Comics

Communication professor Claude Taylor’s secret identity as a comic book fan has been revealed! Hearing Taylor talk about superheroes and comic books, it was easy to see he is not just a fan of the medium but a super fan.

Abraham Lincoln was many things during his life: a lawyer, a politician, and President of the United States. However, one thing people might not be aware of is that Honest Abe has also been featured as a comic book character. So, to honor the President Lincoln’s 203rd birthday, let’s take a look at how comic book creators have brought a bit of the past to the present.

The Watchmen are coming back! DC Comics will release six prequel miniseries under the banner, “Before Watchmen,” to showcase new adventures featuring Rorschach, Dr. Manhattan, and Silk Spectre as they fight crime. A back up feature, the Crimson Corsair, will also be included in each issue.

With the re-release of Star Wars: Episode 1- The Phantom Menace in 3D arriving next week, it’s hard not to start thinking about characters from the film such as the tattoo-faced Sith warrior Darth Maul, the skillful and intelligent Jedi master Qui-Gon Jinn and even the annoying amphibious creature Jar Jar Binks.

By day, Janine Frederick works for the University as an Assistant Website Developer, but by night she’s traveling into the furthest reaches of her imagination for the next great comic book story. Recently, Frederick wrote a five-page story titled “Awaken,” drawn by Ian Dorian, in the comic book anthology, “Out of Our Minds: Tales from the Comics Experience.”

Believe it or not, even comic books like to get into the holiday spirit. From short stories to reinventions of familiar tales, comic book creators work hard to bring season greetings to fans.

What’s a good comic book without super villains? Sure, they are evil and maniacal but they can be just as fascinating. Writers and artists have recognized this with many series and miniseries spotlighting villains like “Nemesis,” “Carnage,” “Suicide Squad,” and “Books of Doom.” However, to keep this column short, when it comes to scum of the Earth, you can’t go wrong with DC and Marvel Comics.

Nowadays, 3-D has been and continues to make waves in movie theaters across the country as shown with last week’s new releases, Arthur Christmas, Hugo, and Immortals. 

What’s better than one superhero in a comic book? That would be two heroes in a comic, which is where the idea of team-up books thrives. Unlike a team book where heroes work together issue in and out, team-up comics focus on different characters working together for one or two issues max.

In the Marvel Universe, the Avengers team is composed of superheroes who work together in order to save the world from dire threats. Although this group has been comprised of heroes over the years, some villains have entered into the fold, too, only to come out as heroes in the end. Some examples include Hawkeye, Quicksilver, the Scarlet Witch, and most recently, Red Hulk (or Rulk).