Tag Archives: mark waid

It seems to me that the notion of “the common good” is one that is under-appreciated in our modern times. I think it’s a relevant notion for when we talk about comic heroes because heroes, even non-powered ones, step up because they perceive an injustice in their world that requires …

I was teaching about what resonates in communicating a message to an audience to my students this week and one of the points they glommed onto was emotion. At this time of year, emotions run high. Eliciting an emotional response from a viewer, reader – whatever the medium, is the …

I’ve been talking comics all weekend … so why should the rest of the week be any different? I just finished moderating panels at Fan Expo Canada this weekend, and my particular vantage point gives me a lot of insight into the way that comic creators not only regard their …

There are big things in the world, bigger than you or me, but the question is: where do we fit in all of it? Luckily, the fluidity of the comic medium allows us to explore these concepts. Yeah – I know, it seems like a bit of an exaggeration, but …

We like continuity; I think it’s a natural state of humanity. But I think humanity also thrives on adaptation, which is an essential to survival. Sometimes, it’s good to change; not just out of a natural need to get along with folks, but because it’s an essential survival skill. So, …

We believe in the magic of things unseen because too often what we see on a regular basis lets us down. A belief in magic, more than the actual proof of its existence is more important in our lives. It’s the sustaining of belief that carries us through the hard …

Rules are important in any situation. As an avid game player, I cling to rules to understand context, themes and most importantly, strategy. But there are the unwritten, unspoken rules that pop up in every situation that throw us for a loop. I’m talking about values, or house factors which …

The greatest obstacle to a sense of fulfilment is an overwhelming sense of futility. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting different results. Sometimes part of a good story is the examination of the motivation behind that process because life is complicated …

Didn’t you ever just wish to win the lottery? For three wishes? How about for a fairy godmother? Who hasn’t? People who have either won the lottery or don’t need to, I suppose. But that sort of a wish is an example of the purest escapism, and if Bill Maher …

Let’s face it: it’s not like we lead second lives, have secret identities or are the heroes in some grand adventure. But in comics, we can. Reading comics allows us the vicarious, albeit brief thrill of borrowing those features and losing ourselves in a fantasy with values that speak to …

Opposition in all things is not only an axiomatic fact of life but it’s a necessity. It’s necessary for our learning, it’s necessary for personal growth but it’s also necessary for a good story. We are living in a time of great opposition these days. By the time this article …

Life can be so complicated sometimes. If anyone ever asks you about the secret of life, it’s prioritization. In order to do the things we want to do, we have to finish what we have to do first. It seems overly simple, but you’d be surprised how easy it is …

We’re all creatures of habit in one way or another. Why should comic readers be any different? I’m back to my own habits now, settling into a familiar routine. But Wednesdays are forever though. New comic books come and go, but I find myself drawn to the same old patterns, …

It’s after Fan Expo Boston 2018 and I’m exhausted. Moderating talents like Terry Moore, David Finch, Ed McGuinness, Chad Hardin and Jonboy Meyers definitely takes it out of you. But Hosting Brent Spiner on stage and hanging out with the legendary John Byrne and William Shatner put it over the …

Hope keeps us going, but it’s a double-edged sword. While the promise of success is a tantalizing reason, it’s also frustrating because what we want, still isn’t guaranteed. I guess that’s a ‘glass-is-half-empty” approach but that’s what I’m working with this week as we go through the list of comic …