ABOUT

Comic books are fun. It's a simple concept that a lot of people can't seem to wrap their heads around. Comic book fans have heard everything from "Aren't those for kids?" to "Well, they're not real, so what do they matter?" The gamut of condescending notions concerning the world of comics is encouraged by the idea that comic books are not able to convey the same emotional and visceral experience as, say, movies, TV shows, books, poems, or even video games.

I beg to differ.

When studying language arts, one of the most important aspects of the discipline is the ability to analyze and study various works of writing from different perspectives, i.e. - literary theory. Similarly, visual art becomes more meaningful when one can recognize that the image has an emotional core, that it conveys a universal human idea. Comic books represent a fantastic melding on storytelling and graphic art. And just like any piece of art, comic books have underlying meanings, greater thematic ideas, and important cultural observation that often go unnoticed.

My aim with "The Endless Reel" is to provide a more in-depth approach to how comic books are critiqued. Often, I find myself reading reviews that simply give some plot summary with notes on artwork quality. I want to bring more to the table by looking at comic books the same way I look at novels and Renaissance paintings: through a lens of critical analysis.

I read a lot of comic books. A side effect of being a music nerd is always looking for new material to read. Most months will see the same series being covered because comic books cost money and I'm not made of the stuff. That being said, I'll be throwing in an issue here and there from independent imprints and publishers.

I hope you enjoy reading "The Endless Reel" as much as I enjoy producing it each week. I have a deep respect for the comic book medium, and I do my best to bring unbiased analysis into each review I write. Thank you for taking the time to read what I've written!

Regards,
Jay M.

The Monthly Schedule tab is a guide to what will be covered on 'The Comic Book Revue' in the coming months. There are a few different types of reviews that pop up each week.

Featured Reviews
The longest review of the week. Usually, it's a first issue, but sometimes it's a crossover finale, or a new creative team's debut/finale. Whatever the reason, it's the spotlight of the week.

Reviews

Normal-length reviews. I read a lot of comic books, and I like to write about them. I take a more literary approach to the way I read comic books, and it's reflected in how I review individual issues.

Mini Reviews
4-Sentence reviews of various issues that I couldn't write enough about to warrant a full review. 

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For questions, concerns or discussions, you can contact me at:

email
jmmattso@gmail.com

or

twitter
@jay_anything