Tom Brevoort Wants to Make Me Angry--and I Kind of Understand Why

Tom Brevoort works at Marvel, and he wants to make me angry. Not specifically me, however, that would be upsetting. He Marvel Executive Editor, SVP, and Senior X-Men Editor, and he discussed recently how he basically believes that it is better for fans to be furious/angry/otherwise perturbed about a storyline than simply indifferent. If Marvel can stir passions in fans--even objectively, "Bad," ones, that's better than folks shrugging and being bored. I see what he's getting at. I mean, "Secret Empire," was an awful comic, but it had an interesting--albeit odd--idea to have reality-warping powers make Captain America a secret sleeper agent for Hydra. Many fans were angry, but we checked the comic out to see what happened, didn't we?

This reminds me of when I'm watching, "Saturday Night Live," and a really weird sketch comes on. Even if it isn't hilarious, I always say, "I'll take weird over boring." A sketch that is simply dull won't garner laughs or discussion, but if you get really strange with it, that can keep my focus (and if I laugh, too, it is a win-win). Having a comic that makes me angry, piques my interest by being weird, or otherwise stirs some kind of emotion/thought is better than a book I pick up, read, and can barely remember due to how uninteresting it was. If you do something purely for shock value and don't have much substance to what happens, it can backfire. Sometimes doing something utterly shocking can have a remarkable payoff, however. I mean, to stay on the subject of Captain America, a lot of fans were beside themselves when Bucky was brought back from seemingly being dead decades later  (in our real time, not comic-book time) as the Winter Soldier, but that is now regarded as one of the better storylines ever told within a, "Captain America," comic! Even if Hyrda-Cap was a swing-and-a-miss, that earlier storyline was a homerun (and you can't win them all, clearly).

Tom Brevoort wants me to be angry, because at least if I'm angry, I'm not bored. It makes sense, but people can eventually just burn out if you keep simply trying to get their attention with a dumb gimmick. "Spider-Man and Mary Jane aren't married now! She has kids with another guy named Paul...and the kids are metaphysical creations who disappeared, but she's sticking with Paul! Oh, and she's Venom now! Plus, she is leaving Paul, but not getting with Spidey!" and so forth for anyone who has followed the latest (main continuity) Spider-Man. I don't really care about Paul and the, "All-New Venom," comic with Mary Jane is decent, but a lot of people just got whiplash from how rapidly things shifted in a manner that seemed simply designed to constantly infuriate readers. Again, at least the Venom stuff has been fun, but all the stuff leading up to it was insanely off-putting...as Brevoort perhaps wanted, regardless of if it got a bit exhausting.

I'm not personally upset with Tom Brevoort and know he isn't trying to bait me or anyone directly (anyone who sent him death threats about various comics, as he recounts, is taking things way too far). He wants to keep fans engaged, though, and if doing a storyline that ruffles feathers helps accomplish that, then yeah, he's maybe doing something right. I'll take a rage-inducing and/or weird Marvel over a boring one. If anything, the company needs to do something a bit strange or upsetting right now to get more attention in the comic-book market. Go ahead, Tom, make me mad!

The March 2026 ToyMan Was a Delight!

Today's ToyMan Show was another highly enjoyable event. Whenever people ask me, "What show do I go to if I want to be impressed by the sheer amount of stuff for sale?" I always tell them, if you want a variety of neat items (and plenty of them), go to ToyMan. If you can't find a comic, toy, trading card, movie, or such at ToyMan, you probably didn't look hard enough or ask the right person, because it is most likely somewhere there, or a vendor will be able to tell you how they can get it for you! I truly appreciate the mental game of Tetris that the showrunner, Chris McQuillen, must play to make sure all the vendors have space and attendees can walk around without being crowded, because he strikes the perfect balance of rad stuff for sale, but also having a wide enough aisle you don't suffocate in a crowd. Let's discuss who/what I saw at the show, though!

I kicked off the event by chatting with an assortment of great folks. I saw Spike from Lost in Space Toys and Collectibles, caught up with Tim Metzger, and ran into Jack of Fortress Comics. The cool people from Tatertot's shop were present, and I saw some cool items for sale from 573 Collectibles. I also had a chance to cut some deals with John from Bigfoot Comics, which is how I acquired this fun, "Guardians of the Galaxy," comic featuring an early appearance of when Angela went from Image Comics to Marvel (it was a whole mess of legal rights that eventually were resolved and saw her character's IP sold to Marvel). Here it is:

In the upstairs area, I was overjoyed to see such cool cats as Jessica Mathews, my chum Lindsay Hornsby, and Cayd of Tri Fox Shoppe, who told me they've started doing Twitch streams to show off their artwork! Heroes for Kids was present raising funds too, and talented author Jacqueline James, whom I've bought books from before, told me about another cool new one coming soon! Plus, the guest talent, Eddie Deezen (actor and voice actor), was chatting with fans and signing autographs too! There were clearly a lot of fun activities going on. I love going to the ToyMan Show and eagerly await the next one on May 3rd. There is always something new to see (or multiple new and cool things). Be sure to mark your calendars so you don't forget to attend!

My Reader Letter Was Printed in, "The Jungle," #3 From Uncivilized Books!

I have been loving reading, "The Jungle," which is published by Uncivilized Books and features the work of writer Keenan Marshall Keller and artist Tom Neely. It is a sequel to their run on, "The Humans," that follows the biker gang as a number of them get locked up in prison. The world of the comic is a bit, "Planet of the Apes," with various apes or monkeys as humanoids and us regular humans AKA, "Skins," as mindless pets. For this latest volume, readers were invited to send in letters, and I wrote one that was just published with other notes in the 3rd issue!

This latest issue is great as it focuses on one character who is trying to get by while much of the gang is incarcerated--Queenie--and how life has been tough for her (and everyone else) in the 1970s. It is a superb issue--as anything with the Humans/"The Jungle," has been so far, and I would encourage everyone to read these comics! The fourth issue will come out soon, and I look forward to further wild adventures set in the universe of the Humans!

Please Don't Tell the Parents of Someone With Autism You, "Get It," and Proceed to Illustrate Why You Don't

Many people are parents of children and adults with autism. They have heard all kinds of opinions, put up with a variety of odd questions, and been on the receiving end of stares or comments when out and about if their child/adult they care for is making sounds/stimming/etc. I've written here before about dealing with society's misunderstandings of Autism, but it almost infuriates me more when people feign understanding/kindness and proceed to then express immense ignorance. This was on display to me just today, in this very afternoon.

You see, Clarkson loves looking at books in stores. Any store we go to that has a selection of books excites him immensely. As of late, books featuring Pete the Cat or the David character from the, 'No, David!" books are his favorite. When we are at a store such as Half Price Books, Barnes and Noble, Walmart, or Target, he will build a little stack to flip through while sitting in a shopping cart and proceed to examine all his options. By the time we check out, we sometimes will then select one book he especially likes to purchase (if it's a special occasion, something like that) or tell him we're not getting a book today and give the handful of books to the employee at checkout. No store has ever had an employee complain about this, until today. It wasn't even the complaining that irritated me, either! It was how they did it.

Example of a Target book section

You see, we were checking out at the self-checkout at Target as we didn't have much besides some Salsa, chips, and a big ol' stack of books. Clarkson's birthday just occurred so I told him we could buy one book today. I scanned the wrong one, so I hit the, "Help," button to get it deleted. I was greeted by a lady who said how she recognized us from other visitss and asked if we could not always, "Have so many books," that had to be put back, but, "I get it, I really do." Meanwhile, Clarkson was side-eyeing her as she was standing so close, and he didn't like her angry and almost-yelling tone--which resulted in him clapping more and making some sounds.

At this point in the story, I would like to let you all know I took a deep breath, smiled, and apologized for creating extra work while I patted Clarkson's back to let him know everything was okay. I did not give in to the urge to call her a curse word or curse in general. If she had simply been relatively polite about the books, things would have been fine. If she had been rude but also didn't seem aware of Clarkson having autism, I'd understand that to a degree as well, even! However, please don't feign understanding and then make statements contrary to your claim of, "Getting it." She clearly did not, "Get it," and the situation only could have had the awkwardness and slight rage I felt increased if she'd polished off an old chestnut like, "You know, everyone's a little Autistic!" Should that have occurred, I probably would've busted out some choice swears.

People with Autism can make sounds, engage in movements, and have little routines that interrupt everyday life. Clarkson will hyperfixate on timers, on doors or wanting a shower. If he gets insanely focused on taking a quick shower because he loves the water, there is sometimes very little that can be done to delay/dissaude him from getting a shower without a total sensory meltdown/obbsession with getting a shower before he can focus on anything else. That's how it is sometimes, and you tweak certain things like making sure some doors are open or closed and tell him sometimes he needs to wait 5 minutes for a shower so Mommy and Daddy can finish eating a snack and help turn it on for him, but he gets that shower because he clearly needs it in his mind. If you've cared for someone with any disability, you know every person and disability is different. You understand that, and to a degree, you "Get it." This lady...she did not, "Get it," clearly. 

Oh, and if you don't, "Get it," it is okay to ask questions too! Other children Clarkson meets at play places will sometimes ask why he makes various sounds instead of talking and likes to clap. We'll tell those kids how he has Autism and uses a Talker device to communicate. Then Clarkson will play with them on the trampoline or such, and everyone has fun! When you're genuinely curious and are interacting with someone who is open to answering questions, it is okay to ask those questions (sometimes it isn't a good time, however, like in the middle of a sensory meltdown). Faking sympathy/empathy while at the same time complaining about how the actions of a disabled person inconvenienced you doesn't help anyone, however. I'm sorry that my child sometimes makes a little stack of books. I don't want to make extra work for anyone, and apologize for that. I won't apologize for his having a disability and accept your B.S. claim that you, "Really get it," when that's objectively false. So yeah, that was a Friday afternoon.

If You're a Fast Food Executive You Better Eat a Burger on Video, Now!

It all started innocently enough. McDonald’s CEO and chairman, Chris Kempczinski, was in a promotional video discussing the latest offering from the chain. Called the, "Big Arch," he took tiny bites and otherwise didn't seem that into the burger. It was awkward and kind of funny, with McDonald's itself poking fun at the incident. Fast Food is a vicious business, however, and the other companies smelled blood in the water.

Yesterday, March 4th, Burger King's official TikTok posted a slightly older video of the CEO taking a massive bite out of the Whopper before grinning and remarking with a sauce-covered face all he needed now was napkin. Shots fired. Oh, and you know Wendy's had a plan too as its, "US president, Pete Suerken, shared a [new] video online of himself eating a burger from his fast food chain. But in his video, not only does he take a big bite, he apparently eats the entire burger. He then tops it off with a fry dipped into a milkshake." As of today, A&W is getting into the trend with their advertising character, "Allen, the A&W Guy," wearing an outfit suspiciously like Kempczinski's on Instagram and enjoying their signature Teen Burger before concluding with an invite for, "Chris," to join him for lunch sometime. It is admittedly hilarious, but how did this become a thing?

I suppose, considering the current state of our Nation and the World, sometimes you just need something fun to happen that you can discuss with people. While this is a bit embarrassing for McDonald's, even them getting clowned on keeps the company in people's minds while allowing other companies to get some attention too. It's relatively good-natured and low-stakes joking around, and that is a refreshing change of pace from our current reality. Hell, I've seen people remark how they'll try the Big Arch burger just to see why it got so much press, so mission accomplished for McDonald's? We all get to tell some jokes and watch as random executives from fast food chains eat some burgers, it's nice and chill!

I, myself, can't eat burgers that contain beef due to my allergy. I love a good Bison burger (cooked on a separate grill) or even a veggie burger with real bacon on it--although restaurants do get confused by such an order. Seeing all this talk about food from various companies gives me a hankering for them, so in the end, everyone wins, even McDonald's, as the butt of the joke. Welcome to the Burger Wars. Unlike other current ones, this is thankfully all just in good fun.

The Early Days of March Bring News and Links

The phrase often goes that March is, "In like a lion, out like a lamb," with that holding true in our region, at least, as the debut of March brought ample rain. While we sit inside trying to remain dry, how about examining some interesting news and links?

The, "Lanterns," show has a snazzy new trailer. It seems relatively low-key and contemplative compared to something like, "Peacemaker," but could be quite fun and will (hopefully) have plenty of cool Green Lantern powers shown off when the show launches this August.

A number of random comics have been quite hot in the market. Many are random indie publishers or technically-indie with Image.  Javier Perez explores this latest trend/bubble over at Comicsbeat.

Also at Comicsbeat is a discussion of how the founder of Dark Horse Comics, Mike Richardson, is out after 40 years there. It was officially acquired by Embracer in 2022, shifted around in 2024, but mostly left to its own devices by the megacompany. Not any longer, as--kind polite phrasing aside--he was basically fired. What does the future hold for Dark Horse? We'll see!

You might have heard that the United States entered a war with Iran because Donald Trump just kind of felt like it. He didn't desire to get approval from Congress, either. Little effort has been made to even retroactively complain or try to limit Trump's ability to make a mess because the idea of actual checks and balances in our Government has become a joke during his second term.

Back in the day, if children or teenagers wanted to learn about investing, they could pretend to do the stock market via different worksheets/games/etc. Now, it seems companies want kiddos to invest real money and put it in absurdities such as cryptocurrency. One big proponent of this? That man with the big weird smile and nothing behind it but a black hole (he seriously lacks any discernible personality), Mr. Beast. Yes, thanks to Jimmy Donaldson, your teen can lose a bunch of money via an upcoming app that will possibly be full of pump-and-dump schemes. Yah?

Last off, Corey Plante at Polygon has an interesting piece about how the continued rise of Pokémon and its cards essentially resulted in it occurring where, "Pikachu defeated Michael Jordan in the trading card grading boom." I remember when only 151 Pokémon existed. Now we've got over 1,000. I feel old.

Television Tuesday: "Storage Wars," Remains One of My Cozy Viewing Favorites

A show where people yell and shout at each other over who gets to buy an abandoned storage locker via fast-paced auctions doesn't sound relaxing, but it somehow is for me. I've always had a fondness for the program, "Storage Wars," through the cast's own struggles (from marital issues to tragic deaths) and various accusations of fakery (not a year goes by without claims certain units are staged in some fashion). Flaws and all, I just love, "Storage Wars." There is something fun about witnessing as a person buys a junky storage unit and discovers it has hidden treasures, and there is amusement in witnessing a promising locker be a bust! 

Sometimes seasons come out consistently, and there have been points where it goes so long between a season that people wonder if the show is canceled, but, "Storage Wars," keeps persisting. That's part of the charm too. Plus, after all these years, much of the cast seems to have a fun rapport, with many genuinely liking and caring about each other...and some who truly dislike or outright hate one another, too, so as to balance things out. It keeps things fun and everyone on their toes to have some sweet folks (Kenny and/or Brandi) and total jerks (Dave Hester loves being a villain). It is simply a fun way to kick-back, relax, and watch other folks get angry and then get all dirty as they search (sometimes in vain and sometimes with success) for goodies to sell. I'm excited that the latest season (the 17th) started on Saturday the 28th, and I look forward to more laughs, tears, and plenty of dust.

"Scary Movie 6," Has a Trailer and It Shows Potential

The first, "Scary Movie," has many elements that have not aged well, but overall, it was a hilarious flick. The second one was messy but had its charms. The third was spotty with some great bits. We don't need to discuss the trainwrecks that were the fourth and fifth entries. Now, only the first and second even had the Wayan's family involved; they and much of the original cast are back for the sixth movie. An official trailer just dropped, and I see some potential. Observe below:

The first joke is about gender pronouns and definitely groanworthy, but as the trailer keeps going, it starts to become apparent the goal isn't to pick on any specific demographic, the goal is to offend everybody at least once, and ensure that before they can get too upset about it, they start laughing when somebody else has a joke told at their expense. A comment is made about Republicans all being racist, and then right after, a joke is made about how a black person assumes all white people are racist anyway. A quip is made that seems a bit homophobic...before morphing into a joke about being out and proud. If the goal were merely to be crass toward any possible demographic without a punchline, it would seem lazy in a manner of, "We're being rude just to be rude." However, I honestly found myself chuckling a good deal watching the trailer and its mix of, "Oh no, they didn't! Oh wait, they did, and it kind of worked."

Obviously, the parodies are abundant. We see a riff on everything from the one, "Halloween," with an old Laurie Strode to, to "Terrifier 3," and, "The Substance." Hell, the quite recent "Sinners," is shown some love, and yes, I would argue the time being taken to spoof any of these movies is done in an affectionate manner. The latter, "Scary Movies," partly stunk because instead of making jokes about horror films, they would just go, "Hey, remember that movie? We mentioned it!" and that was the entire joke. Having something to actually say about movies and our culture at large in 2026, and saying while being hilarious, is an appealing proposition. That is, if the Wayans can stick the landing. Come June 12th, 2026, we will find out.

Why Aren't Shows About Missouri Filmed Here?

Another year, another show/movie/whatever that involves Missouri, but wasn't filmed here. Saint Louis is an interesting place, and the new program, "DTF Saint Louis," is getting rave reviews...but it was filmed in Georgia. Why is so little that involves Missouri actually filmed on location, though? As with most things, it comes down to money.

One of our local news stations had an article discussing how, "Georgia’s tax program, put into place nearly 20 years ago, has helped make the state one of the nation’s busiest filming spots." You see, Missouri has an 8 million dollar cap on its film tax credit program to offset expenses in the hope that the money that is spent by a production makes more than is credited. Georgia...has no cap. A one-off film or indie production can benefit from filming in Missouri, but a major show or movie is going to quickly find it a lot more appealing to film in Atlanta or any other Georgia location (Atlanta itself is starting to rival Hollywood, California, for being the go-to place for flicks or shows).

People might be saying, "Get rid of the tax cap, then, and perhaps more companies will come, and that'll make more money than would've even been lost!" Well, Georgia has a 20-year-or-so head start and, "Once a state builds a defined group of crew members, soundstages, production facilities, and networks like Georgia has, it becomes even harder for other states to catch up to them. Productions often choose locations not only for tax breaks, but also for predictable practices and planning." You see, Missouri let the cap expire in 2013...but brought it back in 2023. I imagine a big studio would be hesitant to put millions into a new big ol' location with such unpredictability, and that's okay! I mean, I support things that make lots of money paying taxes. Too often, the rich skate by and pay less than they should. The cap both makes sense and is a hassle for that reason. As it stands, things won't change too much in Missouri for making movies or shows, and while we may be the subject of many programs, they won't be made here, I guess. That isn't to say Saint Louis lacks creativity or art, by any means, we just aren't the next Hollywood or Atlanta. I mean, at least the incredible story of John O'Leary, "Soul on Fire," had parts filmed here. He's a fascinating person, and that's cool!

Happy Ninth Birthday, Clarkson!

Our first child, Clarkson, is nine years old! He was born today, all those years ago, and has grown into quite the smart, curious, and sweet boy. Plus, it is astonishing how tall he seems compared to a few years ago! Lately, he has really been into books, often requesting to have stories about Pete the Cat or the David character from the, "No David!" books read to him. He still is pretty picky about food, preferring a steady diet of McDonald's, pizza, noodles, waffles, bacon, apples, and bananas, but has expanded his palate a bit lately, being willing to try the occasional vegetable, some ice cream, or licking on a lollipop! 

I love it when Clarkson and his little brother, Gibson, are sweet with each other and cuddle or tickle one another--it is definitely a great deal more fun to witness than when they argue over a toy! I also am so happy when he wants to give his mommy or me hugs and kisses--he can be quite affectionate! Clarkson has continued growing in his use of his talker device, and after we noticed he seemed to understand letters, it was confirmed by his school that he can tell every letter apart in uppercase and lowercase, along with being able to read a good deal of words! I am so proud of everything Clarkson has accomplished and continues to learn and grow into. He is a wonderful boy, and I'm excited to celebrate his turning nine!