The history of manga is often divided into two eras: before and after Yoshiharu Tsuge. While the medium was born from the kinetic energy of Osamu Tezuka’s "God of Manga" period, it was Tsuge who provided its soul, its neuroses, and its literary legitimacy. Following the recent retrospective features from The Comics Journal (TCJ) archives—
The Iconography of Power: The Controversy Surrounding the Gilded Statue of Donald Trump
PALM BEACH, FL — In a ceremony that blended political theater with religious fervor, a new monument was unveiled this week on the grounds of Donald Trump’s private Florida club. While the United States is home to countless statues of historical figures, athletes, and even fictional characters, the dedication of this gold-leafed likeness of the [&he
The Human Touch in Print: The Rise of Paper Airplane and the New Wave of Independent Media
In an era increasingly dominated by algorithmic curation, synthetic content, and the rapid encroachment of generative artificial intelligence, a new movement is taking root in the world of independent publishing. At the forefront of this movement is Paper Airplane, a multidisciplinary magazine that seeks to reclaim the tactile, idiosyncratic, and d
The Eternal Alchemist: Bryan Talbot on the Legacy of Grandville and the Future of the British Graphic Novel
SUNDERLAND — In the landscape of sequential art, few figures loom as large or as varied as Bryan Talbot. Often heralded by his peers as the “David Bowie of Comics,” Talbot has spent over five decades chameleonically shifting between underground comix, superhero deconstructions, historical biographies, and steampunk epics. Today, from the Victorian
The Portrait of Transience: Navigating the Intersection of Corporate Culture, Family Dynamics, and the Politics of Autonomy
In the modern professional landscape, the line between institutional belonging and sudden erasure has become increasingly thin. An anecdote from a veteran journalist—recalling a break room bulletin board where staff mugshots were maintained with such ruthless efficiency that employees often vanished from the wall before they had even cleared their
The Architecture of Inertia: Joana Mosi’s Physical Education and the Contemporary Crisis of Being
The modern condition is often defined not by action, but by the weight of possibilities that never materialize. In her latest graphic novel, Physical Education, Portuguese creator Joana Mosi captures this specific, 21st-century paralysis with a precision that is both unsettling and deeply resonant. Published in English by the Montreal-based Pow Pow
The Hollow Parade: Victory Day in Moscow Amid Global Quagmires and Domestic Unrest
MOSCOW and WASHINGTON D.C. — As the sun rose over Red Square this May 9th, the traditional thunder of heavy armor and the roar of supersonic jets were conspicuously muted. Russia’s Victory Day, a cornerstone of national identity commemorating the 1945 defeat of Nazi Germany, has been transformed by the realities of a modern conflict […]
The Golden Age of Nostalgia: High-Profile Auctions Showcase the Surging Value of Pop Culture History
The world of high-end collectibles has undergone a radical transformation over the last decade, evolving from a niche hobby into a sophisticated alternative asset class. This week, the auction market is providing a vivid demonstration of this shift, as several of the industry’s most prominent houses—including Goldin and Heritage Auctions—host
The Resurgence of a Surrealist Masterpiece: Dino Buzzati’s "Poem Strip" and the Evolution of the Graphic Poem
The intersection of high literature and sequential art has often produced works that defy easy categorization, yet few are as haunting or visually arresting as Dino Buzzati’s Poem Strip. Originally published in 1969 as Poema a fumetti, the work represented a radical departure for Buzzati, a titan of Italian letters known for his surrealist prose [&
Global Health Alarms and Political Friction: A Comprehensive Analysis of Recent Developments in Public Health, Media, and Geopolitics
Introduction: A Confluence of Crises The global landscape is currently grappling with a multifaceted series of crises that bridge the gap between public health emergencies, legislative gridlock, and the passing of an era in broadcast media. From a lethal hantavirus outbreak on a specialized cruise ship to the contentious debate over federal spendin
