Fantasy
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Save the Witch! Why Book Banning Sects Are Right to Fear Fantasy
In small town America an unlikely hero must overcome his shyness and stand up for what he believes in. How can he not? His favorite…
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Baba Yaga and the Allure of the Wicked in Russian Folklore
If you are at all familiar with Russian fairy tales, you are familiar with Baba Yaga. Her appearance is nightmarish: a long crooked nose that…
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Descriptive Science Fiction and Ursula K. Le Guin: An Appreciation
The first time I read The Left Hand of Darkness, I did not get very far. I didn’t make it past the first thirty pages…
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The First of Many Nights
This past TCAF (Toronto Comics Art Festival) I was wandering the webcomic floor when I stumbled upon a treasure trove: a beautifully drawn, full-colour comic…
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Online Again: a Critique of Sword Art Online, Seasons One and Two
If you watch anime at all, you are probably already aware of the massively popular Sword Art Online. For those who are not familiar with it,…
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The Girl with a Sword.
I can’t remember when I first encountered her. Maybe I saw her on a kids’ cartoon. Maybe she was in one of the animated movies…
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Appall To Appeal: the Nature of Sexual Violence Against Women in Game of Thrones
Warnings: spoilers for Game of Thrones (up to mid season 4); discussions of sexual violence, rape. I cannot count the number of times a Game…
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The Invisible Ones: The Speculative Fictions of Mental Health Discourse
I was at a meeting at the start of the 2013-2014 school year and we were at the portion of the day where we were…
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An Exhibit of Ice and Fire
Minor spoilers up to Season Three This May 14-18 the internationally touring Game of Thrones: The Exhibition returned to Toronto at the TIFF Bell…
The Spectatorial 