Minority Mindset

Marvel pioneered the idea of connected superhero stories, but things are changing. Recent Marvel shows haven’t been consistently good, and the focus on making a lot of content has created opportunities for other companies. Prime Video has stepped up with high-quality superhero shows like The Boys, which is now the most popular superhero show worldwide, even beating the streaming numbers of Daredevil (according to FlixPatrol). While Marvel typically leads in streaming viewership, Prime Video is attracting the same fans and succeeding. They’re offering a series with the action and emotional depth to compete with the biggest names in superhero entertainment.

In Venom #256, written by Al Ewing and illustrated by Carlos Gomez, the ‘Death Spiral’ storyline continues. The issue teams up Spider-Man, Venom, and Carnage in a surprising partnership to stop a dangerous killer named Torment. Things are extra complicated because Mary Jane Watson is currently the host for Venom, while Eddie Brock is bonded with Carnage – and none of them are thrilled about the arrangement!

In the season 3 finale of Shrinking, Jimmy (Jason Segel) finally unravels. Throughout the season, he’s been dealing with a lot – Alice (Lukita Maxwell) getting ready for college, difficult interactions with his father, Paul’s (Harrison Ford) retirement, and the challenges of finding love. He’d been holding it together, but in episode 10, everything comes crashing down at once. Because he hasn’t addressed his underlying issues, his response is far from what he intended.

I was chatting with Bob Odenkirk at SXSW, and the Better Call Saul star let slip he’s definitely open to joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe. We talked about those rumors linking him to the Wonder Man project – turns out they weren’t true. But he was quick to add he’s a huge fan of what Marvel’s doing, praising their dedication and work ethic. He made it clear he’d happily jump on board if they asked him – and honestly, who wouldn’t?