Northern Kentucky University

Popular Culture Web Resources

Web Resources for General Popular Culture, Cinema Studies, and Comic Art available from Steely Library

These are suggestions only and do not reflect the full range of materials that may be useful to you. For additional assistance, Ask Steely Library!

General Popular Culture

Flow

From the Department of Radio-TV-Film at the University of Texas at Austin. Flow is a bi-weekly "online journal of television and media studies [whose] mission is to provide a space where researchers, teachers, students, and the public can read about and discuss the changing landscape of contemporary media at the speed that media moves."

MetaCritic

"Metacritic's mission is to help consumers make an informed decision about how to spend their time and money on entertainment. We believe that multiple opinions are better than one, user voices can be as important as critics, and opinions must be scored to be easy to use. Serves as a bibliography of criticism for film, music, books, television, and video games. One can find references to major popular publications, as well as smaller newspapers.

ICv2

"[P]rovides news and information for pop culture retailers from "inside the world of pop culture products," with the only daily trade news, in-depth analysis, and product and sales information available anywhere."

Duke University Advertising Collections

Includes Ad *Access ("An image database of over 7,000 U.S. and Canadian advertisements covering five product categories - Beauty and Hygiene, Radio, Television, Transportation, and World War II propaganda - dated between 1911 and 1955"); AdViews ("A Digital Archive of Vintage Television Commercials"), and the Outdoor Advertising Digital Collection ("More than 11,000 images of outdoor advertisements and slide presentations from the Outdoor Advertising Association of America.")

Fast Food: Ads vs. Reality

"Each item was purchased, taken home, and photographed immediately. Nothing was tampered with, run over by a car, or anything of the sort. It is an accurate representation in every case. Shiny, neon-orange, liquefied pump-cheese, and all."

Popular Culture Association/American Culture Association

"Here you will find lots of information about submitting to the National Conference, about travel grants and endowments, about our history, mission, and goals, and about related organizations." The "Subject Areas & Chairs" will lead you to lead academic experts in Popular Culture.

Cinema Studies

The Internet Movie Database

"IMDB is unquestionably the biggest and most comprehensive film site on the Web. Film entries include complete cast and crew lists, production details, and technical information, as well as box office information and trivia." (ACRL Film Resources on the Web) Be wary , however, of "information" found in the user comments and discussion boards, as these areas seem largely populated by morons.

Writing about Film

From the Dartmouth [College] Writing Program, addresses "The Challenges of Writing About Film" as scholars rather than reviewers. Includes a "Glossary of Film Terms," and note at the bottom of the page the link to the Film Studies eResources Folder from the Digital Library at Dartmouth.

Box Office Mojo

"Our purpose is to illuminate the movies through the integration of art and business. Based in Burbank, California, we produce analysis, reviews, interviews and the most comprehensive box office tracking available online." Note the "Adjusted for Inflation" box office records.

Movie Review Query Engine

"[T]he largest online database for movie reviews."

iFilm Connections: Asia & Pacific

Designed to "create a deeper awareness and understanding of Asian and Pacific Island film cultures by providing immediate and comprehensive information about contemporary feature films from these areas."

Early Cinema

"An introduction to the first decade of film, with biographies, filmographies, technology, films, essays and additional resources."

The American Widescreen Museum

Offers "extensive coverage of Cinerama, CinemaScope, Technirama, Panavision, Vistavision, Superscope, Todd-AO, Technicolor, Cinecolor, Kinemacolor and other motion picture photographic processes. The web site also features a great deal of historic material on the development of early motion picture sound systems of the variable area and variable density optical soundtracks, plus Vitaphone sound on disc motion picture audio systems."

Documentary Films .Net

"This site provides documentary film information and resources to both viewers and filmmakers."

Some Enchanted Evenings: American Picture Palaces

"American Studies at the University of Virginia presents an examination of the golden age of American movie theatres."

A Glossary of Film Terms

"Written and designed for the web by Joel Schlemowitz."

Internet Archive: Feature Films

"Classic feature films and shorts are available for viewing and downloading here."

Hulu

Provides streaming video of movies and TV shows from NBC, Fox, and other networks and studios.

Images: A Journal of Film and Popular Culture

"[P]ublishes articles about movies, television, videos, and other popular visual arts."

Senses of Cinema

"An online journal devoted to the serious and eclectic discussion of cinema."

Film-Philosophy

"[A]n international academic journal dedicated to philosophically reviewing film studies, philosophical aesthetics, and world cinema."

The Film Journal

A "Central Ohio-based, independently produced, online film publication, which seeks to contribute to the community of serious-minded film websites by being a forum for eclectic film criticism, study and discussion. The Film Journal seeks to highlight local film events, as well as feature international film writing."

Bright Lights Film Journal

A "popular-academic hybrid of movie analysis, history, and commentary, looking at classic and commercial, independent, exploitation, and international film from a wide range of vantage points from the aesthetic to the political."

The Journal of Religion and Film

From the University of Nebraska, Omaha, "examines the description, critique, and embodiment of religion in film."

Filmsite

An "award-winning website for classic film buffs, students, moviegoers and anyone else interested in the great movies of the last century. Detailed plot synopses, review commentary and film reference material are just some of the features available on the site."

Silent Era

"One of the Internet's top sources of information on silent era films, people and theaters. Includes news, top 100 list, home video reviews, book reviews, and more." (Google)

Animation World Network

"[T]he largest animation-related publishing group on the Internet, providing readers from over 151 countries with a wide range of interesting, relevant and helpful information pertaining to all aspects of animation." Home to Animation World Magazine.

Origins of American Animation

"The development of early American animation is represented by this collection of 21 animated films and 2 fragments, which spans the years 1900 to 1921. The films include clay, puppet, and cut-out animation, as well as pen drawings." From the Library of Congress.

Hollywood on Location: Where Your Favorite Movies & TV Shows Were Filmed

So, you were impressed with Shia LaBeouf's house in Disturbia and you want to know where it is? Here's where you find out such things.

Screensite

"ScreenSite facilitates the teaching and research of film/TV/new media and is designed principally for educators and students."

Teach with Movies

"[O]ffers Movie Lesson Plans and Learning Guides to 285 movies. "Learning Guides" are flexible tools for teachers providing background, discussion questions, links to the Internet, projects, and vocabulary lists. They allow teachers to quickly and easily create lesson plans suitable for their particular classes."

History in the Movies

"This site is for everyone who loves historical films: epics, biopics, period pieces, and true-life stories, but who also wants to know: Did it really happen that way?"

Society for Cinema & Media Studies

"Founded in 1959, SCMS is a professional organization of college and university educators, filmmakers, historians, critics, scholars, and others devoted to the study of the moving image."

National Film Preservation Board

From the Library of Congress. Lists the films selected annually by the National Film Preservation Board, to be included in the U.S. National Film Registry.

Comic Art

Comic Art in Scholarly Writing: A Citation Guide

From the Comic Art & Comics area of the Popular Culture Association, this site identifies the key elements for inclusion in citing comics in scholarly writing; adaptable to any citation style.

"The Comics Chronicles"

A "resource for comic-book circulation data and other comics historical trivia."

ComicsResearch.org

"[P]rimarily covers book-length works about comic books and comic strips, from "fannish" histories to academic monographs, providing detailed information and guidance on further research."

ImageTexT

"[A] peer-reviewed, open access journal dedicated to the interdisciplinary study of comics and related media." Part of the Comics Studies area of the English Department at the University of Florida. Check out the entire site, and note the Comix-Scholars Discussion List.

Cover Browser

"[D]isplays galleries of comic book (and book, pulp, games, DVD or magazine) covers for comic book fans … to explore & enjoy (there's also links to buy comics)." With more than "252,578 covers from 2,409 different series available."

The Grand Comic Book Database

"We will include information on creator credits, story details, and other information useful to the comic book reader and fan. If we are able to take this to its ultimate conclusion, this database will contain data for every comic book ever published." Caution: tends to download very slowly.

National Association of Comic Art Educators

"This site's objective is to be a resource where the growing number of educators in comic art/sequential art can get and share ideas. It is also hoped that educators who work in other disciplines can use comics as a way of furthering their own objectives."

Graphic Novels: Resources for Teachers & Librarians

From SUNY Buffalo, "The web site is designed to introduce librarians (as well as teachers and parents) to the rich, diverse offerings from today's comics book publishers, and to encourage the acquisition of graphic novels in libraries serving young adults."

The Secret Origin of Good Readers: A Resource Book

A downloadable guide for educators who wish to utilize the comics medium.

Comic Books: A Guide to the Collections of the Humanities and Social Sciences Library

A research guide from the New York Public Library. "Comics and comic books are one of the most pervasive and influential media forms of 20th-century popular culture … This guide represents the current state of comics related material."

SeductionOfTheInnocent.org

"A site dedicated to the comics censorship movement of the 1940's and 1950's, Seduction of the Innocent, and the works of Dr. Fredric Wertham."

Sequential Tart

A "Web Zine about the comics industry, published by an eclectic band of women ... dedicated to providing exclusive interviews, in-depth articles and news, while working towards raising the awareness of women’s influence in the comics industry and other realms."

Friends of Lulu

A "national nonprofit organization whose purpose is to promote and encourage female readership and participation in the comic book industry."

The Comic Book Bin

"[P]ublishes comic book reviews, news, commentary and previews; manga reviews, European comics reviews, video game news, reviews, and commentary; movie news and reviews; DVD reviews, action figure news and reviews; fan film news, previews, and reviews; book reviews and interviews."

World Famous Comics

"Online since 1995, World Famous Comics brings the very best of comics and entertainment to the Web by publishing exclusive columns, comics and contests and producing interactive resources and features." Particularly noteworthy is the outstanding opinion and review column by comics pro/fan Tony Isabella.

Graphic Novel Reporter

Features "graphic novel reviews, features, news, interviews and more."

SuperHeroHype.com

An excellent source for the latest online information on comics-related movies, with movie trailers, articles, interviews, fan reviews, and so forth.

The Museum of Black Superheroes

A candid examination of the history of black superheroes, and an appreciation of the work of today.

ComicsOnCDRom

A source for Golden Age comics on CD for PC or Mac, or to download.

Mike's Amazing World of DC Comics

"[T]he internet's #1 source of information for Golden and Silver Age DC Comics." Includes comprehensive cover gallery.

THE ERIICA Project

"Empirical Research on the Interpretation & Influence of the Comic Arts" studying the mental and emotional states of comic book fans.

The Periodic Table of Comic Books

From the University of Kentucky, a handsome, fun site, combining science and comics. "Click on an element to see a list of comic book pages involving that element."

The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund

"[F]ounded in 1986 as a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of First Amendment rights for members of the comics community." What a shame that such an organization is required to exist in "the land of the free."

Don Markstein's Toonopedia

An "attempt to gather and share information and observations about the toon world – a 'toon' being anything that's done in cartoon form, such as animated films, comic books, etc."

Comics.com

Provides access to newspaper comic strips and editorial cartoons.

Cartoonbank.com

"[T]he online home of The Cartoon Bank, a New Yorker Magazine company. At its heart is the Internet's leading searchable database of cartoon humor. The Cartoon Bank is the largest, most comprehensive stock house of quality single-panel cartoons in the world, with more than 85,000 records in our central archive-including all the cartoons ever published in The New Yorker. More than 20,000 of those images are available right here on our web site."