Esther Inglis-Arkell

io9Books & Comics

Iron Butler America: Battle Of The Servants

Batman’s Alfred Pennyworth vs The Avengers’ Edwin Jarvis. Two butlers enter. One butler leaves. To begin with, I know that I am comparing two pillars of continuity and joys forever. Alfred and Jarvis are beloved characters, and the two should not be in competition. Even if one is a blatant rip-off of another. Just saying. … Continued

io9Movies

Out of Their Element: What If We Forced Famous Heroes Out Of Their Franchises?

We mix and match three great scifi heroes to evaluate how they would fare in other franchises. See Ellen Ripley as a diplomat, and Mad Max going far beyond Thunderdome. One of the beauties of scifi stories is the way the hero often fits his or her role perfectly. A post-apocalyptic vision of the future … Continued

io9Books & Comics

Death Wears A Suit

And sometimes a nametag. We help io9ers plan their future careers by taking a look at the most dangerous jobs in comics. Which jobs are just too risky to seriously consider and which ones are like facing a firing squad? “Guns aren’t lawful; nooses give; gas smells awful. So you might as well live.” – … Continued

io9Books & Comics

Comics’ Best Combo Platters

Armies: Blah. Ninjas: Meh. Man-Bats: Eh. Armies of ninja-man-bats: Awesome. Mash-ups aren’t only meant to liven up episodes of Glee. Comics’ve been throwing random crap together until it works for years. See the best monster mashes comics have to offer! One of the things I like best about comics is they require no restraint. Most … Continued

io9Books & Comics

That’s Me in the Spotlight, Choosing My Religion

No-one lasts long in the comic-book universe, and you can’t always count on springing back to life. Plan for your afterlife. Io9 rates the top six religions to affiliate yourself with before someone is kneeling over your body, shouting ‘Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!’ Let’s say that one day the impossible happens and you wake up in the gleaming … Continued

io9

1950s Science Fiction Loved Neanderthals, Feared Polio

Did you know we made scientific advances in the last half century? It amazed me, too. Step back into a carefree world of spaceships, human-neanderthal orgies, and polio as I pick up a fifty-five-year-old copy of Astounding Science Fiction. The November 1954 issue begins with a big swing-and-a-miss by editor John Campbell, who writes in … Continued

io9

Rosencrantz And Guildenstern Read Comics

Most comics have at least one character more interesting than the heroes. Here’s what it would look like if comics were centered on the background characters. DC and Marvel will never be the same. “Every hero becomes a bore at last.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson. Yes. I’m opening with a quote. But it’s a quote … Continued

io9Books & Comics

The Top 5 Dinosaur Fights In Comics

Dinosaurs! Dinosaurs! DINOSAURS! Fighting! Fighting! FIGHTING! Fighting humans, fighting animals, fighting nautical craft! There’s nothing like a seven ton Tyranosaurus Rex to separate the capes from the commoners. See who can hold their own against the Late Cretaceous period! Let us today pay tribute to the humble dinosaur. Without dinosaurs, Michael Crichton would have only … Continued

io9Books & Comics

Do DC and Marvel Need a Special Victims Unit?

They might. They might even need a Very Special Episode or two, because – as Spider-Man has just demonstrated – many rapes in comics are unacknowledged. And they aren’t the ones you’re thinking of. Comics fandom, as any true fan knows, has always been the thinnest skin of enthusiasm wrapped around a bubbling core of … Continued