As the end of 2021 draws near, we at Fanbase Press want to thank our talented and hard-working staff and contributors and reflect on their accomplishments and the great geeky online content produced over the course of the last year. As a geek culture website, Fanbase Press produces daily reviews, interviews, editorials, and more that span the pop culture spectrum and give voice to the themes, ideals, and people that make geekdom so exceptional. Below, readers will find the Fanbase Press written content that was most most popular with our fans and readers over the course of 2021.
Reviews
The Fanbase Press staff and contributors provide a multitude of reviews throughout the year, covering several different mediums of entertainment, including comics, movies, television, books, gaming, theatre, and more. Below are our three most popular reviews from 2021:
1. ’Justice Society: World War II’ – Blu-Ray Review – by Fanbase Press Contributor Steven Alloway
“I’ve always been fascinated by the Justice Society of America. The precursor to the Justice League, it featured a number of heroes who have since fallen by the wayside—or taken wildly different forms. Not to mention superheroes against the background of World War II. This film gives us a glimpse into that world, from a modern perspective. It also includes time travel, so, of course, I was excited to review it.”
“I’ve long since been obsessed with foreign lore and try to read everything I can to learn more about the stories of other worlds. Apparitions of East Anglia provides readers with so much more than just the tales. In this graphic novel, history unfolds with a well-written narrative and beautiful art to bring these tales to life.”
3. ’Batman: Soul of the Dragon’ – Blu-Ray Review – by Fanbase Press Contributor Steven Alloway
“Making an animated Kung Fu movie is a difficult proposition. Martial arts sequences aren’t necessarily as impressive when the participants are drawn instead of real. Therefore, the filmmakers really have to work hard to make sure that those scenes are still compelling, and the film as a whole still keeps the audience engaged. I’m happy to report that Batman: Soul of the Dragon succeeds on that front in spades.”
Editorials
From one-shot retrospective essays, articles celebrating milestone anniversaries, and in memoriam commemorations to a series of essays discussing influential television shows, Fanbase Press’ editorials have covered many facets and themes from popular culture. Below are the the editorials that resonated the most with our readers this year:
1. #AlienDay 2021: Celebrating All Things ALIEN Inside the Fanbase
“In celebration of #AlienDay 2021, Fanbase Press invites you to check out our exclusive Alien-centric content from over the years! April 26th marks the annual celebration of the Alien franchise, and Fanbase Press has compiled highlights of our Alien-related content for our fans to enjoy! Don’t miss out on our exclusive interview with the writer of Marvel’s new Alien comic series, our 30th anniversary retrospective discussion on the original Aliens vs. Predator comic series, our cargo hold of Alien-related video interviews, and much, much more!”
“Adapting J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings for the cinema was a monumental task that has inspired a never-ending fountain of analysis, critique, and, at least from me, admiration. One of my favorite changes that Peter Jackson and the writers made was the expansion of Arwen’s scant appearances in the narrative by pulling in much of the “Tale of Aragorn and Arwen” from the Appendix and giving her some participation in the action, particularly in The Fellowship of the Ring. It is a valuable addition to the story and helps flesh out the emotional foundations for Aragorn’s journey to the throne of Gondor. I would, however, like to turn our gaze back to Arwen by taking a closer look at her story in Tolkien’s text.”
3. Fanbase Press Celebrates ‘Star Wars’ Day 2021 – #MayTheFourth Be With You (and the Bad Batch)!
“In celebration of Star Wars Day (#MayTheFourth) 2021, Fanbase Press invites you to check out our exclusive Star Wars-centric content from over the years! Since 2011, May 4th has marked the annual celebration of all things Star Wars, and Fanbase Press is proud to honor the iconic franchise by compiling highlights of our previously released, Star Wars-related content for our fans to enjoy! Don’t miss out on our thoughts on the theme of redemption in Star Wars, our video interviews with Star Wars celebrities like The Clone Wars’ Dave Filoni, our look back at the influence of Star Wars: Dark Empire on the current era of Star Wars, and much more!
Interviews
Every year, the Fanbase Press staff and contributors interview dozens of creators of all kinds, including writers, actors, directors, artists, and more. We encourage you to check out our back catalog of interviews, but below are this year’s three most popular:
1. Celebrating Fandoms Week 2021: Graphic Medicine – Building Empathy Through Storytelling
“Panelists Matthew Noe (President – ALA GNCRT / Lead Collection & Knowledge Management Librarian – Countway Library, Harvard Medical School), Dr. Theresa Rojas (Professor – Modesto Junior College / Founding Director – The Latinx Comic Arts Festival), Jordan Hart (writer/illustrator – Fanbase Press’ Ripple Effects), and Mike Ahn and Seol Young Lee (creators – Out of Order) and moderator Barbra Dillon (Editor-in-Chief, Fanbase Press) discuss the importance of graphic medicine in comics and how these visual stories pertaining to the discourse of Medicine have allowed us to examine the essentials of human existence, to understand ourselves better, and to connect with one another through empathy and compassion
“The following is an interview with author/editor Kim Munson, whose book, Comic Art in Museums (University Press of Mississippi), was a 2021 Eisner Award nominee for Best Academic/Scholarly Work. In addition to her extensive writing and publishing work, Munson partnered with artist Trina Robbins to curate the touring museum display, Women in Comics. In the following interview, Fanbase Press Contributor Kevin Sharp talks with Munson about her book, the evolution of comic art, the Eisner nomination process, and more.”
“The following is an interview with Jonathan Fesmire regarding the recent release of the book, Bodacious Creed and the Jade Lake. In this interview, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief Barbra Dillon chats with Fesmire about the creative process of bringing this story to life, the impact that the story may have with readers, how this story falls into the overall series’ story, and more!”
Geeky Parent Guide
The Geeky Parent Guide (GPG) is a semi-monthly editorial series – posting the first and third Thursday of each month – in which Fanbase Press Senior Contributor S.T. Lakata explores a myriad of popular culture mediums and offerings. As a father of two, Lakata traverses the challenges of participating in Geekdom and presents information so that parents and caregivers like himself can make informed decisions about how and when their children are ready to engage with films, television, video games, toys, books, and other media. Below are the top GPG entries of 2021:
“NASA’s Mars 2020 Perseverance Mission will land on February 18, 2021. After launching last July, this journey through space to the Red Planet will have taken less than seven months. Whether you geek out over science fiction films, enjoy binge-watching Star Trek: The Next Generation, or you love any and all things related to outer space, then you’re in luck, as there are opportunities to be active on landing day.”
“Primer from DC Comics is a wonderfully crafted graphic novel for kids, and it’s a perfect comic to have in your household. Having impactful stories in our home is another way of reinforcing positive messages to my kids, which is a significant reason why stories matter (particularly in the comic book medium). Kids can easily see what’s possible in a fictional world and then correlate the same possibilities within their own lives. It’s without question that I look for those types of stories for my kids, and I’m thrilled to share a comic book that your kids will absolutely love.”
“Comic books are amazing! Not only are they fantastic for adult readers who love various genres, but comics are great for kids who are interested in reading or being read to. As my kids get older, comic books continue to be a constant presence in our home. They provide fun, meaningful stories that teach us many lessons: right from wrong, ways to cope with our feelings, and how to share and be kind; however, this past year has made it exceedingly difficult for having a proper in-store experience from our friendly neighborhood comic shop.”
Between the Panels
“Between the Panels” is a bi-monthly interview series helmed by Fanbase Press Contributor Kevin Sharp that highlights comic book creators of all experience levels, providing insight into their creative process, working space, passion for the sequential art medium, and more. Below are the top three most popular entries from this interview series in 2021:
“Elena Casagrande currently holds an enviable position for many comic artists: penciller on a high-profile Big Two title — in this case, Marvel’s Black Widow. As you’ll see, the path to get there took her from a childhood of Italian comics to formal university study to finally catching her break in the U.S. market.”
“With the number of established comic book publishers already in the marketplace, it’s quite a gamble to launch a new label. But that’s exactly what Mark London & Co. did in 2014 with Mad Cave Studios. Since the early days of having a single title to hang their hats on, Mad Cave has carved out an identity as home to some of the freshest, most unique series on the stands today.”
“A fascination with art from an early age informs a child’s hobbies, area of study, and eventual career. That opening might apply to many professional artists across many different fields, each with their own unique voice and skillset. In Lizzy Stewart’s case, while she may describe herself as standing apart from the traditional comics field, her work as a sequential storyteller is about to put her name in front of more readers than ever.”
