I haven't said much about it, but I got back in the gym this summer. Since early June, I've prioritized exercising 3-5 times every week. It was easy enough during the summer months, but I had to kick it up a notch when school started up again in August. Each weekday morning, I stop at the gym on the way home from my daughter's school, queue one of my favorite podcasts (right now I'm binging The Short Box: A Comic Book Talk Show archives), and lift weights for about 30 minutes. It's been a challenge, but it's paying off. I've lost about 15 pounds and a couple of pants sizes in 4 months (thank God for drawstrings), and I've noticed a big difference in the quality of my sleep.

Now, I'm working to bring that same consistency to other life areas -- namely YouTube. I've been putting in some real work behind the scenes. Building relationships with publishers, sending cold pitches and reading more comics than ever. As we head into the 4th quarter of the year, my hope is that like me in the mirror, you'll start to slowly notice a difference when you look at the channel.

The End of an Era

This week, my LCS Fight or Flight Comics (previously Ultimate Comics Raleigh) leaves its Capital Boulevard location for good. It's bittersweet. That strip mall is where I experienced my first Free Comic Book Day (video below), where I've spent hundreds of hours browsing shelves, and where I first saw the real world impact of all my work on the internet. People coming into a store just because I said it was cool? Seems sketchy to me, but I'll take it lol.

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It's not all bitter though. When I came in for the final New Comic Book Wednesday at the shop, I couldn't help but smile at seeing my friends Dan and Casey being behind the counter as the shop opened, for the first time in what felt like forever. It made me even more excited to watch them build their next chapter. From the ashes, a new beginning. Or whatever Tom Brevoort said. Triangle Town Center, here we come!

Let's Review Some Comics

​Ultimate Spider-Man Vol. 1: Married with Children came out 2 weeks ago from Marvel Comics, and I had a blast re-reading those issues. I'm not one of those disgruntled fans who just wanted to see Spider-Man and Mary Jane get remarried and live happily ever after. But I do think Peter Parker needs to channel some different energy to match the excitement I have reading Miles Morales. This book from Jonathan Hickman & Marco Checchetto delivers on that in spades. If 616 Miles is the youthful energy you'd normally attribute to Spider-Man, Ultimate Peter Parker carries the emotional weight and gravitas you'd expect from a father of two, and doesn't skip out on the action either. Highly Recommended.

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Jeph Loeb's The Last Halloween #1 debuted today, and it's really good. I wasn't sure if I'd be interested in a Long Halloween follow up without Tim Sale, but Eduardo Risso's art is killer, and Dave Stewart's muted color palette really captured the magic from Gregory Wright that helped made the original series so iconic. Loeb does a great job opening a compelling mystery that should be fun to follow, and this issue had a tons of back matter in tribute to Tim Sale. The real test will be seeing how each artist approaches their individual issue, and if their art styles will shift the tone enough to be a distraction. Recommend for now.

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​Dick Tracy #5 wraps up the first story arc for Mad Cave Studios' latest licensed comic. Alex Segura and Michael Moreci crafted a high stakes, high-octane mystery featuring the man in the yellow coat, and Geraldo Borges' beautiful Noir art brought it home really well. This will be a great book to read on a Saturday morning, so be sure to grab the trade paperback when it comes out in December.

There are more great comics than ever before coming out right now, and I'm neck deep in them. I've still got some DC to catch up on before the All-In Special drops next week, so I'm going to sign off for now.

Read Something Dope Today,

BJ KICKS