The Deterrent Effect of Superheroes?

Superhero comic books assume to a large extent that superheroes can actually be effective in combatting criminal activity. But how effective would they be?

Matt Yglesias says not really unless they acted as leaders of larger numbers; Bradford Plumer flip-flops a bit but seems to come down on the side of not really since lone superheroes can’t be everywhere at once.

Ezra Klein disagrees noting that “the very thought that, somewhere in the city, some guy with powers unknown and a really unpleasant attitude towards lawbreakers was waiting to tie you up in a web or swoop down and kick the crap out of you offers a real deterrent capability.” Continue Reading

I Made a New Fiend Today

I may be one of the last persons in the world to discover Amy Winfrey’s series of web animations, Making Fiends but I can’t be the absolute last one.

High Concept Summary: Remember that episode of the Twilight Zone with the boy who could make anything happen and had the whole town scared of him? That’s Vendetta. She’s paired up with an insanely optimistically clueless little girl with a heart of gold named Charlotte. It’s cute, it’s creepy and it’s very funny. Continue Reading

Cartoon Skeletons

Michael Paulus has a gallery filled with sketches of the skeletal systems of various well known cartoon characters.

I decided to take a select few of these popular characters and render their skeletal systems as I imagine they might resemble if one truly had eye sockets half the size of its head, or fingerless-hands, or feet comprising 60% of its body mass.

Twenty-two of these are currently on show at Stumptown Coffee in Portland, Oregon during the month of December 2004. Continue Reading

The Watchmen Movie Back On?

According to The Beat, the on again, off again movie adaptation of The Watchmen may be on again.

I’ve read a few scripts for a The Watchmen pic (that were obviously never made) and I think it’s going to inevitably disappoint fans of the book no matter who makes it. It might actually be a kick-ass movie, but the movie format just can’t capture what made the comic great. Continue Reading

Half-Life 2 At Last

I loves the webcomics, but I loves head crabs even more. Supposedly, Half Life 2 will be available today. Please! No more delays….

For all you webcomic loving, videogame hatin’ peoples, well, I suppose this means nothing to you. For all you webcomic loving, videogame lovin’ peoples you’ll understand if I disappear for a week? Right… 🙂

For all you webcomic hating, videogame hatin’ peoples – why are you reading Comixpedia? G’way, shoo… Continue Reading