Ian Gordon

Superman (2025) [So the New York Times asked me for an Op-Ed on why Superman is popular enough to warrant another film. Then yesterday they, and I quote, decided “to go in another direction.” It seems …

So the New York Times asked me for an Op-Ed on why Superman is popular enough to warrant another film. Then they went "in another direction." It seems Superman is not popular enough for an Op-Ed in the NYT. Too late to place the piece elsewhere. So here:
ilgordon.wordpress.com/2025/07/10/s...

In Brussels

🌏NEW🌎
On July 11, Superman flies back into cinemas in his third reboot. How will a reborn idealistic Man of Steel land in the most cynical American moment of the modern era? @nndroid.bsky.social and Ian Gordon, author of Superman: The Persistence of an American Icon, discuss ➡️ linktr.ee/bunker_pod

It's a promotion for a course about comics. It's illustrated with a picture from Krazy Kat. The text reads: The social and material lives of Comic Art, or How comics get around! July 28-Aug 1, 2025 (right after San Diego Comic-Con) A California Rare Book School course taught in person at UCLA. Instructor: Charles Hatfield, PhD Tuition: $1200.00 (ask about scholarships) How comics are made, and move through the world. Their improbable and troubled history. How to access comics in archives. How to teach with them. How to change the world with them.

One of my cool friends is teaching this course.
Please spread the word - it's going to be amazing!

I wish I could go myself, but alas. No trip to CAL for me.

www.calrbs.org/the-social-a...

#comics

I also went about ten years ago. You were in NYC during 2014-15, we could have caught up, Hah 10 years later missed
connections.

I've taught in Singapore for 26 years. About 10-15 years ago a familiarity with the K-wave became important for the sort on analogies one uses in teaching. I keep looking for Australia to claim Rose and for New Zealand to get in a bidding war. If Australia claims Frank Ifeld why not Rose?

That's some very specific fan service

Fantastic news Sayaka and such discipline to get that second book done already. No doubt more on the way.

Read to my daughter every night.

Carlos Santana trod on my toe in a record shop in Sydney in 1977

Good luck. Seems like an age since January. Hope all is well beyond dissertation land.

Great piece. Made me wonder about the Holtermann Collection and if this visual record excluded the Chinese. From a quick glance it seems so.
collection.sl.nsw.gov.au/digital/sear...

Something about comics since so many new followers. Message me if you want to read the whole piece

I'm a historian of the USA and as you know I do comic studies. That troubled people at my former institution. Ask me about it.

Nice guy actually. More interested in deals etc than the money per se.

The Australian High Commissioner to Singapore, the University of Sydney Vice Chancellor, and a very successful serial entrepreneur (I taught his brother) look on in awe at my Pac-Man impression.

It’s not corruption, but the Albanese government is guilty of cronyism Corruption’s insidious cousin has become one of the dominant motifs of this government.

Seriously this guy, sorry “professor”, complaining about cronyism is a bit rich.

www.theage.com.au/politics/fed...

Good to see @elmcitytree.bsky.social as the prime source for this discussion of watching American Fiction

www.abc.net.au/news/2024-02...

I have notes

Book is getting real. There is a flyer:

I played Santa Claus. As the kids say I sleighed it. Thank you I’m here all week.

ACU is despicable. I gave my Making to one of my colleagues along with many other books. Small apartment won’t fit. At least I was retired according to the mandated age, not made redundant.

I still love his notion elsewhere that aliens might communicate by tap dancing and farting and humans would be offended and kill them.

Such great news and so richly deserved.

If you're at a university they might have a subscription to Springer Link that allows a free download of a PDF. I am and just did so.

Coming soon. Isn't this cover, by James Bouwer, a beauty, as we say in Australia

New ad campaign from The Uluru Dialogues featuring Australia's unofficial anthem, You're the Voice by John Farnham. Australians have come together on so many... You're the Voice Referendum Ad John Farnham - Full version

I'll be voting YES in the 2023 referendum on acknowledging an indigenous voice enshrined in the constitution of Australia.

youtu.be/br8dB_0z3Fk?...

@clarecorbould.bsky.social

In case you missed it:

www.nytimes.com/2023/08/30/m...