For my part I frequent "SteveDoesComics.Blogspot.com" because it has blogs on T, TH, and Sun and has some themes I can really relate to: Marvel Main Stream 50 years ago, Marvel Main Stream 40 years ago, Marvel's 2nd bananas 50 years ago... and so forth.
There are also UK specific themes such as Judge Dredd and Marvel UK every few weeks since Steve is blogging from Sheffield in the UK.
Steve (with assistance from frequent contributors UK-based Colin Jones and Colin Bray) did supply a wonderful BitBA blog on Marvel UK, a few years ago, if his name sounds familiar.
Also, Steve will touch on various themes like Music, TV, Movies, etc. Kind of a real cultural smorgasbord. I've learned a lot there. E.g., New Wave groups like ABC and the Human League from Sheffield attribute their ability to come together because Sheffield, UK, had a free public-transportation system back in the day and they would never have been able to afford bus fare.
I also frequent Doug Wadley's wonderful newish blog:
blackwhitebronzecomics.blogspot.com
The title speaks for itself and Doug's subjects are wide-ranging as well, though mostly focused on original art. E.g., he had a wonderful piece on Maus and also on an artist who survived the Holocaust. Talk about art and comics "getting real!"
(Doug - please correct me if I am mis-characterizing your site!)
Those are all great and take a look at the sidebar for some other recommendations. And if you like podcasts check out the Planet 8 Podcast on many topics Bronze Age fans may like listening about.
And if we may take a moment for a self serving plug - go to twitter @BackintheBronze where we have frequent (daily) ongoing topics and discussions. You may find it very much has the ol’ blog feel. We hope you like it! Doug also has twitter feeds @BronzeAgeBabies and @blackwhitebronz You may really enjoy it once you get the hang of it. It is quick and easy to converse. And there are many more comic aficionados out there like us! Cheers!
Steve will be blushing when he reads all the praise from Charlie :D
Much as I enjoy reading American blogs like BiTBA, BAB, Rip Jagger's Dojo etc, I feel most at home reading British blogs because they often indulge in nostalgia exclusive to the UK. As well as Steve Does Comics another of my regular haunts is "Crivens", hosted by Kid (real name Gordon Robson). Kid Robson worked on British comics as a letterer and his blog is very eclectic covering all kinds of nostalgia (including plenty of things familiar to non-British readers such as Marvel, DC etc). Every so often he also likes to air his non-politically correct opinions on various matters such as the female Dr. Who, of whom he didn't approve.
My ears were burning, so thought I'd better get over here!
Thanks for the blog and Twitter plugs, Charlie and Martinex. While the Black & White and Bronze Comics blog is not as conversational as the BAB or BitBA, I have seen a fair amount of traffic. Thus far, no post has run without any comments. So there is opportunity for discourse if that's what you're looking for. I've been able to keep to a 2-entries/week schedule, running reviews on Mondays and artist appreciations or discussion questions on Thursdays. It's fit my schedule nicely and at least for the foreseeable future it will continue.
As to Twitter, Martinex is right - it's such a great place to engage. I have encountered many kind souls there and interact with quite a few "regulars" daily. Karen is there, and of course the BitBA guys. Lots of folks host either blogs or podcasts and not only use Twitter to promote their work, but just to generally engage. Tons of nostalgia. And if you're worried about trolls, it's not too hard to identify and then avoid them. The "mute" and "block" functions within Twitter make it pretty easy to keep your timeline a happy place.
I look forward to this space for conversation each week, and as suggested above, generally try to make time to scroll up and down the blog roll to see what's happening elsewhere.
Yeah, I'm a frequenter of Doug's site too, though I only comment when I have something relevant to say (which tends to narrow it down ;)) There are a few other comics-oriented blogs I check regularly:
Obviously Steve Does Comics rules the roost. What makes it different to other blogs is that Steve doesn't always know what's going on in the comics, meaning his blog is a voyage of discovery rather than a reference source.
I also like The Peerless Power Of Comics, Marvel In The Silver Age and any reviews by Big Al Sjordsma on Spider-Man.org.
Yeah, on this subject I have to say the sidebar is your friend; in that regard, I most often frequent, of course, Doug's new digs, and I'm a regular listener of the Planet 8 podcast. Going down the list, I can also particularly recommend the Atomic Junk Shop (where I occasionally post stuff - I guess that's a shameless plug) and the Classic Comics Forum, which all kinds of topics related to both comics and other pop culture stuff, are discussed daily. And, if you like more serious, almost academic, ruminations on comics and wider pop culture, there's Osvaldo Oyola's Middle Spaces.
Thanks to Charlie, Colin and Dangermash for the plugs for my site. I knew my strategy of being totally clueless would pay off one day.
Let's see. I have frequented almost all the blogs mentioned above and recommend them all. The one exception is Attack of the 50 Year Old Comics which I've not previously encountered, so I'll take a look at that one.
I'd also add Diversions of the Groovy Kind to our list, which is operating at a more leisurely pace these days but has a mountain of material contained within it.
I also visit The Glass Walking-Stick for its sheer amiability.
And I definitely recommend The Marvel University which is no longer active but has lengthy, in-depth reviews of virtually the whole of Marvel's output from the early 1960s into the 1970s.
Thanks Gents! I'll take a peak at those other blogs. (I'll even plug the UK Blog "Blimey" for those of you that want to follow the UK-unique works like the DC Thomson comics and their cousins! Roy of the Rovers, anyone???)
Regarding Twitter... I am afraid to find another reason to click on my phone at work. I have a fear of checking a twitter feed every 5 minutes b/c I understand there are more frequent comments in very short bursts? Indeed, I am worried about being distracted and the inherent problems with that. (So much for self discipline, lol.) This blog medium, on the other hand, seems to suit my style, I guess.
And yes indeed, there is something about the free flow of Steve's blog that pretty much allows anyone to talk about anything. In this past week alone we discussed UK comics selling Sten Machine Guns in the early 50s, labor union strikes under Thatcher, the likelihood of any of us wandering into a cave, finding bracelets, and banging them together... A bit of magic in all that, for sure!
Like Marti said, thumbs up to all that have been mentioned! I've been enjoying Steve's blog, learning much about the UK publications. Osvaldo's "Middle Spaces" is always a hearty, inspiring read. Also must recommend Rip's Dojo and Mike's Gorilla, and really all those listed in the sidebar.
Incidentally, for those on Facebook, there are some interesting groups; I follow Marvel Comics 1961-1986, and Comic Book Collecting. You get the occasional trolls, though; guess I'm spoiled by the fine camaraderie found in these listed blogs...
I'm definitely the outlier-entity for this particular topic-- 'cause I'm simply a one-blog type o' guy. I think I'm just built that way. I LOVE the fact that so many folks here have their own popular forums, make no mistake. The internet has erased SO MUCH of the social pseudo-isolation that seemed to come as part of the package with our sphere of interests. No question that we are all the better for it.
But. . . I do tend to stick with one outlet once I've found one that feels "right", y'know? Van Plexico's AVENGERS ASSEMBLE Pro-Board was the first, then BABs, and now BitBA of course. The few times I've branched away, it proved to be more of a time-spender than I could afford, tbh. SO EASY to lose an entire afternoon surfing away on our pals' interwebs, it is. But then the scenery doesn't get built. . . and the theater goes bankrupt. . . etc, etc. . .
Still-- couldn't let the day go by w/out sayin' "Hi Team--", y'know?
Charlie, those labour union strikes of early 1979 (the "Winter of Discontent") weren't under Thatcher. They occurred a few months BEFORE she became Prime-Minister.
Just will jump in to second "Supermegmonkey" as a site that provides hours of interesting, thoughtful reviews.
Also just discovered the m0vieblg which has a good Comic Reviews section.
The Masked Bookwyrm has got a nice archive of wide-ranging graphic novel reviews.
And lastly, the site Not a Hoax! Not a Dream! is very good, and just happens to be posting weekly reviews of Batman comics of the 70s, which I suspect would interest many visitors here.
18 comments:
Ever since BitBA has gone to a once-a-week schedule, I've been looking for a replacement.
Where do you guys and gals go for your "fix?"
For my part I frequent "SteveDoesComics.Blogspot.com" because it has blogs on T, TH, and Sun and has some themes I can really relate to: Marvel Main Stream 50 years ago, Marvel Main Stream 40 years ago, Marvel's 2nd bananas 50 years ago... and so forth.
There are also UK specific themes such as Judge Dredd and Marvel UK every few weeks since Steve is blogging from Sheffield in the UK.
Steve (with assistance from frequent contributors UK-based Colin Jones and Colin Bray) did supply a wonderful BitBA blog on Marvel UK, a few years ago, if his name sounds familiar.
Also, Steve will touch on various themes like Music, TV, Movies, etc. Kind of a real cultural smorgasbord. I've learned a lot there. E.g., New Wave groups like ABC and the Human League from Sheffield attribute their ability to come together because Sheffield, UK, had a free public-transportation system back in the day and they would never have been able to afford bus fare.
I also frequent Doug Wadley's wonderful newish blog:
blackwhitebronzecomics.blogspot.com
The title speaks for itself and Doug's subjects are wide-ranging as well, though mostly focused on original art. E.g., he had a wonderful piece on Maus and also on an artist who survived the Holocaust. Talk about art and comics "getting real!"
(Doug - please correct me if I am mis-characterizing your site!)
Those are all great and take a look at the sidebar for some other recommendations. And if you like podcasts check out the Planet 8 Podcast on many topics Bronze Age fans may like listening about.
And if we may take a moment for a self serving plug - go to twitter @BackintheBronze where we have frequent (daily) ongoing topics and discussions. You may find it very much has the ol’ blog feel. We hope you like it! Doug also has twitter feeds @BronzeAgeBabies and @blackwhitebronz You may really enjoy it once you get the hang of it. It is quick and easy to converse. And there are many more comic aficionados out there like us! Cheers!
Public transportation was cheap not free Charlie.
-sean
Steve will be blushing when he reads all the praise from Charlie :D
Much as I enjoy reading American blogs like BiTBA, BAB, Rip Jagger's Dojo etc, I feel most at home reading British blogs because they often indulge in nostalgia exclusive to the UK. As well as Steve Does Comics another of my regular haunts is "Crivens", hosted by Kid (real name Gordon Robson). Kid Robson worked on British comics as a letterer and his blog is very eclectic covering all kinds of nostalgia (including plenty of things familiar to non-British readers such as Marvel, DC etc). Every so often he also likes to air his non-politically correct opinions on various matters such as the female Dr. Who, of whom he didn't approve.
Hi, guys!
My ears were burning, so thought I'd better get over here!
Thanks for the blog and Twitter plugs, Charlie and Martinex. While the Black & White and Bronze Comics blog is not as conversational as the BAB or BitBA, I have seen a fair amount of traffic. Thus far, no post has run without any comments. So there is opportunity for discourse if that's what you're looking for. I've been able to keep to a 2-entries/week schedule, running reviews on Mondays and artist appreciations or discussion questions on Thursdays. It's fit my schedule nicely and at least for the foreseeable future it will continue.
As to Twitter, Martinex is right - it's such a great place to engage. I have encountered many kind souls there and interact with quite a few "regulars" daily. Karen is there, and of course the BitBA guys. Lots of folks host either blogs or podcasts and not only use Twitter to promote their work, but just to generally engage. Tons of nostalgia. And if you're worried about trolls, it's not too hard to identify and then avoid them. The "mute" and "block" functions within Twitter make it pretty easy to keep your timeline a happy place.
I look forward to this space for conversation each week, and as suggested above, generally try to make time to scroll up and down the blog roll to see what's happening elsewhere.
Doug
Yeah, I'm a frequenter of Doug's site too, though I only comment when I have something relevant to say (which tends to narrow it down ;)) There are a few other comics-oriented blogs I check regularly:
io9 for general geek news;
Siskoid's Blog of Geekery which covers a lot of SF related topics, including comics;
SuperMegaMonkey which has a great Marvel chronology where he reviews every Marvel comic from FF #1 onwards ... he's into the 90s now!
and lately I've been reading Attack of the 50 Year Old Comics which is about reviewing comics that the writer first read (off the rack) 50 years ago.
(And feel free to check out my blog The Erudite Gorilla ... *shameless plug ended*)
Obviously Steve Does Comics rules the roost. What makes it different to other blogs is that Steve doesn't always know what's going on in the comics, meaning his blog is a voyage of discovery rather than a reference source.
I also like The Peerless Power Of Comics, Marvel In The Silver Age and any reviews by Big Al Sjordsma on Spider-Man.org.
Yeah, on this subject I have to say the sidebar is your friend; in that regard, I most often frequent, of course, Doug's new digs, and I'm a regular listener of the Planet 8 podcast.
Going down the list, I can also particularly recommend the Atomic Junk Shop (where I occasionally post stuff - I guess that's a shameless plug) and the Classic Comics Forum, which all kinds of topics related to both comics and other pop culture stuff, are discussed daily.
And, if you like more serious, almost academic, ruminations on comics and wider pop culture, there's Osvaldo Oyola's Middle Spaces.
Thanks to Charlie, Colin and Dangermash for the plugs for my site. I knew my strategy of being totally clueless would pay off one day.
Let's see. I have frequented almost all the blogs mentioned above and recommend them all. The one exception is Attack of the 50 Year Old Comics which I've not previously encountered, so I'll take a look at that one.
I'd also add Diversions of the Groovy Kind to our list, which is operating at a more leisurely pace these days but has a mountain of material contained within it.
I also visit The Glass Walking-Stick for its sheer amiability.
And I definitely recommend The Marvel University which is no longer active but has lengthy, in-depth reviews of virtually the whole of Marvel's output from the early 1960s into the 1970s.
And, of course, I should also add Pete Doree's The Bronze Age of Blogs to the list.
Thanks Gents! I'll take a peak at those other blogs. (I'll even plug the UK Blog "Blimey" for those of you that want to follow the UK-unique works like the DC Thomson comics and their cousins! Roy of the Rovers, anyone???)
Regarding Twitter... I am afraid to find another reason to click on my phone at work. I have a fear of checking a twitter feed every 5 minutes b/c I understand there are more frequent comments in very short bursts? Indeed, I am worried about being distracted and the inherent problems with that. (So much for self discipline, lol.) This blog medium, on the other hand, seems to suit my style, I guess.
And yes indeed, there is something about the free flow of Steve's blog that pretty much allows anyone to talk about anything. In this past week alone we discussed UK comics selling Sten Machine Guns in the early 50s, labor union strikes under Thatcher, the likelihood of any of us wandering into a cave, finding bracelets, and banging them together... A bit of magic in all that, for sure!
Yes to all of the above!
Kudos on suggestions for Rip, Steve, supermegamonkey, and Diversions... I visit those very regularly!
Like Marti said, thumbs up to all that have been mentioned! I've been enjoying Steve's blog, learning much about the UK publications. Osvaldo's "Middle Spaces" is always a hearty, inspiring read. Also must recommend Rip's Dojo and Mike's Gorilla, and really all those listed in the sidebar.
Incidentally, for those on Facebook, there are some interesting groups; I follow Marvel Comics 1961-1986, and Comic Book Collecting. You get the occasional trolls, though; guess I'm spoiled by the fine camaraderie found in these listed blogs...
I'm definitely the outlier-entity for this particular topic-- 'cause I'm simply a one-blog type o' guy. I think I'm just built that way. I LOVE the fact that so many folks here have their own popular forums, make no mistake. The internet has erased SO MUCH of the social pseudo-isolation that seemed to come as part of the package with our sphere of interests. No question that we are all the better for it.
But. . . I do tend to stick with one outlet once I've found one that feels "right", y'know? Van Plexico's AVENGERS ASSEMBLE Pro-Board was the first, then BABs, and now BitBA of course. The few times I've branched away, it proved to be more of a time-spender than I could afford, tbh. SO EASY to lose an entire afternoon surfing away on our pals' interwebs, it is. But then the scenery doesn't get built. . . and the theater goes bankrupt. . . etc, etc. . .
Still-- couldn't let the day go by w/out sayin' "Hi Team--", y'know?
HB
Charlie, those labour union strikes of early 1979 (the "Winter of Discontent") weren't under Thatcher. They occurred a few months BEFORE she became Prime-Minister.
Just will jump in to second "Supermegmonkey" as a site that provides hours of interesting, thoughtful reviews.
Also just discovered the m0vieblg which has a good Comic Reviews section.
The Masked Bookwyrm has got a nice archive of wide-ranging graphic novel reviews.
And lastly, the site Not a Hoax! Not a Dream! is very good, and just happens to be posting weekly reviews of Batman comics of the 70s, which I suspect would interest many visitors here.
-david p.
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