Chris Hardwick's Blog, page 1762
May 7, 2018
Watch a Clip from the Harry Potter Play PUFFS, Coming to Theaters! (Exclusive)
You’ve read all seven Harry Potter books so many times the pages have worn thin, and have watched all the films more times still. Tickets for The Cursed Child on Broadway are tough to come by, and you’ve got until November before the new Fantastic Beasts movie is out. But you’re in luck: there is yet another new corner of the Wizarding World you may have yet to expose yourself to. A softer corner. A sillier corner. A corner that really wants you to come hang out in it, and just chat for a while—no big adventures or especially impressive feats in magic necessary. And you’ll find it in the form of a big screen broadcast of the magnificent Off-Broadway play Puffs, a story devoted to the forever under-appreciated (but never too miffed about it!) Hufflepuff House.
This clip from the stage play Puffs, which Fathom Events is bringing to theaters across the country from May 9 and May 12, is the perfect showcase of the spirit of Hogwarts’ ever-resilient badger bunch. Sure, they may place last in so many of the schools’ tests of physical strength and magic abilities, but there’s one area where the Puffs soar high above the rest without fail: spirit.
That spirit follows the central Puffs—unapologetic everyman Wayne, would-be intellectual Oliver, and wannabe tough gal Megan—through their own seven-year stretch at Hogwarts, which is incidentally concurrent with Harry Potter’s. That means we get a taste of all the same ups and downs that befell the Boy Who Lived and his closest consorts, but this time from a decidedly goofier point of view. Any Harry Potter diehard will be duly charmed by the play’s mix of affection for and irreverence with the source material, while more casual fans should no doubt be delighted by the standalone zaniness of the show.
The big screen broadcasts will in fact be live recordings of the Off-Broadway production, which allows for the same electric energy of the theater without necessitating the expensive trip to New York. You can find tickets right here! And once you do catch Fathom Events’ Puffs, let us know what you think!
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DEADPOOL 2’s Lewis Tan Talks Shatterstar and INTO THE BADLANDS
Lewis Tan is about to have a huge month. Not only will he kick some Cable butt as Shatterstar in Deadpool 2, he’ll debut as the newest cast member of AMC’s Into the Badlands. So he joined us on today’s special edition of Nerdist News Talks Back to discuss his new characters, how stage fighting techniques can get you beat up in real life, and which of his new characters would win a fight against the other.
Host Jessica Chobot, Editor-in-Chief Rachel Heine, and Senior Editor Dan Casey welcomed the Deadpool 2 star to the show today. But first they broke down the new trailer for Arrested Development‘s fifth season. What do we think? Are we still worried after season four? Will we abandon the Bluth family if the show starts off slowly? And did we bother checking out Netflix’s shorter, remixed season four edit?
Speaking of TV, Westworld finally brought us to a new park, but not the samurai one we were expecting. What did we think of “The Raj? and the surprise reveal? Would we like to see the show leave the Old West behind entirely? And of the three Delos parks we’ve seen, which would we most want to visit?
Finally it was time to talk about Deadpool ****ing 2 with Lewis Tan, who plays Shatterstar in the film. He told us all about his time-traveling “genetically engineered warrior” and what he knew about him before joining the cast. What’s it like getting to read comic books for work? Why does he think Shatterstar’s ’90s look works in the movie? What was it like wielding the character’s double swords? How do they compare to real martial arts weapons? And why did he, Terry Crews, and Bill Skarsgård have to sneak around the set in giant robes like oversized monks?
But we couldn’t have him in studio without asking him about joining the beautiful-but-brutal dystopian AMC series Into the Badlands, which returns for its second season on May 19th. What can he tell us about his new character Gaius and what we can expect from him this season? With all of his martial arts training he has had to use for both projects, which style is his favorite? Can he even enjoy watching other fight scenes, or is he always too busy breaking them down? What question about stage fighting did Jessica ask him that no one else ever has? And for as tough as Gaius is, why does he think Shatterstar would win a fight between the two?
Nerdist News Talks Back airs live on our YouTube and Alpha channels Monday through Thursday at 1PM PT, and we end the week with Nerdist News What the Fridays at 1PM PT, exclusively at Alpha. Tune in with us every day and join the conversation, because whether we get another ****ing Deadpool movie or not we’ll have a lot to discuss.
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Here’s Why Hulk Wouldn’t Hulk Out in AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR
Warning: This post contains major spoilers for Avengers: Infinity War . If you don’t want to know details yet, click away now and come back here when you do.
The Incredible Hulk might be a giant rage monster who loses control and destroys entire cities, but the Avengers wouldn’t have been able to save Earth from Loki and Ultron without him. So it was a big problem when “the other guy” refused to listen to Bruce Banner’s beck and call and get involved in the fight against Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War. Hulk smash? No, Hulk scared, after the Mad Titan kicked his giant green ass. But what exactly was the Hulk so scared of?
The Hulk has a long history of being slow on the trigger. We’ve seen this as early as when former Ed Norton’s Bruce Banner jumped from a helicopter over Harlem to face Abomination, only transforming into his super-sized alter ego after crashing through a mound of pavement, and as recently as Mark Ruffalo’s Bruce face-planting on the Bifrost Bridge in Thor: Ragnarok. Delays notwithstanding, both cases saw the Hulk eventually arrive to do what he does best. But such was not the case in Infinity War.
At first glance, Hulk’s apprehension seemed to be the result of Thanos so easily defeating him on the Asgardian ship at the movie’s start. Hulk has taken some shots in the MCU, but he’d never truly met someone who he had no chance against, as he experienced in the ring with Thanos. We know Hulk matured during his two years as the Grandmaster’s champion on Sakaar. He learned how to speak, began to develop a real personality, and even started to experience more sophisticated feelings like loneliness, friendship, and loyalty. (“Friends stay!” he screamed at Thor.)
He basically became an oversized toddler, who’d throw a tantrum if he didn’t get what he wanted. And like the biggest kid in the class who always runs the playground until one day he gets punched in the nose, he had no mechanism for emotionally dealing with what happened to him when he met Thanos. So he ran and hid and refused to come out. But this isn’t so far out of line with what the Hulk has always been about since the day we met him.
When we caught up with Bruce Banner in The Avengers, he had grown distrustful of the Hulk. Despite Tony Stark’s urges, Bruce resisted invoking the other guy, calling him dangerous and likening him to an exposed nerve. Meanwhile, Tony insisted that Bruce only need to learn how to control the Hulk, to discover why he was gifted with the terrible privilege of his alter ego, and perhaps even to realize that the Hulk has come into being to save Bruce’s life.
We’ve seen suggestions that this might be a fair way of looking at things, both in the above examples and in Bruce’s recollection that he once tried to put a bullet in his mouth only to have “the other guy spit it out.” Since then, we’ve seen Hulk prove instrumental to the safety of Earth by way of his brawn, and we’ve seen Bruce prove the same by way of his brains. So maybe the Hulk’s main purpose is to use his strengths to protect Bruce’s.
This even explains why Hulk took over completely for two years on Sakaar. Bruce and Hulk knew he could never really run off with Natasha, that she would never be safe with him. So the green guy fled Sokovia when the battle had been won, and when he ended up on the dangerous world of Sakaar he was better equipped to keep Bruce safe there than the meager Dr. Banner would have been.
But after Thanos took Hulk down so easily, the green guy got scared—for the first time ever, he couldn’t protect Bruce. Like a kid who wants to protect their parents but doesn’t know how, he hid from the world rather than facing it, much inthe same reason he ran from Sokovia to protect Natasha.
On some level, the Hulk seemed to realized that “brawn” wasn’t going to cut it this time around, but perhaps Bruce’s “brains” could. He also might have known the Hulk would have been the biggest target on Earth, while no Children of Thanos would bother with Bruce. Because he has the maturity level of a toddler, he didn’t know how to process any of that, let alone explain it, and therefore wasn’t able to even realize or accept when he was needed.
Bruce Banner and the Hulk’s relationship has always been weird and complicated, but Infinity War proved it’s actually always been really simple too. “The other guy” cares about his other guy more, and when he realized he wasn’t strong enough to keep him safe he got scared. Hulk smash? No, Hulk scared—scared he no protect Bruce.
What did you think? Why didn’t the Hulk want to come out? Smash keyboard! Tell Nerdist in comments below!
Images: Marvel
More on Infinity War
The Russo brothers confirm the Infinity War Soul Stone theory.
Three ways Avengers 4 could wrap up Infinity War.
How Infinity War deaths could be permanent.
AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR Is Crossing Over with FORTNITE
It’s going to be nearly a year before Thanos makes his return in the still officially untitled Avengers 4. Given how Avengers: Infinity War ended, it’s going to be an excruciating wait. But we haven’t seen the last of the Mad Titan in 2018. Thanos is bringing his Infinity Gauntlet to Fortnite, and it’s gonna lead to some wild battles. Today’s Nerdist News is all about the most unexpected Marvel crossover we’ve seen in a long time.
Join host Jessica Chobot as she relates how Thanos will make his temporary entrance to the Fortnite universe beginning on May 8 for a limited time. It turns out you can pretty much go anywhere you want to when you have all of the Infinity Stones. But in this game, nearly anyone can be Thanos if they can locate the Infinity Gauntlet during Fortnite‘s Battle Royale mode. Only one lucky player can grab the gauntlet, which will instantly transform them into Thanos.
Surely this will put a smile on the Mad Titan’s face. We’re still not sure which of Thanos’ Infinity War powers will be included in the game, but we’re hoping for the ability to use the moon as a lethal weapon! However, we suspect Thanos won’t simply be able to snap his fingers and make half of the players disappear.
It turns out Infinity War co-directors Anthony and Joe Russo are big time Fortnite fans, which is why this crossover came together. And we have to wonder if it will lead to more cross-promotion between Marvel and Epic Games in the future.
Are you excited about the opportunity to wield Thanos’ powers in Fortnite? Let’s discuss in the comment section below!
Images: Marvel Studios/Epic Games
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The Russo brothers confirm the Infinity War Soul Stone theory.
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Donald Glover and the Rest of Migos Go to Therapy on SNL
On the surface, the trappings of the hip-hop lifestyle can seem pretty appealing: There’s the fame, the money, the romantic attention, the fans, and all the expensive toys. Beneath the surface, though, everything isn’t perfect, and that’s the facet of the rap lifestyle that Donald Glover, Kenan Thompson, and Chris Redd (playing the rap trio Migos) explore in a hilarious new sketch from Saturday Night Live.
The sketch begins as a typical hip-hop music video for a Migos-style rap banger, until they start rapping about going to therapy twice weekly. Then the song cuts out and we find the group sitting on a couch, in conversation with Dr. Angela (Cecily Strong), when Redd declares, “I feel like every time I bring up emotional conflict, he wants to talk about the Lambo.” From there, they explore each others’ feelings and really get somewhere, addressing their issues with Lamborghini, feeling invisible, feeling pitied. Overall, real progress is made. Thompson is also a gem, chiming in with his repeated words for added emphasis that works well in the studio but not so much in a therapy session.
There’s also a fun bonus at the end for hip-hop heads (which the video title spoils so I don’t feel bad about mentioning it here): A$AP Rocky pops up briefly at the end, and his presence ends up affirming the breakthrough Migos made in therapy. Yes, it’s a sweet moment.
What was your favorite sketch from this past episode of Saturday Night Live? Was Glover the best guest host of 2018 so far? Let us know what you think in the comments!
Featured Image: NBC
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Hot Toys’ Gamora Figure Immortalizes a Daughter of Thanos
Warning: Spoilers for Avengers: Infinity War ahead.
Avengers: Infinity War put the majority of us through the emotional ringer. Take away theories and what we may and may not know, and what we saw on the screen was absolutely heart-breaking. Thanks to Hot Toys, we can go back to when times were simpler. A time when all everyone had to worry about was your basic “sentient planet wanting to use his son to take over the universe” type thing.
Straight out of 2017’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 comes Gamora (Zoe Saldana). This was well before her relationship with her “father” Thanos came to a tragic head during Infinity War. Maybe next time she is having a heart to heart with her sister Nebula, she should double check to see if she is being recorded (if there even IS a next time.)
If you thought Gamora was going to make you sad, we’ll do you one better. She comes with a miniature Baby Groot holding the bomb used to destroy Ego. Not only should this be tugging at your heartstrings, but it’s probably creating new ones just so they can tug at those too.
This amazing looking figure comes with a Zoe Saldana head sculpt (it’s still hard to believe how life like these figures are) and 28 points of articulation. She also comes with a cloth costume, a blaster, two swords, and 8 interchangeable hands. You can pre-order Gamora from Sideshow Collectibles on their website for $251 here, and you can check more great pics in our gallery below.
Even though there are many theories as to what is going to happen next May (or April. Who knows what they’ll do with THIS release date), you can still add the coolest Guardian to your collection.
What do you think? Will Gamora find her way onto your shelf? Let us know in the comments below.
Images: Hot Toys
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A LEGO Cherry Blossom Tree Springs into a Guinness World Record
Japan has one surefire sign of spring every year: the bright, gorgeous petals of the cherry blossom trees floating in the air. It may be part of their beauty that the cherry blossom blooms are short-lived, but you can’t help wishing they would stay around a little bit longer. So why not build an everlasting tree out of thousands of LEGO bricks? That’s just what they did at LEGOLAND Japan in Nagoya to celebrate their first year of operation, and the result is stunning.
The tree was originally put together by builders in the Czech Republic. It took them over 6,500 hours to design and build it, and then it was shipped to Nagoya, Japan to be assembled. With over 7,000 pounds of LEGO bricks at stake, it took a team of workers and some heavy lifting machinery to carefully put the pieces into place.
The 881,470-brick sculpture stands over 14 feet tall and almost five feet wide, officially setting the Guinness World Record for “largest LEGO brick cherry blossom tree.” (I bet you can find some nice shade under those plastic branches on a sunny spring afternoon.) The colorful brick tree even comes complete with working lanterns—also made of LEGO bricks—that glitter in the cool evenings.
Just like the fleeting beauty of real cherry blossom trees, this one isn’t quite everlasting. It’s only on display until May 9, but perhaps that (very specific) world record will last forever.
What LEGO world record do you dream of breaking? Tell us in the comments.
Images: LEGO Group / Guinness Book of World Records
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May 6, 2018
WESTWORLD Looks Eastward and Explains That Tiger
Steering you toward a sure thing: we’ve got spoilers ahead through Westworld season 2, episode 3.
Westworld just pulled off a masterfully seamless transition with “Virtù e Fortuna.” The bookends of the episode introduced us to Grace (Katja Herbers) in British Raj World and promised us a trip to Shogunworld very soon. The extended stay with the new character who likes to shoot her lovers just to make sure they aren’t hosts cracked the show wide open. It also gave us a new character whose every move is magnetic.
Grace is sharp and confident, dangerously sensual, and seems relatively chill about leaving the confines of one park for another (but less chill about the tiger about to rip her face off). Just as Maeve (Thandie Newton) and Dolores (Evan Rachel Wood) have settled into what will likely be their mode of operation for the rest of the season, Westworld has flawlessly introduced a new player to the game.
To recognize how difficult a maneuver that is, consider the last time your favorite show introduced a new character and made you immediately care this deeply about them. Sorry, Poochie. It just doesn’t happen that often, and it happened at exactly the right time.
I say that because the other big flip the show pulled off tonight was turning its established genre balance on its axis. Last season Westworld was about bored rich people in the futuristic present visiting a fabricated western past while robots inched toward sentience. This season, because of the stakes being real, Westworld is about settlers in the old west of the present fighting against futuristic invaders with far superior weaponry. It’s more Western than sci-fi now. Plus Kurosawa. And a tiger.
It’s not like Dolores and Maeve’s stories have ossified in a dull way. It’s that the tingling, mysterious edge to everything they did last season has been replaced by respective, singular purposes. A maze replaced by a straight line.
That changes the show’s core DNA, which explains why watching “Virtù e Fortuna” felt more like watching an episode of Game of Thrones than Westworld. Characters had tense conversations about power, Dolores Red Weddinged Colonel Brigham (Frederic Lehne) and his whole crew, and we got an explosive battle sequence. Dolores is evolving into Cersei Lannister. I can’t wait to see if she chops all her hair off.
To that end, Teddy (James Marsden) has messed up big time. Poor, sweet, stupid Teddy. If you’re going to defy a direct order and let a bad guy go in the name of mercy, don’t let your girlfriend/dictator see you do it. The question now is how Dolores Lannister will deal with a man who’s picked up her fallen can ten million times. Is there room for compassion in her reign? Or is the west dominated solely by the way of the gun?
Westworld also feels more Western than sci-fi now because we spend most of the time thinking of Dolores, Teddy, Maeve, and the others as people instead of robots. We still see them occasionally for what they are underneath, but the bulk of their actions are gingham-clad, horse-riding, steppe-navigating maneuvers to build an old timey army and defend a fort with Winchester rifles. Self-aware or not, the west is the world they know.
That includes Bernard (Jeffrey Wright), who is a highly intelligent robot modeled after an AI genius…who also finds himself in the middle of a classic Western rescue mission. Yes, it helps that he and Charlotte Hale (Tessa Thompson) were able to reprogram the milk-chugging outlaw to be kind, but 99.9% of that scene was ripped straight out of the Western canon.
Since Dolores and Maeve have clear tasks ahead of them, the Mystery Box elements of last season that launched a thousand thinkpieces adorned with question marks rest squarely on Bernard and The Man in Black’s shoulders. The latter’s quest isn’t even that mysterious as presented in its current form. So far, we haven’t cut away to the past to learn something we should have known to properly contextualize his journey.
Bernard, on the other hand, is still a jumble of foggy memories and questionable motives. He knows about Delos’s secret mission to monitor the guests, he knows about Hale’s interest in Abernathy, he knows that Abernathy has a bunch of stuff in his robo-brain. Is he still somehow under Ford’s posthumous control? Like a dream within a dream, his shaky self-awareness may still be in service of his old master’s demands. Servitude disguised as freedom.
Just for fun, Clementine (Angela Sarafyan) knocked out the show’s remaining repository of mysteries and dragged him off to who knows where.
Stray Thoughts:
It’s great to see Armistice again! Snake-faced Terminator is the best.
Seriously, why did Clementine knock Bernard out? Why? Have they ever even been in the same scene with any major consequence before?
If the robots in Westworld couldn’t harm guests with their bullets, and there’s a Shogunworld, how does that safety feature work with swords?
Images: HBO
Previously, in Westworld analyses…
Westworld’s real weapon is user data.
Is it just us, or does Westworld feel much angrier now?
How many copies of Robert Ford are in the park?
Rule the Universe With These AVENGERS Infinity Gauntlet Accessories
With the release of Avengers: Infinity War, we now know the true power of the Infinity Gauntlet. However, along with controlling the fate of the universe, perhaps Thanos just wanted a beautiful piece of jewelry. We’ve all been there: adding a bit of flair really sets off the purple hue in your skin and can spruce any weird sleeveless vest situation. Just trying to keep it light here, like the ending of Infinity War (j/k, there’s very little levity when it comes to wielding that cosmic piece of hardware).
These inventive jewelry designers have figured out a way to showcase your power, command presence, and most importantly, look good while doing it. Check out these wearable tributes to Thanos’ golden glove.
This does put a smile on my face
A post shared by StyledByMarvel (@styledbymarvel) on Apr 25, 2018 at 12:24pm PDT
Heading out for a night on the town but a massive gauntlet doesn’t fit in with our #ootd? Hot Topic is here to alleviate your fashion strain with this refined yet powerful fashion statement in the form of a Infinity Gauntlet hand bracelet. They’re currently buy two get two free so I don’t know why Thanos has to make such a big fuss about getting one.
I Ignored My Destiny Once
If we’re going to talk class superlatives, Gamora would be voted “Deadliest woman in the galaxy,” Thor—most improved eyesight, and Cap would be voted “Best Beard.” Thanos? Well, he just can’t let go of the past. This Infinty Gauntlet school ring from Superhero Stuff will prove that you’re best in class.
I Hope The People of Earth Will Remember You
A post shared by Melissa Ann (@thebeeehiveshop) on Mar 13, 2018 at 3:08pm PDT
As much trouble as you’ve gone to—destroying your enemies and whatnot—sometimes wearing all the stones at once is a little flashy. This unique design from The Beeehive Shop allows you to wear each stone individually as rings, along with a bracelet to match. Sometimes ruling the universe is about keeping it simple.
Fun isn’t something one considers when balancing the universe
A post shared by Firefly Path (@fireflypath) on Apr 28, 2018 at 10:24am PDT
This gorgeous take on the Infinity Gauntlet is elegant and fairy-esque. Having made it by hand with filigree and crystals, @fireflypath posted her entire tutorial so that you can follow every step to create your own.
You’re full of tricks, wizard
A post shared by Jarvis Latteier (@jarvislatteier) on May 30, 2016 at 10:32pm PDT
Imagine daywear that will actually glow. These stunning rings look like living, breathing, Infinity Stones. Geeky Tyrant describes how the jewelry gets its glow: “Reddit user Jarvis Latteier has designed an awesome set of rings that were inspired by the Infinity Stones, and they glow in the dark thanks to the radioactive isotope tritium, which is mostly safe as the Tritium’s beta particles are unable to penetrate the skin. So, as long as you don’t ingest it or inject it into your body, you’ll be fine.” Excuse me, what? These rings sound as dangerous as the real Infinity Stones. However, your purchase only includes the rings themselves, as you’ll need to source the tritium. Proceed with caution.
With all the six stones I can simply snap my fingers
A post shared by NastyWomanCrafts (@nastywomancrafts) on May 3, 2018 at 7:00am PDT
Infinity Stone gathering doesn’t have to be a daunting task. Made with colored glass and gold wire by Nasty Woman Crafts, these delicate stackable rings allow you to show off your cosmic power subtly, without drawing too much attention to your desire to control the universe.
Which space jewels are your favorite? Let us know in comments.
Images: Hot Topic, Superhero Stuff, The Beeehive Shop, @fireflypath, Jarvis Latteier, Nasty Woman Crafts, Marvel Studios
To Infinity and Beyond.
Find out if Thanos would have killed you.
Tom Holland can’t stop Spider-spoiling.
The Soul Stone theory, confirmed.
Hope Larson on Her Triumphant Return to Cartooning ALL SUMMER LONG
Hope Larson is a cartoonist extraordinaire, with her beautiful back catalogue including the beloved graphic novel adaptation of A Wrinkle In Time and originals like Mercury and Chiggers. She’s also a superstar comic book writer, with the gorgeous Goldie Vance and Batgirl under her belt! Hope is returning to cartooning with her lovely new coming of age book, All Summer Long from First Second, that she’s written and drawn along with colors by MJ Robinson. I chatted with Hope about returning to illustrating her own stories, giving yourself permission, and her dreams for the readers of her newest offering.
Larson has for the past few years been predominantly known as a writer, with a sterling run on Batgirl and her creator owned comic Goldie Vance. So how did she feel about heading back into the realm of cartooning? “It felt good! There’s something raw about cartooning. It’s hard work, physically, and it’s actually gratifying to draw all day, and afterward, to feel in your body that you worked. It’s gratifying to see that stack of bristol board get taller as I complete pages. It’s gratifying to finish a book and think, ‘I did everything on the page.’ Except for the coloring! I never do my own coloring. The colorist for All Summer Long was MJ Robinson.”
Creating a singular narrative like All Summer Long has been a completely different process compared to writing an ongoing book at the Big Two. “One big difference is that with a graphic novel, I get to write the entire story in one go,” explained Larson. “With an ongoing, I have an outline, but I’m writing the story in pieces and just kind of hoping it all gels in the end. Another big difference is that I’m free to do whatever I want with my characters, barring something that would be wildly inappropriate for kids to read. I’m not subject to approval from a corporate entity on my own books in the way that I am with licensed work.”
All Summer Long tells the tale of a young girl discovering herself and her love for music over a summer break, and I was wondering what Larson had been hoping to put across with this particular story. “I’ve been thinking about this a lot as I do interviews and school visits, and I’ve realized that one of the big themes of All Summer Long–and both of its sequels, which I’m working on now–is permission. It’s about being given, or giving yourself, permission to be an artist, or a musician, or a creative person, when the world at large thinks that’s a waste of time,” Larson says. “When I think back on all of the things I wanted to do but didn’t, because I was waiting for someone to give me their blessing, it makes me sad. This is a book that says, ‘Wanting to do the thing is enough of a reason to do the thing.’ You’re allowed to draw comics even if you ‘can’t draw.’ You’re allowed to play guitar even if you’re ‘not musical.’ You don’t have to be perfect, and you’ll improve and find your voice along the way.”
It’s not just a lesson Larson wants to instill in her readers, but also one she craved as an artist. “I think this is a message kids need to hear, and it’s also a message I needed to give to myself,” she admits. “Even though I’ve been making comics professionally for a long time, I can sometimes feel rejected, or creatively squashed, or not good enough. In a lot of ways, I was writing this story as my own personal pep-talk.”
The whole book looks to be filled with incredible energy and gorgeous illustrations, and Larson is clearly passionate about the project. When it comes to a favorite moment, she doesn’t have a singular section, but she did have a moment she adored creating! “I loved drawing the concert scene later in the book,” she recalls. “I wanted to capture the feeling of being at a show and being amazed and star-struck by a band, and I think I succeeded!”
When it comes to potential readers of All Summer Long, she says, “I hope they gain the confidence to explore their creativity, or push it further. My daydream is that this book becomes a massive hit, and all the kids who read it go out and start bands.”
Are you excited to see Hope Larson return to cartooning? Just can’t wait to relive your first teenage summer? Got a young one who’ll love All Summer Long? Let us know below!
Images: First Second
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