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Tom Speelman on Muck Rack

Tom Speelman

Indiana, Lansing
As seen in: Wiley Online Library, Polygon, CBR, The Mary Sue, Comics Alliance, Comics Journal Magazine, Funimation
Covers:  Movies, TV, anime, comics
Writer etc. for Crunchyroll, Polygon, etc. Editor, Cross Infinite World. He/Him/bi. Opinions all mine (oops). Works in healthcare to pay the bills.

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Tom Speelman’s Biography

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I am a freelance writer focusing on comics, pop culture, anime and manga. I also freelance for publishers like Seven Seas Entertainment as a proofreader, adapter or copy editor.

Tom Speelman’s Journalist Portfolio

The fascist subtext of Attack on Titan can't go overlooked

The fascist subtext of Attack on Titan can't go overlooked

An in-depth examination of the fascist, racist and anti-Semitic context at the heart of the popular franchise.

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How Blade of the Immortal Changed Manga in America - The MNT

How Blade of the Immortal Changed Manga in America - The MNT

An examination of how Hiroaki Simura's iconic samurai manga, Blade of The Immortal, helped give birth to the …

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Screen & Page: Super Meets Star In 'Tiger & Bunny'

Screen & Page: Super Meets Star In 'Tiger & Bunny'

The inaugural installment of my short-lived but acclaimed column, Screen & Page, examining original anime and…

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A Beginner's Guide to Ride Your Wave Director Masaaki Yuasa

A Beginner's Guide to Ride Your Wave Director Masaaki Yuasa

A short beginner's guide to the work of acclaimed anime director Masaaki Yuasa upon the limited US release of…

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Articles

Smoking Kills - The Comics Journal

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By Tom Speelman
| Comics Journal Magazine Verified
The title of Smoking Kills is somewhat misleading. From it, you expect some sort of long-winded PSA against cigarettes and/or vaping or perhaps some sort of ironic endorsement ala the Reefer Madness musical. The actual story Dutch cartoonist/animator Thjis Desmet presents is neither of these. Instead, it's a story far smaller in scope and focus yet far more existential in its probing, resulting in a funny, captivating read.
Open in Who Shared Issue with article?

Steel of the Celestial Shadows Vol. 1-2

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By Tom Speelman
| Comics Journal Magazine Verified
There's no shortage of chanbara (samurai) stories out there, especially in manga. Trends may change but the appeal of a grim-faced dude in samurai garb (with or without a topknot) coolly slicing down his opponent with one sword stroke is eternal. The way to make one's samurai story stand out then is in the details. Do you present the most clear-eyed version of history possible a la Mike Richardson, Stan Sakai and co.'s 2014 miniseries 47 Ronin ?
Open in Who Shared Issue with article?

Asadora! - The Comics Journal

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By Tom Speelman
| Comics Journal Magazine Verified
What separates Naoki Urasawa from his contemporaries-both in the "big in western countries" sense and "manga creators of his generation" sense-is his all-encompassing command of verisimilitude.
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Interview

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What was your first job as a journalist?

Jack-of-all-trades for the now-defunct thisisanothercastle.com.

Have you ever used a typewriter?

No.

How is social media changing news?

By obfuscating legitimate news sources in favor of the loudest voice in the room.