It’s tough to remember the last time werewolves were scary. In their recent incarnations in popular films and TV shows like the Twilight saga and True Blood, werewolves are merely computer-generated beasts growling and snapping their jaws, biding their time until they get the chance to morph back into their default form of shirtless beefcake.
Despite being a town that harbors numerous comic book creators, shops and publishers, Portland has always lacked a blockbuster comics convention. Local shows like Stumptown Comics Fest and the experimental festival The Projects have put a focus on indie artists, as opposed to the movie- and TV-fueled pop-culture blowouts that attract fans in the tens of thousands.
After the runaway success of last year’s The Avengers and The Dark Knight Rises, affection for superheroes was rekindled throughout the country. Without fail, a successful superhero film means that dormant and brand-new readers will step back into comic shops, or at least check them out online. But many have found that it’s not as easy as just picking up a book.
After 35 years, the Portland International Film Festival is still going strong and shows no signs of stopping. Hosted by the Northwest Film Center, last year’s event attracted more than 35,000 moviegoers to theaters around Portland, showcasing a vast array of films from dozens of countries
In comics, that white space between panels is commonly referred to as the “gutter.” Within that centimeter of blank space between static scenes, worlds fall, love is won and sometimes a guy just walks across town.What happens in the gutter is limited only to the imagination of the reader. Anything can happen between the lines, in the margins, and sequential art has a special way of bringing that aspect of life to the forefront.
When it comes to the pantheon of today’s most recognizable superheroes, the vast majority can be traced back to Jewish-American roots. Heroes ranging from Superman, Batman and Captain America to Thor, the Incredible Hulk and the Fantastic Four were all conceived by Jewish creators.
Manned space shuttle missions are over for the time being. Instead, the few sentinels of space exploration are sent out alone without human accompaniment. Robots like the Mars rover Curiosity do the roaming for us, sending data samples back to us without any expectation of gratitude.
The prospect of life after college can be terrifying in and of itself: There’s no monster or murderer waiting behind a door or around a corner—instead, it’s a whole wide world full of uncertainty. Trying to find a foothold in the chaos might be the scariest thing about becoming an adult.
Santa Claus means something different to everyone. From childhood demigod to big fat phony, most anyone you ask has an opinion on the big man during this time of the season. Part of the reason we see so many different varieties of the jolly old elf is that so many versions of Santa exist. Let’s look at just a few of the St. Nick variants jingling around this year.
For commuters who find themselves walking or using public transit on a regular basis, the sight of Portland’s many homeless can become numbing. Even the most compassionate person cannot stop to consider the life and context of every downtrodden soul they encounter. Inevitably, the gloomy specter of indifference surfaces.
Comics have often been perceived as young boys’ territory—it’s been said that a large part of the reason the Walt Disney Co. bought Marvel Entertainment Inc. was to aid in targeting that demographic.