Category Archives: Popular culture

When You Ignore #BrandZero

Posted on September 3, 2021 by Rawle Nyanzi

A while back, a graphic novel called I Am Not Starfire was released. It featured the predictable ugly art and “social justice” storytelling popular among current American comic pros, and it received criticism from all the usual places. But what … Continue reading →

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#BrandZero Returns

Posted on July 27, 2021 by Rawle Nyanzi

A while back, I came up with a concept called #BrandZero, in which we avoid mentioning any big pop culture franchises at all in an effort to promote smaller works. However, I had fallen away from it over time, since … Continue reading →

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The Pop Cult Will Never Venerate You

Posted on October 9, 2020 by Rawle Nyanzi

A common fantasy among authors is getting picked up for a movie or TV deal. They often see it as a ticket to stardom, to their work gaining the recognition and influence they feel it deserves. However, such a phenomenon … Continue reading →

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The Horror of Scientific Materialism

Posted on August 24, 2020 by Rawle Nyanzi

Recently, I came across an article (archive here) about the evolution of the horror genre in film. While the article is from 2000, and I’m not a horror fan myself, one point stuck with me: how scientific materialism, rather than … Continue reading →

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High-Flying Fight Scenes

Posted on August 12, 2020 by Rawle Nyanzi

Friend of the blog JD Cowan feels that the kind of high-energy fight scenes seen in anime like Naruto are not very good: Most of what you guys consider good fights are actually not good at all. They're over-choreographed, weightless, … Continue reading →

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The Brand as Hypocritical Church

Posted on August 10, 2020 by Rawle Nyanzi

A common plot device among creatives of all kinds is the idea of the hypocritical church: a religious body, usually Christian or a fantasy equivalent, tricking gullible believers into giving them money and power while secretly or openly violating the … Continue reading →

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Why Geeks and Gamers Whines All the Time

Posted on August 6, 2020 by Rawle Nyanzi

The internet is a tough place to get attention, and many people have tried a variety of approaches. However, in all my years of watching YouTube and reading blog content, I’ve noticed that three types of content get consistent engagement: … Continue reading →

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Newer Is Better Only With Technology

Posted on November 11, 2019 by Rawle Nyanzi

A recent video by a bishop named Robert Barron discussed, among other things, the Catholic Church’s alleged need to modernize (this link will take you straight to the relevant section.) After listening to Fr. Barron speak on that, I drew … Continue reading →

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Babylon Blues Interview

Posted on October 28, 2019 by Rawle Nyanzi

Over the weekend, I interviewed friend of the blog and fellow #PulpRev author Benjamin Cheah about his newest fiction project, Babylon Blues. To my surprise, he had quite a bit to say, and he really shed light on his creative … Continue reading →

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Brand Zero Praxis

Posted on October 23, 2019 by Rawle Nyanzi

UPDATE: I’ve changed my praxis a bit. Yesterday, I made a post stating that I won’t talk about big media franchises on this blog anymore, calling it “Brand Zero.” The aim of it is to promote works that will never … Continue reading →

Posted in Popular culture | Tagged | 2 Comments