Wondered if Republican pundits reacted so negatively to Superman (1978) and then a friend shared this newspaper clip from the 1940s…

Files from the quaint scandals of yesteryear: Just read Koushun Takami’s novel Battle Royale and find Suzanne Collins’s claim that she was unfamiliar with the book when she wrote Hunger Games…improbable.

Finally saw the new Mission Impossible and I can’t believe they actually made an entire blockbuster movie about my long-standing quip that “Tom Cruise is America’s Jesus.”

Recommend.

Can’t wait for this Pee-Wee Herman documentary tonight, especially after reading @caitmckinney.bsky.social ‘s absolutely incredible book from earlier this year.

My book project, Dragon Ball Z: A Manga and Anime Franchise Plays Across the Americas, just received unanimous support from the UMN Press editorial board! A rare example of a project where I am more interested in the topic now than at the start. Usually I'm exhausted with the idea.

Look. I know the country is on fire. But I have a documentary on Steve #Ditko in production that should release in 2026/27. I’m writing a revival/legacy of Ditko’s STATIC with Mike Norton. @vincenthaddad.bsky.social and I have a new book on The Question coming. Better a bang than a whimper, right?

I assign a basic summary and response of an academic article in my sophomore comics class. There is something especially disheartening about reading AI-generated "responses" that criticize the writer's rhetorical choices or examples because the student was prompted to respond critically.

Happy for the opportunity to think more about Danny Brown.

I was interviewed the other day on the relationship between manga and baseball for this NYT piece.

Read two outstanding books this week that poignantly illuminated today’s structure of feeling.

What do other people do with the constant low-grade anxiety waiting for a specific e-mail (like reader reports) before, on, or in the indeterminate days and week(s)? I need a better strategy than whatever I am doing.

The single-issue egg voter.

I have a feeling the US is about to do the one truly unforgivable thing to our neighbors to the North. The Yanks are going to win this hockey game tonight.

Beast Games is the most depressing thing I’ve seen on television. And I watched Milf Manor.

This 4 Nations Hockey Tournament has been incredible.

A long time coming, but finally planning a couple days to spend in the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library and Museum. Any tips on can't-miss items I should request to have pulled by the archivists?

Teaching at an HBCU within the parameters of Ohio’s proposed higher ed bill that prohibits discussions of diversity and politics will really be the height of absurdity.

There was a palpable tiredness at our AAUP call party to oppose Ohio’s higher ed takeover bill. I think such coming togethers of professors (collectively as workers) is the only way to change that mood.

Wired: Squeezing every dollar out of cancer research to pay for whole days of operations “taking over Gaza.”

Great essay outlining the stakes of anticipatory obedience. A gift link: www.nytimes.com/2025/02/08/o...

If the acknowledgements of anything I wrote were accurate, I’m always most indebted to Trolli gummy worms.

Well. I'm here now.