Jim McDermott
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jimmcd.bsky.social
Jim McDermott
@jimmcd.bsky.social
Writer, Fan, Part-Time Imaginary Tiger. 🏳️‍🌈

Find me writing about theater, comics, TV, pop culture and other stuff at American Theater, Popverse, NCR, Sojourners, and JimMcDermott.substack.com
Just reading the most recent issue of Power Fantasy by @kierongillen.bsky.social and @casparw.bsky.social.

As my brain matter slowly regains substance, had to chime in to say this is the most horrific thing that Etienne and Valentina ever did. I will not be taking questions at this time.
November 26, 2025 at 7:33 PM
I completely missed the “We’re all mad about Star Wars” debate yesterday and I feel like I let the side down.

Please accept this as me reaching out to you with a gift of your dead dad’s lightsaber hoping you’ll forgive me.
a woman is holding a gun in her hand and pointing it at the camera
ALT: a woman is holding a gun in her hand and pointing it at the camera
media.tenor.com
November 25, 2025 at 11:41 PM
This week in the Wow: Pope Leo, DJ! Zohran Mamdani's New BFF! And Fox News Jesus?

It's been such a weird week!
EPISODE 1039: WHAT IS THE GERMAN WORD FOR THIS
Also: Highlights from the Fox News Life of Jesus
jimmcdermott.substack.com
November 24, 2025 at 1:39 PM
Heaven is a place where you get to dance like Molly Ringwald.
November 24, 2025 at 1:36 AM
Amy time I’m at a bar with great dance music I give Molly Ringwald
from Breakfast Club and I’m sure I look ridiculous but it feels amazing and I 1000% stand behind it.
November 24, 2025 at 1:35 AM
So what did I miss today?
November 22, 2025 at 6:49 AM
The way my brain works
Two Strangers Carry a Cake Across New York
Two Strangers Eat Pizza at a Deli in Brooklyn
Two Strangers See Little Bear Ridge Road then Slam Shots and Contemplate What It All Means Anyway
Two Strangers, Tres Amigos
Stranger Things: Cake
November 20, 2025 at 2:01 PM
Sorry to kvetch. I don’t want anyone to lose their job, particularly in this economy. But with a few exceptions every time I pick up a Marvel title I feel conned.
November 20, 2025 at 2:59 AM
The whispers are that Bendis and Zdarsky are going to save the Marvel line. I’d be happy if it were true. But c’mon.

And also, if they did, would that signal CB’s genius or his incapacity to function as EIC?
November 20, 2025 at 2:56 AM
The Krakoa line had people buying most or all of the titles. What did Marvel do? Not just end the line but humiliate the editor who had shepherded it.
November 20, 2025 at 2:49 AM
Also FWIW, Disney, it was not a great decision to make Marvel’s EIC be a guy who had pretended to be Asian to get work. I get that the world was different then, but also
a young man with a floral shirt says oh honey
ALT: a young man with a floral shirt says oh honey
media.tenor.com
November 20, 2025 at 2:44 AM
To be clear, this isn’t some hysterical panic response to the Absolute line. It’s a response to Marvel’s own editorial choices, over a number of years.
November 20, 2025 at 2:40 AM
I’m sure CB Cebulski is a very nice human, and I don’t wish ill on him.

Also there are some very talented artists working at Marvel.

But the line is a total mess, and at some point editorial has to take responsibility.
November 20, 2025 at 2:37 AM
Look I know no one is perfect and it’s a tough market but Marvel’s CB Cebukski has got to go.
November 20, 2025 at 2:30 AM
TRUTH
November 20, 2025 at 1:58 AM
I love the idea of Steven Spielberg at home in his screening room going “What have I wrought?”
Steven Spielberg Says He Is “Fighting the Tides” to Keep Movies Like ‘Hamnet’ in Theaters So It’s “Not Just Blockbuster” Films on the Big Screen
Spielberg produced Chloé Zhao's new movie, which stars Paul Mescal and Jessie Buckley as William and Agnes Shakespeare.
www.hollywoodreporter.com
November 20, 2025 at 1:15 AM
Reposted by Jim McDermott
So I have heard of ideas being in the zeitgeist, but this is a little crazy.

The left is Little Bear Ridge Road. The right is Two Strangers Eat Cake While Walking in New York(-ish).
November 19, 2025 at 6:46 PM
Pope Leo gave an absolutely gorgeous speech about cinema over the weekend. Somewhere in an empty AMC theater, dressed in a stunning pantsuit, Nicole Kidman is very proud.
EPISODE 1038: “CINEMA IS A WORKSHOP OF HOPE”
Pope Leo argues for the importance of Nicole Kidman, movies.
jimmcdermott.substack.com
November 17, 2025 at 1:44 PM
A thought about Pope Leo's upcoming meeting with leaders in world cinema (and Alison Brie and Dave Franco).
SUBSCRIBER WOW: The American Media is Missing the Real Story in Pope Leo's Meeting with Film Stars
Saturday's Event with the Cinema is a Celebration of the Value of Transgression
jimmcdermott.substack.com
November 14, 2025 at 4:04 PM
Hahahahahahahaha
November 13, 2025 at 5:24 PM
Currently in the middle of a 4-part test for a possible writing gig, and I have to say the fact that they've asked me to do it actually makes me love the outlet even more. Readers (and editors!) deserve writers who understand and respect the assignment.
November 12, 2025 at 4:14 AM
Amazon please hire @suslibrarian.bsky.social. This is literally everything you need to hear right now.
November 11, 2025 at 4:27 PM
And keeping it real: that Bond note is not coming from the lower level execs who actually understand story and love the property. That is a Bezos-adjacent nitwit who has only watched the Craig films, and probably just the last one.
November 11, 2025 at 4:08 PM
Also boy do I feel for Bond writer Steven Knight and director Denis Villeneuve. What a classically silly exec note to be trapped having to answer.
November 11, 2025 at 4:03 PM
I suspect the fact that Amazon seems to think James Bond is one long continuous story is not going to reassure fans who were upset about Bond being handed over to the online equivalent of a mall.
November 11, 2025 at 4:00 PM