We made it through Election Day. I understand that can still change, but we still made it. That’s progress, in my book. I also doubt I’m alone in being relieved that we’ve finally made it through.
Now, I realize that there’s still plenty of post-election drama to unfold here in the United States. I may end up talking about that at some point. For now, I’d rather focus on something that brings objective joy to the world, namely comics.
The day after such a contentious election is the perfect day to indulge in some comic fueled awesome. I am not just ready. I need this and I suspect many others burned out on politics feel the same. The real world has been objectively awful on so many levels in 2020. An escape has never been more necessary.
That’s exactly what comics provide us. They are a simple, inexpensive joy that takes us out of this crazy world for a brief moment and into one full of wonder. I love every New Comic Day, but this particular day has never been more cathartic. To that end, here is my pull list and pick for the week. Enjoy!
The week of Halloween is a fun week. I don’t care how old you are. If you can’t have fun on a week dominated by candy, cheesy horror movies, and women dressing in slutty costumes, then you’re just being difficult. Even if you don’t go out trick-or-treating, Halloween has a little something for everyone to enjoy.
Add a stack of new comics to the mix and it’s like adding an extra layer of icing to a cake. It just makes everything so much sweeter. Now, it used to be that comic companies would often create Halloween special issues. While that still exists for some publishers, namely Zenescope, most have moved away from that.
Even without those specials, you can usually find a few comics that fit right into the Halloween spirit. Sometimes, it’s a simple Hulk comic. Sometimes, it’s Blade or John Constantine. It doesn’t have to be horror themed, but if it’s bloody, brutal, and has lots of elaborate costumes, it’s often close enough.
New Comic Book Day is festive enough. Add a little Halloween candy and a pumpkin latte to the mix and you’re really in the spirit. This year may suck, especially for Halloween parties, but there are still ways to celebrate. Comics and candy are as good as any.
In that spirit, here is my pull list and picks for the week. It may still be a bit premature, but I’ll say it anyways. Happy Halloween!
The following is a video from my YouTube channel, Jack’s World. It’s a brief rundown of the recent rumors surrounding the upcoming She-Hulk show on Disney Plus. I discuss the recent news surrounding the casting of Tatiana Maslany, as well as my hopes, fears, and predictions for this show. Enjoy!
I love the internet. In general, I think it does more good than harm. Our lives are objectively better because of it. I know it has its share of baggage and drawbacks. Like anything, you take the good with the bad.
However, there are times when taking the bad is just annoying as hell. I’m fine with challenges and struggle. Those help us become stronger, in the long run. The same can’t be said of annoyance. That helps no one. It just makes you want to bang your head against the wall.
This brings me to what I feel is one of the weakest, emptiest, most pathetic displays of internet outrage I’ve seen in recent years. It unfolded last year, but has become relevant again this year. Even in the midst of a global pandemic, certain people still find the time and energy to be so insanely petty about something so banal.
It stems largely from that scene in “Avengers: Endgame.” You probably know the scene I’m referring to. I doubt I have to be too specific. For general reference, here it is.
Just playing it again, I can easily imagine a certain group of people whining like babies, as though someone just stole a piece of their birthday cake. It’s a shot of some of Marvel’s most notable female characters, all in the same scene, getting ready to kick more ass in the final battle against Thanos.
Yes, people actually got upset over this.
Yes, it’s as dumb, pathetic, and petty as it sounds, and then some.
They’re not just men who complain about a female superhero’s bra size. They’re not just women who complain how these costumes are woefully impractical. They call this scene cringy. That’s usually code for, “This doesn’t pander exclusively to me and it hurts my precious feelings!”
Many probably whine about other people who whine about things they don’t agree with, be it politics, video games, or which celebrity had an opinion that hurt their precious feelings. This scene just caught more attention than most, being part of the highest grossing movie of all time.
The outrage unfolded as soon as the movie came out. Here’s just one of the responses on Twitter.
SO FORCED!!!! my goodness, the IW scene wasn't forced when they went up against Proxima Midnight in wakanda. But this one….ugh, I almost laughed out loud. And I have daughters and love seeing strong women, but yuck. Don't force it.
Trust me, this is tame compared to some of the other rage tweeting that went on. Most of it boiled down to people saying the scene was so forced and tried too hard to make a political statement. Naturally, you can’t make political statements these days without attracting trolls, assholes, idiots, and narcissists.
I say that as someone who has made his share of political statements, some of which I know won’t age well. I know I make certain people cringe with what I say and how I say it. Most of the time, it’s understandable. I have enough empathy to realize that hearing something you don’t agree with can be distressing.
This scene, however, is not one of those instances. To see this scene and assume Marvel Studios is making this bold political statement about feminism, female characters, and how men should be ashamed for not letting women shine isn’t just contrived. It’s just plain goddamn stupid.
I’m sorry. I wish there was a more articulate way to say that. Sometimes, you just have to be as blunt and straightforward as possible. There are things worth cringing over. There are things worth getting outraged over. This isn’t one of them.
It’s just a very brief, very colorful moment within a two-and-a-half hour movie that took all but seven second. Somehow, that was enough to evoke whining, outrage, and trolls? Seriously, how does that make sense?
The reason I’m bringing this up now is because this scene has become relevant again, thanks to Amazon Prime’s “The Boys.” Now, I love that show and the comic that inspired it. I hope I’ve made that clear. I love the scene that re-opened this old wound, too. It was a great scene. Watching Starlite, Maeve, and Kimiko beat up Stormfront was very satisfying.
There was nothing political about it, but now it’s getting political because of how it supposedly contrasts with the “Avengers: Endgame” scene. I say supposedly because they’re both very different scenes with very different stories told in a very different context. Linking one to the other to make a larger political statement is just asinine.
When I see the “Avengers: Endgame” scene, I don’t see anything political. I just see an epic shot of Marvel’s female heroes. That’s it. That’s all there is to it. It’s just a fun scene that nicely depicts how many great female characters have developed over the years in the MCU. Can’t it just be that?
The same goes for the scene in “The Boys.” Can’t that scene just be a fun display of three of the show’s best characters beating up some Nazi-loving bitch? There’s no politics in, either. It’s entertainment. It’s fun.
If you’re going ascribe politics to either scene, then you’re missing the point. You’re also whining like an immature child, incapable of accepting a world that doesn’t always pander to every one of your sensibilities at every hour of every day. I don’t care where you lean politically. That sort of misguided outrage isn’t the least bit justified. It’s just flat out pathetic.
On the creative front, though, I believe the state of comics has been phenomenal. From the big two at Marvel and DC to indie comics funded through crowdsourcing, there’s a lot to be excited about. These worlds are evolving in bold new ways. As someone who has followed comics since grade school, I can’t recall a time that had so much to offer.
It’s not perfect. It never is. Overall, this is a great time to be a comics fan. Whatever your preferences or politics, you’ll find something to enjoy. You’ll have a reason to wake up at 4:30 in the morning every Wednesday. It may mess up your sleep schedule, but that’s the price you pay for awesome comics. During times like this, it’s a price worth paying.
This year has been so bad on so many levels for all of us. As such, we all need to find some silver linings here and there. For me, this exciting state of comics really helps carry me through. I love it and it gives me the hope I need to keep enduring a year like this. In the interests of sharing that hope, here is my pull list and pick for the week.
The following is a video I made for my YouTube channel, Jack’s World. It’s both a general review and an analysis of the second season of “The Boys,” Amazon Primes bloody and brutal satire of the superhero genre. It has quickly become one of the best new shows on any platform and for good reason. This video is my way of both celebrating and exploring those reasons. Enjoy!
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.
This is usually the time of year when comic fans like me are gearing up for the New York Comic Con. Around this time last year, I was making my final preparations. I got my costume ready, picked out the comics I wanted to get signed, and mapped out my plan to maximize my NYCC experience. It was a wonderful trip, to say the least.
Now, that seems so long ago. It might as well be another lifetime.
This week just feels so weird, not having New York Comic Con to look forward to. I know it was cancelled months ago, but it still hurts. It still just feels so wrong to be in the first week of October and not planning my trip to New York.
I don’t doubt that New York Comic Con will be back to its former glory at some point. It probably won’t be next year, but eventually, I will return in full costume, ready to enjoy the wonders that is NYCC. Right now, it just feels so distant. It sucks in ways I cannot put into words.
I’m sorry if it feels like I’m being negative on New Comic Book Day of all days, but I just had to get that off my chest. I’m glad to have a (digital) stack of new comics to enjoy. It does help take the sting out of not being able to go to New York this year. It just feels so bittersweet, remembering how excited I was at this time last year and how much fun I had.
I’ll try to be more upbeat next week. For now, here is my pull list and pick. To all those as upset as I am that there’s no New York Comic Con to go to this year, I feel your pain. Let’s lessen that burden as best we can and new comics is a damn good way to start.
In a year so full of objectively awful news, a tiny bit of good news goes a long way. When that news involves superhero comics and upcoming TV shows, it goes even further with me. On that front, such news has been few and far between. This year has been fraught with major delays and cancelled conventions. Fans like me need some good, exciting news for once. We’re due.
Then, this past week, we got it. It’s been in the works for a while now, but now it’s getting real. One of the big Marvel Studios Disney Plus shows that has been in development, “Ms. Marvel,” officially found their Kamala Khan in Iman Vellani. As an unapologetic Ms. Marvel fan who has sung her praises before, this is just the news I needed.
Deadline reported it. Many others in Hollywood circles praised it. Fans like me were just elated that Kamala Khan is set to enter the MCU.
After a long and hard search, Marvel has found its Ms. Marvel. The studio is tapping newcomer Iman Vellani to star in its Disney Plus series based on the comic-book character. Marvel and the streamer recently named Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy and Meera Menon as directors on the project.
Now, there’s a lot I want to say about this news, this casting, and the prospects for this show. I’ve already touched on some of that before and I have every intention of highlighting even more as the show develops. Ms. Marvel is very near and dear to me as a character. I’ll be among those cheering the loudest for her and for Ms. Vellani to succeed.
Before I get to any of that, though, I want to offer a special message to Ms. Vellani. I doubt she’ll ever read it. I’m sure she’ll hear from plenty of other voices far more prominent and insightful than mine. I still want to put this message out there because I think it’s worth saying.
Dear Ms. Vellani,
First off, congratulations! You just earned yourself the role of a lifetime with an incredible character. On behalf of many other Ms. Marvel fans, I wish you the best. We’ll all be cheering you on as you bring Kamala Khan to life in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
It will be challenging. Anything worth doing is. I believe you’re up for it. I also don’t doubt that you’ll face obstacles, some of which have nothing to do with your acting abilities or your love for the character.
The world of superhero media is an amazing place. Both on and off the screen, there a lot to take in. Chances are, it will be overwhelming at time, but once the fans embrace you, they’ll be your greatest ally. It’s what helped Ms. Marvel become such a prominent, beloved character. That’ll help you achieve success on a level that will do justice to her legacy.
Now, there are parts of that world that are less pleasant. As in any genre, there are critics and trolls who will try to tear you down. They’ll attack you, just as they’ve done to the likes of Brie Larson, Daisy Ridley, and Kelly Marie Tran. Do not let them get you down. Do not let them stop you from being the best Ms. Marvel you can possibly be.
Also know that Kamala herself has attracted plenty of trolls. Some of the ugliest elements of superhero fandom have been denigrating Ms. Marvel since the day she debuted. Some go so far as to attack her creators. These people are no different than the villains Ms. Marvel fights. They do not deserve an ounce of your attention.
The love people have for this character is many times greater than those who go out of their way to hate her. That love is what makes Ms. Marvel special. We hope you feel that love as you don that now-iconic costume. May it carry you through the challenges that await and may it enrich your world, just as Ms. Marvel has enriched ours.
I approach every New Comic Book Day the same way Forest Gump approaches a box of chocolates. You may never know what you’re gonna get with a box of chocolates, but you usually have a partial idea with comics. However, that does leave some room for novelty and exploration.
For as long as I’ve been into comics, I’ve had a simple rule. I have books that I’m subscribed to. I’ll always buy them the day they come out. They’re usually just standard X-Men, Spider-Man, Superman, Wonder Woman, and Avengers titles. These are like big budget blockbuster movies. You know what you’re getting with them and it’s usually awesome.
At the same time, I always try to leave some room for new, different, or otherwise unknown titles. That’s how I discover underrated gems or new characters that I become fond of. Even when my comics budget is tight, I try to leave enough money for just one of those books.
It’s because of this rule that I found Ms. Marvel.
It’s because of this rule that I rediscovered the Power Rangers comics.
If you’re into comics on any level, I highly recommend you adopt this rule. Your budget may vary. You can still work with that. You may have to be patient and wait for some other books to come out in trades, but use every week as an opportunity to find a new flavor of chocolate.
You’ll be amazed at some of the gems you find. You may find yourself becoming a fan of something you don’t expect. It’s a beautiful thing and this is as good a week as any to start. Here’s my pull list and pick to help get you started. Enjoy!
Jack Fisher's Official Publishing Blog 