. Come fall, there will be legends. But it’s no hyperbole to say: This September’s schedule may well be the event’s most head-turning yet. Organizers will announce today that this year’s […]
Iron Man will soon be a young black woman named Riri Williams. But not everyone is satisfied.
Iron Man will soon be a young, black, female teen. Where do we begin? At first glance, this announcement, first made by Time, is another step forward in Marvel Comics’s continued efforts to make its comic-book universe better resemble the world it occupies. For so long that wasn’t the case. But we now have Miles Morales […]
‘Inside’ review: A gaming masterpiece
Inside Developer: Playdead Publisher: Playdead Available on: PC, Xbox One There is a term in Danish, gennembrud, that means breakthrough. In 1883, the critic Georg Brandes used the phrase Det moderne gennembrud, or the modern breakthrough, to describe the ways in which Scandinavian literary artists were rebelling against the conventions of their time and forging […]
The FBI’s report on Hillary Clinton’s ‘extremely careless’ email case, according to cartoons
TO THE TUNE of the classic Sondheim song, “Send in the Clowns”: Isn’t this rich? Aren’t they a pair? Bill here, so fast, on tarmacs She in mid-err Send in the clowns Is this a breach? Does Hill deceive? She who keeps emailing around Do we believe? Where are the clowns? Send in the clowns […]
‘Bloom County’ and ‘Bloodshot Reborn’ are among the multiple 2016 Harvey Award nominees
“BLOOM COUNTY,” “Peanuts,” “Ninjak,” “The Vision,” “March: Book 2″ and “Bloodshot Reborn” are among the leading nominees for the 2016 Harvey Awards, as announced today by the executive committees of the Harvey Awards and Baltimore Comic-Con. The esteemed awards, named for the late, great cartoonist-editor Harvey Kurtzman, honor excellence in the comics field, as voted […]
‘Doonesbury’ creator explains why he sees Donald Trump as a true, proven [expletive]
NEARLY 29 years ago, Donald Trump was flattered when he made his first appearance in “Doonesbury.” For more than 28 years now, the presumptive GOP presidential nominee hasn’t felt so complimented. Garry Trudeau, creator of the Pulitzer-winning comic strip, has been satirizing the real-estate mogul since 1987, when the world of “Doonesbury” first envisioned Trump as a […]
As ‘Finding Dory’ soars for the holiday, where did the flopping ‘The BFG’ go wrong?
STEVEN SPIELBERG’s “The BFG” might have seemed well-positioned to open nicely this holiday weekend. It’s a feel-good, all-ages tale from a popular storyteller that flashes state-of-the-art digital effects. And, well, it’s got Spielberg’s name branded all over it. But none of those factors appear to be as crucial to midsummer debut success as Hollywood thinks. Disney/Pixar’s “Finding Dory” […]
Marvel is creating an America-themed Avengers — led by a British writer and a Brazilian mutant
With the counterterrorism team S.H.I.E.L.D. having seen better days after one too many decisions gone wrong, the security of the United States within the pages of the Marvel Comics universe has been up for debate. If you can’t trust the super-secret spy organization that has always been there for you, whom can you trust? How about A.I.M.? […]
‘I’m white, and I’m still terrified’: A raging writer in Britain reacts to Brexit through art
FOR DAYS, Roger Langridge wrote, he was boiling with rage over the United Kingdom’s “stupid, stupid referendum result.” But then someone wrote to ask him: “Why do you hate your countrymen?” And so the New Zealand-born artist, who lives in Britain, decided to respond not with hate, but love. Yet what could an ordinary, loving U.K. resident […]
‘Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ has just enough comedy to get you by
Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens Developed by: Traveller’s Tales, TT Fusion Published by: WBIE Available on: Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo Wii U, PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Xbox 360, Xbox One At this point, most sane humans have had enough of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” but big corporations like Lego and Warner […]
Just how deep is the partisan divide over Benghazi? These eight cartoons tell the political tale.
YOU EXPECT official Washington to reach some sort of consensus on Benghazi? Why, you can’t even get a room full of political cartoonists to agree on Benghazi. And these are people not even bucking for higher office or rank or favor. We can agree, it seems, on the length and expense of the final report delivered […]
How a kids’ book artist turned his childhood illness into both passion and profession
JOHN PATRICK GREEN is a wryly funny wit with a warm sense of mischief, but as a kid, he was no class clown. He was simply too ill for that. “I was a very sick child, healthwise — I had terrible asthma attacks and allergies,” Green tells The Post’s Comic Riffs on a warm afternoon […]
From Rio Olympics to Capitol Hill, here’s how the Zika virus looms, according to cartoons
WITH THE Rio Olympics just weeks away, the Zika virus controversy has become mired in two perilous traps in recent days. On the sporting front, the world’s top golfer has just filled out a notable foursome of elite links athletes who say they won’t risk South American exposure to Zika and thus won’t compete in […]
A new graphic novel explains the ridiculousness of the marriage industry
ARE YOU married, or do you hope to be married, or have you ever watched someone close to you wrestle with the path toward being married? Or have you even just been amazed by the gazillion-dollar industry that feeds off those planning to get married? Then “Something New” may be just the book for you, […]
The extended cut of ‘Batman v Superman’ won’t change minds. Either you like this movie, or you don’t.
When it was announced that “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” would be released to home audiences with an “extended cut” that featured 30 extra minutes of footage and an R-rating, many wondered if Warner Bros. had taken notice of “Deadpool’s” success and was taking advantage. But there is no “Deadpool” effect here. Far from it. Those hoping that […]
Yabba-dabba reboot! Satire is sharp enough to cut rocks in DC Comics’ debut of ‘The Flintstones’
DC COMICS reached out with a mission for writer Mark Russell. How would he like to write a reboot of The Flintstones? His prompt reply: “I kind of hate ‘The Flintstones.’ ” The DC editors’ response: They liked his humorous take for his award-winning comic Prez, so his distaste for the old animated Hanna-Barbera TV […]
‘Finding Dory’s’ trouncing of ‘Independence Day: Resurgence’ underscores a rule of Hollywood sequels
THE WEEKEND box office held fast to two truths Comic Riffs offered up just last month: 1. The “Independence Day” franchise, by waiting two decades for the resurgence of a sequel, faced an awfully steep hill toward success. 2. Cartoon sequels, as far as audiences are concerned, exist in their own blissful state of suspended […]
Sketchbook: The Great Brexit Break, as illustrated by classic British literature
WHENEVER WE need to better understand the present, we can always turn to the history of literature and find a tale that lends some perspective. As the Great Brexit Break of 2016 roils the globe and leaves a kingdom reeling with questions, some minds might be inclined — seeking literary enlightenment — toward a title […]
The world’s most striking Brexit reactions, through cartoons
UK to leave E.U.! P.M. resigns ASAP! Pound now down! The headlines rippled ’round the globe overnight as Britons shocked the world by voting to exit — or “Brexit” — the European Union. Next thing we knew, Prime Minister David Cameron said he was stepping down; Scottish leader Nicola Sturgeon spoke of a referendum to break […]
Meet the new Green Lanterns. Yes, there are two of them.
The Green Lanterns are here to protect planet Earth. And as soon as they figure out how, the world will be a better, safer place. This month, DC Comics, as a part of its new “Rebirth” revamp, introduced the first issue of Green Lanterns. The “s” at the end of Lanterns is important. There are two […]
What the nation’s political cartoonists saw at the Democratic sit-in
FOR 26 HOURS, Democrats staged a sit-in on the House floor to draw attention to stalled gun-violence legislation in the fresh wake of 49 Orlando deaths. And before the protest officially ended, House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) called for the body to adjourn a day early for the Fourth of July holiday. In acting, Democrats […]
John Lewis’s House sit-in shows how he’s a master of the dramatic image, artist says
ARTIST NATE POWELL has spent years studying Rep. John Lewis, not only biographically but also visually, scene by scene over the congressman’s 76 often-momentous years. And as the Indiana-based cartoonist watches the current, Lewis-led House Democratic sit-in over gun control unfold, he is moved by the echoes from throughout Lewis’s life. The sit-in hits “echoes on several […]
‘Asemblance’ review: A puzzle within a puzzle within a puzzle
Asemblance Developed by: Nilo Studios Published by: Nilo Studios Available on: PC, PlayStation 4 You’re standing in front of a computer terminal. A siren wails above you while a pulsating red light stabs the air. A narrator, who sounds like he could be the successor to the HAL 9000 computer in “2001: A Space Odyssey” […]
How ‘Doonesbury’ envisioned Donald Trump’s presidential run 29 years ago
IT’S EASY to forget that many of the headlines surrounding Donald Trump’s current campaign were strikingly foreshadowed. But a stroll down the past three decades of “Doonesbury” can read like a road map to the billionaire’s 2016 candidacy. A Trump run for president? Check. “Doonesbury” first had that covered nearly 30 years ago. Campaign references to Trump […]
How Netflix brought new life to ‘Voltron,’ the beloved ’80s cartoon
When producers Joaquim Dos Santos and Lauren Montgomery found out that Dreamworks had acquired the media rights to “Voltron” and were planning to release a new version on Netflix, the two frequent collaborators instantly began contemplating how they would revamp the classic 1980s cartoon if they were ever to get their hands on it. Having […]
Pixar fans went to see ‘Dory’ but fell in love with ‘Piper’
The general consensus about “Finding Dory” is: That was cute, even if it wasn’t quite as good as “Finding Nemo.” But the response to “Piper,” the animated short that precedes Pixar’s latest, has been positively rapturous. Not only is the six-minute movie adorable and clever, it’s absolutely stunning to look at. Technological advancements are rarely […]
The rise and fall of Donald Trump, according to cartoons
IT ALL began one year ago on a descending escalator. Now, as the Trump run for the presidency throws its campaign manager overboard, the metaphors of plummeting transportation rise again. On Monday, the presumptive GOP nominee canned top aide Corey Lewandowski. The firing comes amid reports of low campaign contributions and party conflict heading toward next […]
Lynda Carter, ever the Wonder Woman, will return to TV as the president on ‘Supergirl’
NOW THIS is change we can believe in. And we have Supergirl to thank. Lynda Carter has been gone from our superhero TV screens for much of the past four decades. But now, the “Wonder Woman” icon has been cast to play the president on “Supergirl.” “I’m thrilled to become the president without having to […]
A writer was brutally mugged — so he turned the crime into a moving graphic novel
Paul Dini has turned a tragic night of fear into a instantly-classic graphic novel. In “Dark Night,” available now in both print and digitally from Vertigo Comics, Dini, a writer who contributed to the “Batman: The Animated Series” and “Tiny Toons” cartoons in the 90s, retells the tale of the night his career and life almost came to […]
The visual secrets behind some of Pixar’s most emotional moments
LAST YEAR, I was talking with “Inside Out” director Pete Docter about an animation cel that dated back to the days of early Disney. Docter was immediately able to surmise details from its history, and I was reminded in that moment that the “brain trust” filmmakers at Pixar have a deep and nearly encyclopedic knowledge of their forebears of the […]
‘Finding Dory’s’ record opening ($136M) cures concerns over Pixar ‘sequel-itis’
PIXAR has found the prescription to treat all common fears of “sequelitis.” And the best medicine, as always, is good storytelling. “Finding Dory,” the sequel to 2003’s highly popular “Finding Nemo,” grossed $136.2 million in its domestic debut, according to studio estimates Sunday (final numbers are due later Monday). That represents Pixar’s biggest opening ever, […]
‘Mage,’ ‘Bee and Puppycat’ and ‘Red Sonja’ lead new wave of ComiXology Unlimited titles
WERE IT NOT for Matt Wagner and his sword-wielding tales of “Mage: The Hero Discovered,” then ComiXology might not even exist. Which means ComiXology, in turn, would not be announcing “Mage (Vol. 1)” today as part of its new wave of titles for its Unlimited library. Starting June 27, the New York-based digital-comics platform will […]
How Sigourney Weaver and Ed O’Neill wound up in ‘Finding Dory’ — and stole the show
“Finding Dory” brings back a lot of familiar faces from “Finding Nemo” — but if you’ve seen the movie, you know some of the newer characters steal the show. One such character doesn’t even have a face, as she’s just a disembodied voice: As the fish travel to the Marine Life Institute (“the jewel of […]
The Pakistani American Marvel editor who is trying to make comic books more diverse
SANA AMANAT may help guide a diverse range of comic-book superheroes now, but as a child, these weren’t the images that dominated media. Instead, growing up as a Pakistani American in a predominantly white New Jersey suburb, she looked at art of women who were blond and white as if that were the ideal for beauty. And in […]
How ‘Finding Dory’ and ‘Finding Nemo’ deal beautifully with disabilities
GROWING UP, I would see the look. My mother taught special-ed for many years, and when I accompanied her students on field trips, I was sensitive to how adults in the world would react facially, and then vocally, when encountering her pupils and realizing they had special challenges. It was so common, I began to […]
What does Superman’s arrival mean for ‘Supergirl’?
The Last Son of Krypton will officially join his cousin on the CW this fall. Tyler Hoechlin (“Teen Wolf,” “Everybody Wants Some!!”) has been cast as Superman/Clark Kent for the second season of “Supergirl,” which will air on the CW after the show spent its inaugural season on CBS. Superman’s presence was frequently felt, albeit […]
Why Dory is one of Pixar’s most popular characters
ELLEN DeGENERES had spent the night in the balcony, listening to friends and peers rave for hours about her as a comedian and colleague. She basked in the glow of the warm tributes, but she also seemed a bit uneasy, as if this was all too much concentrated adulation. The moment called for a dose […]
As ‘Finding Dory’ is released, why did ‘Finding Nemo’ connect so deeply with all ages?
It’s something that would only happen in the world of Pixar: A tiny orange clownfish named Nemo goes missing; his father sets out to find him; and a movie about their adventure rakes in nearly $1 billion worldwide. Everyone knows the story of “Finding Nemo,” the 2003 animated smash that led to the highly anticipated […]
‘Finding Dory’: Does a good Pixar film have to make us cry?
ONE PIXAR motto over the years has been “for every laugh, a tear.” But ahead of Friday’s release of “Finding Dory,” I wonder: As the marine-life high jinks and slapstick unfold, is it unfair to expect audience waterworks, too? After a recent screening of “Dory,” laughter seemed to be far more common than any residual weepiness. […]
The 15 most political Orlando-shooting cartoons so far
IN THE IMMEDIATE aftermath of the Orlando shooting this past weekend, much of the artwork in response featured the same go-to images and symbols: Weeping monuments. Silhouettes of labeled semiautomatic guns. Rainbow flags running red. American flags stitched together with ballistics. And sometimes, a Pulse reference rendered like a national EKG. But during the week, the […]
Be the first to comment on "On Left-Handers Day, a new Bill of Rights — or Lefts — for aggrieved southpaws"