“Fandom Has Toxified the World”: WATCHMEN Author Alan Moore on Superheroes, Comicsgate and Trump
Hey, friends.
If you were wondering why this newsletter hasn’t mentioned the election results, it’s because I write these a long way in advance, so everything published up till now was submitted before the election. The introduction to this digest is the first piece I’ve written after the fact.
For you, it’s been over a week since November 5. I am writing this on November 6. You all have had a chance to at least begin the work of processing what happened, but for me, the wound is still fresh and agonizingly painful.
You all know this isn’t what I wanted, for me or for you or for anyone. Once I pull myself together, I’m sure I’ll be using this newsletter to fight back against whatever comes in the next four years. That fight may be a combination of suggesting ways to resist, keeping you all informed on what’s going on, or just providing some lighthearted escapism. I don’t know yet.
In the meantime, imagine me sending a virtual plate of cookies (or other favorite dessert), a warm blanket, and a giant stack of comics to your house. Let’s try to take solace in the medium we all love so well and that has so often done an excellent job of resisting and mocking tyrants in all their forms.
News from Marvel
- We have an official release date, at least for now, for Spider-Man 4. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Tom Holland’s next arachnid adventure will hit theaters on July 24, 2026.
- Alas, the same cannot be said of Blade: Marvel has snapped its mighty fingers and erased it from the release schedule after a lengthy and troubled preproduction.
- So what is there left to look forward to from Marvel? A lot! They released an all-in-one trailer for a bunch of shows that you can expect to see on Disney+ between now and December 2025, including Daredevil: Born Again, Wonder Man, Ironheart, and, at long last, Deadpool & Wolverine.
- Former Iron Man/future Doctor Doom Robert Downey Jr. expressed the wimpiest possible condemnation of Elon Musk during an October 21 podcast interview.
- If you’re one of the few people who still want to watch Joker 2: Folie à Deux, multiple streaming services have made it available!
News from the Wider Comics World
- Comicbook.com reports that artist Greg Hildebrandt passed away on October 31. He and his twin brother Tim worked on countless comics over the years, but they are best remembered for designing the most famous Star Wars poster ever.
- I’ve disagreed with Alan Moore’s perspective on superhero fandom in the past, but he makes some very good and important points in this piece for The Guardian.
- Mashel: Magic and Muscles has started airing on Toonami! Catch new episodes every Saturday.
- Emily the Strange is getting an animated film adaptation. This is not the first time an attempt at such a movie has been made, but hopefully, it will be the first successful one!
- Autumn in Japan apparently means Pokémon-themed donuts! If you’re in the area, be sure to chow down on these super-cute sweets for me.
