Miles’ elderly father Syd Dallas was the artist and co-creator of The Domain, a wildly-popular superhero, whose latest big budget incarnation is set to reap still further riches for Singular Studios’ superhero cinematic universe - but not for the original comic book artist. Then, while attending the film’s premiere, Syd meets his former colleague Jerry Jasper’s assistant who unearths a surprising secret about the real IP owner of The Domain…
Public Domain sees Chip Zdarsky returning to drawing full-length comics for the first time since Sex Crimz, except this time he’s also writing it. And, while the story itself is an unfortunately commonplace one - comics creators have been getting fucked over for decades - Zdarsky’s take on it is funny and compelling.
The first issue is a thinly-veiled critique of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Marvel generally - Jerry Jasper is Stan Lee, the glory-hog taking credit for the artists who did all the heavy lifting back in the day, while Singular Studios is Marvel Studios, Blake Powers could be any of the Marvel Chrises (maybe Evans?) and even the hack director Steve Potash looks like the Ant Man director Peyton Reed.
I wonder how much of this is insider gossip because Zdarsky is currently one of the biggest writers at Marvel so I’m sure he’s been to one or two of these events and met some of the film people, seeing them off-camera. He maybe even met Stan Lee and his impression of Stan the man is similar to the obnoxiously self-important Jerry Jasper that the public didn’t see?
Because artists have had to fight for years - often after they’ve died, with their families carrying on for their relative’s legacy - to be acknowledged for their contributions to a character. It’s only recently that Bill Finger’s been credited alongside Bob Kane even though without Finger there’s no Batman. I think Syd Dallas is more along the lines of a Jack Kirby, whose family were able to get Jack’s just share of the Marvel goldmine only after years of protracted legal battles.
I’m not sure why the Captain America-type superhero is called The Domain, except for Zdarsky to have the pun-y title. Or maybe “domain” is to signify something larger like a universe - like the Marvel Universe, that Kirby basically created (another reason I think Syd Dallas is meant to be Jack Kirby)?
The scenes with Dave, Miles’ wacky brother, were a hoot, and it’s amusing to see someone so close to Marvel taking potshots at the entertainment behemoth. It’s also good to see Zdarsky’s art again - it’s surprising how much of this comic feels like an issue of Sex Crimz. Methinks he had a larger hand in that title’s creation than just the art.
If you’re as familiar with the sad history of superhero comics as me, the story won’t be too impressive - Zdarsky hasn’t had to imagine much - but Public Domain #1 is still an intriguing start that’s hooked me into wanting to find out whether or not old Syd will get the justice he deserves.
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