Not everyone should write comics
Comic Reviews - Week Ending 03/20/2022
Good morning, my friend,
Before we get into this week’s topic, I want to share a bit of good news.
This newsletter has reached a milestone. We’ve acquired our 100th Subscriber.
Compared to other review sites, that’s quite an achievement in a short time, and we couldn’t have done it without you. No, seriously. You’re a subscriber, so that’s how this works.
Thank you! Now, on to the topic at hand.
The subject line is a bit of a red herring (my apologies). The actual statement should read something like this:
“Not everyone is suited to write every kind of comic”
That’s right. Comics, just like any creative medium, have their categories of genres, sub-genres, and perspectives. At the highest level, you have horror, sci-fi, romance, slice-of-life, and more types of comics. Just in the superhero category alone, you can filter down to team books, solo titles, street-level characters, supernatural characters, and on and on and on.
To be clear, this is not a gatekeeping observation. It’s an acknowledgment that creators, all creators without exception, have strengths and weaknesses. Some creators are very good at writing street-level heroes ala Daredevil. Other creators struggle with writing mythic/supernatural characters like Wonder Woman.
I won’t name names here as the intention is to keep this newsletter as evergreen as possible (my DM’s are open if you want to chat privately 😉 ), but I want to offer a word of encouragement as a creator and a reviewer.
First, take a hard look in the mirror and take stock of your strengths and your weaknesses. This goes for everyone in all areas of life, not just comics.
Then, accept that your strengths are strengths for a reason. Something inside of you - call it God or Fate or Genetics or whatever works for you — was born to be the best at something. Acknowledging your strengths is the key to your future success.
Next, work on your weaknesses as you can but always prioritize your strengths. If your best work comes from science fiction comics, do as much of those as you can, and only take slice-of-life comics to stretch your creative muscles sparingly. Yes, sometimes that means passing up work, but it’s better to pass up a gig you know won’t be your best than put out mediocre work for a quick buck. There’s far too much of that going on already in the Big 2.
Last, never stop. If you’re good at something, keep going until you’re the best, and then, still keep going. Again, I’m talking to comics folk but this applies to anyone in every industry. Success will come if you’re willing to play to your strengths and never quit.
If you want to talk about anything on your mind on this topic or any other, post a comment a the bottom of this Substack post or drop me a line directly.
email: gabe@comicalopinions.com
All the socials: @MrGabeHernandez
Now, let’s get on with some of the best comics reviews.
BLADE RUNNER ORIGINS #10 – Review
JENNIFER BLOOD (VOL. 2) #6 – Review
NYX #5 – Review
THE INVINCIBLE RED SONJA #8 – Review
SHADOWMAN #7 – Review
PLAYTHINGS #1 – Review
RAD WRAITH #1 – Review
IMPOSSIBLE JONES #4 – Review
CARRIERS #3 – Review
DOWNLOAD #3 – Review
FICTIONAUTS #2 – Review
TIGHTS #1 – Review
HOME FREE #1 – Review
THE BREAKER OMNIBUS (VOL. 1) – Review
Speed Republic #2 (Mad Cave Studios)
Wolvenheart #12 (Mad Cave Studios)
Cover of Darkness #3 (Source Point Press)
Yuki vs Panda #8 (Source Point Press)
Breaker Omnibus (Vol. 2) (Ablaze Publishing)
Rise of the Djinn #3 (Zenescope Entertainment)
Beyond the Beyond #1 (Scout Comics)
Pentagram of Horror #1 (Scout Comics)
A King's Vengeance #2 (Scout Comics)
Barbarella (Vol. 2) #8 (Dynamite Comics)
Red Sonja #7 (Dynamite Comics)
Armorclads #1 (Valiant Entertainment)
That’s the shortlist. We’ll add more as time and resources allow.
Again, thanks for your support. Please share (the handy dandy ‘Share’ button is down below) this newsletter with everyone you can. Your support ensures we can keep bringing you great content for a very long time.
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Have a great day!