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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.
Movies

When Anime Met Bashō: ‘Winter Days’ Brings a Warm Beauty to a Cold Season

January 31, 2018December 29, 2019 John MaherComments Off on When Anime Met Bashō: ‘Winter Days’ Brings a Warm Beauty to a Cold Season

Some of the greatest animators on our planet paying a tribute to a haiku master? That’s a match made in meditative melancholy.

oprah the boondocks
TV

The Boondocks Predicted the Oprah 2020 Thing and People Are Losing Their Minds

January 9, 2018December 29, 2019 John MaherComments Off on The Boondocks Predicted the Oprah 2020 Thing and People Are Losing Their Minds

What does It take for mainstream media to pretend to care about cartoons? Oprah. The answer is Oprah. And politics. And clickbait.

TV

WTF Is Felix Colgrave Smoking?

January 8, 2018December 29, 2019 John MaherComments Off on WTF Is Felix Colgrave Smoking?

And can we have some before we watch any more cartoons?

gurren lagann
TV

The Only Good Thing About ‘Gurren Lagann’

January 1, 2018December 29, 2019 John MaherComments Off on The Only Good Thing About ‘Gurren Lagann’

A choice New Year’s Resolution provided by a super dumb anime.

TV

Why Katara’s Feelings Are Her Greatest Strength and Greatest Pain

December 22, 2017April 4, 2020 John MaherComments Off on Why Katara’s Feelings Are Her Greatest Strength and Greatest Pain

Maternal, idealistic, insecure, stubborn, short-tempered. Katara is emotion—her trauma, her power. Just like me.

TV

Could a Northern Water Tribe Capital City Exist In Real Life?

December 18, 2017December 29, 2019 John MaherComments Off on Could a Northern Water Tribe Capital City Exist In Real Life?

Today’s important question is brought to you by a very dumb study. Also: Welcome to Waterbending Week!

Movies

‘A Country Doctor’ Is an Anime Handshake Between Franz Kafka and Kobo Abe

December 8, 2017December 29, 2019 John MaherComments Off on ‘A Country Doctor’ Is an Anime Handshake Between Franz Kafka and Kobo Abe

Even Kafka can always get weirder.

tower gun violence mass shootings film
Movies

How an Animated Film Powerfully Documented Gun Violence in America

November 29, 2017December 29, 2019 John MaherComments Off on How an Animated Film Powerfully Documented Gun Violence in America

Director Keith Maitland and journalist Pamela Colloff discuss the historic University of Texas shooting and how the animated film ‘Tower’ captured it.

TV

Here’s ‘Xavier: Renegade Angel’ in a Nutshell

October 30, 2017December 29, 2019 John MaherComments Off on Here’s ‘Xavier: Renegade Angel’ in a Nutshell

It’s been 10 years. Somehow.

TV

This Is How Morty Smith Is Smarter Than Rick Sanchez

September 27, 2017December 29, 2019 John MaherComments Off on This Is How Morty Smith Is Smarter Than Rick Sanchez

Actually, when you consider the theory of multiple intelligences, you’re the f*cking idiot, Rick! You f*cking moron! —Morty (attrib.)

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EDITORS PICKS

rusty venture bros season 7

Jackson Publick on the Ambition of ‘The Venture Bros.’

By John Maher

Why do ‘Rick & Morty,’ ‘BoJack Horseman,’ and ‘Archer’ get all the credit when ‘The Venture Bros.’ beat them to everything? What did Rusty Venture ever do to you?

shinichiro watanabe cowboy bebop

A Final ‘Bebop’ Question on Shinichirō Watanabe’s Legacy

By John Maher

‘Cowboy Bebop’ busted the anime curve. But what is its director’s legacy? And is his greatest work really his, anyway?

mha From Iida to Midoriya

My Hero Academia’s “From Iida to Midoriya” Teases a Big, Bad Confrontation

By Sarra Sedghi

The kids take matters into their own hands.

We Lost Our Minds Over This Animaniacs Reboot

By The Dot and Line

This is a huge gamble, Mr. Spielberg. Or, as the Warners would put it: BOINGY BOINGY BOINGY BOINGY!

To All the Toons I Loved Before

By Marley Crusch

A Dot and Liner pens her last love letters to the cartoons of her heart.

‘My Neighbor Totoro’ Is Access to Your Past

By Eric Vilas-Boas

A few words remembering Hayao Miyazaki's 1988 classic.

A Cartoon Lover’s Haven Lives in Brooklyn

By The Dot and Line

Are you in New York? Then go hang with our friends at “Spoons, Toons, and Booze.” You won’t regret it. Trust us.

Kimson Albert Nicknames, Ranked (Pt. II)

By John Maher

The animation director is now at 'OK K.O.!-Let's Be Heroes,' where his tradition of taking a choice quote from each episode as a nickname in the credits continues. We've ranked them here.

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GREATEST HITS

Farewell to Clay Martin Croker

By John Maher

The longtime Adult Swim animator and voice actor joins Space Ghost far too soon.

sympathy for the devil cowboy bebop

At Least This ‘Cowboy Bebop’ Baddie Could Wail on the Harmonica

By John Maher

Is this the show’s second most annoying villain? Yes. But the philosophy, the world-building, and the blues are worth it.

2017 editorial | Editorial by MysteryThemes.