Marvel's Midnight Universe--Early Impressions

It has been almost a week since the three initial comics set in Marvel's new Midnight Universe were released. I've had time to read them, mull over what I think, and shall now share some insights. In the order I happened to read them, we shall begin:

Midnight Fantastic Four #1

This was a treat, but I already expected this book to be pretty snazzy. Benjamin Percy is a fantastic writer and Kev Walker is a stellar artist. The characters have a slightly recognizable foundation too, but are incredibly different to a degree I appreciate. Reed Richards is a genuis, but he's addicted to assorted pills and extremely foohardy. Sue Storm is focused and driven, but also an eccentric billionaire with dangerous aspirations to reshape our very Universe through tech she hasn't considered the dangers of (she gives off shades of Elon Musk, honestly, and that's not a compliment). Johnny Storm seems like he once was a peppy jokester, but a recent tragedy has him quite dour. Ben Grimm is a bodyguard for Sue and simply seems like a sociopath, only keeping his worst tendencies in check so he keeps getting paid. There are tons of allusions to Lovecraft-style monstrosities, and hints of a Cthulhu-type nightmare that could be this Universe's Galactus. This debut issue hooked me and had me excited for the next.

Midnight X-Men #1

Jonathan Hickman brings us a comic focused on a bunch of complex and shifting alliances. This is a World that has dealt with vampires for some time but keeps them secret. Also, mutants seem to be known of, but the fact that many have turned into vampires is on the hush-hush. Non-vampiric mutants have an extremely uneasy truce with the bloodsuckers, but mutant vampires are at war with the regular creatures of the night. Plus, the Catholic church is okay with normal mutants but plans to go hard on killing the vampiric ones. There is a lot going on within this first issue, which isn't surprising. I mean, Hickman loves to craft massively complex plots full of metaphorical moving plots (in some of his works, he literally supplies infographics to help readers make sense of everything). My curiosity is quite piqued, and I genuinely hope Hickman is able to tell the full story he wants; by all accounts that did not happen with his plan for the Krakoan era. Regardless what happens story-wise, Matteo Della Fonte does a damn fine job illustrating this book. The vampires (human or mutant) are imposing and terrifying in their appearance, with even quiet moments that have anyone vampiric carrying a massive sense of unease. As long as all the aforementioned metaphorical moving parts can stay balanced, this could become quite an epic tale.

Midnight Spider-Man #1

Credit where credit is due, this title is by far the most disturbing of the trio, with a degree of body horror that goes harder than I ever would have guessed Marvel could dare in this day and age with the House of Mouse as their owner. The illustrations in this comic remind me of some of the more gore-heavy, "Marvel MAX," titles from years ago in just how much viscera there is.  Unfortunately, besides how gruesome the comic gets, the plot feels a bit stagnant. It's another Spider-Man origin story with Peter Parker. There's various tweaks, but nothing too wild. Peter seems a bit more cynical and angry in this take. Felicia Hardy works for Oscorp, as does Hank Pym. Uncle Ben appears to die pretty quickly, and as far as I noticed, there is no Aunt May...so that's kind of different? I dunno, ya'll, it just feels like underneath all the ghastly blood and guts there isn't much substance, just an extra-bitter (understandably, at least) Spider-Man whose adventures will be accompanied by tons of lurid imagery. It's surprising as Phillip Kennedy-Johnson has written some great comics. I offer my accolades to the artist, Scie Tronc, for crafting such disturbing imagery, however.

Final Thoughts

I am eager to read the second issues of the, "Midnight," iterations of the Fantastic Four and the X-Men. The former sets out to do something different enough that I was quite enticed and I see a ton of potential for these vampiric X-Men, even if every decade or so we seem to get mutants-and-bloodsuckers as a plot point. "Midnight Spider-Man," was a big swing-and-a-miss for me, however. It just felt like Marvel simply garnished another familiar Spidey origin with a bunch of gross-out visuals and called it a day. Even with one misfire, I see a lot of potential with this new Universe. Hopefully, Marvel gives it a chance to breathe and grow. In conclusion...

Midnight Fantastic Four #1: 5 out of 5 Stars.

Midnight X-Men #1: 4 out of 5 Stars.

Midnight Spider-Man #1: 2 out of 5 Stars.

The Three Most Interesting Things From NYCC 2026 (In My Opinion)

I followed the news as it trickled out from this year's New York Comic-Con. Three things stuck out to me the most. Let's discuss...

1. In terms of comics, DC looks like it keeps firing on all cylinders; Marvel appears to be struggling.

Marvel generally is doing fine in the comic-book sales market. However, it doesn't feel that way. With the insane success of its Absolute line, a vibe that DC is letting creators be creative with cool mini-series/one-shots, and there is an air of excitement with the publisher. Then, Marvel talked more about how it incorporated Miracleman into its main continuity, will be doing that Star Wars crossover that is getting lots of trepidation from fans, and has an anniversary issue planned for, "Daredevil," hitting 700-ish issues when you add them all up. There is an appearance that Marvel's comic division is aimless beyond going, "Let's reboot the Avengers comic again," and even if Chip Zdarsky is a great writer and will be doing that, Chip can only carry so much of the weight of Marvel on his shoulders. Would the upcoming, "Avengers: Doomsday," flick help fix some of the image problem the film division has and assist the comics a bit because a rising tide lifts all boats? Perhaps, but even if the MCU is, "Saved," this December by the latest Marvel movie, the comics might benefit from some kind of shot in the arm of creativity/energy/etc. At least Jed Mackay's work on, "Moon Knight," remains fantastic (as long as it doesn't get canceled). Perhaps if the, "Midnight Universe," does well, there's some hope to fix the optics?

2. "Something is Killing the Children," escapes development Hell.

"Something is Killing the Children," became a massive breakout hit over at BOOM! Studios. It got optioned, but seemed to be stuck in some kind of limbo. Was it going to be a Netflix show? A streaming movie? Go to theaters? Animated? Well, at NYCC the plan was finally made clear. Blumhouse is producing a theatrical (live-action) movie with Craig Zobel set to direct. SIKTC is probably one of the biggest non-Marvel or DC properties within comics in some time, so I am curious if its movie can cut through the, "Noise," of many other comic-book adaptations and strike a nerve that few comic-book flicks outside DC or Marvel have managed--there have been some, of course (Ron Pearlman's Hellboy remains beloved).

3. Grant Morrison is writing a, "James Bond," comic for IDW.

One of my favorite comic creators of all time, Grant Morrison, is no stranger to tackling epically popular franchises with their own unique take. "New X-Men," remains my favorite run on the team ever and, "All-Star Superman," ranks high on many, "Best Superman Stories," lists. Now, we'll be getting their version of, "James Bond," via publisher IDW. I've seen some great Bond stories in various forms, and some pretty messy takes too. I'm excited for Morrison to be at the writing helm of a Bond story, however. The Bond franchise can be grim or gritty as well as quite outlandish and wacky. Morrison is already promising we'll get something quite strange, and I'm totally here for it.

Clarkson and I Had Fun at the October 2026 Spector Club Show!

The Spector Club Show was held today, with a sizeable and excited crowd! I was there bright and early, with Clarkson accompanying me. He's been quite enjoying going with me to comic shows lately! We spent a good chunk of time there, chatting with a bunch of awesome folks, browsing comics, and having fun. It was held at 4690 Lansdowne, here in Saint Louis. A lot of great folks I always enjoy seeing at comic conventions were there, and the main topics of discussion were the various announcements from NYCC, everyone's thoughts on Marvel's new Midnight Universe titles, and who had any, "Absolute Batman," for sale!

Clarkson and I kicked off the show by greeting Dave Schmidt of All American Collectibles and Spike Forester from Lost in Space Toys and Collectibles. They always work hard to put on such a stellar show! Following that, we browsed John Chaffee's (of Bigfoot's Comics) snazzy stuff. I caught up with David of Callisto Comics, and browsed some exciting comics Jeff from Magnitude 10 Comics had brought. He had an assortment of intriguing Golden Age comics someone had traded with him. It was wild to think that as the years keep going by, some vintage superhero comics will soon be a century old! Bruce Reynolds had a mix of old and new goodies as well, then one vendor who I didn't have the chance to get the name of cut me an awesome deal on some, "Dungeons and Dragons," comics that looked fun. Observe:

As Clarkson and I noodled around, I saw my friend, comic creator Lorenzo Lizana. We gabbed about how life had been, and I inspected some fun wares Geoff had on offer too. Some of the Tatertot crew was there too; I let them know how I was excited for their show on the 17th! Before we left in the late morning, I was able to greet Thomas Milister, and then we navigated through the bustling show floor to head home. It was a fantastic Spector Show, and I eagerly anticipate the next one on November 22nd!

I'm Having Great Fun With the "Final Fantasy VII Remake," Game

I loved the original, "Final Fantasy VII," when I played it decades ago on the first PlayStation console. When I heard they were remaking it as three(!) separate games, that sounded intriguing but also a bit like overkill. That said, when I did play the OG game, some of my favorite memories were the opening within the city of Midgar and much of the latter half of the game when a bunch of climactic story beats occur. I had heard that the first, "Remake," spent the entirety within Midgar and decided I'd try it out sometime. Well, I finally rented the, 'Intergrade," edition, as it is called for the Switch 2 (it adds some more bonus elements), and I love it! Seeing the city of Midgar as I pictured it in my mind is a hoot. The original game was blocky polygons, a handful of NPCs tooling around, and some cool dystopian vibes, but this feels like a place. Midgar seems alive, full of characters, and just looking beautiful. I know the story, but so much more is being added and tweaked in all kinds of interesting ways. It is great! Plus, the combat is a clever mix of real-time action and pausing for strategizing. The whole thing is a good time.

One thing I must confess is that in the original, "Final Fantasy VII," I found the adventure after I left Midgar a bit of a drag up until--spoilers for an ancient game--Aeris/Aerith dies at the end of Disc 1 (yes, kids, these games used to come on a bunch of discs). However, following that, the game kicks into overdrive and is just fantastic. Still, knowing that made me a bit nervous how, "Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth," is the next step in the remake that covers all of the story up to Aeris/Aerith getting killed by Sephiroth. According to folks I asked on social media, a lot is expanded upon and quite fun, so even once I finish, "Remake," I'll be ready for, "Rebirth." Then, the upcoming third and final game in the remake trilogy, "Final Fantasy VII: Revelation," is due in 2027. If I'm lucky, I might have enough free moments between everything else in life to finish playing, "Remake," and then rent, "Rebrith," so that I'll be prepped for, "Revelation."

People Are Paying Absurd Prices for an Advance Copy of, "Midnight Spider-Man," #2

New York Comic-Con is in full swing. Various comics, movies, and shows have been announced. When it is done, I'll probably highlight the news I (personally) find most interesting. One thing that often happens at these major conventions is exclusive comics, variants, and so forth. A unique or rare variant can go for big bucks on the aftermarket. That said, one thing has me befuddled for getting, "Hot." At Marvel's Midnight Universe Panel--held to discuss the new alternate continuity that just started--attendees were given a polybagged advance copy of, "Midnight Spider-Man," #2. Besides being in a little polybag, it appears to be the regular #2 issue that will hit stands in a month or so. People are paying 80-ish bucks for something that will have plenty of copies available in 30 or fewer days. It isn't a rare variant, key issue, or anything...just an advanced copy. Huh?

Is the FOMO so bad that people will pay $80 for something that--quite soon--will be everywhere for $5? No special cover, unique content, or anything...just a month early. This reminds me of when a video-game has pricier editions that allow you to play games a week early or so for extra money without any bonus goodies included (not to be confused with in-development, "Early Access," games). Why would I pay extra for a brief window to enjoy something I'll be able to enjoy for an unlimited amount of time a smidgen later? There are countless other comics/games/movies/shows I could enjoy for the extra week or month. I just ask...why is anyone that desperate for the second issue of a new random Spider-Man comic? Bragging rights that will be meaningless in a month? Timed exclusivity has never been a big deal to me. If I read the first issue of, "Midnight Spider-Man," and absolutely adore it, I have zero problem waiting a bit for the second issue. Should someone be chomping at the bit for issue #2 and find themselves unable to wait much longer, however, I guess they have options.

On Lane Johnson and How People Say They Support Others Prioritizing Mental Health, Yet Don't Mean It

There are certain things many people like to pay lip service to but don’t actually believe. “I care about the environment,” they'll declare until they have to put even the most minimal effort into separating recycling versus garbage. “I believe in barely any screen time for my kids,” until they need just 10 minutes of quiet to drink some coffee and the kiddos won’t stop brawling with each other whilst the television sits ready to cue up a show. “I think mental health is important,” until someone actually prioritizes their own mental health and it inconveniences another in some manner. Mental health and focusing on our own psychological well-being is somehow controversial. It, sadly, often is not okay to say, "I'm not okay."

Lane Johnson has spent over a decade playing Football as an offensive lineman, spending his entire career with the Philadelphia Eagles. He never hesitated to throw himself right at a 300-ish-pound man on the field, but for years he was terrified to share with friends or family his diagnosis of anxiety and depression. He has won Super Bowls and found himself regarded as one of the best offensive linebackers in the NFL. He still struggled with mental health and has been public in the past about raising awareness. He has announced that he is immediately retiring from the sport for his mental health. He feels he needs to be done and is taking care of himself so he can continue to be there for his family; that's his choice. That said, a number of fans and sports commentators are beside themselves at this. “The Eagles need him!” some shout. “He can't quit now!” others may declare. Stephen A. Smith offered a take that was so especially vicious that he later apologized and attempted to clarify his wording.

This morning on, “The Breakfast Club,” radio show, host Charlamagne tha God offered a fantastic breakdown of why men are often so hesitant to declare, “Hey, even if I seem to be functional, I really don’t feel right.” I would encourage everyone to listen to that segment, which I have posted above. World Mental Health Day is this Saturday, which makes it all the more fitting that Lane Johnson’s openness about his mental health is a topic of discussion. I support him doing what he needs to be his best self. Oh, and yes, we can still talk about how this could impact the Philadelphia Eagles season and so forth. That said, let's not do so in a manner where Johnson is somehow solely at fault for anything that now could go wrong. Plenty of players find themselves out of the game for physical injuries or retire due to a number of factors during a season. Just because we can’t visually see what Johnson is possibly going through does not diminish the validity of any choices he makes for his own health—body and/or mind. 

Lane Johnson did what he thought was best for himself. We (generally) know ourselves better than anyone else, so second-guessing his own health choices comes across as tone deaf at best and maliciously ignorant at worst. Let’s all just try to support each other in times of need. Be there for each other physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and so forth. It’s a goal that sounds reasonable but is clearly so hard to put into practice.

Presenting My Articles on, "The Filth," and Avatar Press/Boundless for, "Undie Comix," #3 & #4

A bit ago I shared how I had an article published in the third issue of, "Undie Comix." I encouraged folks to go buy a copy of that issue and back their Patreon. Then I was in the fourth issue as well. All copies of the third and fourth issues are sold out nowadays, so I'll post those pieces on my blog with some minimal tweaks to fit better online. Oh, and if I could hint that I might just have a post in the upcoming fifth issue, keep that in mind too! Now then...

Examining What, “The Filth,” Says About Identity and Personality

If you have not read, “The Filth,” I would encourage you to do so. Written by Grant Morrison with stellar art by Chris Weston, it is a mindtrip of a comic about a lot of stuff, but one main plot point is a secretive agency known as, “The Hand,” that maintains, “Status Quorum,” through acquiring (by convincing them to join) or eliminating people who pose a threat to the stability of society in one way or another. These people include everyone from a scientist who created a miniature, “Bonsai,” Earth with robotic creatures to a dangerous and hyper-fertile porn star with amnesia. As I said, it is a wild read, but the biggest element that has stuck with me in all the years since I first read, “The Filth,” and have kept re-reading it would be how it tackles the idea of our own identity and personality—the main things that make us, us.

In, “The Filth,” a big part of the story is how you can be injected with a new personality. This results in one character (Spartacus Hughes) who seems to be killed by The Hand constantly appearing to come back as different people but wearing the same clothes, same aftershave, and sporting the same snarky personality. When asked at one point what it takes to be Spartacus Hughes, he responds with a double entendre, “A little prick.” It is both interesting and terrifying to think that with said change, we can become a whole different person. We could vacation in a different mindset, going from liberal to conservative, hating cats to loving them, feeling comfortable in our skin to suffering severe body dysphoria, the list goes on.

Grant Morrison themselves came out as non-binary some years ago, making the idea of identity—and gender identity in particular—being something they would have previously had and continue to have interest in discussing. Within, “The Filth,” however, it isn’t just one’s gender identity that can change, it is their whole sense of self. Perhaps the ability to temporarily take on the mindset of someone else could do many of us a bit of good—literally walking in someone else’s shoes. The idea of being, “Stuck,” as someone else permanently is a scary proposition, however, and something many people feel, be it via their gender identity, a different form of body dysphoria (anorexia, bulimia, extensive plastic surgery), and so forth. I, personally, generally like who I am and would hesitate to feel like I’ve become someone else for too extended a period of time. Others, however, might jump at such a chance to be someone else, even if it means a little prick—pun intended.

Avatar Press, Boundless Comics, and Sneaking the Underground into the Mainstream

As you’re already reading this issue of, “Undie Comix,” I’ll assume you’re familiar with the concept of those old, “Underground Comix,” from decades ago that pushed boundaries and were quite edgy. That era kind of gave way to the rise of independent publishers who could release relatively mature or outright, “Adult,” comics via big distributors as the Comic Code Authority faded away into obscurity and was eventually outright dissolved. If we’re being honest, however, a lot of indie comic books in the 1990s, and early-to-mid 2000s/2010s lacked the willingness to, “Go there,” that many underground comix did—concepts of, “Good taste,” be damned. There was one company that didn’t hesitate to push the envelope at that time, though. Avatar Press and later its imprint Boundless Comics.

Avatar Press was founded in 1996 by William A. Christensen. It initially put out decently action-packed and somewhat sexy, “Bad Girl,” comics that featured original characters like Pandora or licensed characters such as Brian Pulido’s Lady Death (that specific partnership ended with lawsuits some years ago, however). Eventually, the company started making their comics a bit raunchier, with some stories outright bordering-on-just-porn, which was fun, but unremarkable. After a handful of years, Avatar Press started becoming quite interesting, however.

A bunch of well-known creators were told they could make basically whatever they wanted at Avatar if they had a story idea, and this drew the attention of such big names as Garth Ennis, Warren Ellis (pre-controversy), Kieron Gillen, and even Alan Moore (yes, *the* Alan Moore). Now, Avatar Press was putting out comics about a superhero murdering the President of the United States (”Black Summer,”) or a world where the Antichrist lived among us but just wanted to chill-out and be best friends with the reincarnation of Jesus (”Chronicles of Wormwood”). Avatar Press had a surreal mix of putting out a comic one month featuring a, “Jungle Girl,” being penetrated in various holes by her fellow rainforest-dwellers, while the next month releasing Alan Moore’s take on HP Lovecraft’s Cthulhu mythos through a fourth-wall-breaking meta lens. This all, in a way, made Avatar Press a bit like DC’s famous Vertigo imprint, but for people who liked a hefty dash of sleaze with their literary comics. “Vertigo for Perverts,” if you will.

Into the mid-2010s, as Avatar started to get a bit more, “Respectable,” with all the big names and some other licensed comics (they put out a number of horror-related series linked to, “Friday the 13th” and, “A Nightmare on Elm Street), they didn’t stop doing the raunchy comics, but spun them off to a separate imprint known as, “Boundless.” You might wager that even with a separate imprint for the edgier stuff that Avatar/Boundless would try to tone things down a bit lest it impact the respectability of the main brand. You’d, thankfully, be wrong. Many of the Boundless-published comics took past Avatar Press properties and gave them a sexy modern sheen. We were presented with elaborations on old clever ideas that resulted in legitimately good stories, and which *also* contained insanely detailed illustrations of sex. I swear, this was some of the most explicit stuff you’d find in mainstream comics (close-up sketches of penetration were the order of the day), but it was also smart!

One series was titled, “Lookers,” and it focused on lady detectives where one was also an internet camgirl (an early iteration of what we now call OnlyFans, ask your Generation X/Millenial friends) and the other was the, “Muscle,” who hunted down, “Men’s Rights Activists,” that harassed or doxxed other women. They also have to help a female superhero known as Ember from having a sex tape leak. It sounds a little silly and a bit political, and it is. It’s also ingenious with the literal first lines of the series containing some complex media criticism remarking, “The Male gaze. As the saying goes, it's as old as the hills. And like the hills, it hasn’t been ground down so much as paved over. Civilization, democracy, freedom of choice…new forms, same sentiment. It’s 2016, and the male gaze is a webcam.” That’s insightful text worthy of a collegiate paper, and right beside it are illustrations of a woman flashing her perky breasts to an internet camera—Boundless basically having its cake and eating it too, but *damn,* it eats good.

Avatar Press and Boundless started putting out a lot less stuff in the late 2010s. There was a cool anthology of various fun comics spearheaded by Alan Moore (Avatar Press was maybe the one publisher he left comics on good terms with) called, “Cinema Purgatorio,” and a series by Kieron Gillen that reimagined World War II as being fought with superpowered Nazis and Americans was a hit (”Uber,) before that just sort of stopped being published. Oh, *then* we had COVID, and Avatar/Boundless quit doing much of anything. The companies still *exist,* and you can buy back issues of their comics on their websites or such, but there are zero rumblings of any future comics. Avatar Press actually owns the incredibly popular online comic-book tabloid, “Bleeding Cool,” so its legacy lives on there, I suppose. Still, I miss the old Avatar (and later, Boundless) that would put out a comic like, “Threshold,” where on one page you’d have Warren Ellis imagining a drug-induced crime-ridden city with a cop who can’t stop a ghostly murderer (”Dark Blue,”) and the next page you’d have a demon chick getting double penetrated in a fiery hellscape (a number of random, “Hellina,” comics contain such scenes, trust me). At least we have our memories and back issues.

Early October Links, News, and Pumpkin Spice

It's October! If you haven't put your Halloween decor out yet, do so! If you haven't sipped a beverage with a hint of pumpkin spice, grab one! Watch the leaves fall, enjoy the weather getting cooler (but not too cool), and get ready for some assorted news of interest as we get this month going right!

The abilities of AIs to mash up various gaming concepts have been getting lots of attention, thanks to advanced tech and wild processing power advancements as of late. "Let's put Spider-Man in a Batman game with AI coding," could be one example that produces results that are wonky and don't exactly make a, "Real," game with much of any creativity involved, but is an interesting tech demo. These new IP mash-ups also definitely make for a headache for gaming companies and show the power of this tech to do in minutes what could take humans fiddling with the stuff a lot longer. I continue to be quite wary of unregulated AI, but I see how it can help with certain things.

I previously discussed how James Gunn and Peter Safran's jobs appeared to be safe despite various mega-mergers that always result in layoffs. That will continue to be the case, with the two reporting directly to the owner of Paramount, Warner Brothers Discovery, and so forth--David Ellison. It is all now called, "Skydance."

Jim Zub is a great writer and will be teaming up with skilled artist Alberto J. Alburquerque to bring us the new original ongoing series, "Omen Bound." As a sword-and-sorcery type comic, that isn't a genre I'm huge on, but with Zub's involvement I am definitely curious!

Marvel's new, "Midnight," Universe launches tomorrow, with some stores doing a midnight release once the clock goes from 11:59 PM tonight to midnight on the seventh. The three debut books all hit the stands at once, featuring a monstrous Spider-Man, evil-science Fantastic Four, and vampiric X-Men. Early reactions look to be cautious optimism. I mean, Galactus as a form of Cthulhu sounds entertainingly odd.

That upcoming, "Eternally Yours," sitcom looks a bit like a lighter, network-friendly take on the cult hit, "What We Do in The Shadows," in how it follows long-lived vampires in the modern day. For some inexplicable reason, I think it looks kind of promising even though I wasn't a huge fan of the showrunners other recent big hit, the US adaptation of, "Ghosts." As long as it contains some chuckles, I'm down to check it out.

Finally, I have always appreciated unique/strange takes on Fletcher Hank's character Stardust the Super Wizard. The upcoming, "Citizen: Stardust," by Dave Baker and  Malachi Ward will be released by Oni Press and sounds suitably bizzare. It features a movie star, some creepy organization, some metafiction elements, and more. It won't hit stands until April 2027, but the upcoming New York City Comic Con will have panels revealing a bunch of details!

Marvel is Changing Their Digital Comic App, and Offering a Shorter Wait for New Releases

Marvel Unlimited has been the (legal) way to read older and new-ish Marvel comics online. However, come December it will be ending as come November 16th, the company known as Webtoon Entertainment is partnering with Marvel for the launch of the Marvel Comics App. Yes, it has a boring name, but within this news is something very interesting indeed. Marvel Unlimited had subscribers wait for comics to have been out for three months before they could be accessed on the site/app. The Marvel Comics App is different. As AIPT points out, "The service’s Ultimate tier will add new issues as soon as 30 days after their print release, considerably narrowing the gap between comic shops and Marvel’s subscription library." This could be good for readers, bad for shops, and a mixed bag for collectors.

Now, the Base Tier of this new app will cost $9.99 a month or $69.99 for the year, with the standard three-month waiting period to read Marvel's latest titles. If someone goes with the Utlimate Tier it is $12.49 a month or $99.99 annually. However, there is a, "Founding Member," promotion that makes the debut of an Ultimate annual plan just $59.99 (and your usual taxes, of course). Considering how a new comic from Marvel is anywhere from $3.99 (rarely) to $4.99 (usually) or even more (quite often with special issues) that ends up being an appealing deal for those who want to simply read comics and are okay with that being via a screen. Now, I like being able to physically hold my comics, magazines, books, and so forth. I also enjoy trading and sometimes selling comics; that is part of the hobby for me. Some folks might just want to occasionally check out a paperback collection from their library or subscribe to a service such as this, and that's fine! This shouldn't have too much of a drastic impact with regard to those who buy physical comics and the folks who prefer seeing them on a tablet/phone/whatever screen.

Everyone can (theoretically) be happy!

I do worry about this impacting stores negatively, but I think the crossover between those who would subscribe to this app and people who religiously go to the comic store for weekly releases is a small subsection. In other words, there most likely aren't that many people who will say, "I'm done with the comic shop; now I only gotta wait 30 days and I can read the hottest Marvel stuff!" The, "Physical," aspect of comics for those like to buy an object they can hold will remain an integral part of the process for many, and the people who just want to read some stories via their computer screen will have a shorter wait if they spend a bit more. It'll all be fine, right? Right?

The Death Penalty Remains an Example of an Objective Concept That is Always Used Subjectively

Christa Pike was set to be executed. Until she wasn't, but then it was ruled she could be one of the first women in many years to be legally killed in the state of Tennessee. Then, it went horribly awry, and two doses of a drug that were supposed to kill her failed. She is now on a ventilator and unconscious. In summary, an attempt to kill someone failed, so now she's being kept on life support. America, if we fail to kill you, we'll barely keep you alive! In all seriousness, however, this goes back to my post in 2022, "The Death Penalty is Arguably Useless as a Deterrent and Often Used Unfairly." If you recall that post or check it out now, I touch upon how the Death Penalty would work in a perfectly objective World, but we live in a subjective reality. It is supposed to be a deterrent, but it is often used in ways that are racially motivated, impacted by gender, and so forth. 

I would agree that certain people are not fit to walk this Earth. There are horrible excuses for human beings out there doing unspeakable things to others. When we have people with their own opinions, preconceptions, and such choosing who is sentenced to live or die, however, that just ain't gonna work out. A black man could kill a single white male or female and be sentenced to death. A white person could commit a mass shooting and end up with life in prison. If we let the government decide, "Oh, this person who did this exact same crime gets this sentence, but this person gets this one," you create a huge space for bias to impact the supposed idea of, "Justice is blind." Let's be real, ya'll, if that were true, the criminal justice system wouldn't look the way it does in regard to high incarceration (and execution) rates of people of color, men, and especially black men.

Christa Pike is a white woman; she is a bit of an outlier when it comes to people sentenced to death. That is one reason her case got so much attention, and then the state's failure to kill her resulted in even more of a media fiasco. You know a good way to avoid botched executions? Get rid of the death penalty! You know how to avoid putting potentially innocent people to death (which has happened, and even once is too much)? Get rid of the death penalty? Do you know how you can try to reduce the use of execution as a tool unfairly used on minority populations? Again, you get rid of it! People are prone to feelings and not using logic. If someone threatened or hurt my family, I would probably go to extreme lengths to protect them or feel some kind of revenge--and I know that is wrong, but we as humans operate on emotion. The legal system is supposed to be fair. It clearly is not, but at least if we abolish the death penalty, we can reduce one example of a concept that should be objective in how it is used, but only ever finds its application occurring due to subjective reasoning.