Times are changing. The world is a scary, chaotic place. Just keeping your sanity, as well as your sense of humanity, has never been more challenging. I honestly don’t remember the world being this messed up ten years ago. Maybe I’m just getting older, but maintaining a balanced perspective just keeps getting harder.
Thankfully, my love of comics has continued to help me every step of the way. We all have something or someone that helps keep us anchored. Without it, we would be so overwhelmed that we couldn’t leave our homes without a baseball bat and a helmet. For me, comics is a big part of that anchor. It reminds me that there’s still a place for simple, straightforward awesome in this world.
Whether it involves superheroes, real people, or aliens with misshapen heads, comics have always been my refuge, as well as my sanctuary. When watching a news feed becomes too distressing, I pick up my favorite comics and leave the ugliness of the world aside, if only briefly. It’s therapeutic, as well as relaxing.
Wednesdays make spending time in this refuge all the more rewarding. A new stack of comics to start my day is like a massage for my soul. The older I get, the more I’ve come to appreciate that feeling. I encourage others to share it with me. The world isn’t getting any less chaotic. Let’s not let that stop us from enjoying something awesome.
To that end, here is my pull list and pick for the week. Hopefully, they leave your soul feeling as refreshed and invigorated as mine. Enjoy!
The following is a video from my YouTube channel, Jack’s World. It is a full, spoiler-filled review of “Black Widow.” After multiple delays and a global pandemic, the Marvel Cinematic Universe is back. Was it worth the wait? Does it measure up to previous MCU movies? Does it give Natasha Romanov the appropriate send-off she deserves? These are all questions I try to answer in this review. Enjoy!
Getting into comics can be daunting. That’s unavoidable when some of these comics have hundreds of issues and half-a-century of continuity to deal with. I remember how overwhelming it was for me. Then again, I was a kid at the time. Everything that didn’t involve Nintendo games seemed overwhelming to me. I still managed. It didn’t take me too long to get a firm understanding of the elaborate lore surrounding Marvel, DC, Image, and Dark Horse.
Keep in mind, I did this all before the internet. I’m also not that smart. I just followed my passion, found some basic reference materials, and asked questions to veteran comic fans whenever I needed more insight. Now, I’m one of those guys who can talk about comics for hours and sees every New Comic Book Day as Christmas morning. I can safely say my life is better because of that.
These days, it has never been easier to get into comics. The internet has made it much easier to learn about continuity, lore, reboots, and retcons. The rise of tablet computers and Comixology has made it so you don’t even have to put on pants to enjoy comics. While going to my local comic shop was always a great memory, I still envy new fans today for all the tools they have.
Between better tools and the success of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, comics have come a long way. They’re not just for nerds and geeks anymore. They’re for everyone. The volume of content has never been more diverse and appealing. This week, more than most, is a great chance to dive in. New eras are set to begin and big summer events are starting to heat up. To assist in embracing the world of comics, here is my pull list and pick of the week. Enjoy!
I’m a firm believer that when you love something, you can combine it with damn near anything and make it inherently better. If you love chocolate, then it’ll make peanut butter better. If you like watching baseball, then watching baseball while naked will make it better. There are plenty of other examples I could give, but I’d rather not get too personal about what I do on a Sunday afternoon.
With comics, I’ve learned over the years that you can find many combinations to enhance the experience. I’ve woken up at 4:30 a.m. to read comics with a nice cup of coffee while sitting in my recliner. I’ve slept in, gone outside, and read comics on my iPad in a swim suit while I got a little sun. I’ve even read comics with a glass of whiskey before bed. I can safely attest that both experiences were enhanced considerably.
Now that we’re in the middle of summer and pandemic lockdowns are ending, we have an opportunity to enjoy things in new ways. If you love comics as much as I do, you’ve got a lot to work with, especially on Wednesday mornings. The only limit is your imagination, decency laws, and how your willingness to spend extra money on things that may seem wasteful later on.
Dare to be creative.
Dare to be a little crazy, even.
Comics give you that flexibility. With the 4th of July just a few days away, I have a few ideas as to how I’ll supplement my comic reading experience. I won’t share all the details. Just expect them to involve beer, hot dogs, and speedos. I don’t know how much that’ll inspire you. All I can offer is my pull list and pick of the week. I hope that helps. Enjoy!
The following is a video from my YouTube channel, Jack’s World. It’s another thought experiment about superheroes and what makes them effective. It was an extension of sorts of an article I wrote years ago on how to be an effective superhero. However, this video is a bit more open ended in that it takes a big picture approach to heroics. To all that check it out, I encourage you to share your thoughts in the comments. Enjoy!
Between New Comic Book Day and new episodes of “Loki,” Wednesdays have never been more enjoyable. These truly are special times for comic book fans. For years, we just had comics with an occasional superhero movie every other summer and most of those movies involved Batman. Now, thanks to the success of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, there’s an embarrassment of riches on top of the comics we still love.
I feel like this is one of those eras that we’ll look back on years from now as a true golden era. It’s also a time during which long-time fans like me can appreciate just how far comics have come. I’m still old enough to remember a time when comics where a niche market for nerds and geeks. Now, they’re so mainstream that being a nerd or geek might as well be a term of endearment.
That growth has definitely helped comics in many ways. Now, they feel like a proving ground of sorts. This is where you’ll get your first taste of something that may one day make it onto the big screen. This is where we first met Kamala Khan. This is where we first met Spider-Gwen. Who knows what iconic character will debut next?
This is why fans like me get up at 4:30 a.m. every Wednesday to enjoy a new stack of comics. It’s also why these past few years have made that experience so much more rewarding. It’s not just the comics themselves that bring so much joy. It’s the entire world they open up.
If you’ve enjoyed the latest episode of “Loki,” try giving some comics a read. That’ll help tide you over until the next episode. To that end, here’s my pull list and pick for the week. Enjoy!
I’ve always been an early riser. However, that’s not necessarily a habit by choice. When I was a teenager, I had to be up at 5:00 a.m. just to catch the bus to school. I lived on one of the worst bus routes in the district in that we were the first to get picked up. That meant it was often still dark out.
Waking up that early sucked for the most part. I was already an angsty teenager prone to misery and being so groggy in the morning didn’t help. That said, getting into that habit did have some perks. It certainly helped me later on in life when I began working. However, it really showed its value when comics started coming out digitally every Wednesday morning.
Suddenly, I wasn’t getting up that early out of habit. I had a damn good reason to be up at 5:00 a.m. That incentive definitely grew once I got an iPad. Now, I could just slip out of bed, grab my iPad, and indulge in a stack of digital comics before putting on any underwear. It’s a magical feeling.
That feeling is only more magical during weeks like this. Sometimes, just by sheer luck of release schedules, there’s a glut of awesome new comics, including some major event books and one-shots. There’s Heroes Reborn, the Hellfire Gala, and the wedding of Dr. Doom. That’s a lot to take in, especially in the early morning hours. Since I’m an early riser, I like to think I’m more equipped than most take it all in.
I know not everyone is up this early. I honestly envy the ability to just sleep in on a whim. If you’re a comic fan, though, some things are worth getting up this early for. When you see some of the books that came out this week, you’ll understand. Here’s my pull list and pick. After some of these books, I doubt you’ll be groggy. Enjoy!
When I was a kid, I had an exceedingly limited budget for comics. Even though they were cheaper years ago, the cost did add up. My love of comics was just that strong. Most of the time, that meant saving every penny I earned through allowances, chores, or birthday cards. Then, I had to basically look at a wall of comics and agonize over which to choose.
As a kid, it taught me a lot about managing a personal budget. That served me very well later in life. It also helped me appreciate the money I earned later on. These days, I don’t have to be quite as stingy with my comic book budget. That’s not to say I splurge every week. There are some books that I hold off on buying until a graphic novel compilation comes out. That’s just not as necessary as it used to be.
I imagine that if digital comics were around when I was a kid, I would’ve struggled even more to manage my comics budget. I like to think I’m fairly disciplined. I’m not sure that discipline would stand in the face of having unlimited comics at my fingertips through Comixology. In that sense, I’m glad I’ve managed as well as I have.
To those who are on a tighter budget than me, I hope my weekly pull lists help you make the most of every dollar you spend. There’s a time and a place to splurge on comics. The key is knowing when that time is and what to splurge on. I’m not saying this week is one of those times, but given the ongoing events across multiple major franchises, I can’t say it isn’t.
I’ll let you be the judge. Here is my pull list and pick. Please spend wisely, but if you need to splurge, I totally understand. Enjoy!
It’s June! Last year, that was just a formality, due to global events that I’d rather not dwell on. This year, we can actually say it with some enthusiasm. We made it to June and it’s New Comic Book Day. What’s not to love?
Summer has finally arrived. The schools are letting out after another crazy year. Things are finally opening up, much more so than they did last year. This summer, we will be able to go to a ball game. We will be able to go to a pool, a concert, a movie theater, or night club. We’ll even be able to go to a restaurant without having to wear a mask. If you’re not shedding tears of joy right now, then you have no soul.
I’m ready to embrace this summer in a way that I haven’t embraced a season since high school. A big part of that effort will involve comics. This time around, I’ll actually be able to enjoy them while lounging by a pool, sitting at a restaurant, or just wandering about. I cannot overstate how much I’m looking forward to that. With warm weather and a world that’s less chaotic, this is a great time to just enjoy summer like never before.
To all those still digesting their Memorial Day barbecue, I encourage you to do the same. Make the extra effort to enjoy this summer. Whether you’re a kid out of school or an adult still working, find a way to do something special. Let today mark the beginning of that effort and what better way to start then with a stack of new comics? To help, here’s my pull list and picks. Enjoy!
I’m a simple man. Whenever a trailer of any kind, even a teaser, gets released by Marvel Studios, I take notice. I’m not the only one, either. A trailer release by Marvel Studios is almost always cause for celebration and excitement. It shows on how often these trailers rack up record-breaking hits in a short span of time.
Even a trailer for lesser-known characters is bound to draw interest. Marvel Studios has proven before that they can turn obscure characters like the “Guardians of the Galaxy” into a multi-billion dollar franchise. Now, they hope to do the same with the “Eternals.”
Given their unprecedentedtrack record of success, I wouldn’t bet against Kevin Feige and company. These visionaries have all more than earned our trust, as well as the benefit of the doubt. However, turning “Eternals” into a successful franchise will likely be even harder than “Guardians of the Galaxy.”
I say that as someone with a very shallow knowledge of Eternals. I like to think of myself as a pretty well-informed Marvel fan, but even I don’t know much about these characters. I’m aware of their basic history, but much of my interest is tied to how their story ties into that of mutants, albeit indirectly.
I suspect most causal fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe are in a similar boat. They don’t know who these characters are. They’re nowhere near as iconic as Captain America, Iron Man, or Thor. However, they are showing up in the MCU, so we all take notice. We just have no idea what to expect, given the obscure nature of this franchise.
Well, a few days ago, we finally got our first glimpse when a teaser trailer for “Eternals” came out. Being a lifelong Marvel fan, it certainly made my day. In case you haven’t seen it, here it is.
Regardless of how you feel about the characters, it’s still a visual spectacle to behold. Marvel Studios always seems to fill their films with plenty of dazzling spectacles. It looks like “Eternals” is searching for a way to raise the bar once more and history says they will.
Beyond the spectacle, the trailer offers some hints as to what kind of story we’ll be getting with “Eternals.” In short, they’re a race of immortal humanoid beings who arrive in the distant past aboard a massive ship. This detail is ripped straight from the pages of the comics, as originally penned by Jack Kirby.
Beyond that, we learn that they’ve been living amongst humans for millennia. However, they’ve kept their distance, refusing to interfere or significantly impact human affairs. Then, something changes. Now, they’re ready to make their presence known to a world that is still recovering from the events of Thanos’ infamous snap.
That’s all very intriguing. I’m certainly curious to learn more. The cast is full of well-known stars like Selma Hayek and Angelina Jolie. The history of the MCU has already proven quite rich through other movies, like “Captain America: The First Avenger” and “Ant Man.” This promises to broaden that history even more.
That’s certainly good from a storytelling perspective. However, seeing this trailer still leaves me with one burning question, which in turn raises other similar questions.
Why did these powerful beings wait so long to reveal themselves to the world?
That’s a relevant question and one that mutants will also face once the X-Men come to the MCU, as I’ve covered before in one of my YouTube videos. However, it’s even more relevant for the Eternals.
These are powerful, immortal beings with abilities that are nothing short of god-like. If this trailer is any indication, they’ve been around for the entire breadth of human history. That means they’ve witnessed every war, every plague, every disaster, and every collapse, of which there have been plenty.
Even in the context of the MCU, they’ve witnessed some pretty terrible events.
They watched the Chitari invade New York City.
They saw Dormammu attempt to absorb the Earth into the Dark Dimension.
They watched Ultron nearly end the world.
They watched the Avenger try and fail to stop Thanos.
They may even be aware of a Skrull infiltration that began during the events of “Captain Marvel.”
They’re aware of all of this, but still chose not to get involved. Is it wrong to ask for a legitimate reason? Is it wrong to pre-judge them for having so much inherent power and not using it to stop terrible event?
Never mind the events that shaped world history. If they could’ve made a difference in the battle against Thanos and Ultron, then why didn’t that? What’s their reason for staying hidden? In the comics, their primary reason centers around protecting Earth from the nefarious Deviants. However, even the comics don’t offer much insight into why they just stand aside and let other catastrophic events occur.
It raises a larger question that the MCU will have to grapple with, which often gets overlooked in the comics. In a world where powerful beings like this exist, does their inaction constitute an egregious act? If they could’ve stopped Thanos, then does their decision to stay hidden warrant criticism?
It’s a difficult question and one that comes up much more frequently in DC Comics. On more than one occasion, Superman has been criticized for not helping humanity on a larger scale. It’s very much a common trope and one that gets increasingly difficult to address as a shared universe grows.
Like I said earlier, Marvel Studios has a stellar track record with telling great stories that at least partially address these questions. I sincerely hope that track record continues with “Eternals.” I also hope it’s more serious in asking the bigger questions about what it means to have power and be a respectable hero.
The Avengers who assembled to defeat Thanos were all powerful in their own right. Together, they are a force that can battle god-like threats and win. At the same time, they all have major limitations. The Eternals have limitations as well, but they’re unique in just how present they’ve been for the extent of human history.
In that sense, they have a greater responsibility than even someone like Spider-Man or Thor. If they’ve been present for so many terrible events, but chose to do nothing, then what do we make of them? How do they become heroes in that context? I don’t claim to know the answer. I just look forward to seeing this movie and finding out for myself.
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