Skip to content
dot and line logo
  • Newsletter
  • Latest
  • Interviews
  • TV
  • Movies
  • About Us

Author: John Maher

John Maher is news and digital editor at Publishers Weekly and editor in chief at The Dot and Line, which he co-founded. His work has been published by New York magazine, The Los Angeles Times, and Esquire, among others.
timmy turner fairly oddparents
TV

Fairly Oddparents and the Terror of “Tiimmy Turner”

August 2, 2016December 29, 2019 John MaherComments Off on Fairly Oddparents and the Terror of “Tiimmy Turner”

Or, how a Nickelodeon reference can depress the crap out of you while still being couched in an experimental-ish club banger.

Movies

Wrestling With the Animated ‘Batman: The Killing Joke’

July 27, 2016December 29, 2019 John MaherComments Off on Wrestling With the Animated ‘Batman: The Killing Joke’

DC Comics and Warner Bros. Animation had every opportunity to make this film better — and they didn’t take any of them.

Movies

Notes on ‘Belladonna of Sadness’

June 20, 2016December 29, 2019 John MaherComments Off on Notes on ‘Belladonna of Sadness’

Viewer discretion HELLA advised.

Movies

Conroy v Balefleckman: Jawn of Grimdark

April 5, 2016December 29, 2019 John MaherComments Off on Conroy v Balefleckman: Jawn of Grimdark

The best Batflick is animated and you’ve probably never seen it. This one might be better. And darker.

wide whale venture bros
Interviews TV

Hal Lublin Breaks Down ‘Venture Bros.’ and Playing Up His Asthma: Exclusive

March 17, 2016December 29, 2019 John MaherComments Off on Hal Lublin Breaks Down ‘Venture Bros.’ and Playing Up His Asthma: Exclusive

We chatted with the comedian and voice actor on his craft, his health, playing to rooms filled with judgment, and how he came to voice Wide Wale — the soggiest archvillain of 2016.

TV

If Fandom Has Killed the Cliffhanger, Sign ‘Young Justice’ Up

March 5, 2016December 29, 2019 John MaherComments Off on If Fandom Has Killed the Cliffhanger, Sign ‘Young Justice’ Up

This year, three cartoons make unexpected returns. Justice demands a fourth.

batman the animated series eyes gif
Movies TV

Anatomy of an Animated Badass

February 17, 2016December 29, 2019 John MaherComments Off on Anatomy of an Animated Badass

Nine core qualities that make a cartoon cool.

Posts pagination

Previous 1 … 11 12

EDITORS PICKS

Watching ‘The Dot and the Line’ Together, One Last Time

By The Dot and Line

"I just housed a whole sleeve of Peeps while this was happening." The editors reflect, and also relax, over the original 'The Dot and the Line' short.

Why Hasn’t My Friend Seen ‘Weeds’ Yet?

By Sammy Nickalls

More like "'Weeds' Is Drugs and Family and Drugs and Grief and Drugs and Comedy and Drugs, and How Have You Skipped It, JOHN?" Part 3 of a 3-part series.

Fry seymour asses futurama

Let Us Now Pour One Out for Fry’s Dog in ‘Futurama’

By Eric Vilas-Boas

What you see here is the manifestation of two universes.

mickey mouse steamboat willie

Mickey, Mouse of Our Hearts, Whistles His Way to 88

By Eric Vilas-Boas

Celebrate by watching ‘Steamboat Willie’ again.

“No, It Is NOT Sal Goodman” with John Middle-Name Maher da III

By Katie Van Brunt

Part of #JohnWithTheWind — a week-long editorial event.

pokemon poetry

3 Poems for Pokémon, a Phenomenon That Defined a Generation

By Meg Eden

The Dot and Line presents a set of poetry about the Pokémon franchise — one of the most important and influential multimedia animated properties of the last two decades. If you were alive in the heyday of Pokémon fandom, we guarantee you will appreciate the references and tenor of these poems by Meg Eden. Read on, and be […]

An Urgent Question About ‘The Pagemaster’

By Rebecca Long

IS IT STILL GOOD!?

cowboy bebop yoko kanno

Yoko Kanno Took Two Melodies and Made Four Perfect Songs

By John Maher

“Memory” and “Adieu,” “Goodnight Julia” and “Space Lion,” each flip sides of the same coin, make you wish Chet Baker and Bill Evans had been alive to play them—or that Pharaoh Sanders would.

  • Newsletter
  • Latest
  • Interviews
  • TV
  • Movies
  • About Us

GREATEST HITS

The Dot and Line Presents a Week Dedicated to ‘BoJack Horseman’

By The Dot and Line

A Horse With a Name is here.

helga hey arnold

How to Date People Who Don’t Love Cartoons When You Love Cartoons

By Eric Vilas-Boas

Nine tips for those animation-loving Romeos and Juliets who might otherwise be doomed to fail.

2017 editorial | Editorial by MysteryThemes.