The Comic Shop is a new web series that delivers big laughs and dynamic characters in the world of comic book geeks. After a highly successful Kickstarter fundraising campaign, Cheyenne Ewulu’s series brings to life a workplace comedy that centers a Black female lead and a diverse group of supporting characters.
The first two episodes premiered earlier this week at a screening held in Beverly Hills, CA. With the pilot (“Free Comic Book Day”) now available on YouTube and new episodes dropping soon, we’ve been introduced to a hilarious and heartfelt world of geeks of color created by Cheyenne Ewulu.
The pilot introduces us to Stephanie Okeke (Ewulu), the determined and optimistic new owner of the struggling comic shop Oh Em Gee Comics in Los Angeles, CA. Her shop is hosting a comic book signing event on Free Comic Book Day, and hilarity ensues as each employee attempts to salvage a lackluster line of attendees and the tardiness of a popular comic book author.
As someone who grew up in the suburbs of New York, I found it incredibly refreshing to see these characters come to life, particularly the role of Stephanie. Hollywood does not often afford Black women the opportunity to star in their own shows, let alone be portrayed in a way that is anti-stereotypical. While this world is one I easily relate to, it is an aspect of mainstream media that is often ignored.
The supporting cast of store employees include: Keith (Zeno Robinson), Stephanie’s long-time friend and shop co-owner, Dominique (Shanae Cole), whose bubbly personality always finds the bright side, and Connor (Grayson Niles) who works the register and sometimes Stephanie’s nerves. They each offer up hilarious moments, truly bringing the shop to life with their antics. Again, while the diversity of the cast is visually evident, the ease with which these characters interact with each other provides for a wonderful watch as you become invested in their respective dilemmas.
The writing serves up not only comedic moments, but also fun nods and callbacks to popular quotes from comics like X-Men. Speaking of comics, the show also treats the audience to numerous visual comic book Easter eggs filling the shop’s shelves, such as Okemus by TJ Sterling.
Earlier this summer, Marvel Studios’ Ironheart gave us a glimpse into an experience many of us can relate to, as geek-identifying people of color. Being a nerd of color is an interesting dichotomy — it can often feel as though we exist as the outcasts amongst the othered.
I am hopeful that with a series like The Comic Shop, not only do we see more acceptance come to fruition, but perhaps Hollywood can smooth the entry into creating more relatable content for diverse people of various backgrounds. With the boom of streaming and the increasing preference for watching content online, all signs point to this becoming inevitable, whether Hollywood is ready or not.
Episode 2 will explore Stephanie’s family dynamics and how they’ve shaped her view on life and business. Without giving too much away, I enjoyed how Episode 2 provides more insight into why Stephanie is the way she is, while also giving each supporting character more humorous situations that bring their motivations to the forefront.
You can watch the pilot episode now on YouTube, with the remaining five episodes releasing in the coming weeks.
