Chapter 17, Page 24a: Impossible to Choose

Posted on August 5, 2026 by Brad Guigar

Captain Heroic has a showdown with Countess Influencia, but the former waitress isn't interested in going back to the diner — and she certainly isn't hearing his excuses! She has the city at her feet, and in her book, that's a win!

Fairmount City's top hero sees it differently. There's a big difference between trending and mattering. The Countess may be impossible to ignore... but that also makes her impossible to choose.

Cartoonist Showcase

If you're in the Columbus area, make plans to stop by the Billy Ireland Library & Museum on August 8th from 1-5 p.m. It's a free event, and I'll be there sketching and signing along with a bunch of my pals from the NCS.

Transcript

Captain Heroic faces Countess Influencia (formerly Hailey the waitress)

Panel 1:

Captain Heroic: You don’t have to do this! Come back to Ralph’s and —

Hailey: Oh! NOW you want to talk to me in the diner!

Panel 2:

Captain Heroic: Hailey, I stopped making content with you because I didn’t want to be part of using you for “likes.”

Panel 3:

Hailey: Problem solved. Now I’m using THEM for likes.

Panel 4:

Hailey: Everyone is watching me — praising me! I’m impossible to ignore!

Panel 5:

Captain: And that means you’re impossible to choose.

Marvel vs. DC

Posted on July 3, 2006 by Brad Guigar

Marvel vs. DC
There was a great piece in Saturday’s Washington Post about the old “Marvel vs. DC” debate.

There’s nothing much new there, but the writer, Hank Stuever, uses some absolutely fantastic imagrey. My personal favorite was “DC was about younger kids in back yards, wearing bath towel capes, leaping from treehouses. Marvel was about older kids in basements, possibly stoned, deconstructing Thor.”

[Washington Post] Of the great brand-loyalty debates — Ford or Chevy? John or Paul? Road Runner or Coyote? Newport or Marlboro? Orthodox or Reform? — only a very few people still sort themselves along one of the narrowest consumer dichotomies of all:

Marvel or DC?

Back when it mattered, you used to be certain. You would ally yourself and endlessly argue the merits in comic-book stores or at a convention at the airport Ramada. DC Comics, led by Superman, was for people who adored the fantasy, the Ubermensch triumphant. These readers loved skyscrapers and archvillains and sidekicks, billowing flags, unerring ethical strength. Read more.

Dare I ask? Marvel or DC? I started as an absolute Marvel zombie when I first delved into comics in the 80s. When I returned to comics a few years ago as a thirty-something prodigal geek, I was stunned to realize DC titles outnumbering Marvel titles on my reserve list by a long margin.