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RVA Comics X-Change Issue 21: GalaxyCon Artist’s Alley Edition

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Happy not-yet-rainy Tuesday, comic fans of the greater River City! Welcome on back to issue number twenty-one of your RVA Comics X-Change, where every other week we talk about what is on the radar in comic world and pop culture. This week we take a big stroll down Artist’s Alley – GalaxyCon’s Artist’s Alley that is.

One of my absolute must stops when I go to conventions is always Artist’s Alley. Sure, it’s really cool to walk by vendors, go to panels, or quickly run past your heroes at meet and greet tables and hope that they noticed you. But what really makes it for me is meeting independent artists, writers, and creators of all mediums, who are not only passionate about the same fandoms that you are, but are also excited to share their original works with you and the world.

This week with Comics X-Change we’re going to take a different turn in the road; instead of check out the comics coming out this week, or that are already out and deserving of a second glance, we are going to talk to some of the folks who made GalaxyCon so special. I talked to illustrators, writers, and creators of all kinds who were passionate about everything from general fantasy to anime to sci-fi and everything in between. It is my privilege to introduce you to some of the biggest names of tomorrow.

Andrea Rose Washington

Andrea Rose Washington has your new favorite novel to get sucked into. Originally from the DC area, the author of Adalithiel and Elendil heard that GalaxyCon was a good one to come to. After she heard that GalaxyCon had not been to the Richmond area in, well, a minute, her interest was piqued.

“I’m a sci-fi writer, [and] my first book took me about five years to get it done completely,” said Washington. “The next one took me about a year to do, so [I’ve been] writing officially for five years.”

Jordan Kincaid

Jordan Kincaid is a local illustrator who lives just around the corner here in Richmond. She focuses on whimsical fantasy elements, and knows how to make your childhood favorite stories look like absolute art. When she heard that GalaxyCon was going to be coming to the city, she was happy to support a really good convention that we were in need of.

“I think that [tabling at artist’s alley] helps get our name out there, and with our social media prescence,” said Kincaid. “It’s just a really good learning experience for newer artists as well. It’s a good opportunity to slowly build on what you already have.”

Steve Howard

Steve Howard is another DC favorite who made it down south to share his skills with us. Howard is an illustrator and designer who does a lot of comic styled art, among other skills. He was looking for another convention to hit when another artist recommended GalaxyCon. When he isn’t at the table, you won’t catch him doing any window shopping, but he will be found meeting fellow artists and networking.

“Anybody doing anything creative, especially if it’s just you and the people around you, artists, writers, and craftsman, they need to have their ear to the ground,” said Howard. “Most of the time when we do this, we’re in the studio. We rarely get to interact with the public. I think it’s important that every once in a while artists get to meet their public. It’s very important to meet people and find out what they like, or what you could do that they could see. On the other side, especially with comic artists, people may know your style but it’s always an extra added to treat to put a name to your face of these pictures you like.”

Grace PikaBug

Grace is another Richmond local who is probably the ultimate Pokemon fan, at least while the Richmond area is concerned. Not just a collector of merchandise, she ended up with the biggest collectible she could have – one of the only ten Pikachu Volkswagen Beetles ever made. She is still in the process of fixing it up, but got it up and running enough to take it to its very first convention. This is her first big convention, and one of the best parts was surely talking to people about the history of the car and answering questions.

“It’s a piece of Pokemon history,” said Grace. “Even though it isn’t perfect, I wanted to show it off, and people seem to be really enjoying it.”

Mackenzie Lemoine

Mackenzie Lemoine is an illustrator and artist based out of Raleigh who specializes in the cute, pink, and spooky. Prints featuring subjects such as Mothman, ghost Pokemon (including a tattooed, punk rock Jigglypuff, naturally), and Tim Burton-styled Totoro decorate her table, proclaiming her really cool aesthetic. Much like the other artists here, she is excited to be in Artist’s Alley, and for all that it brings to the art community.

“It’s really good to meet the people who want to see your art and are interested,” said Lemoine. “It’s good for artists to have that face to face interaction with people who enjoy their art. For me, whenever I started illustrating, illustration is my safe place to go. When people come up to me and go ‘It’s so much pink! That’s so cool!’ It’s so good for me and my mental health.”

Celestial Fawn Designs

Bridgett McPherson, aka Celestial Fawn Designs, is another illustrator out of North Carolina who came up to the convention to see what GalaxyCon was all about. Her designs focus a lot on color and pop culture, and have their own way to make some of your pop culture favorites like Kiki’s Delivery Service your new treasured piece of art. She is a big fan of seeing the costumes as they go by, and as an artist who does a lot of pop culture based work, she truly enjoys seeing the things she draws in real life.

“I think nostalgia is what grabs me the most, because you can do crossovers with your art and make stuff with everybody,” said Bridgett. “It’s cool to see dads go, ‘Hey look, there’s that thing from when I was a kid!’ It’s easy to talk to the parents who intimidate you, but are bringing up our future so that when we get old they’ll be into the good stuff.”

There were so many more artists and creators that we talked to that we could not fit in here, but we’ll see some of them in the future for more issues of Comics X-Change, sharing their picks of the comics out there right now.

Until then, a word of advice: if you’re tired of the same old stories of Superman vs Deadpool, please take a break from the vendors and panels and just take a good stroll down Artist Alley. Not only will you shake up your own aesthetic, but you will leave with so much knowledge you wouldn’t have otherwise gotten.

Also, if you’re like me, about $20 worth of stickers.

Until next time, comic fans!

RVA Comics X-Change: Issue 20

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Happy Tuesday, comic fans! Welcome back to not just another issue of our RVA comic exchange, but the big issue number two-oh. That’s right, we’re back in trade paperback format!

This week we’re hanging out on the west coast as we talk to California based web illustrator and Archie aficionado Sara M. Lyons, who is giving us some of her current favorites that she is loving. After that, I have some manga and graphic novels to keep you busy wherever the air conditioning is on those balmy ninety degree days. Oh, summertime.

On to the comics!

Sara M. Lyons (via Tumblr)

I promise you that you have seen Lyons’ work, because you are reading this right now on the internet. Touting herself as a professional weirdo, Lyons’ work is based on cute, kitschy illustrations with a slight retro flair to them. Her work is all over the internet in every way, and if nothing else — if you have seen a cutely drawn set of hands doing the “whatever” symbol ala Amber from Clueless above a banner proclaiming, “Whatever Forever”? That is hers.

Lyons has collaborated with various brands such as Urban Decay and Urban Outfitters, and most recently the top dog of them all — she had a collection with the classic comic brand, Archie, as part of the Betty and Veronica line of merchandise. Unsurprisingly, she has an Archie favorite to recommend, among some others.

Maneaters, by Chelsea Cain and Kate Niemczyk

“One of my favorite new comics – unabashedly feminist, incredibly earnest, really smart, and surprisingly scary,” said Lyons. “I love the vision of a dystopian near-future where a mutation of toxoplasmosis means that mere menstruation can turn girls and women into ferocious big cats hellbent on violent destruction. Any comic with a tween/teen girl as the main character has my attention, and the tongue-in-cheek take on toxic masculinity here is so clever.”

Snotgirl, by Bryan Lee O’Malley and Leslie Hung

“I like that this comic turns old-school Katy Keene-style “glamour model” comics on their head,” said Lyons. “On the surface, it’s a story about a painfully hip LA influencer and her squad of fashion blogger frenemies, so of course it’s loaded full of gorgeously drawn female characters and great outfits, but the creepy mystery at the core of the story makes it so much more than just a shallow comic about hottie Insta-babes. Leslie Hung’s drawings of women are so beautiful and expressive – I love the way she draws hands.”

Love & Rockets Vol. IV, by Jaime and Gilbert Hernandez

“Few comics have been as influential on me as Love & Rockets – I discovered it during the initial run of Vol. II back in 2001 and I’ve been hooked ever since,” said Lyons. “Los Bros Hernandez are true living legends, and the Vol. IV stories have been everything I could have wanted and more. This incredibly fleshed-out universe has been a part of my comics life for so long that I feel like I’m part of the family. I hope they never stop.”

Jughead: The Hunger Vs. Vampironica, by Frank Tieri, Pat and Tim Kennedy

“Anyone who knows anything about me knows I’m an Archie Comics diehard, and the Archie Horror imprint has never disappointed me once,” said Lyons. “Jughead: The Hunger and Vampironica have both been doing a great job continuing Archie Horror’s legacy of juxtaposing surprisingly scary, dark horror tinged with that campy, old-school Archie wit, and this new miniseries that will pit vampire Ronnie against werewolf Juggie is sooo promising. There wasn’t enough Jughead in #1 for my taste, but I’m awaiting #2 with bated breath!”

MAD Magazine

“MAD was my introduction into the world of comics outside Archie as a young kid, and I started subscribing again for the first time since the late ’90s when I heard about the revamp starting with the new issue #1 last summer,” said Lyons. “I love the new roster of artists (like my buddy Luke McGarry!) who’ve been added to the old guard of MAD icons (like absolute legend Sergio Aragones). MAD is still so damn good. Better than ever. Absolutely brutal. I can’t believe my parents let me read it when I was a little kid. I hope little kids all over the country are reading it now. ”

I like the summer and all that it brings – warm weather, good food, and good shows (check out our weekly show column for more on that). However, when it gets upward of the 90s, as Virginia is wont to do, I find myself scrambling to sit by the oscillating fan with a good graphic novel or manga. Here are a few that I have on my list of interest this week.

Smashed, by Junji Ito

I’m very choosy with my horror in films (I tend to watch dark comedies like the Scream franchise if that tells you anything), but in graphic novels? Bring it on.

What originally drew me to Ito’s Smashed was two things. One: the cover immediately made me think of the Parasyte manga of my nineties youth by Hitoshi Iwaaki. Two: Junji Ito is one of those authors right now who can’t touch anything without it turning to gold, so it must be good. Smashed is a collection of short stories by Ito that truly show off his work, and is perfect if you are trying to get your feet wet in horror manga.

Spice & Wolf, by Isuna Hasekura and Keito Koume

I love a good travelling-through-the-woods story, and if it’s light and quick? Excellent. While a story about a merchant hanging out in the woods trying to sell some furs does not sound the most enticing, it’s how each of Kraft Lawerence’s transactions play out, and the adventures in between, that make this story. It’s a lengthy enough series, but each of the volumes has enough closure that if you only wanted to invest in one or two, then you’ve hit the jackpot.

Sheets, by Brenna Thummler

Sheets is debatably the most kid-friendly thing I will ever recommend to you, but hear me out. It is also the most adorable, and one of the most interesting. Marjorie finds herself handling her family’s laundry business, only for (naturally) ghosts to appear. But are they there to scare the shit out of her? Not really – she’s pretty low on their list. They’re there for therapy, to process how they died.

As we sweat it all away this summer, trust and believe I will keep you covered with the best stories to read while you blast that AC bill and invest in the best that paper fans have to offer. And let me know: what is your go-to beach or river read? What keeps you occupied while you get that tan?

‘Till next time, comic fans!

Top Image: Sara M. Lyons (via Facebook)

RVA Comics X-Change: Issue 19

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Happy Tuesday, comics fans! Welcome to yet another issue of your beloved little comics column that could on this shiny May afternoon. Today we are keeping it in the family as this week we turn to our editor at large, Marilyn Drew Necci, for her suggestions on comics to brighten up our rainy afternoons this spring. After that I bring back home into my own personal wheelhouse of Neil Gaiman, Disney, and Sailor Moon.

An issue of Comics X-Change without any mention of Avengers: Endgame? In my RVA Magazine? It’s more likely than you think.

On to the comics, friends.

This week we’re turning around to talk to our beloved editor-in-chief of RVA Magazine, Marilyn Drew Necci, for some recommendations. Growing up in a small Northern Virginia town, Drew flocked to gateway comics such as Captain America and Spider-Man before falling down the Frank Miller rabbit hole. We’ve all been there, am I right, ladies?

Drew is our go-to lady for music, especially of the punk variety, so it’s unsurprising that as she got older that sucked her away from comicland for awhile. Also unsurprisingly, that shows in some of her picks for us this week as well.

DIE v. 1: Fantasy Heartbreaker, By Kieron Gillen & Stephanie Hans

“DIE begins with a bunch of late-30s adults who all went through a traumatic event as teenagers, when they were sucked into a fantasy realm through a role-playing game created by their best friend,” sad Necci. “This comic is dark, for sure, and it deals with a lot of the miseries of adult life that fantasy readers are normally running headlong away from (if they’re even old enough to know about them in the first place). But as with all of Gillen’s work that I’ve read so far, this is purely excellent, and Stephanie Hans’s painterly art is the perfect complement to this pitch-black dark fantasy story.”

Criminal #5, By Ed Brubaker & Sean Phillips

“Brubaker, who’s better known in comic circles for killing off Captain America and actually keeping him dead for quite a long time in Marvel Comics terms, is at his best with these pulp-noir stories of urban criminals in mid-20th century America,” said Necci. “Criminal‘s new run has focused on one-to-two issue stories, making it a great place to jump on. The next issue will be the first in what promises to be an extended arc featuring private detectives, manhunts, dangerous women, and one of Criminal‘s recurring ne’er-do-wells, Teeg Lawless. I’m so ready for it.”

Nobody Is In Control #1, By Patrick Kindlon & Paul Tucker

“I knew Patrick Kindlon as a singer first — he contributes his vocal talents to post-hardcore bands Self-Defense Family and Drug Church. When I discovered that he wrote comics for the left-wing indie Black Mask Studios (Occupy Comics), I jumped right in,” said Necci. “Basically, a young weirdo gets dragged down a rabbit-hole of society-wide conspiracies by a mysterious stranger — sounds like prime Kindlon, and I am here for that.”

The Wild Storm #23, By Warren Ellis & Jon Davis-Hunt

“The Wild Storm starts with a reimagining of characters and concepts from comics like WildC.A.T.S., Stormwatch, and The Authority, which Ellis worked on over a decade ago,” said Necci. “And now, The Wild Storm has taken all of this in a far more dystopian direction, as tends to be Ellis’s wont. That’s part of why I love him, of course — his comics work only really maps onto that of Alan Moore and Grant Morrison, the kings of dystopian British weirdness.”

Paper Girls #29, By Brian K. Vaughan, Cliff Chiang, & Matt Wilson

“The fact that this series focuses on a quartet of 12-year-old girls who deliver newspapers on their bikes in American suburbia in 1988 hits home for me — in 1988, I was 12 years old myself, and also had a paper route,” said Necci. “But I never had one of my early morning hell-runs interrupted by a sudden alien invasion, that’s for sure. That’s what happens at the beginning of this series, and from there, it follows the four paper girls as they try their best to stay alive and keep their wits about them in a world suddenly empty of everyone they know, and full of what sure seem to be multiple warring alien armies.”

With Avengers: Endgame now in the rearview mirror, we can focus on my other favorite things in the world. At least until I exhaust those and go right back to talking about Endgame, again.

American Gods: The Moment of the Storm #2, by Neil Gaiman, P. Craig Russell, Scott Hampton, Jennifer T. Lange, Glenn Fabry

Part two of the comics edition of Neil Gaiman’s iconic novel continues this week, as the gods have a temporary truce amongst each other when one of their own passes. But for how long?

Disney Hamlet, Starring Donald Duck (Trade Paperback), by Giorgio Salati, Paolo De Lorenzi

One could make the argument that The Lion King is Disney’s original foray into the classic Shakespeare play… but that’s the next recommendation. Donald Duck takes his own crack at Yorick this week, but did he know him well? If you’re still emotionally distraught over the Avengers film that dare not speak its name, check this out to raise your spirits.

Disney The Lion King: Wild Schemes and Catastrophes (Trade Paperback) by John Jackson Miller, Timothy Green II, Alexandra Fastovets, Danilo Antoniucci, Jordi Escuin Llorach, Danilo Antoniucci, Julia Zhuravleva

Are you just like me and extremely excited for the live action release of The Lion King with Childish Gambino himself, Donald Glover as Simba? Cool, so that’s probably just the two of us. But lucky for you and me, we have this graphic novel to keep us entertained until the summer. Go us!

Sailor Moon Eternal Edition Volume 4 by Naoko Takeuchi

The modernization of Naoko Takeuchi’s classic and iconic magical-girl franchise that revolutionized the genre around the world for generations is back and updated for 2019. Mako-chan on Tinder? Doubtful, but anything is possible!

What are you grabbing up in this post Thanos world, friends? Let us know what we should be on the lookout for!

Until next time.

RVA Comics X-Change: Issue 18

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Happy Tuesday, my comics-loving babes! If you are reading this, I will assume that you survived Thanos’s snap. But did you survive the three hours and one minute that was Avengers: Endgame this weekend?

Trust me. We’re getting to that in a minute.

We’re entering the hot season for conventions, folks. Between Awesome Con in Washington DC this past weekend and Galaxy Con coming up at the Richmond Convention Center next month, almost every illustrator, writer, and comic fan is going to be full of buzz for the next convention. Lucky for us, local illustrator Jordan Kincaid took time out of her super-busy schedule to tell us the lowdown on what she is digging into these days.

Kincaid is a Richmond-based illustrator and VCU alumnus who most recently has been featuring her work as part of the OwlCrate subscription service for Young Adult books and media. Her work often focuses on a whimsical, fairy-tale aesthetic. And if that sounds like it might be in your wheelhouse, then you’re really going to dig the recommendations she has for us.

Lore Olympus by Rachel Smythe

Following the current modern retelling trend, Smythe’s Lore Olympus online webtoon retells the infamous myth of Hades and Persephone, and asks — what if they started as just good friends?

“Hades is incredibly thoughtful, kind, and respectful, especially to sweet little Persephone,” said Kincaid. “The entire cast is so colorful, both literally and figuratively. The comic also very respectfully handles more serious issues, especially regarding consent, sexual assault, and processing that trauma. Note that Hades does not commit this horrible act. The series is still ongoing, and I honestly look forward to reading each new chapter every Saturday night.”

The Girl from the Other Side by Nagabe

“A cursed monster who goes by the name Teacher comes across a small girl named Shiva in the woods,” said Kincaid. “Knowing that Shiva would most likely die if he doesn’t do something, he takes the child and raises her as his own. However, he cannot touch her, as he is a cursed being who can pass his curse to humans just by simply touching them. Throughout the series, he protects her from the other monsters in the woods and the even more monstrous humans that enter their realm.”

If you’re a fan of dark anime, and just of Rogue from X-Men as a person (same, thanks), then you need to add this to your list.

The Tea Dragon Society by Katie O’Neill

A blacksmith’s apprentice named Greta just so happens to save a tiny tea dragon one day. When she takes it to an older couple who know how to help him, she and her new friend become embedded in the world of tea dragons. Color me jealous.

“I find that I always feel warm after reading this,” said Kincaid. “This short and calming tale is a perfect read before bed, for kids and adults alike. Each panel is so colorful and full of whimsy. It also has great LGBT representation through Hesekiel and Erik. Even though the comic is short, you will still get swept away in the colorful and whimsical world of Tea Dragons.”

Fruits Basket by Natsuki Takaya

“Although this series is older, it has become more relevant recently due to its 2019 anime reboot,” said Kincaid. “This manga series is like a hot bowl of soup on a cold day. Tohru is such a caring protagonist, and each zodiac member is filled to the brim with character as well. The romance that the series portrays is incredibly innocent and sweet. You can’t help but fall in love with all the zodiac members, or at least have a favorite 😉 Mine is the year of the Dragon, Hatori.”

Mias and Elle by Jenny Clements

“Mias, a wizard from a Tudor-like dimension, whisks away Elle, a girl from our dimension,” said Kincaid. “A magical belle told him to pick her for some reason that he still can’t figure out. Elle wants nothing to do with this, as she has experienced a recent loss and just wants to move on with her life. Instead, she is trapped with a handsome wizard, helping him with god knows what until he can return her home safely.”

Kincaid also added that if you’re into British humor and “saucy wizard men, this this comic is for you.”

Beauty and the Beast by Megan Kearney

“This rendition of the Beast is very gentle, formal, and so pure of heart that you just want to scoop him up,” said Kincaid. “The chemistry that Belle and the Beast share together is really strong. Their relationship develops very naturally, and you can’t help but sigh between every adorable scene these two share. The atmosphere is beautifully gloomy. You can feel how cold and hostile the castle is, in contrast to the Beast’s warmth — so much so that you don’t want him to change back into the prince at the end.”

Alright, folks. We’re getting to the meat of this issue. I’m only going to say this once, but if you have not yet seen Avengers: Endgame, then you’re going to want to turn away now. Unless you’re into that kind of thing.

Once again. Spoilers for Avengers: Endgame are about to occur. This is your final warning.

[I won’t see it until Thursday… so I’m not editing the rest of this. Sorry, Ash. -ed.]

WHAT THE HELL.

This past weekend was the long awaited opening weekend for the finale of Marvel’s Infinity Saga, Avengers: Endgame. Eleven years and twenty-two films in the making later and it concludes with a grand total of $1.2 billion worldwide opening weekend. Clocking in at three hours and one minute exactly, it is also officially the longest film released thus far in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).

Maybe it’s because I grew up in the era of the Lord of the Rings film trilogy and subsequent director’s cut editions but this didn’t feel like three hours at all. The pace was easily the most consistent out of all of the MCU franchise films, in regard to both narrative and action. I felt like it was a pretty even balance, which can be difficult to do, especially because going in we already knew that this film was going to be packed. There is a lot to unload to get us from point A to point B.

It was emotionally exhausting in the best way that it could be. Most of the loose ends were tied up, and honestly, if you keep up with casting news then quite frankly you already knew how this was ultimately going to play out. I was not surprised that Tony Stark died, especially since Robert Downey Jr has been sharing to the world for the last five years or so that he’s ready to move on.

However, I was a little surprised that Steve Rogers did not die. I was completely ready and expecting Marvel to pull a very parallel Death of Superman moment on Cap, especially after we learned that he is in fact worthy of Mjolnir. Rogers passing the Captain America torch to Sam aka Falcon was something that I was hoping would happen for a long time, but I was prepared for MCU to cater to the majority and pass it off to Bucky.

When I got what I wanted you could probably hear me screaming over the river.

As much as I loved this film, and without shame will share with everyone how I ugly cried for three hours and change, I did have some issue with it that I can’t ignore, especially as we take some time off before we enter Phase 4 of the MCU.

Just when exactly is Natasha Romanoff going to catch a damn break?

Natasha has had exactly two good films in the MCU – Iron Man 2, and The Avengers. The rest followed the trend of starting her off strong, and then ending very weak when the writers got bored with her. One of the biggest issues that still bothers me is how Natasha being sterile was treated so poorly.

I get that she can’t have children, it’s canon, it’s what it is. That is not my issue. My issue is how in the MCU it was treated so lazily and almost to the point that it was lumped in with the “red on her ledger” that she continues to speak of. It was mentioned for ten minutes and then dropped.

Hard.

This is not the damn Budapest gag between her and Clint Barton. This is not a throw away gag. This is a very serious, very real issue that you can’t just bring up so flippantly when you are too lazy to take the time to actually develop her character and move her story along. That’s a sign of a terrible writer.

Enter Endgame. Five years into the future Natasha has entered a powerful leadership position. She’s understandably stressed and exhausted, but she’s the leader we all knew she could and should be. She even gets her bestie back to go skipping into the sunset with, and if you subscribe to the (also painfully weak and poorly written) romance between her and Bruce Banner, then she also gets her honey back. Life’s coming up Milhouse, y’all.

Except oh no, oh wait no it isn’t because we’re also going to kill her for the soul stone.

I’m not mad how, Natasha died. I want to make that crystal clear. I am mad why she died.

I knew that Hawkeye and Black Widow were going to fight it out to see who would sacrifice themselves. What I did not (and honestly shame on me because I totally should have) seen coming was Black Widow’s rationale was because she “does not have have a family” and Clint does.

Then who the hell was this ragtag band of misfit toys that she has spent the last eight years with?

I could also go into another further tangent about how gross it was that Natasha never got a funeral but Tony Stark did, and well really anyone else and how it felt like she died to serve as a motivator for the men in her life but we don’t have that kind of time. Also Gamora already had to do the same thing, apparently in Avengers: Infinity War last year so.

That being said, I do want to make it clear that despite some personal issues I have with the film, as an overall piece and conclusion? I did love it. I absolutely loved it and I will undeniably go back both alone and dragging my partner along to see it about thirty more times. At least.

Also, between Brie Larson campaigning hard for an all female Avengers, and the panoramic shot of all of the women about to tear it up? Oh, yes. We’re just getting started here.

Until next time, RVAvengers.

Top Image by Jordan Kincaid, via jkincaidillustration.com

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!