This is a video from my YouTube channel, Jack’s World.
Spider-Man: The Animated Series is one of the most beloved Marvel shows ever made. But when it ended in 1998, it gave fans a finale that felt incomplete and rushed.
Finally, after over two decades, Marvel decided to expand on that ending with Spider-Man 94. It was something fans had been waiting for. But the end result was…not spectacular.
Filed under Jack's World, Marvel, superhero comics, X-men, YouTube
This is a video from my YouTube channel, Jack’s World.
Over the years, there have been many versions of Spider-Man in many mediums. They all have merit. Some are more endearing than others. But if you grew up in the 90s, one version stood out more than any other.
And to date, I believe that the Spider-Man Animated Series that ran from 1994 to 1998 gave us the greatest version of Spider-Man of all time. I explain why in this video. Enjoy!
Filed under Jack's World, Marvel, superhero comics, X-men, YouTube
This is a video from my YouTube channel, Jack’s World.
In this video, I discuss the recent news, trends, and previews of Marvel Animation for 2025 and beyond. While 2024 was a banner year with the release of X-Men 97, there have been some major upheavals behind the scene. And having seen similar upheavals in the past, I have some real concerns that I feel are worth discussing.
Filed under Jack's World, Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, television, X-men, YouTube
This is a video from my YouTube channel, Jack’s World.
This video explores the long-standing, but very much outdated trope of Spider-Man being broke. Like most mainstream superheroes, Spider-Man is subject to a lot of recurring tropes. Most involve his personal life.
However, I don’t think the overplayed plots about him being broke get enough attention. In addition to breaking down why this makes no sense, I also highlight a few other jobs or careers that would easily ensure Spider-Man never has to worry about money. Enjoy!
Filed under Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man, superhero comics, YouTube
Every Wednesday is New Comic Book Day and every New Comic Book Day brings something that enriches my world. I imagine many fellow comic book fans feel the same. They may not do what I do and wake up at 4:30 in the morning every Wednesday to read all the new books on their pull list, but the sentiment is still the same.
The world is a crazy, chaotic place. We’re also entering a time of year where the days are getting shorter, the weather is getting colder, and random trips to the beach aren’t as feasible, unless you live in a tropical climate. This is a span of time that is light on holidays, heavy on school, and high on stress. We all need something to help us endure.
For me, having a stack of new comics to look forward to every week doesn’t just help. It energizes my soul. It’s like getting a pep talk from Captain America every week. It just encourages me to get out there, endure all the craziness, and let my love of comics give me the jolt I need every week. It’s a beautiful thing.
This week promises to be even more beautiful than most. Some major events are gearing up, as they often do every fall. Both Marvel and DC Comics love to start major events in the early fall, often allowing them to conclude just in time for the holidays. They make for exciting times, as well as wild speculation on message boards. What more could a comic book fan ask for?
Once again, I offer my pull list and pick of the week. Always, I hope a new batch of comics gives you all the strength you need to endure another week. Enjoy!
Filed under Jack's Quick Pick Comic
As I type this, I am on vacation. I am literally just a block away from the beach. Trust me. It’s even better than it sounds. After last year, any vacation is bound to feel ten times more satisfying. As such, reading new comics on the beach should be even more satisfying than that.
There aren’t too many ways to make New Comic Book Day even more enjoyable than it already is. Being able to download my comics to my iPad and read them at the beach on a nice summer morning is definitely one of them. Between the cool ocean breezes, the deliciously unhealthy beach food, and the promise of a nice day of fun and the sun, this is one of those extra special New Comic Book Days.
I cannot overstate how much I needed this vacation. Last year marked the first time since college that I wasn’t able to spend any time at the beach, visiting family and hanging out with friends. It was heartbreaking, to say the least. This trip has been both overdue and cathartic. Having new comics to enjoy on top of it all only makes all of it more rewarding.
Whether you’re on vacation this week or not, New Comic Book Day is one of those days that can make any trip better. It certainly has made mine better. I hope it does the same for everyone else. So, before I get back to soaking up some sun, here is my pull list and pick of the week. Enjoy!
Red Sonja: Black, White, Red #2
Spider-Man: Spider’s Shadow #5
Star Wars: The High Republic #8
Filed under Jack's Quick Pick Comic
It’s another beautiful day for comics and the world is inherently better because of the awesome they bring. That’s how I feel when I wake up every Wednesday morning. Even when times are tough, waking up on Wednesdays knowing there’s a glut of digital comics waiting for me on my iPad is a wonderful feeling. It makes waking up at 4:00 a.m. feel like a basic reflex.
It’s a reflex that wouldn’t be possible without Comixology. I’m old enough to remember the days when New Comic Book Day was a lot more stressful because you didn’t know if your books would arrive on time in the mail. Most of the time, it was hit or miss. In the days before Twitter spoilers and Reddit, it made waiting to read your favorite comics that much more agonizing.
I never want to go back to those days.
Those who live near a comic shop may be able to enjoy the luxury of just walking to their favorite store every Wednesday to see what’s new, but most of us have to deal with less favorable circumstances. Don’t get me wrong. I still love going to comic shops to pick up actual, tangible books for my collection. There will always be a place for that. I’ve just come to love waking up early and enjoying new comics through Comixology.
The internet, tablets, and Comixology have genuinely made it easier than ever to get into this world. Even if you only know these characters through movies and cartoons, you need only an internet connection and a couple extra bucks to fully immerse yourself in this world. To that end, here’s my pull list and pick of the week. Hopefully, it gets you started. Enjoy!
Batman: White Knight Presents: Harley Quinn #6
Filed under Jack's Quick Pick Comic
I’m not that smart. I don’t deny that. I got good grades in high school and college, but that alone doesn’t make someone smart. It just shows that they now how to pass tests and bullshit their way through book reports or presentations. I’m not saying I ever resorted to that, but that doesn’t make me smarter than those who do.
However, when it comes to comics, I will claim to be above average in terms of general know-how. If there were a class on comics when I was still in high school, it wouldn’t just be my favorite class. I’d be the guy who everyone cheated off of during tests.
I say this not to brag about the depths of my comic knowledge. I offer it as a means of highlighting my credibility on judging all matters related to comics. I’ve lived through multiple eras in comic history, from the heyday of X-Men in the 90s to the New 52 era in DC Comics. I’ve been around the block many times in this world.
As such, I’ve read some incredibly awful comics that made me want to throw up. I’ve also read some amazing comics that have reaffirmed my love for this medium. I like to think I’ve learned to discern good comics from bad.
That’s part of why I do these weekly picks. For those who don’t have my level of comics experience, this is my way of helping you maximize your venture into this world. Here is my pull list and pick for this week. I hope it enriches your world as much as it does mine.
Filed under Jack's Quick Pick Comic
My YouTube channel, Jack’s World, is still very new and still has plenty of room to grow. I really enjoyed making my video on “Dark Phoenix.” That’s not surprising. I enjoy talking about superhero media in general. To that end, I’ve made another video, this time on Spider-Man. I originally intended to make it an article, but I think it works much better as a video. Enjoy!
If you have any suggestions for topics you’d like me to cover in a video, especially the superhero variety, please let me know.
Filed under Jack's World, Marvel, psychology, Spider-Man, superhero comics, superhero movies, YouTube
An iconic character is only as great as their supporting cast. On their own, icons like Batman, Superman, and Captain America can only do so much to carry their story. Like Santa Claus without his elves, they’re limited in how compelling they make that story without other characters around them adding dramatic fuel to the story.
This is especially true for characters like Spider-Man, whose supporting cast is one of the strongest and most in extensive in comic book history. If you need proof, just remember that a movie based around one of Spider-Man’s greatest villains grossed over $856 million. However, if you need further proof that Spider-Man’s supporting cast is what makes him so amazing, then look no further than Mary Jane Watson.
She’s not just Spider-Man’s girlfriend.
She’s not just the super-hot, super-sexy redhead who gets every straight man’s blood flowing for all the right reasons.
She’s not just the eye candy that makes for some of the best variant comic book covers of all time.
Mary Jane Watson makes Spider-Man a greater character because she’s a great character in her own right. She didn’t come into his story as some wide-eyed bimbo who existed only to make Peter second-guess the merits of male superheros wearing skin-tight outfits. She has her own story, motivations, and aspirations.
Most of the time, her story is relegated to secondary sub-plots in Spider-Man’s stories. While some of those stories are great for both characters, she’s never had a chance to carry her own story. Leah Williams and Carlos Gomez finally give her that chance in “Amazing Mary Jane #1.”
It’s still a story closely tied to Spider-Man, but Mary Jane is the one leading the charge this time. It’s not a radical reinvention of who she is or what motivates her. Williams and Gomez simply shift the spotlight to her and let her work her amazing charisma. It’s a simple approach, but it works.
Mary Jane is still an aspiring actress. Like many aspiring actresses, she’s looking for ways to further her career. The basic premise of “Amazing Mary Jane #1” is that she gets an opportunity to do just that. It even involves a role that she’s very familiar with. She’s caught up in a battle involving Spider-Man. For her, she really doesn’t need to do much acting.
There’s just one glaring problem and it’s not just that her role is reduced to being a beautiful woman in a skin-tight outfit. This opportunity that she desperately wants happens to be courtesy of Quentin “Mysterio” Beck, one of Spider-Man’s most colorful villains and one whose star really rose with “Spider-Man: Far From Home.”
It’s a situation that might make even the most ambitious actress hesitate. At the same time, it puts Mary Jane in a position to show her greatest strengths, none of which involve superpowers. She’s able to carry the story with her personality and William captures it wonderfully on multiple fronts.
Mary Jane doesn’t just smile and nod to go along with everything. She speaks her mind, but never in a way that makes her sound condescending or self-centered. She sees something wrong with the role she’s playing and she confronts it. When the nature of that role is objectively bad for both her and the movie, she says so.
It’s an issue ripped right from recent news surrounding the Hollywood horror stories that ambitious actresses have endured. It’s a sensitive, hot-button issue, but one that “Amazing Mary Jane #1” doesn’t ignore. The characters don’t ignore it, either. It’s a real issue that’s worth addressing, even in a superhero comic.
However, that issue never derails the story or takes away from the substance of the plot. “Amazing Mary Jane #1” is not about Mary Jane Watson calling out the predatory practices of Hollywood producers. It’s about her finding out that this major opportunity her in the center of Mysterio’s latest endeavor.
Being Spider-Man’s girlfriend, she knows better than most that this endeavor will likely involve something going horribly wrong. Since she’s in Hollywood and Spider-Man is in New York, she can’t count on being rescued this time.
It’s a great setup that perfectly blends Mary Jane Watson’s personal story with one of Spider-Man’s most well-known villains. She’s still part of Spider-Man’s story, but this is one in which she shoulders the responsibilities. On top of that, she has to do that without the aid great power.
At the same time, the very absence of that power is part of what makes Mary Jane such a strong supporting character for Spider-Man. She knows she’s not the one with the superpowers. Even Spider-Man knows this. That doesn’t stop her from accepting those responsibilities. She, more than anyone, shows Peter Parker that responsibility doesn’t end with stopping muggers, criminals, and guys with fish bowls for heads.
Even when she’s accepting responsibility, Mary Jane Watson still knows how to have fun. Williams goes out of her way to capture that in “Amazing Mary Jane #1” and Gomez makes her look great while doing it. The sweet, playful moments between her and Spider-Man often bring out the best in both characters. They’re the kind of moments that are sure to piss off Mephisto.
Peter Parker will always be the center of the greater Spider-Man universe, even when that universe involves talking pigs. However, Mary Jane Watson makes that universe more compelling and dramatic with her presence. She also makes it sexier, but that’s just a nice bonus. “Amazing Mary Jane #1” further proves that she’s capable of being amazing in her own right.
Filed under Jack's Quick Pick Comic, Spider-Man
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