Author: Nathanael Hood

DC Comics isn’t as widely known for its ground-breaking artists as its cross-town rival Marvel Comics, but over the years they had their fair share of artists who helped redefine and revolutionize the medium. The following artists reshaped stylistic norms, influenced future series and creators and gave us iconic creations that last to this day.…

Cinema is truly an international art. Even in the days before the Internet, great films were shared between different countries and cultures. No country has left more of a mark on world cinema than the United States — for almost a century, Hollywood has been the world epicenter of movie-making. With a not-so-metaphorical army of…

One of the oldest debates surrounding American comic books is the issue of creator ownership and rights. For decades, writers and artists either worked on a for-hire basis or sold their work directly to the publisher before publication. This relegated most comic book creators to the position of permanent freelancer who received no royalties. If…

George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire and its television adaptation Game of Thrones has become notorious for its complex political machinations, memorable characters, and truly unpredictable plot twists. Martin has made no secret of his liberal borrowing from various parts of European culture and history in the construction of Westeros and…

Though today there’s an ever-increasing number of minority superheroes, for much of the history of the genre minorities were either ignored, excluded or depicted as two-dimensional stereotypes. Many of these characters have mercifully been forgotten, but some have survived to the modern day, transforming over the decades into more politically-correct versions. These 10 characters are…

It seems like every other week nowadays we see a trailer for a new movie that seems so terrible that we can only roll our eyes and wonder how such a film could have gotten funded in the first place. The answer is simple: Hollywood funds films that they believe will make money. As a…

Though most Americans would probably prefer to think of themselves as heroes or, at the very least, a positive force in the world, much of the world has a negative views of the United States. As such, Americans have frequently been portrayed as villains in foreign films, and we’ve put together a list of some…

The Golden Raspberry Awards, more affectionately referred to as the Razzies, is an annual award ceremony that celebrates the very worst of American film-making. Held one day before the Academy Awards, the Razzies have established themselves as part of the American pop culture landscape. But, as with any award, disputes have broken out over the…

Steve McQueen’s 12 Years a Slave took home three Oscars from the 86th Academy Awards, a feat that seemed predestined after the chorus of cries from critics and audiences that the film was a masterpiece and one of the best ever made about slavery. But it was hardly the first film to address the topic –…

With the release of 2013’s The Lone Ranger, audiences were treated to the latest in a long line of demeaning and politically incorrect depictions of an ethnic minority by Hollywood: Johnny Depp in red-face. From its earliest days, Hollywood populated its films with vicious racial caricatures that disenfranchised people of color by casting white actors as…

In the world of Japanese animation, certain directors have become legends, inspiring countless animators and creators throughout the decades. These luminaries are among the most inexplicably creative, ground-breaking, and influential directors in the history of anime. 10.  Katsuhiro Otomo Though he has only directed a handful of films, Katsuhiro Otomo has gone down as one…

Everyone has heard of Cinderella, Snow White, and Sleeping Beauty. Most people even know about Rumpelstiltskin, Hansel and Gretel, and Rapunzel. But for every fairy tale that the wider populace is aware of, there are literally dozens more which have inexplicably remained in obscurity. Here are ten such fairy tales that will redefine your conception…

From the Paleolithic paintings of the Chauvet Cave to Tolkien’s Shadowfax, horses have played a central role in mankind’s legends, cultures, and myths. Used as beasts of burden on farms, weapons on the battlefield, and as simple companions, perhaps no other domesticated animal has been so vital and intrinsic to the evolution of humans. Here…

It’s sadly common knowledge that the Jewish people have not gotten fair treatment over the years. In fact, they’ve been hunted down a d massacred, sometimes literally, for the past 2,000 years. The bevy of myths and stereotypes that paint Judaism as the embodiment of pure evil do not help one bit.

For at least the past few thousand years, laws have been written and enforced, in the name of order and civility. here are some of the earliest that we know of, from all arund the world.

When you think of ’80s movies, what comes to mind (besides clashing colors and a complete lack of self-awareness as to how silly everyone looked)? Montages, that’s what! Any ’80s film worth its hoop earrings had at least one scene where months of activity was condensed into a nifty four-minute musical package. Here are 10 of the most memorable.

If truth is stranger than fiction, then documentaries have an innate power that fiction films can only aspire to. Documentaries can entertain, charm, enlighten, and horrify more powerfully than anything Hollywood can produce. Here are ten of the most disturbing documentaries ever made, in chronological order from when they were released. 10) Faces of Death…

Scientology, in case their beliefs are still insanely confusing to you, teaches that humans are immortal creatures who have been brainwashed by the souls of alien creatures known as “thetans.” In order to free oneself from their influence, they must undergo a series of counseling sessions which are made available after a number of fees…

With the announcement of his own feature film, now is a great time to take a good look at the character of Wade Wilson, better known as as Marvel Comics’ Deadpool. Long a cult favorite among comic fans, this odd and bizarre character is finally beginning to break into the mainstream. Operating as a mercenary,…

Who in their right mind wouldn’t want to be Morgan Freeman? In addition to having one of the world’s most instantly recognizable voices, Freeman has become a cinematic icon with roles in some of the greatest movies of all time. Alas, there can only be one Morgan Freeman. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t…

Over the years, time travel has become one of the most common plot devices in sci-fi cinema. It has been used, abused, revered, and spoofed in more films than can be counted. But whether time travel is approached as a serious scientific concept, or as a flimsy deus ex machina, its appeal is undeniable. Listed below…

While most people think of superheroes when they hear the term “comic books,” it turns out that one of the most popular and resilient comic genres revolves around non-supervillainy crime.  Dating back to the early 20th century, crime comics have been a mainstay of the medium. Suave private eyes, pulp anti-hero avengers, and neo-noir police procedurals…

In a market dominated by superheroes, it’s easy to forget that, once upon a time, there were a plethora of other genres that enjoyed great popularity. One of these was the war comic genre. Though they originated in the 1930s, the war comics genre exploded in the wake of World War II. Tales of impossibly…

Certain directors are famous for working within very specific genres. The name “Alfred Hitchcock” is synonymous with thrillers and suspense. The words “Charlie Chaplin” immediately bring to mind visions of silent comedies. Ingmar Bergman has become a code-word for bleak, existential Eastern European art films. And yet, every now and then, a director will make…