The Comic Shop: Jonathan L. Bowen’s Heartfelt Ode to Friendship, Heroism, and the Indie Comics World

Published on in Exclusive Interviews

Writer/Director Jonathan L. Bowen brings to life The Comic Shop, a moving story of friendship, resilience, and the power of community within the indie comic book world. The film stars Jesse Metcalfe (Desperate Housewives) as Mike, a devoted comic shop owner fighting to keep his passion alive, and rising star Micah Giovanni as Brandon, a teenager navigating family struggles while finding solace in the shop’s tight-knit community.

Filmed in Las Vegas, The Comic Shop shines a spotlight on underdogs and unsung heroes, exploring the everyday connections that uplift us. With a talented ensemble cast, including Tristan Mays (MacGyver), Trevor Einhorn (The Magicians), and cameos by Eric Roberts and Scott "Carrot Top" Thompson, Bowen delivers a heartfelt tribute to the creative spirit that unites us all.

PH: The Comic Shop feels like a deeply personal story. What inspired you to explore this narrative, and does it reflect your experiences with comic books or independent storytelling? 

Jonathan L. Bowen: The Comic Shop was definitely the most personal project that I’ve created. When I  was growing up, I used to go to comic book shops at least once a week, probably from around 3rd grade through middle school. I had a particular favorite store where I became close to the owner, “Mike,” and watched over the years as he spent more and more time across the street at the local bar while other employees ran the store. As a kid, I didn’t know why he did that, or what caused him to take his eye off the business, but eventually, last I heard he went to drive for UPS when the store closed. 

As an adult, thinking back to my childhood and the great times with my mom going to comic shops, I wondered what caused Mike’s troubles. That’s what led me to wonder if maybe there was a deeper passion and running a small business just wasn’t it. I used the real-life Mike merely as a jumping-off point to the story, where  I fused my own struggles and challenges with the two lead characters, Mike and  Brandon. I’ve run my own corporate video production company, JLB Media  Productions, for about sixteen years and used ProductionHub many times to staff shoots nationwide. Though we’ve been successful, my dream was never to make senior living videos or marketing videos; it was to direct feature films, which I  hadn’t done in more than a decade with Amy Alyson Fans, my debut feature. 

Like Mike in the movie, I felt trapped in a cycle that wasn’t fulfilling and had grown cynical, wondering when I’d have another chance to direct a movie.  Brandon, by contrast, is like the younger Jonathan, full of hope and optimism, not jaded by the world yet, and confident in his future success. I thought having these two characters, a young Jonathan and a present-day Jonathan, meeting one another could be an interesting character study. As with any storytelling, a lot is fictionalized. For instance, my dad has been very supportive of my career, even giving me the idea to found a B2B video production company, but for dramatic purposes, I wanted to make Brandon’s journey tougher with more of a traditional  “guy’s guy” dad who can’t understand his son’s artistic spirit.  

PH: The film beautifully highlights the underdog spirit, both in its characters and its commentary on the indie comic scene. Why was it important to you to tell a story set in this world?

Jonathan L. Bowen: I think early in the scripting process, for practical and story reasons, I wanted to focus on independent comics rather than DC and Marvel. I started as a  Marvel Comics fan but branched out to Image Comics when it was first founded and often found myself exploring the more niche titles. As an independent filmmaker, we all have to hope that audiences will give a chance to smaller movies that don’t open in 3,000 theaters with tens (or hundreds) of millions spent on marketing. Though I never wanted to become an illustrator (I can barely write cursive let alone draw), I wanted to use the comic world to explore artists with a dream, facing the same type of stiff odds independent filmmakers do in our chosen field. 

Practically speaking, Mike Richardson (founder of Dark Horse Comics) is a family friend and even attended my wedding in 2019, so I knew I could get clearance for at least one of the larger non-DC / Marvel brands. Despite having major licenses in the past (like Star Wars) and creating hits like The Mask and Umbrella Academy,  Mike has always had that independent spirit, gaining fame in the industry for his focus on artists’ rights and letting creators maintain control of their characters. I  felt the comic book world is ripe for exploration at the level that started it all — the comics themselves. Though the last decade-plus has been dominated by movies inspired by comics, the actual circulation for most comic titles is fairly small, yet the comics and graphic novels are what inspire the big-budget movies and TV  shows everyone sees.  

PH: The film was shot on location in Las Vegas. How did the city’s unique atmosphere influence the storytelling or the way certain scenes were crafted? 

Jonathan L. Bowen: The interesting part about the movie’s Las Vegas location is how it’s an integral part of the story, but we don’t focus on The Strip or touristy areas at all. I wanted to show that for most locals, Las Vegas is just a normal city most of the time that happens to have a giant tourist destination right in the middle of it. Despite only having one scene on The Strip (it’s a driving scene where two characters are talking on the phone), the presence is always felt. For instance, we got Carrot Top to do a cameo and suggest that he’s a regular of Mike’s store because, in Vegas,  you might see Carrot Top! I ran into him at an Italian restaurant a few months after filming. We also had Murray Sawchuck, who is a well-known magician and comedian on The Strip, do a cameo as a writer for the fictional  Techno-Man comic line. When Mike needs to lure a famous artist to his store to do a signing, he’s able to close the deal because of the character’s love for gambling and drinking. 

Beyond peppering in a few cameos from local celebrities, I have a scene where  Mike discusses hockey with Brandon because for any locals, the Vegas Golden  Knights are the biggest show in town and bring a lot of pride to the community.  Brandon’s dad works at Nellis Air Force Base, which is another major employer in the community that I don’t think comes to mind for people who don’t live here, but they might think of Area 51 or the Nevada Test Site. In other words, the impact the location makes on the story is substantial but woven into the fabric of the characters and the plot rather than the character itself like in The Hangover

PH: Comic book fans and creators often form tight-knit communities. How did you capture that camaraderie on screen, and was it reflective of your own experiences in creative circles? 

Jonathan L. Bowen: I think in a lot of creative circles, there’s almost like a cycle between creators and consumers. Of course, just because someone loves the MCU doesn’t mean they’re going to become a comic illustrator or a filmmaker, but a lot of people attending film festivals are aspiring independent filmmakers or have dreams of one-day creating movies themselves. I think the same is true of a lot of people who read indie comics; they might also illustrate on the side, as a hobby if nothing else.  When I’ve attended film festivals, there’s that camaraderie among all of us filmmakers because we know the struggle required to create a finished work. When  I’m checking out other filmmakers’ projects, I’m just another movie buff supporting fellow artists, and when they check out my movie, they’re in the same boat. I think there’s a lot of support among creative people for one another’s work and appreciation for what it takes to succeed.  

With The Comic Shop, other characters, including industry professionals, recognize  Mike’s talent and prod him to pursue it further. The reality in all creative fields,  though, is there are a lot more talented people than there are opportunities for them. Mike knows firsthand the difference between raw talent and actual success that pays the bills. When his peers really grasp his abilities, though, they’re eager to help him grab another chance at success. I find that creative people are always willing to help others they know if they have the opportunity to do so. We all have kind of a “pay it forward” mentality where you remember the people who helped you along the way and try to look out for them in the future.  

PH: Jesse Metcalfe and Micah Giovanni bring depth to the mentor-protégé relationship. How did you approach casting these roles, and what was it like watching their chemistry come alive on screen?

Jonathan L. Bowen: As soon as Jesse came aboard and I started watching his complete filmography, I  grew very excited about him playing the role of Mike. I knew he would be a good choice of course, which is why we offered him the part, but I wanted an actor who understood the heights of great success but also knew the struggle of climbing back to the top. Jesse has had a successful career, but he’s incredibly driven and ambitious; he wants more and he has known both success and failure. He brings that depth of experience to every role and he understood the character immediately.  He always had fantastic instincts about how to play each scene and we’d have vigorous discussions about each line. 

I wasn’t ever particularly nervous about the role of Mike, because I felt we had the budget at least to secure a talented name actor for the role. I was always nervous about the role of Brandon, though, because I knew we needed a total unknown who could rise to the occasion and play a role that’s just as substantial to the story. The entire movie really hinges on Mike and Brandon’s relationship as they each impact one another almost equally. I told my casting director, Cynthia Huffman, that I  didn’t want to see guys who look 25-30 years old for the role of a high schooler because I constantly complain about that as a movie fan. “Don’t make me into a  hypocrite!” I remember telling her. Micah was 20 during filming, but because of his petite stature looks the part of a high schooler. I was immediately impressed both with his reel and his composure on the Zoom call we had with Jesse aboard as well.  

I felt Micah and Jesse had immediate chemistry together and played off each other really well. I know Micah was really excited to land the role, which played perfectly into his character’s earnestness and enthusiasm. We had a lot of fun on set and joked around a lot together, and the two of them often cracked me up. There’s a scene where Mike puts Brandon into a box and then tries to lift the box. None of that was in the script, but Jesse felt that the scene was stale, “We should reshoot this entire scene. There’s an energy missing.” We had the time, I agreed it could be better, and he told me his plan to put Micah into the box. I had some safety concerns, but they both wanted to try, so we shot it and tried not to laugh. The improv physical comedy lightened the mood after a long day, we reshot the scene,  and you can see the chemistry and energy between them both in what were genuine moments of goofing around for a montage.  

PH: The Comic Shop champions heroism in everyday life. What do you hope audiences take away from the film, especially those who may not be comic book fans?

Jonathan L. Bowen: I haven’t myself been a comic book fan in more than 25 years, though did research for the film as I wrote the script, so I wouldn’t want someone to believe just because of the subject matter or the title that it’s made for die-hard comic book fans only or just for nerds. When we brought Tristin Mays (MacGyver reboot lead actress) aboard, she admitted on the Zoom call with Jesse and I that she doesn’t know much about comics. Endearing himself to me further, Jesse immediately  interjected, “It’s not about comic books.” I remember thinking, “He gets it!” The  movie is about everyone who has ever had a dream but had to put it on the back  burner for real-world concerns like paying bills, raising a family, and choosing the  “practical path.” I think a lot of people believe once they hit 35, 40, or even 50 years old, they can’t ever change and are stuck with whatever they decided to do long ago. The Comic Shop is that reminder that, as the quote goes, “It’s never too late to  become what you might have been.” There are countless examples of people who succeeded later in life at their creative aspirations or switched careers midlife and found success. 

Even if it’s not as drastic as changing careers and pursuing your teenage dream of becoming a rock star or movie star, could you carve out some time each week to pursue a goal that makes you feel the passion for life again? That’s what I want audiences to take away from the movie — you only live once, so do it purposefully. Don’t turn 75 and wonder, “What if?” Seize the life that you deserve and pursue what makes you happy and fulfilled, whether that’s an artist, architect,  charity worker, filmmaker, etc. 

PH: Do you have a favorite comic book or a specific hero that inspired you growing up? 

Jonathan L. Bowen: For me, it really has to be Spawn. My parents were building a custom house at the time and happened to tour Todd McFarlane’s house as design inspiration (though  I’m not sure he knew they weren’t interested!). McFarlane was the legendary illustrator who revolutionized Spider-Man and became one of the biggest names in the comic book industry, later becoming one of the founders of Image Comics. In an unusual twist (I’ve never once been home when buyers toured a house or condo  I was selling), McFarlane actually gave my parents the first five issues of Spawn to give to me. I was hooked immediately and became a rabid fan, buying all of the action figures, comics, and any other merchandise I could find. McFarlane remains a huge inspiration to me and there’s a character in the film named Jimmy Farlane as tribute.

PH: The film features cameos from Eric Roberts and Carrot Top. How did these collaborations come about, and what energy did they bring to the project? 

Jonathan L. Bowen: My casting director kind of dropped the cameo mentions on me one by one, with my excitement growing as the list continued. We also had Murray Sawchuck, who is the nicest, most supportive guy and both a talented magician and comedian here in Vegas (though he tours fairly regularly, so catch him if you can). I remember the phone call about Eric Roberts well. “Would you want to have Eric Roberts do a  cameo?” I thought, “Who wouldn’t want him to do a cameo? Are you serious? But  can we afford that?” We thanked his manager and wife, Eliza, but said we couldn’t really afford him, unfortunately. She was so helpful and kind, promising we’d make it work and he wanted to do it. He even sent a video audition! I couldn’t believe it.  His scene is still one of my favorites, I chuckle every time. He’s so talented! 

Working with Eric was really fun — my first time working with an Oscar nominee  — but Carrot Top was also hilarious and down to earth. I think you always wonder what these people are like in real life, but Scotty (Carrot Top) was extremely understanding even when I asked if he could wait fifteen minutes as we grabbed a sunset shot from the parking lot. His cameo was entirely improv, he came to the set with an idea of what he wanted to do, which was similar to my own ideas for it. I  just let him and Jesse go back and forth, trying to stifle laughter the whole time.  The version that made the film is funny, but a few of the earlier takes were probably funnier they were just so loaded with cursing that we decided to use a tamer version. I’ll never forget when one of the producers rushed toward me, “Get a clean take! Get a clean take.” “But that was so funny,” I said. They were right,  though, you never know where the movie will end up when it’s an independent film, so you want to have options just in case. 

I think when you mention energy, that’s such an important aspect both on set and in the film itself. The cameos are fairly well spaced out in the finished film, so they’re fun little easter eggs for movie buffs and locals in Las Vegas as well. On set, it gave us something to look forward to on different days. After all, Jesse and Micah each worked virtually every day so bringing other actors into the mix helps the pacing, I think, both while filming and in the edit.  

PH: Independent filmmaking can be unpredictable. What were the biggest challenges during production, and how did the team overcome them? 

Jonathan L. Bowen: There were several significant challenges, so this question kind of makes my head spin thinking about how much I should mention. Before production, Covid was a major concern not as much because of the virus itself, which had weakened after many variants (late 2022), but because of the demands it placed on production itself. We had to hire a Covid Compliance Coordinator per union rules, both my own (DGA) and SAG. Regular testing was required, but no masks, unless the case counts locally, hit a certain level, which we monitored; it came close but never hit the threshold, so no masks on set. That being said, we lost a grip before we even shot a single scene; he tested positive just before call time on the first day. We also later lost our 2nd Assistant Director, though he could do scheduling remotely and still aided production. It came into play, however, when our 1st AD had an emergency that required him to leave mid-Friday before the weekend, so down in the depth chart, our 2nd 2nd Assistant Director took over as 1st for half the day. 

I cannot overstate how much COVID hovered over the entire production because the movie was entirely self-financed and I didn’t really have the reserve funds for putting production on hold, losing hundreds of thousands of dollars potentially, and risking the movie not being completed. I couldn’t rest easy until we wrapped production, so it was one of the most stressful periods of my life and I thought about worst-case scenarios constantly. There was no completion bond, no safety net, just a giant risk with the hopes of a reward down the line.  

On the first day of production, we had issues with the brand new camera, the Arri  Alexa 35, which had just been released and we were fortunate enough to have a producer (RIP Joshua Cohen) and our DP, Ryan Galvan, who both owned the  Alexa 35. Unfortunately, using Josh’s camera package, his batteries were off-brand and were causing immediate turn-offs to the camera. We spent hours troubleshooting and finally figured out the problem, but it resulted in a scene where we had full coverage of Jesse and just a single take of Tristin. We never had the time nor the budget to go back and redo the scene, so I was extremely fortunate that Tristin nailed every line on the first take. I showed the scene to her, she felt comfortable with her performance, and we dodged a bullet. This was, mind you after the Las Vegas park rangers kicked us out of Red Rock’s parking lot. We were apparently permitted to film where we filmed, but not for parking all of the production vehicles in their parking lot. Whoops. It was a rocky first day. 

The final major issue that occurred was on the last week of filming. I was doing my first workout in a few weeks when my phone rang and it was one of the top producers (Ron Singer). He immediately tells me to sit down and he has some bad news, “the  news no director wants to hear.” Jesse missed his flight coming back from a convention, had some issue with the TSA (I don’t know much more than I’m revealing on this one, except “some things were said” and they weren’t pleased), he was put on a 24-hour No Fly list pending… I don’t know what. That meant he couldn’t even charter a private plane back to Las Vegas, he had to clear up the misunderstanding and leave the next day. We had two cameos scheduled, I believe  Eric and Carrot Top, and we were extremely fortunate they were willing to reschedule, but everyone worked around the clock to rearrange locations, book new dates, inform the cast and crew, and shift the week to Tuesday - Saturday.  

I partially blame myself (kidding) by putting out into the universe, “I really wish I  didn’t have to work on my birthday.” That Monday was my 40th birthday, a big milestone, and I was frustrated that the timing of the shoot meant short sleep and a long work day on such a big birthday. That being said, be careful what you wish for — I’d rather have been working than have the day postponed! Everything worked out well, mostly, we lost one location but replaced it with something that worked nicely. My DP and his girlfriend at the time, who was also our 1st Assistant  Camera, took my wife and me out to dinner for my birthday, so it wasn’t a total loss. 

I’ll throw in a bonus, though I know I’m getting long here. We never did have a location that would work for “activity to be determined” between Mike, Brandon,  and Brandon’s father, Kurt, at the movie’s end. In the original script, it was a grand thing, they were all going to a Vegas Golden Knights game together, but on our budget and with the time we had, it wasn’t realistic. No replacement scene existed,  though. The schedule got cut by two days somewhere in pre-production, which  then meant there wasn’t any choice — the convention scenes had to be the same  day as “activity to be determined later.” The only thing I could think up was bowling because it would put the characters close together, it wouldn’t cost a fortune, and anyone can bowl even if they’re bad at it. The problem? Every major hotel and casino that had an area with a convention hall didn’t have bowling, was booked for holiday parties or corporate events, or in one case wouldn’t allow  Micah to be there because he wasn’t 21, even if it was a closed set. The eventual location (The Silver Nugget) wasn’t booked until days before the shooting, though, so it was a constant source of stress. I also had to write the scene during filming,  which isn’t ideal but I’ve done it on both movies when locations fell through or something changed that needed an on-the-fly rewrite.  

PH: The Comic Shop is a love letter to passion and perseverance. How has working on this film influenced your own goals or perspectives on storytelling?

Jonathan L. Bowen: I think there are a couple of major influences that come to mind. First, I gave Mike the happy ending that I want one day, where I can use the movie’s success or the response to the movie to go make another film. I love filmmaking, despite the trials and tribulations, and it’s what I feel I am here to do. I spend much of my free time watching movies, soaking up information about the world that I can use for storytelling, and focusing on my career. With the movie finished, I realized that  Mike has his happy ending, but I don’t get mine without factors somewhat beyond my control at this point. The movie is soon to be for others to judge, not me, so I  have to be content with what we created. 

The other perspective I have after the film, which probably should have been obvious to me after the first movie, is how much passion you need to have to write and direct a film. The amount of stress, the personal toll it takes, and the sheer number of years to go from script to screen is immense. If I don’t have the passion for a project, I have to pass. I’m much more comfortable with telling a story when  I feel I have something to say. In other words, I don’t want to work in the film industry just to say I make a living making movies. I want to make movies because  I love the art and if that means waiting for the right opportunities, or making fewer movies, I’m completely comfortable with that. I have a lot I enjoy doing in life and  a lot of ways to spend my time, but the last thing the world needs is more mediocre  “content.” No matter what someone might think of The Comic Shop because no movie can appeal to everyone, I hope they understand passion and love went into making it, not crass commercialism. Nobody was just trying to make a buck,  everyone from the cast to the crew to the producers to myself could have been making more money doing something else, but we came together with a common goal to make a movie that connects with audiences and has something to say.

The Comic Shop will be released on digital on April 11 (On Demand, Amazon, Apple, Google Play, etc.) 

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