This is my ninth and final article of 2017 for Blastoff!, and before we get down to the nitty gritty, I want to take a moment to shout out my longtime pal, Professor Scott Tipton, for inviting me to contribute to the site this past January. I’m proud to be affiliated with the site, I […]
Author Archive | Josh Jabcuga
Draining the D.C. Swamp: Wherein Josh Jabcuga revisits the murky waters of Wes Craven’s cult creature feature Swamp Thing.
“This way or no way You know I’ll be free Just like that bluebird Now, ain’t that just like me?” “Lazarus” by David Bowie, from the album Blackstar. *** “Dream the dreams of other men You will be no ones rival A distant time A distant space That’s where we’re living A distant time A […]
“How to Disappear Completely”: Josh Jabcuga nearly falls off the grid with a review of the TV pilot of Marvel’s resident raging green bull, The Incredible Hulk.
“That there, that’s not me. I go where I please. I walk through walls. I float down the Liffey. I’m not here. This isn’t happening. I’m not here. In a little while I’ll be gone. The moment’s already passed. Yeah it’s gone. And I’m not here. This isn’t happening. I’m not here. Strobe lights and […]
“All the Old Heroes”: Wherein Josh Jabcuga attempts to make peace with Marvel’s Spider-Man
“All the old heroes are like children to you now/ As you go to burn their shame away/ Without knowing exactly how” — “All the Old Heroes” by Joseph Arthur from the album The Ballad of Boogie Christ I loved Spider-Man. He was one of the first characters I clung to as a kid. […]
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Guardians’ Director James Gunn
Writer-Director James Gunn has no business helming a mega blockbuster for Marvel Studios. That’s what logic would have you believe. Gunn’s big break came from tireless hypeman Lloyd Kaufman, the absurdist indie movie maven who co-founded Troma Entertainment and created no-budget cult fare like The Toxic Avenger. And one of the most highly anticipated releases […]
“All the President’s Men”: wherein Josh Jabcuga examines the origin stories of genre fans.
All this month, we’ll be helping Children’s Hospital Los Angeles‘ Make March Matter campaign, which aims to raise over a million dollars in March alone for CHLA through the efforts of its corporate partners, among which we are proud to be numbered. Children’s Hospital Los Angeles sees over 528,000 patient visits annually, and is the […]
Fortunate Son: An Introduction to Shang-Chi, Marvel’s Master of Kung Fu
From Comic Books 101: The History, Methods and Madness (published by Impact Books), written by Chris Ryall and Scott Tipton: “The Bronze Age: Early 1970s—Early 1980s: Comics see a slight darkening in tone, reflective of the Vietnam-era climate. Stories cover real-world issues, such as drug abuse and politics, and overall, superhero comics become more […]
A Matter of Timing
Looper Offers a Glimpse into what Rian Johnson’s Star Wars: Episode VIII May Hold “Love lost, such a cost, Give me things that don’t get lost. Like a coin that won’t get tossed Rolling home to you. Old man take a look at my life I’m a lot like you” (“Old Man” by Neil Young). […]
Medieval Dead: Knighting the Cult Classic Army of Darkness
It’s become a cliché among critics and fans when describing certain movies, often ones that develop a cult-like following over the years thanks to HBO, VHS, and more recently, streaming services such as Netflix, but if any motion picture ever fit the bill of the ol’ “A movie like this would never get made today”—it’s […]