Jessica Koroll

To this day, JTHM is still one of my favourite comics. Even though it starts out as a comic simply meant to help the artist find relief from the annoyances of daily life, it ends with a surprising amount of depth that still strikes me each time I read it. I can definitely see aspects of the hero’s journey in the comic but I’m not actually too familiar with Jeffery Jerome Cohen or his writing. It sounds like a fascinating read as the connections you draw between his conception of the monstrous and Nny is something I found particularly interesting. I especially like your points on his first thesis, how the monster’s body is a cultural body. Sometimes, I forget the time and culture JTHM came from since I originally read it about a decade later. Great write up, overall.

This is a lovely piece. I’ve always had a soft spot for flash fiction and how it forces writers to really examine the message they want to convey. Adhering to such a small word limit can be rough, especially when the story being told is personal in nature, but the results can be powerful and emotionally honest in a way that stands apart from some longer works. Your advice is on point and the article is one that I’ll be returning to.

I haven’t thought about Lain in years, so I found this to be a really interesting topic. Like many others, I had a hard time grasping a lot of the series’ themes when I first watched it back in high school. At the time, it seemed so far removed from my understanding of technology and the internet that I found it difficult to connect its questions to anything real. Re-evaluating it from today’s perspective is an incredibly smart move though. Your discussion on identity, in particular, gave me a deeper appreciation for the series and its relevance to contemporary life. It seems a second viewing is in order.

I’m so happy to see such a well written article covering this show. Torchwood was one of the first science fiction series that I watched and its definitely one that’s stuck with me. It has its cheesy storylines and hilariously bad CGI but you’re right to point out its skillful exploration of the unknown and willingness to dive into some pretty unnerving concepts. I remember the first time I watched “Adrift” and the slow realization of what was actually happening began to dawn on me. The writers’ ability to move slowly and twist familiar storylines into something unexpected made for a lot of memorable moments. I also like that you distinguish hard “science fiction” from soft “sci-fi.” I never thought of Torchwood in connection to these terms but they’re definitely useful for illustrating how Torchwood diverges from the tone and storytelling techniques of Doctor Who.

“The Vampire Diaries has become muddled with plot holes and storylines that go nowhere, characters no one cares about, and a mythology that is so convoluted it is impossible to understand.”

You’ve succeeded in accurately describing pretty much every series that the CW produces in a single sentence ahaha. I enjoyed reading this a lot. I haven’t watched the show in forever but I remember being surprisingly into it back when it first started. I was disappointed to see it go so far downhill.

This really is a fascinating article. I’ve always had the sense that Tolkien’s texts seem to actively resist interpretation, but I couldn’t quite pinpoint what exactly caused that. His aversion to allegory and reliance on subcreation is particularly interesting given that it’s his meticulous world building that seems to be the main point of contention between those who love his writing and those who do not. It’s a great example of how varied and fluid readers’ expectations of literature truly are. There’s lots of food for thought here so thank you for that!

Great article! You’ve done a fine job capturing the spirit of indie gaming and the underlying passion that drives so much of it. I especially like the attention you’ve given to the creative minds behind these games and the personal nature of their work. It’s a perspective that seems to get lost in gaming discussions at times so I found this to be a refreshing read.

I haven’t been keeping up with recent episodes so I can’t really say anything on them, but I certainly hope so! I agree that the writers should have stuck closer to the Dracula storyline if that’s what they really wanted to base their show on. What they have now could be interesting on its own, but trying to include the Dracula thing on top of it seems a little forced to me.