by Matt Peters Content advisory: Bullying and gun violence in the book’s final section On top of their usual heroics, many of Marvel’s characters have had short-term roles promoting a variety of social causes and educational campaigns. Sometimes these secondary roles have been worked into their regular serial publications, usually at the volition of writers who want to address issues that are important to them personally. For example, in The Incredible Hulk #420, released in 1994, writer Peter David promoted AIDS awareness in a story that saw Hulk lose a close friend to the disease. Other times Marvel… Read More
Brittle Joints
by Liz Argall Summary Maria Sweeney is an artist. She has good friends, a rare genetic disorder, severe chronic pain, and is an ambulatory wheelchair user. In an era of increased (invisible) disability awareness “thanks” to long Covid, Sweeney’s book is a timely examination of what it means to live with a chronic disability, navigating medical bureaucracy, a multitude of micro aggressions from often well-intentioned people as well as experiencing the joys of supportive friendships, love, and the power of micro-affirmations. Pain, especially chronic pain, can disrupt a person’s sense of time. This lyrical work explores the past, present… Read More