It's A Start... || September 2023
What you’re reading here is the first issue of a monthly newsletter. In part this is an opportunity to share some of the work I’ve done, and in part a way to make sure that I write regularly. Since social media seems to be splintering into fragments, this is also a way to have a central place to give myself a written voice.
So hello. I’m Chris. I create videos on YouTube and TikTok as Every Spider-Man Ever, mostly to keep track of my quest to read every Spider-Man comic, but also as a way to talk about comics, and Spider-Man, and what heroes mean in the modern world.
This newsletter will have some of the things I’ve been doing, some of the things I’ve been making, some of the things I’ve liked and want to shared, and a peek into what the future holds.
It’ll also be an opportunity to talk about topics in a written format, that have been on my mind in that month.
I look forward to you joining me on this journey.
So what have I been doing in September?
Cyberpunk 2077 DLC launch event
September saw a mysterious invite from a friend: do I want to go to the launch party for the Cyberpunk 2077 DLC? There was a time and a location but very little else.
I've played about an hour of the game — put off by how sprawling it is and how little time I have — but if someone invites you to a launch event, you go to the launch event.
It's why I found myself, on a Saturday night, under a bridge in London in a caberet club kitted out to look like the dystopian future.
The night consisted of free drinks and food (mini burgers and the like) as we watched a number of bands and DJs connected to the game in some way. The highlight was Let's Eat Grandma, who describe themselves as sludge pop and who convincingly played a recorder during one of their songs.
Oh, and Idris Elba was there and just exudes cool, even if he got the name of the game's city wrong.
The effort that people went to with cosplay, and the enthusiasm that people showed to the whole affair, is a real reminder that even art that people might claim to be a failure (Cyberpunk had a notoriously bad launch) will reach people out in the world, and make them feel something good.
Reading Every Spider-Man Ever
65 issues read in September. 1,477 issues read in total.
I am currently on a quest to read every comic containing Spider-Man or a Spider-Man related character. This month, that has sat me very firmly in 1989, with the exception of the modern comics I kept up with.
Todd McFarlane’s influence on Amazing Spider-Man is unmistakable. While I'm enjoying both Web and Spectacular, which are both being written by Gerry Conway and feature a semi-continuation of the gang war but with werewolves this time, the art from Amazing makes the two other series feel a thousand years old.
McFarlane is playing with panel layout and movement in a way I haven't seen yet in this grand read-through, and the man knows how to draw a cape! Even when the stories aren’t great, the art just makes them a joy to read.
Here are a few other highlights from the month of reading:
Wolverine #8-#15
I’m a fan of Peter David from his time writing Spider-Man, so it was a lovely surprise to see him take over from Claremont on Wolverine’s second volume. I have also, historically, never cared for Wolverine as a character; I’ve always felt that he was too indestructible and too much of an outcast to really be the type of X-Men I wanted to see.
But this series, with both David and Claremont before him, has completely sold me on the character. We get to see the cast of characters that trust him, and how much he cares about the outcasts. The series has also found a good role for Jessica Drew (the reason I’m even reading these), something that her own series failed to do.
Amazing Spider-Man #33-#34
I’ve been loving Zeb Wells’ run from the beginning, and this current arc feels like it’s found the perfect writer/artist combination for the material. Ultimately, I’d love to see a longer story about what happens when Spider-Man turns to the dark side, but what we have so far is a beautiful remix of Kraven’s Last Hunt (that I fortunately read only a month ago!) and a cathartic moment of Peter acknowledging the pain he has gone through, but also having the worst reaction to that.
I can’t wait to see how this story ends, and hope that it subverts the obvious expectation.
What If…? #4
What if the Symbiote bonded to Peter? ultimately goes the way of most What If stories, in that it goes way to big with the consequences and don’t focus enough on the smaller stories within the concept. But this issue has a moment where Peter, prematurely aged due to the symbiote stealing his lifeforce, goes to see Aunt May to say one final goodbye, but can’t without revealing who he truly is.
It’s a calm and tragic moment in a comic that has a symbiote Hulk, and made it absolutely worth the read.
Does Nick Lowe follow my YouTube channel?
In a bid to do different types of videos for Every Spider-Man Ever, I reached out to the Spider-Office to get put on any kind of PR list they may have.
The response to my email was so much quicker than expected, from the publicity office after Nick Lowe forwarded the email to them.
But it also came with a mysterious subscriber, who watched no videos before subscribing.
Was this mystery person Nick Lowe, current editor of the Spider-Man titles at Marvel? No-one can possibly know. But there is now a non-zero chance.
Planning the Master Planner
My videos have finally reached the peak of Ditko’s time on the character: The Master Planner Saga. And they presented a challenge. My videos are supposed to be very brief recaps of the plot. But the final issue of this saga could easily be described as “Spider-Man is trapped under some rubble. He gets out”. But that would lose the struggle, and the moments that made the issue great.
So I slowed down with these issues, taking the time to act out the story as I was going. And I’m really proud of the results.
Other Points of Interest
Here are some other other cool things from around the internet that I found this month.
Polyfury, a game made by a friend, has finally been released. If you like simple bullet hell games, and arcade-style gameplay, it’s definitely one to play. Oh, and I helped to edit the trailer!
mattt is quickly showing himself to be one of the best names in comic book YouTube channels, despite only being around for less than 6 months. And his Robert Kirkman video continues his trend of being excellent.
Alex Lennen has done an Entire History of Spider-Man before, something I haven’t watched because spoilers. But if it’s anything like his Entire History of Batman, that he released this month, then it will absolutely be worth the time.
Corridor Crew take a look at the CGI in The Flash, with a very forgiving and understanding mindset.
College Humor celebrates 5 years of Dropout, and announces Big News that involves a name change and lays out their philosophy. It’s lovely to see internet comedy find a sustainable model to thrive in this modern era.
Joe Quesada’s Substack has some wonderful stories about life is comic books, but his recent issue really hit home. He talks about his advice for anybody who wants to make it in a creative field: you have to do it everyday.
Boldly Into The Future…!
So what does October look like, and what can we expect in the next newsletter?
I'm starting a new job, for the first time in eight years. It'll be interesting to see how this fits into my life. Will I have more time to do creative things, since the commute is longer and more frequent? Or will I spend all that time adjusting to new people and a new role? At the very least, it'll be enjoyable to push myself out of my long-term comfort zone.
Speaking of getting out of my comfort zone, I'm going to be interviewing a current Marvel writer for my channel. In a bid to expand the types of videos I make, I reached out to Erica Schultz to see if she would be interested. We'd talked at a recent comic con, and engaged with each other on social media, and I love her writing. And she said yes, much to my surprise. So at the end of October I'll be interviewing her about writing in the Spider-World, her new Hallows' Eve Halloween special, and her Daredevil tie-in to Gang War.
On the other side of the interview, I'll be appearing on JTC Conversations at some point in October to talk about Spider-Man, comics and being a creator on YouTube and TikTok. Jibreel is a chill and knowledgeable host, and from watching past episodes it should be an enjoyable and engaging chat. His weekly podcast is also essential for me keeping up with what is being released across DC and the X-Men line, where I read very little.
And that's it until next month. I hope October brings you joy and adventure.
You're all amazing!