Daniel Stalter's Blog, page 18
October 3, 2019
A LOOK BACK AT SINA GRACE’S RUN ON ICEMAN
Back in June of this year, Sina Grace shared a blog post about his experience working at Marvel. The post has already been subject to plenty of media coverage and online discussion, including on the GeeksOUT Podcast. For those of us familiar with the historical treatment of marginalized voices in publishing, the experience he described is equal parts frustrating, familiar, and disappointing. With that new context in mind, I decided to take a look back at his acclaimed run on Iceman.
Re...
A LOOK BACK AT SINA GRACE’S RUN ON ICEMAN.
Back in June of this year, Sina Grace shared a blog post about his experience working at Marvel. The post has already been subject to plenty of media coverage and online discussion, including on the GeeksOUT Podcast. For those of us familiar with the historical treatment of marginalized voices in publishing, the experience he described is equal parts frustrating, familiar, and disappointing. With that new context in mind, I decided to take a look back at his acclaimed run on Iceman.
Re...
September 9, 2019
THE WRONG NUMBER
Spoiler-Free Review
I enjoyed this one more than I thought I would. It’s one of those plots that wouldn’t really work in the present, which is part of the nostalgic charm in re-reading this series. The cover is iconic. The characters were dynamic. While the plot wasn’t terribly original, the teenage perspective of it kept things interesting. It has some really fun moments and kept things campy. All in all, one of the more solid entries into the series.
Sc...September 4, 2019
FLAME CON 2019
August 17-18, 2019
Sheraton Times Square
New York, NY
Overview:
Flame Con is of my favorite shows to return to every year. I was there for the first one back in 2015, and I’ve come back every year since. I downgraded to a half table this year, which I’m glad I did. It saved me some money and it hopefully opened up some more space to the huge demand for exhibitor tables. I ended up sharing a table with Anthony Dortch, whom I’d met at Flame Con back in 2016. I had originally hope...
August 28, 2019
THE GHOST NEXT DOOR
Spoiler-Free Review
This one terrified me as a child. I distinctly remember trembling in the car ride home after reading it. It tapped into some of my deepest held fears at the time. Needless to say, I did not forget the twist ending upon re-reading this one. It’s the kind of ending that sticks with you. Overall, The Ghost Next Door is one of the more solid books in the series. Some of the story mechanics don’t hold up under scrutiny, but the book more t...
August 12, 2019
ELECTRIC CITY COMIC CON 2019
July 13, 2019
Schenectady County Public Library
Schenectady, NY
Overview:
I have been wanting to do Electric City Comic Con since it was first recommended to me by Drew, host of the For the Love of Indie podcast. Every year since it has conflicted with Reader Con or some other part of my schedule, but I was finally able to make it happen in 2019. Electric City Comic Con is hosted by the Schenectady County Public Library, meaning it’s curated and run by a bun...
August 6, 2019
GOODNIGHT KISS
Spoiler-Free Review
I recall enjoying both of the Goodnight Kiss books as a kid, but I can’t say that they hold up more than twenty years later. The most frustrating part was how it seemed to stuff in every known vampire trope, right down to the Gabri being afraid of the garlic April was putting on her pizza. That, and it was impossible to look past the fact that the vampires referred to “blood” as “nectar.” It all but killed any potential th...
July 31, 2019
FORTUNATE BEASTS
Letters for Lucardo: Fortunate Beasts is the second book of the acclaimed Iron Circus graphic novel series by Otava Heikkila. I wrote a review of the first book for Geeks OUT back in 2017; you may want to start there if you’re thinking of reading the series. This review will contain some unavoidable spoilers for the ending of Letters for Lucardo. Fortunate Beasts was funded through Kickstarter in late 2018.
Read my full review on Geeks OUT.
July 11, 2019
HUDSON VALLEY COMIC CON 2019
May 9th & 10th 2019
Golds Gym & Exhibition Center
Poughkeepsie, NY
Overview:
When deciding on what shows to do, I look at a few different factors. The ideal trifecta of conditions would be cons that have low table fees, are easily accessible via public transit, and hosted in a city where I know someone that I can stay with. Hudson Valley Comic Con checked all three boxes for me. That meant it was an excellent excuse to visit Naomi, one of my closest friends, for a n...
HUDSON VALLEY COMIC CON
May 9th & 10th 2019
Golds Gym & Exhibition Center
Poughkeepsie, NY
When deciding on what shows to do, I look at a few different factors. The ideal trifecta of conditions would be cons that have low table fees, are easily accessible via public transit, and hosted in a city where I know someone that I can stay with. Hudson Valley Comic Con checked all three boxes for me. That meant it was an excellent excuse to visit Naomi, one of my closest friends, for a nic...
