Important Update Regarding this Substack
From here on out, new articles will only be posted on the first Friday of the month
Dear Readers,
The last six months have been quite a ride. I officially launched my Substack newsletter on April 4, the first Friday of the month. Since then, I’ve consistently had new comic book reviews and comic industry news stories posted at 10 a.m. CST on the first and third Friday of every month.
Nevertheless, this scheduling will now change. Throughout the foreseeable future, I’ll only be updating on the first Friday of the month. In other words, this bimonthly newsletter is being reduced to a monthly one.
I need to slow down. I’ve turned down paid freelance work so I could make my own self-imposed deadlines on Substack. I’ve said “No” to plans with friends because of the same time crunch.
Since launching my Substack, I’ve reported on the DC: Celebrate Superman panel at C2E2 2025 and profiled three creators in Artist Alley at the same convention. I’ve researched the history of Superman and written about what the character represented in each era of comic books. In another piece comparable to a Media Studies research paper, I wrote about the history of Pride Month and the past, present and future of LGBTQ+ comics. I also reviewed the Archie Comics superhero comic book, Archie is Mr. Justice #4, and the self-published superhero comic book about Jewish trauma and identity, Samson #1.
I’ve reported on the Tales from the Cryptic Closet 4 book release party at the Horror House Shop in Chicago and interviewed cartoonist Matt Hansel at the event. I’ve reported on the No Kings protest in Chicago and tied it into an analysis of the newspaper comic strip Calvin and Hobbes. I’ve compared the 1990s Goosebumps book The Haunted Mask with its television and graphic novel adaptations. I’ve deconstructed the Archie Comics character Reggie Mantle and exposed his softer side. I’ve reported what the saying “comics will break your heart” means to different comic book creators and the debate about whether or not Jack Kirby ever actually said this. Lastly, in what was the bastard child of this Substack, I wrote about social media addiction and why I believe writers are especially susceptible.
Comic creators have given me positive feedback that I’ve greatly appreciated. Notably, after writing Three Comics to Read for Pride Month, I emailed the article to Lynn Johnston, the creator of the newspaper comic strip For Better or For Worse. She replied to me, saying:
“I’ve just read your article about Pride Month and wanted to thank you for including the story I did in For Better or for Worse. If it is still relevant now, then it was well worth doing. If people are still reading it and finding it helpful, I will take that as a sincere compliment.
Positive changes rarely come quickly, but I do think that in this case - We are all becoming better educated, more accepting and more compassionate.”
Additionally, after I posted my review of Archie is Mr. Justice #4 on Instagram, Archie is Mr. Justice #4 writer Blake Howard commented:
“Dude, what an incredibly kind and thorough review! I am really glad you were picking up what I was putting down, narratively speaking. I love the character of Reggie a lot, and it was really important to keep Archie, even superhero Archie, what Archie is all about - relationships.”
I’d be remiss if I didn’t also mention Devin Whitlock, a fellow comic book journalist on Substack. He shared my article, Three Great Moments in Superman Comics, and said:
“What a great look at Superman through the ages! You did a great job highlighting how he’s changed while also maintaining a certain essence to his character. I’ve seen some people get livid over Krypto, but I’m so happy to see he’s enjoying a comeback.
Thanks for another great newsletter!”
It should be noted that Samson #1 writer Ben Lacy included a quote from my Samson #1 review on the Kickstarter page for Samson #2, which also brought a smile to my face. Other comic creators have shared my Substack articles on social media, including but not limited to Maddi Gonzalez, Phil Falco and Ryan Francis.
Unfortunately, despite my work resonating with people, I haven’t gained a single paid subscriber. In my first Substack article, Nick Ulanowski is Reviewing Comic Books and Reporting on Comic Book News, I said:
“Perhaps I’ll eventually change this to where one monthly article is free, but the other is behind a paywall.”
In other words, I planned to eventually transition this Substack to featuring only one free monthly article. That’s essentially what I’m doing. However, instead of writing one free article and one paid article each month, I’m only producing one article, and it’s free.
I hope that by reducing the quantity of newsletters, I can improve the overall quality of my work. This is a one-man show. Meaning, I haven’t hired an editor, graphic designer or social media promoter. Occasionally, mistakes and poorly worded sentences slip through the cracks in the emails sent to my subscribers, but are later fixed on Substack’s app and website. Giving myself more time should help prevent this from happening. Also, among everything I’ve done on Substack, I’m most proud of my heavily researched deep dives into a subject matter - Three Great Moments in Superman Comics and Three Comics to Read for Pride Month. However, both of these articles took more than two weeks to complete.
It would be different if I were still getting paid to contribute to a comic book website like CBR or Bleeding Cool. Not only would I have editors, graphic designers and social media managers employed by the same company that hired me, but there would be a different personal standard for quality. This Substack is entirely my own project, so it should be my best work.
This is why I won’t be reviewing Hell of a Job #1 from Weird Brain Entertainment, despite saying I would in two previous newsletters. I don’t have enough to say about it to write a good piece of media analysis that would make me feel proud. That said, please read what I wrote about Hell of a Job #1 writer Dave Franchini in my Substack article, Writers and Artists Share Their Insights at C2E2 2025, and listen to my interview with him on YouTube.
I’m currently reading, re-reading and reading about Hack/Slash, a horror comic book series created by Tim Seeley and Stefano Caselli that has been consistently published for over 20 years. You can expect an article about Hack/Slash to be posted online and sent to your email next month. I might tie it into a broader reflection on why horror comics are great. Giving myself more free time will make it easier to write another deep dive into a subject matter while still prioritizing my paid journalism work.
It would’ve been nice to have an article about Hack/Slash finished in time for Halloween. However, even if I did, my most Halloween-appropriate article would’ve still been The Haunted Mask (Goosebumps Graphic Novel #1) Review. It’s not only about a horror comic, a prose novel and a television program, but a review of a story that mostly takes place on Halloween night.
This isn’t the end of my Substack. I still care deeply about this writing project. I’m even considering compiling all my Substack articles into my first nonfiction book sometime down the line. So, don’t worry, dear reader. This ain’t over yet.
Talk soon!
In love and solidarity,
Nick Ulanowski
If you enjoy this Substack newsletter, you can tip me on Venmo.
Nick Ulanowski will return in Hack/Slash: Back to School Review: One of the Best Horror Comics of the Decade on Friday, November 7.
Thanks for the update! And thank you for the shout out! I can hardly believe I’m in the company of Lynn Johnston and Blake Howard, but it makes sense in the context of praising your writing. You deserve every word and more! I’m looking forward to your article about Hack/Slash. Keep up the great work!