Guest Post: What Are Some Good Ideas For Comic Characters?

Every comic book needs a character to make it interesting. A spirited and entertaining character propagates your story very well. However, before creating a character you must decide an idea for your comic book.

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Guest Post: Torso: A Forgotten Noir Masterpiece

Picture this, the year is 1935 and the city of Cleveland, Ohio has just begun to recover from the blow dealt to its economy by the Great Depression. Citizens rejoice, incredibly happy to have finally pushed past the period of uncertainty and fear that nearly cost many of them their lives, and for others did just that.

This period of joy would not last long however, as between the years of 1935 and 1938, a fear would strike the heart of Cleveland, a fear like no other. A fear that resulted in mass hysteria and paranoia, a fear that would leave a stain on the city of Cleveland for the rest of time. The fear of the Torso Killer.

Guest Post: Martin Manhunter And Immigration

One comic character I have grown to have a lot of respect for is the Martian Manhunter. While usually compared to Superman for their powers I think where the comparisons truly lie is in the topic of immigration. Superman was raised on Earth from infancy, never truly growing up as an alien. J’onn J’onzz meanwhile was born and raised on Mars with a job and was raising a family. In the Silver Age, Mars wasn’t yet a desolate wasteland and J’onn coming to Earth is more akin to going abroad.

Guest Post: When Heroes Fail: Our Lives In Comparison To The Avengers’ Struggle

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is the greatest comic-based film series and many have been inspired by watching these awesome stories of superheroes – their successes and failures. Every viewer takes something away and is influenced by the heroic examples of these titans and can be encouraged to manifest similar character and valour.

Words and actions of each Avenger sometimes have a profound wisdom to teach everyone who is willing to learn from them. Wisdom that still can be applied in our daily interactions.

So, what are the lessons that audience can learn from these mighty heroes? Lots of them! But let’s discuss the most important things that you can learn and exercise from the MCU:

Guest Blog: A ‘What If’ Moment: What If The Joker Went On A Road Trip?

It would be an unlikely plot contrivance, but still an interesting one to think about: What if one of our beloved characters was forced on the road for a lengthy period of time? What would their method of transportation be? What would it look like?

We don’t need to spend a whole lot of time thinking about the answers to these questions, because a concept artist from a motorcaravan company has already set out to answer them. There’s some really cool illustrations not just from the comic book world, but from TV and cinema. Let’s look at The Joker’s first:

Guest Post: Revenge Of The Blerds

My Name is Rob and I’m black. I’m a nerd. I’m a blerd. Now that I’ve declared my tribe let me explain. I’ve always had an interested in pop culture paraphernalia over sports. I’ve been more easily attached to watching cartoons and reading comics over throwing a football or dunking a basketball. And, for the longest time, I’ve been hit with this idea that “black kids don’t do that” – the crux of the Unofficially Black Podcast.

As I’ve gotten older I’ve suppressed my joy in geeky, nerd things to be cool. Being the cool guy mattered more to me that just enjoying what I liked. So those earlier declarations we’re a source of pride or even acknowledgment – it was a thing about me. Not until becoming an adult and recovering from corporate conditioning acting in a persona did I realise that I should just be myself and I’d have deeper, more fulfilling relationships. We all crave acceptance and be a part of something. To find our tribe.

Guest Blog: Why There Should Be An Avengers Game

Over the past decade, superhero games have soared in popularity. The Batman Arkham series revolutionised combat for a new generation, while the most recent Spider-Man game offered a fresh take on the web-slinger and his supporting cast. But it could be argued there still hasn’t been a definitive Marvel game that focuses on the whole Marvel Universe. Rhys from Unknown Games has given his thoughts on how an Avengers game could work on future consoles.

Guest Blog: How To Become A Comic Book Artist

The comic book industry has seen a significant boom over the past few decades and has paved the way for a lot of aspiring artists to turn their hands in the art of creating a comic book. Becoming a comic book artist is not a very easy career path to take on. You have to go through a lot of challenges before you can even be recognized as a legit comic book artist. It takes more than good drawing skills to survive this cutthroat industry. If you’re thinking how comic book bigwigs such as Stan Lee, Steve Ditko, Greg Capullo, Jack Kirby and others became famous, then read on.

Guest Blog: Anger Management With The Hulk

Anger management is the common name taken by a broad variety of techniques that help deal with anger. Violence, aggressiveness and rage are common traits or symptoms of today’s society. Anger is a basic emotion that triggers upon danger, either in real, physical hazards or with inner, psychological threats. And no one represents the pain of anger better than the Hulk, arguably the most most powerful Avenger.

A Call For Guest Blogs About Comics And Mental Health

Recently, there’s been a lot of talk in the news about mental health and how being open with your feelings can make a difference. From personal experience, sharing how I’ve felt with people about my anxiety has helped because it’s made me feel less worried about it, knowing that others are understanding of it. Comics are also a great source of inspiration, which is why I’m opening up submissions for guest posts around comics and mental health.