Chasing Dreams and Finding Passion: An Interview with Jonathan L. Bowen on ‘The Comic Shop’

Jonathan L. Bowen discusses his upcoming film, The Comic Shop, a story about personal growth, passion, and perseverance. Bowen explores the journeys of Mike and Brandon, whose experiences reflect the challenges of pursuing dreams. He shares insights into the film’s setting, characters, and themes, offering a glimpse into his own creative process and the personal struggles that inspired the story. The Comic Shop blends indie comics culture with universal messages of self-discovery and hope, appealing to both comic fans and general audiences.

Jonathan, The Comic Shop is a beautiful exploration of both personal growth and the comic book world. What inspired you to tell this particular story about Mike and Brandon, and how do their journeys reflect themes of perseverance and heroism?

Jonathan L. Bowen: “I grew up visiting comic shops, one in particular, for many years and collecting everything from Marvel and Image Comics to comic book cards, Magic: The Gathering cards, and even action figures. As I toiled away on corporate work, far from my dream of directing a second feature, I had lost the passion for my business. I wondered about the real-life ‘Mike’ at my favourite comic shop growing up and whether his changing attitude in the later period of knowing him was because of some midlife crisis or a passion he never pursued. The story was partially based on real-life Mike as a jumping off point, my struggles at the time to reignite my passion, and a lot of fiction as well.

“When I had fleshed out Mike, I knew I needed a character who becomes the impetus for change, which was Brandon. I actually imagined Brandon as somewhat of a younger version of Mike or myself, full of optimism and hope for the future, where Mike can learn as much from Brandon as Brandon can from him. The fire burning within Mike may have reduced to embers at the start of the movie, but ultimately, his perseverance, illustrating regularly just for his own enjoyment, pays off in earning a second chance at his dream career. Together, Brandon and Mike form a friendship that strengthens both of their chances at success.”

‘The Comic Shop’ bts, photo by Kayla Bowen Photography

The film takes place in a comic book store, a setting that’s familiar to many fans. How did you approach creating an authentic comic shop atmosphere, and how does it reflect the broader world of indie comics?

“I’ll be honest, I wanted to mix somewhat of what a comic book shop looked like in the ’80s and ’90s with present-day stores. In other words, most modern comic shops are not primarily comics-based, but full of Funko Pop figures, Pokémon cards, collectibles, and even fantasy board games. Mike is just stubborn and not a great businessman, so he’s more focused on how shops were run back in his day than on what the customers actually want. By contrast, the rival store is loaded with mainstream merchandise and collectibles, a bastion for newer fans first discovering mainstream publisher titles. Mike wants to support the art of comics, so he tries to focus his store on where he thinks the most creative freedom lies — independent comics. Even in his actions as a businessman, his true nature as an artist betrays him.

“For our location, where we filmed almost half the movie, the real-life comic shop is mostly Funko Pop figures with some comics. We had to rearrange and reassemble the store, which we cut in half basically to allow for space for the film crew, and we built out a false wall that makes the store look smaller, which is also what I wanted to show; Mike’s store is small and dingy.

“The crew hung out amidst thousands of Funko Pop figures behind that false wall, which were always fun to see during down times. In other words, the lack of other merchandise in Mike’s store is intentional but also unrealistic in the sense that a comic shop built only on selling comics is going to struggle in today’s world, which Mike learns but is too stubborn to change his ways. He leans into indie comics, which don’t necessarily bring in the casual fans and mainstream die-hards nearly as well as Marvel and DC.”

‘The Comic Shop’ bts, photo by Kayla Bowen Photography

Mike, played by Jesse Metcalfe, faces many challenges throughout the film, from his store’s financial troubles to his own personal struggles. What was it about Mike’s character that drew you to the story, and how did you guide Jesse’s performance in portraying him?

“I wrote Mike largely based on what I was going through in life, so it’s a very personal story for me. I was many years removed from having directed my first feature, Amy Alyson Fans, and despite festival success, good feedback, and being proud of the movie, it just never went anywhere. The landscape had changed, and we made a romantic comedy just a few years after the genre fell out of popularity, but DVD and Blu-ray sales were also dying. At the same time, streaming hadn’t come along in full force yet, so the movie was a dead end for my career. As the years passed, I wondered if I’d ever get another chance and tried to make peace with life, not pursuing my passion. I found that difficult, much like Mike, where he’s a mess at the start of the film because he’s living for the moment without much hope for the future.

“I thought from the very start, Jesse understood the character remarkably well. There were a few instances before we were even on set, like a few Zoom calls, where he answered another person asking a question with an exact idea of what Mike would be feeling or how he’d react. It put a smile on my face because being on the same page with your lead actor is essential to a smooth shoot. I found Jesse’s instincts on set highly accurate, and they aided the film, so there were a few times I had to describe Mike’s reasoning during particular scenes, but for the most part, Jesse already grasped Mike well. From there, it was just a matter of minor adjustments to make sure the scenes are working as we both intended. I like to play on set, so I’m rarely married to the dialogue as written, only what I call the core essence of the scene. Beyond that, sometimes magic happens when you experiment a bit.”

Brandon, the new kid in town, has a complex relationship with his father. How did you develop Brandon’s character arc to highlight the tensions between his personal desires and familial expectations?

“In early drafts of the script, I had the father-son tension, but Kurt’s character was poorly developed. As we polished the script, I wanted to give Kurt an interesting backstory and more reasons for why he’s skeptical of his son’s dreams. Kurt at first appears as an overbearing, maybe unsympathetic father, perhaps even a bully. In reality, he’s a big softie who used to cut loose playing in a band and dreaming of the rockstar life before he settled down with Pamela, his wife, and needed to make a reliable living. He just doesn’t want to see his son go through the pain of losing a passion, of dreaming about something that won’t happen, but he forgets his own failure to live out his dreams doesn’t mean Brandon should give up on his.

“As I developed Kurt’s backstory and character arc, I wanted Mike to have an impact on Brandon’s relationship with his father. It didn’t have to be something huge, but just a reminder that even parent-child relationships work both ways, because humans aren’t perfect. Kurt’s failure to relate to his son is both their fault for not trying to understand one another, which Mike helps Brandon to see. At the same time, Brandon’s indomitable spirit won’t allow him to quit his dream before he even starts. He won’t take no for an answer, so he has to find a way to convince his father to give him a chance to pursue them.”

‘The Comic Shop’ bts, photo by Kayla Bowen Photography

In The Comic Shop, you explore the world of indie comics, which often struggles to compete with giants like Marvel and DC. How does the film shine a light on the passion and challenges of indie creators and comic store owners?

“From the start, I really wanted to highlight independent comics, even if we focused on the larger brands like Image and Dark Horse, the latter of which we were cleared to show in the movie (Dark Horse founder Mike Richardson is a family friend and even attended my wedding). I reached out to several other brands like Atomic and Antarctic, who were generous enough to allow us to use their comics in the film as well.

“At the independent level, which is most comic book shops and the indie comics themselves, passion has to drive the business. There just isn’t a lot of money to be made, but that was important to me as a filmmaker, too. I never set out to become a filmmaker to make big money, but solely because I love movies and I feel that passion, where I couldn’t imagine not trying. I wanted to highlight that same passion from Mike and Brandon, but also show how difficult the industry is for artists struggling against the large corporations. The big money, clearly, comes from a hit title that is eventually licensed to one of the streamers or studios, but not the comics themselves, which are the birthplace of the whole enterprise.”

‘The Comic Shop’ bts, photo by Kayla Bowen Photography

Tristin Mays plays Mike’s loyal employee, Alex. Can you tell us about her character and the dynamic she brings to the story, especially in relation to the challenges the comic store faces?

“At the start of the film, Alex has worked for Mike for a number of years, well before the pandemic, and she sees herself as more than just an employee. Maybe not legally speaking, but she’s not a temporary worker who came and went for a better job. She loves Mike’s passion and his store allows her to dress how she wants, express herself, and geek out over comics, even if Mike and she disagree on the best ones. Alex is more of a mainstream geek culture girl, so she thinks Mike is ultimately a comics hipster who glorifies indie comics from a sense of pretentiousness or smite toward the big corporations. Even so, she has a crush on Mike and thinks he’s such a talented artist, but it’s tough for her to watch his descent into struggling with alcohol and watching his passion fade to indifference.

“When Mike feels no choice but to lay her off, he’s thinking it’s nothing personal, but she takes it hard. She’s hurt that he wouldn’t ask for her help in turning the store around, even if it means taking a pay cut temporarily. Instead, he discards her and doesn’t seem to notice she’s into him because he’s stuck in his own world of despair.

“Ultimately, losing Alex becomes part of the turnaround and story arc for Mike because he realizes he has lost the camaraderie they shared. Watching her work for the enemy makes the situation worse, but also gives him newfound motivation to compete and win her back, both as an employee and a potential love interest.”

‘The Comic Shop’ bts, photo by Kayla Bowen Photography

The film’s cast includes a variety of talent, from Jesse Metcalfe to newcomer Micah Giovanni. How did you find Micah for the role of Brandon, and what qualities did you see in him that made him the perfect fit?

“We cast a wide net to find Micah, with one of my primary requirements being not choosing someone who’s 27 to 30 years old to play a teenager. I always complain about Hollywood doing that, so I didn’t want to be a hypocrite. Micah was 20 years old, but he’s so petite he absolutely looks the part. Then it came down to reels and casting director recommendations, until we believed Micah was perfect for the role. We set up a Zoom call with Jesse, just to see how the chemistry was informally, and what Jesse thought as well. The two seemed to click right away. For me, I saw a lot of Brandon in Micah, because I could see all of the youthful enthusiasm and excitement I wanted. He was genuinely extremely excited for the chance to play the co-lead role in a movie, so even just watching his reactions and his genuine delight let me know he wouldn’t disappoint.”

Your film also features Trevor Einhorn as a rival store owner and cameos from Eric Roberts and Scott “Carrot Top” Thompson. How did these characters and performances contribute to the story, and how did you incorporate their personalities into the narrative?

“Each of them contributes something different but important. I love Trevor’s work in Mad Men, especially, though he has done quite a lot of work over the years, and I thought he would be able to have some fun with this spoiled, immoral competitor. I loved what Trevor brought to the role, and we knew we wanted to cast someone with solid acting experience for the antagonist.

“With Scotty, I thought it was such a great cameo to have for a Las Vegas-based movie. Maybe it wouldn’t make sense in another film, but my thinking was that by having Carrot Top come into Mike’s store, we establish a sense of location more fully. Carrot Top is quirky and fun, so of course, he would gravitate toward a small shop that caters to his needs. The cameo scene was completely improvised; no dialogue existed for the scene in the script, just a general idea. To his credit, Scotty came to the set with an idea of what he wanted to do, and it was one of the funniest, most enjoyable times on the whole shoot.

“With Eric Roberts, he brought a different element that elevated, potentially one of the most drab, boring scenes of the movie, into one of my favourites. For plot reasons, I needed to put the pressure on Mike even more, to raise the stakes further and further, so I needed to have a representative from his landlord come and tell him his lease is increasing. Though necessary, it was never written to be a very interesting scene. Eric is such a legendary actor, though, he took what we had written and added his own touches to it. He injected real humour just by his acting talent alone, so far from being a token cameo, he helped elevate a weaker scene to one of the stronger scenes. He was almost like a secret weapon for us in that sense.”

‘The Comic Shop’ bts, photo by Kayla Bowen Photography

One of the key themes in The Comic Shop is how ordinary people can become heroes through small acts of courage and empathy. How does this message play out in the relationships between the characters, particularly between Mike and Brandon?

“Absolutely, I think a big message of the movie is how much actually caring about someone else not only helps them become the best versions of themselves, but it helps you too. When Mike starts to take an interest in Brandon, it’s transactional at first, like many relationships. Mike wants a new website, and Brandon wants to learn illustration from Mike. As the two develop a friendship, Mike gains more from teaching Brandon than even Brandon does; Mike finds his passion again and his sense of purpose, a newfound self-worth. At the same time, the tension between Brandon and his father has never been higher, the resentment building with each relocation, no doubt. Mike helps Brandon try to understand his father to learn more about his perspectives.

“Mike, being both older and more interested in sports himself, is able to help Brandon understand his dad’s more traditional interests. As with many kids, Brandon is less willing or likely to consider something his dad says than he is Mike, who’s a role model for Brandon in many ways. At the same time, Brandon’s disappointment when he sees Mike struggling with drinking is meaningful to Mike, who hasn’t had anyone look up to him for many years, in his eyes (one could argue Alex did, but he just didn’t realize it). The way Brandon sees Mike’s talent and believes in his potential gives Mike the strength and courage to try again, because he feels he can’t let Brandon down or be a hypocrite by teaching him, but then not trying himself. We always said during production that the two save each other, as you mentioned, through empathy and the courage to change their realities.”

‘The Comic Shop’ bts, photo by Kayla Bowen Photography

The film is set in Las Vegas, which adds a unique backdrop to the story. How did you choose the location, and how does the city’s vibe influence the tone and themes of the film?

“It’s probably a bit of an unexciting answer, but I live in the Las Vegas area (Henderson), and we discussed filming either somewhere in Los Angeles or here in Nevada. The producers and I all felt that we could make Vegas part of the backdrop for the story and use the location in interesting ways. For instance, I loved the idea that Vegas was built on dreamers whose imaginations of striking it rich at the casinos didn’t pan out. Mike is just a different type of gambler, the kind who bet on himself, but the city hasn’t been much kinder to him than it is to tourists with a gambling problem. I also loved the idea of enormous amounts of wealth being not far from Mike’s store, but he’s in the shadow of it all, just a tiny shop in a forgotten strip mall.

“Maybe more than most cities in the United States, I’ve found Vegas is very much of a city of haves and have-nots. We have some of the wealthiest neighbourhoods in the country, loaded with three to 20 million dollar houses, active and retired athletes, celebrities, business people, but we also have very poor neighbourhoods that are run down, and the residents are struggling to make ends meet. Mike is not only confronted with watching every month as new comics roll in that he wishes he could be illustrating, he’s also acutely aware of the wealth other people in the community flaunt as he sleeps in the back of his own store. At the same time, Vegas is a city of hopes and dreams, and from time to time, those dreams come true. Mike leaves town a winner, but he does so because he bet on himself.”

‘The Comic Shop’ bts, photo by Kayla Bowen Photography

The Comic Shop is a love letter to comic fans, but it also resonates with general audiences. What do you hope people take away from the film, especially those who may not be familiar with the comic book world?

“I admit to being out of the comic book world myself for more than 20 years when I wrote the script’s first draft (2018), so I definitely hope the movie appeals to general audiences as well. I didn’t set out to make a ‘comic book movie,’ but to make a drama about believing in yourself, finding your passion, and not letting go of your dreams. I didn’t see it as a clichéd ‘dreams come true’ movie, though. I wanted the focus to be on a sense that we as humans have more desires than just basic survival; we also need to feel fulfilled. Everyone’s sense of self-actualization is different, but I think almost everyone shares the need to feel in touch with their passions, to engage in some way in creation and adding something to the world around them beyond just money.

“Because of the MCU and DCEU, the focus is on superhero movies, but often audiences have forgotten the artists who originated the stories, who still illustrate these iconic comics and graphic novels that one day become TV and film properties. I, too, wanted to get back in touch with my origins and explore an artistic medium that greatly influenced my own development as a filmmaker. I enjoyed diving back into the comics world, searching out some independent titles at my local comic book shops, and learning what I’ve been missing in the time since my passion for comics turned into my passion for film.

“I literally went from collecting everything Spawn-related to becoming a die-hard Star Wars fan almost overnight, which led to my filmmaking journey. I wanted to reconnect with that aspect of my artistic growth. The film hopefully encourages viewers to think about what drove you, what you were passionate about in the past, and find a way to reconnect with it in a way that fuels your life.”

‘The Comic Shop’ bts, photo by Kayla Bowen Photography

You’ve had a successful career in filmmaking, and this film clearly carries a message about the unpredictable path to success. How does The Comic Shop reflect your own journey and the challenges you’ve faced in your career?

“I think with any creative field, the toughest part of success is knowing talent and hard work aren’t the only elements to success. A high degree of luck and perseverance have to come into play. In sports, there’s a true sense of meritocracy where no matter how big your name, if you fail to perform, you won’t be given another contract. Teams regularly waive veteran players without emotional attachment. If you are clearly more talented than any of the other minor league players, you’re going to get a chance at the highest level.

“In filmmaking, there are no guarantees, so the odds of slipping into a state like we find Mike at the start of the movie are high. People are motivated by ‘if this, then that’ kind of reward structures. We are even told the same wisdom growing up, something like, ‘If you work hard, then you’ll succeed.” I found myself in a situation where I had always worked hard, even had artistic success, but not the level of success I wanted. I think I started to lose some faith both in myself and in the process.

“Too often, just like Mike, I created my own roadblocks. Instead of sitting down and writing another script, after a day dealing with corporate video work, I’d just want to watch movies or play video games. I’d tell myself things like, ‘What’s the point? It’s probably just going to be another waste of time.’ At the back of my mind, though, I never thought nor do I think that creating art is a waste of time, even if few people see it. The process of creating art itself, much like working out for me, just makes me feel more in touch with who I am and with my own inner strength.

“Sometimes, you have to find an inspiration to ignore the past and focus on the future, never taking no for an answer. I always think of the mental image of the T-1000 in Terminator 2, where the harshest beatdown isn’t enough to stop its raw drive toward its goals. Now, I’ve given Mike his second chance and put him back on the path toward his dreams, but only time will tell if my own efforts on The Comic Shop were enough to earn another chance to direct; my third act isn’t written yet, so to speak.”