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RVA Comics X-Change: Issue 17

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Happiest of Tuesdays, RVA comic fans! Welcome back to yet another week of comics, news, and pop culture in a one-stop shop that we call the RVA Mag Comics X-Change. April has been a pretty busy month, between various Marvel casting news (Stranger Things’ David Harbour is going to join the forthcoming Black Widow film? What?!), everyone and their brother’s mother gearing up for Marvel’s Wrestlemania at Caesar’s Palace known as Avengers: Endgame, and Hellboy starring Harbour finally released to…. Well, interesting reviews.

Yeah. Let’s go with interesting. Sure.

This week I reached out to local Richmond based musician and improvisor Josh Wright. When Josh isn’t busy bouncing around town making up comedy or playing some sweet indie tunes to listen to in the background while I read the latest issue of Snotgirl, he is a pretty big comics mega-fan. I knew if anyone was going to have some need-to-know picks for this week, he’d have us handled.

Oh, and after Josh’s picks, I am going to make an argument for Hellboy. Well, I’m going to try, at least.

Anyway, on with the comics!

Heartthrob by Christopher Sebela, Robert Wilson IV, and Nick Filardi

“I’ve really enjoyed [Sebela’s] work on Dead Letters [featuring art by Richmond local Chris Visions], and Crowded,” said Wright. “If you like crime/heists, romance, and meeting your own heart transplant donor, then this book is for you. Christopher Sebela always brings interesting concepts to his books, but never forgets to make his characters interesting and relatable.”

Black Hammer by Jeff Lemire and Dean Omstron

“If you love superhero books and are looking for something outside of the ‘big two,’ you should check this out,” said Wright. “Lemire and Omstron are able to craft a story that feels familiar, but covers a lot of new ground, while harking back to classic archetypes.”

Daredevil by Chip Zdarsky, Marco Checchetto, and Sunny Gho

“There are only three issues out right now [of the current run] and I feel like it’s easy for new readers to jump in,” said Wright. “Chip Zdarsky’s love for the character really shows throughout the book. I’m not reading that many Marvel books, but this is one I had to add to my pull list.”

Monstress by Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda

“Monstress is an amazing book that I’m sure not enough people are reading,” said Wright. “If you are a fan of fantasy books with a dark edge, then you will love this book. The art is beautiful and the world building is amazing. Get ready for lots of magic, demons and revenge! There are currently three volumes, and you can pick up the first volume for only $9.99.”

Exit Stage Left: The Snagglepuss Chronicles by Mark Russell and Mike Feehan

“Exit Stage Left imagines Snagglepuss as a gay southern playwright during the age of McCarthyism,” said Wright. “This story hit me hard and is a great exploration of what it was like to be a gay person (cougar?) in the entertainment industry during the 1950s.”

One day when I’m retired and living on a yacht and drinking iced vanilla lattes from a copper mug, I am going to write a book called So Here’s the Issue with Hellboy. If you paid any attention to numbers and reviews over the weekend, then you probably noticed that the latest installment in the Hellboy franchise followed the established pattern of having not-so-hot critical reviews. Unfortunately, not all of these bad reviews were necessarily even just critics “not getting it,” as often happens with third party or indie comic titles when they are translated to film or other media.

A solid 15% rating on Rotten Tomatoes is not even remotely just a case of critics chiming in. Oi.

Now, before I defend it, I want to start off by saying that this is by no means my favorite film that I have ever seen in my life. At the same time, I do think that, for what it is, it is getting an excessive amount of flack. Exactly two things got me and kept my interest in this film: aesthetics, and character development.

This film heavily focuses on its characters and trying to develop them, almost to its detriment. Even though I know the story of Hellboy and his origins inside and out by now (and who doesn’t love a good blowin’-up-some-Nazis plot line?), I was still intrigued by the way director Neil Marshall chose to go about it, focusing so much on both introducing us to Hellboy and the people in his life, and trying to dig deep into the entire mythology of the Hellboy universe.

The only downside was that it felt like Marshall got too deep into playing with the characters. It seems that, by the time he realized that he should maybe focus on story arcs and keep the film a little more on pace, we were already an hour and fifteen minutes into a two-hour film. Don’t get me wrong — as a writer there are few things that I love more than good character development. But there is also this beautiful thing called balance.

These early decisions created a disconnect. When the film finally got into the story, it felt very rushed in some ways, but repetitive in others. When the Blood Queen (played by Milla Jovovich) had to remind me for the twelfth time that she will have her revenge, I had to restrain myself from telling her to take a pill made of chill and let me enjoy the damn film. We will get there, I get it, calm down.

The film’s aesthetics were another point in its favor. While the original Ron Perlman imagining was superior in story development, David Harbour’s absolutely kills it in visuals and overall aesthetic. This is how Hellboy and his world are supposed to look. I really want someone to make a solid argument against this. David Harbour dressed as a demon while riding a dragon and wielding Excalibur to head-slamming punk music? Yes, dammit.

The only thing that would have made it better would have been if he flew out to the entirety of Meatloaf’s Bat Out of Hell record, but I guess we can’t have everything we want in life.

Could Hellboy have been better? Of course — absolutely. If the overall story development had been better, more balanced with everything else, and honestly, if so much wasn’t crammed into one film, I think it would have been the Glenn Danzig daydream of a comic film that it so desperately aspired to be.

Enjoy that metaphor on the house. Until next time, comic fans!

RVA Comics X-Change: Issue 16

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Good afternoon, RVA comic fans! Welcome to this afternoon’s issue of RVA Comics X-Change, where we take a look at what is going on in our beloved land of comics, and the surrounding pop culture. This week we have a more pocket-sized edition for you of comic recommendations, but that is only because we are busy gearing up for the final countdown of Avengers: Endgame.

Which is out in exactly 24 days. 23 if you count the midnight showing. Not that it, you know, matters or anything.

This week we talked to our friends at the best local podcast for all of your horror needs: Terror InPodnito. Co-Host Palmer Sturman stopped by to give us some of his favorite trade editions that he has been digging into lately. Horror comic fans, this is, in fact, the issue for you. Meanwhile, after I get a little political with a graphic novel recommendation, we close out by breaking down the most recent theory surrounding events in Endgame.

Did Marvel reveal who actually dies in the upcoming film?

If you read all of the casting news surrounding the franchise, it seems the answer is… well, yes and no. Who knows! All right, friends, grab your snacks of choice and get comfy, because we’re diving in.

The Boys, by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson

“I’ve been really exploring my new run-through of this series, which touches on the darker side of superheroes, and attempts to dissect some of the ego, crime, and exploitation that might come from those figures once they realize they’re all-powerful,” said Sturman. “It takes the classic ‘who watches the watchmen’ idea and adds that signature Ennis flair, which usually just involves lots of violence and dark humor.”

Sturman knows a few things in the series might feel cringeworthy at this point in history — but he doesn’t necessarily think that should stop anyone from checking it out. “Most people know if they’re Ennis fans or not by this point,” he said. “If you are a fan and haven’t read The Boys yet, or if you’re not easily offended, the series is a decent read that has a bizarre way of making one feel equal parts grossed-out and giddy.”

InSEXts: Year One, by Marguerite Bennett and Ariela Kristantina

“The comic is set in the mid-1800s, and is an erotic horror/revenge tale that is equal parts gruesome and beautiful,” said Sturman. “It centers on two Victorian women that fall in love with one another and discover a bizarre and terrifying ability to transform into strange insect-like creatures. They use this ability to better their lives and shelter their love from an outside world that seeks to destroy them. It’s dark, twisted, and amazingly beautiful both in terms of writing and artwork.”

Once again I must return with a politically fun recommendation for you, oh faithful readers. If The Notorious AOC wasn’t your cup of London Fog, never fear. Our favorite meme-tastic cabinet is here to entertain and save the day.

The Adventures of Barry and Joe: Obama and Biden’s Bromantic Battle for the Soul of America by Adam Reid is exactly what it says it is. It is a colorful, sharp, fast-paced graphic novel about the adventures of our favorite time-travelling, crime-fighting, mystery-solving leaders of the first world. Imagine if you will that Andrew Shaffer’s Hope Never Dies was a graphic novel influenced by Scooby Doo. That’s about what you’ll get in this graphic novel.

Also, if you love that and already need more, then never fear, friends. Reid has already launched a kickstarter to turn the graphic novel into an animated series.

You’re welcome.

This past weekend, the real-life trolls known as Marvel’s marketing team decided to release even more advertising for the upcoming Avengers film in the form of posters. It wasn’t enough that we got new posters, but we got new posters that left the internet scouring for answers. Half of the posters released were in color, to signify who survived Thanos’ snap, and the other half were in black and white, with the film’s catch line; Avenge the fallen.

So the question remains: Was this an intentional leak, or is Marvel just screwing with us once again?

My theory is that even if they were trapped in the soul stone (This is an important point: don’t forget that no one is actually dead — rather, they are trapped in Thanos’ soul stone), the marketing is not to indicate any kind of permanence. Instead, these are just answers for what happened after the aforementioned snap, at the end of Infinity War.

It is a given that if anyone is for-sure going to die it’ll be Captain America, Iron Man, Hulk, and perhaps Thor. One of the biggest theories is that to close out this MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) arc, the core team (Captain America, Iron Man, Hulk, Thor, Hawkeye, and Black Widow) are going to die or step aside to make room for the new team, which would also reopen the debate of who is going to be the new Captain America: Bucky or Falcon?

But again, I am one of those people who reads all of the casting news so, sorry, y’all. Unless someone else signs up, Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, and Mark Ruffalo are done, and thus so are Iron Man, Captain America (or this iteration at least), and Hulk.

And so ends our pocket edition of this week’s Comic X-Change. Small, but portable! What are your theories on the posters? Do you have any theories on Avengers: Endgame itself? Unlike Thanos, we at RVA Magazine do not demand your silence on this matter.

Until next time!

RVA Comics X-Change: Issue 15

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Happiest of Tuesdays, my fellow River City comic fans! Welcome back to installment number fifteen of RVA Magazine’s biweekly go-to for everything comics and nerdy, RVA Mag’s Comics X-Change!

This week’s issue is particularly meaty, as I sat down to talk to Tommy Donovan of Richmond Comix on Midlothian Turnpike. Donovan was oh-so-kind enough to share a hearty top-eight stack of comics for us to look forward to in the upcoming weeks. Later on, I’m going to get political with you as we discuss the upcoming comic about New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and finally, a witchy favorite returns to our Netflix screens.

Grab your snacks, grab your charger, and buckle up, friends, because we’re diving in.

Sparrowhawk #5 by Delilah Dawson and Matias Basla

“The book follows a Victorian-era teen as she gets swept into a magical realm and has to fight monsters to survive,” said Donovan. “The most accurate way to describe this is Victorian teen fairy Fight Club. And it has been an insane ride so far. I can’t wait to see how it ends!”

Spider-Man: City at War #1 by Dennis Hopeless and Michele Bandini

“We got our first look at this version of Spidey last year during Spidergeddon,” said Donovan. “If that was any indication, this book will be great!”

Belzebubs by JP Ahonen

“For music fans, we get a Graphic Novel this week called Belzebubs, based on a Finnish black metal band,” said Donovan. “I don’t know much about the band, but the art manages to blend the power of black metal with a cute cartoony style in a way that has me really eager to read it.”

Firefly: Bad Company #1 by Josh Lee Gordon, Francesco Mortarino, Giuseppe Cafaro, and Moy R.

“Boom Studios has been doing a fantastic job with Joss Whedon’s properties, Buffy and Firefly,” said Donovan. “This week we get a new title based on some of the bad guys in the Firefly universe, called Firefly: Bad Company. If you’ve ever wondered where the con artist who tricked Mal into marriage came from, this is the book for you!”

Detective Comics #1000 by Peter J. Tomasi, Brian Michael Bendis, Paul Dini, Warren Ellis, Geoff Johns, Tom King, Dennis O’Neil, Christopher Priest, Kevin Smith, Scott Snyder, and others

“This book is going to be a massive 96 pages with stories by creators from the entire history of Batman,” said Donovan. “This book will also feature the first comic appearance of the Arkham Knight, from the video game series.”

Marvel Action: Black Panther #1 by Kyle Baker and Juan Samu

“[This] is the first Black Panther book aimed at a younger audience,” said Donovan. “It is the third in the Marvel Action line, and the first two titles (Spider-Man and Avengers) were incredibly fun reads that the whole family can enjoy together.”

Marvel Rising #1 by Nilah Magruder and Rob DiSalvo

“This one is based on the cartoon of the same name and features Captain Marvel, Ms Marvel, Spider-Gwen, Squirrel Girl and America Chavez,” said Donovan. “This one is chock-full of girl power and stars some of my favorite Marvel characters!”

Heroes in Crisis #7 by Tom King and Clay Mann

“Writer Tom King is using his own experiences to explore PTSD in the superhero community In Heroes in Crisis,” said Donovan. “Issue 7 of 9 continues a murder mystery, while we also see confessional-style scenes with various heroes that show the many ways trauma can affect people. Even super people.”

It isn’t enough for United States Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (aka AOC) to be a real life badass who lives to make old cis white men agitated and uncomfortable on the day to day in our world. Now she’s tackling the comic book realm as well. AOC will be starring in a title published by Devil’s Due Comics, called Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and the Freshman Force.

Even though the one-shot, which will feature work by creators like Jill Thompson, Jose Garibaldi, and Tim Seeley, won’t be out for another couple months (the official street date is May 15th), Devil’s Due publisher Josh Blaylock has let slip a few things that the AOC will encounter as the unofficial leader of the new class. Among them will be a storyline taking aim at Washington, as well as a plotline about the United States Congress fighting back against the establishment.

Battle on, sister.

Next on my docket for you is yet another powerful lady, albeit in a tinier package. When The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina dropped on Netflix around Halloween, we saw our favorite cute witch and her sassy black cat get the polar-opposite Riverdale treatment. Everything that was once pink and fun and adorable and played by my childhood style icon Melissa Joan Hart was suddenly turned upside down and dripping in blood.

And it ruled, y’all.

This week my fellow spooky kids got a treat in the form of a trailer for the upcoming second season, which will officially release on April 5th. Just in time for Easter!

The trailer doesn’t reveal anything too terribly deep for the upcoming season, but still gives us enough to bite onto. The witch school is basically goth Hogwarts, Harvey is getting pulled deeper and deeper down the rabbit hole, and Hilda is still the Rodney Dangerfield of the piece, getting no respect. I’m so excited, and I just can’t hide it.

That concludes yet another issue of RVA Mag’s Comics X-Change, friends! Tell us: what are you looking forward to in the next two weeks? What should we keep our eyes peeled for?

RVA Comics X-Change: Issue 14

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Happy Tuesday, comic fans! Welcome back to Comics X-Change, RVA Magazine’s go-to for comic news in a sparkly biweekly bow!

We have a jam-packed special edition double issue for you today. This week we took a pit stop to hang out with our friends Alpha Comics and Games over in Willow Lawn — not just to get caught up on the new releases we need to check, but also to talk to them as their shop approaches its second anniversary and get the history on one of Richmond’s favorite newer comic shops.

So strap in, grab your beverage of choice, and let’s hop to it.

Fans and regulars of Alpha Comics and Games have known and loved the shop since 2017. But did you know that before owners Alex Smith and Brianna Beebe took over, it was another Richmond comics staple?

Before the colorful spot on Willow Lawn was Alpha as we know it, it was the famous Nostalgia Plus, owned by Marsha and Marvin Humphrey and originally opened in the 70s. Before taking over the shop and giving it a new name, Smith and Beebe started out working for the Humphreys at Nostalgia Plus.

Smith and Beebe on the sales floor.

“I was the one who started working for Marsha and Marvin first,” said Smith. “It sort of worked out that they were teaching me how to go about running a shop — how to make it all work, how to not tear your hair out and run off naked in the woods. They taught me everything that they knew.”

Eventually, after working for the Humphreys, Smith and Beebe had discussions about how they could fulfill their dream of opening their own comic shop. However, when the Humphreys decided they were ready to retire, they made the duo an offer to buy the shop — which they, of course, couldn’t refuse. Thanks to their training, they were ready to take over immediately; the offer was just the cherry on top.

Smith and Beebe were not new to sales — they had both previously worked at big box retail stores. However, while they were excited to open the shop, they realized that there was a huge difference between running a store under the massive safety net of a corporation and opening their own dream store, all by themselves.

“It got pretty intense when I went to my job that I had had for six and a half years and went, ‘Yeah, I’m leaving’,” said Beebe. “I turned down a promotion to go to my own store. It was really scary, the weeks that I was unemployed in the meantime, but everything is evening out.”

“There’s something scary when you look at it and it’s just you,” added Smith. “I went from reading West Coast Avengers in the corner and talking about X-Men to being like, ‘Oh. It’s on me if something happens. Why is anyone trusting me?’”

Beebe also mentioned the interesting adjustment needed to separate yourself from the store. When you message the store on Facebook, you’re most likely getting Beebe, but rather than responding as herself, she came to recognize that the customer is reaching out to Alpha as a store, and not her necessarily. Learning to respond with that in mind took some getting used to.

However, in the year and a half since they opened, it has definitely been worth it. Despite the fear, Smith and Beebe emphasized how happy they are that they stuck with it, and why small business is so important.

“You can absolutely go to a big box shop and snag a [Dungeons and Dragons] Player’s Handbook, but you don’t get the same kind of person behind the counter that is jazzed about showing you the next thing that’s connected to that,” said Smith. “We have regulars who will come in just to talk about a plot line they’re working on for their D&D campaign, or talk to Brianna about a comic book she recommended. In a world of increasingly digital experiences, having something tactile, and a physical person you can talk to behind the counter, I’d argue is more important now. ”

Another item they cite as contributing heavily to their success is not only the support of the Humphreys, but that of the Richmond comics community at large, which refuses to let them fail.

“The owners of Velocity, and previously Blue Marble and Stories [among others], have all been immensely helpful,” said Smith.

“The really cool thing about the community here is it’s not store vs. store,” said Beebe. “It’s essentially one big family community of people liking the same stuff.”

Naturally we couldn’t end this visit, or this comics column, without some recommendations. We have two fantastic ones for you this week — from the Alpha Comics staff, of course.

Snap Flash Hustle by Pat Shand and Emily Pearson

“This girl is a sometime cam model, and she and her husband have just started a throuple,” said Alpha Comics employee Norman Krumenacker. “She co-opts someone else’s hashtag when she sees their photos going off the charts. She shows up to a first photo shoot, it goes really well.” But from there, Krumenacker added, she gets caught up in the illicit business of a powerful drug cartel. Think Claws, starring Niecy Nash, but with cam models. The series from Black Mask Comics has been published somewhat irregularly, but issue #4 comes out on April 3.

Superior Spider-Man #4 by Christos Gage, Mike Hawthorne, Travis Charest

“Otto Octavius uploaded his brain into Peter Parker,” said Krumenacker. “Otto, super genius, becomes the Superior Spider-Man. This picks up after the end of volume one, where he gave Peter his body back, and made his own.” Think Venom, but with Doc Ock instead.

Richmond is known for many things, but one undeniable factor has always been its community. As Alpha Comics and Games and the comics community at large grows, it’s comforting to know the bevy of support we have for each other. May we continue it forward.

Until next time, comics fans.

Alpha Comics and Games photos via Facebook

RVA Comics X-Change: Issue 13

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Welcome back, comic fans of the River City! Welcome to RVA Comic X-Change, Issue Lucky Number Thirteen! Only good things come in a baker’s dozen, and we’re just one of them.

This week we’ve got a good handful of goodies just for you coming out in the next two weeks. We’ve got some feminism for you, some romance, and because I can not think about anything other than Captain Marvel and Avengers: Endgame right now, naturally I have some good Marvel goodness to tide us over. Fasten your capes, grab your beverage of choice, and let’s dive on in.

Lumberjanes #59 by Shannon Watters, Kat Leyh, and AnneMarie Rogers

Lumberjanes is one of those series that I had heard about for awhile, but never got the chance to check out until now. Following the story of five girls spending the summer at a scout camp, strange creatures and the supernatural pop out at every turn. Naturally.

Kim Possible Adventures Trade Paperback by Michael Stewart, Abby Denson, John Green, and others

Yes, you read that correctly. John Green of Young Adult novel fame, author of Paper Towns and The Fault in Our Stars among others, dug his meaty grips in on this classic series. Following the adventures of the Disney Channel heroine, this one finds Kim Possible and Ron Stoppable bringing Rufus the naked mole rat with them as they jump into the comic world.

Avengers: No Road Home #2 by Al Ewing, Mark Waid, and Jim Zub

With Avengers: Endgame in just over two months, I’m digging my hands into everything. This week the Avengers go toe to toe with Greek mythology as they battle Nyx, Queen of the Night. However Hawkeye’s fate lies conveniently in her hands.

Black Widow #2 by Jen and Sylvia Soska and Flaviano

My favorite Avenger has yet another series in time for the penultimate MCU film of this current arc. Color me blessed. Natasha Romanoff walks into nothing but trouble in part two of this five-part series.

Love Romances #1 by Jon Adams, Dennis Hallum, and Gail Simone

Are you a love story junkie who knows Valentine’s Day is never enough for you? Samesies. Lucky for us, Marvel has us covered with a new anthology series asking, amongst other questions, can robots fall in love? Well, can they, Marvel? Can they?

Miles Morales: Spider-Man #3 by Saladin Ahmed, Javier Garron, and David Curiel

Did you also leave your theater’s showing of Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse with an intense desire to scoop up any comics featuring Miles Morales? Um, duh — of course you did. Lucky for you, so did I. Miles finds himself in some Scooby Doo-esque hijinks this week, but lo and behold, who is our convenient guest star this week? Captain America, you say? Ah, yeah.

Unstoppable Wasp #5 by Jeremy Whitley and Gurihiru

Ant-Man is the most underappreciated of the MCU film franchises, and I won’t rest until Luis has his own comic series. In the meantime, Nadia Van Dyne (daughter of Hank Pym, but not Janet Van Dyne… hmm) has a pretty solid series of her own to tide me over. Just when she thinks she has hit the rockiest of bottoms, it gets worse. She finds out she and her father have more in common than she realized. Awkward.

So many good things to tide us over until Brie Larson dones the red, blue, and gold for Captain Marvel in only seventeen days. And there’s only sixty-six days until we find out what happened to our beloved meddling kids in Avengers: Endgame. But who’s counting? (Me. I am.)

RVA Comics X-Change: Issue 11

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Good afternoon, comic book fans of the greater River City! Welcome back to another solid issue of RVA Mag’s Comics X-Change, where we take a look at the new comics you need to dive into on New Comic Book Day, and talk about the hottest topics in comics culture.

This week we have two exciting things going on. We sat down with local comic book artist and illustrator Morgan K. Sawyer to talk about his newest comic series and just what it is about Richmond that is suddenly bringing all the talented comic creators out of the woodwork. After that, we have my pick of the week, a belated but oh-so-jaw-dropping comic film pick.

My spidey-senses are tingling, y’all.

Morgan K. Sawyer is a local comic artist and illustrator who recently announced that his newest series, Gaffe, would be released toward the end of next year by Iron Circus Comics. While Sawyer has been drawing most of his life, he got involved with comics when friends asked for him to draw for them, and he’s been entwined in the comics world ever since.

While most people will quickly tell you that comics have always been cool, longtime fans know that comics have hit a trendiness uprising in recent years. Sawyer agreed with me that, at least partially, it has something to do with the storytelling.

“I think it still leaves your brain just enough to fill in the blanks, so it leaves your imagination room,” said Sawyer. “It’s also a visual medium, so even if you’re not necessarily reading it for the words or the story, you still have the visuals that will tell the story for you.”

Richmond is the home to so many different mediums of creativity, including our beloved comics. It’s no surprise that so many different comic artists, writers, and amalgamations thereof are popping out of the woodwork recently. It doesn’t hurt that the cost of living is more feasible than somewhere like New York. But what is it about Richmond specifically?

Sawyer agreed that Richmond has, in its own way, inspired his work.

“I wouldn’t be doing comics if it weren’t for my comics teacher, Kerry Talbot,” said Sawyer. “He pushed a good amount of the local artists who draw comics who went through [VCU’s] CommArts [Department]. He was the foundation that a lot of us built off of.”

Another lovely trend in vogue at the moment (but still forever cool) is the classic RPG, Dungeons and Dragons, and it’s the inspiration for Sawyer’s new series, Gaffe.

“Gaffe is basically taking that genre of Dungeons and Dragons, and doing it from the monster’s perspective,” said Sawyer. “The monsters aren’t necessarily bad guys, they’re just doing their job. I was playing with a lot of [Kevin Smith’s] Clerks-style humor, where I was just thinking about Dante. Minimum wage guys who are stuck at this job, but they’re monsters. And having a miss on all fronts.”

The main character is also a zombie who doesn’t remember how he died, but ends up working with the monsters. Sawyer focuses on the zombie’s day-to-day life, while doing his art in a style more cartoonish and animation-based than his previous work, Welcome to Paradise.

This week I have one solid film recommendation for you. Yes, yes, I know, I am so late to the boat with this, but. Y’all. If you haven’t seen Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse, then I need you to whip out your phone, pull up your Lyft app, and pay the $5 to get your butt down to Bowtie Cinemas and watch this movie.

In an interesting departure from the way we usually think about the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), Spiderverse is completely animated, rather than the live action that we have become so accustomed to. Another important point is that, instead of focusing completely on Peter Parker (although he is featured, and is important to the plot), the main character of the story is Miles Morales. Morales, the young African-American/Latino teenager with spider powers of his own, has been a huge fan favorite of the Marvel Universe since his creation, and is finally making his long-awaited film debut.

The story naturally follows the traditional Spider-Man route: teen gets bitten by conveniently available radioactive spider, growth and maturity montage happens. Then a plot point I wanted to tell you, but it’s a spoiler so I can’t, happens. What makes this film so unique is the fact that we end up meeting so many different iterations of the classic hero, who — in their own way, naturally — come to help Morales grow and embrace his new Spider-identity.

Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse is not only a perfect example of quality filmmaking, but also one of the greatest films the MCU has produced in its history. When you hear people leaving the theater say that they usually hate those “weird superhero movies,” but they loved this one? Then yeah, I’d say this was a pretty okay film.

Until next time, comics fans!