Tag Archives: The Variants

VIDEO: The newest “Variants” … just in time for ComicCon

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Ever wonder why new episodes of The Variants always debut on Wednesday? Because as every comic book geek knows, Wednesdays are “comic book day,” the day of the week when new issues of the latest titles are delivered to stores across the country. So, if you’re so moved, after watching this latest webisode of the Internet series set here in Dallas, you can cruise on over to Zeus’ new digs on Inwood Road (look for the Batsignal!).

And if you’re really put in a comic book mood, it’s just in time for Dallas ComicCon, which takes places at the new Irving Convention Center Friday through Sunday.

Zeus owner Richard Neal calls this episode — entitled “Girl Drink Drunk,” after the Kids in the Hall sketch — his favorite of Season 3 …. and it’s hella-gay. Enjoy!

—  Arnold Wayne Jones

WATCH: “The Variants” occupy Zeus

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Zeus Comics is being occupied. Protesters have gathered outside the shop to protest the firing of Keli, but they show up in costume … which may actually attract more customers.

You can watch it here, or go to TheVariants.com.

—  Arnold Wayne Jones

Catch the latest episode of ‘The Variants’

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It’s Barry vs. Terry, and Keli vs. Svenus as there’s a war on two fronts: Zeus Comics and a comic convention… and where the hell is Richard? Find out on this week’s episode of The Variants.

—  Arnold Wayne Jones

‘The Variants’ launches third season

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The Variants, the online web series shot here in Dallas and set in a gay-owned comic bookstore, launched its third season today. The entire series was funded via the producers’ Kickstarter.com campaign. It’ll run for 10 weeks. The premiere ep, “Zeus Comics Worldwide,” deals with Kelli’s hesitance to turn the store into an expanded brand, losing its homey quality. You can watch it here, or just click below.

—  Arnold Wayne Jones

“Variants” looks to “Kickstart” Season 3

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For two years, the folks at Zeus Comics on Lemmon have produced a very amusing, Dallas-centric and incredibly gay web series — a fictionalized look at life in a comic book store — called The Variants, which just ended its second season in February. It’s been a labor of love, which is another way of saying they don’t make any money off it.

Well, they want some to keep it going.

“We’ve done as much as we can out of pocket,” said series co-creator and writer Ken Lowery. “But to move forward and give this show the production values it needs, we’re going to need a little help.”

If you’d like to see Season 3 of the series, you can help them reach the (pretty modest) fundraising goal of $8,000. They’re all signed up on Kickstarter, the site that helps filmmakers fund their projects; gay Texas filmmaker Yen Tan reached his fundraising goal after a feature in Dallas Voice last year. We can do the same for The Variants.

And there are some perks. Season 3 will include new cast members, plus the series will move from a monthly to a weekly release schedule. That’s better than Mad Men averages.

To donate, just click here. We can put ‘em over the top.

UPDATE: Zeus owner and Variants star Richard Neal promises, if we bring back a Season 3, they will offer up the series’ first gay kiss.

—  Arnold Wayne Jones

“The Variants” ends season with a little skin

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This season of The Variants ends with this quasi-cliffhanger as an investor looks into the viability of the store “going national” with its current staff. Plus, Richard takes his clothes off. And Vlad speaks! Take a gander after the jump.

Continue reading ““The Variants” ends season with a little skin” »

—  Arnold Wayne Jones

'The Variants' caps 1st season with 2-parter

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“The Variants,” the web-based series about life in a very gay comic book store, has debuted a new episode the first Wednesday of every month for nearly a year. This month, though, they doubled up on consecutive Wednesdays for the season finale. Seems times are dire for the guys at Zeus Comics, so they tap “30 Days of Night” artist Ben Templesmith to gin up business.

You can catch both episodes here.

—  Arnold Wayne Jones

'The Variants' up with latest … and best

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Because I am a male over the age of 13, I have never read one of the Twilight books. The gay part might throw you off, but trust me: Post-pubescent men have no reason to read that drivel. (This does not apply to the absolutely AWFUL movies, which I watch simply because of my unhealthy obsession with Taylor Lautner, which is perfectly normal for a man my age.)

So that may explain why the latest (eighth) episode of The Variants — the very gay Webseries produced right here in Dallas at Zeus Comics on Lemmon —  may be the best yet. It starts with a Tarantino-esque screed about the book series, that reveals tons of plot points not yet revealed in the movies. (The filmmakers treat the movie plots like nuclear plans or the Coke recipe, when anyone with a library card or Wikipedia account could tell you what happens at the end of the series.) For that alone, I love its spoiler factor. It’s the tightest writing yet.

But I can’t stand how the Zeus folks upload their videos — I can’t find the embed code for the latest episode on their Website or YouTube channel, so you just have to link it here.

Update: So Chris Williams at Zeus schooled me on how to do the embed link from TheVariants.com. So you can look at it here:

—  Arnold Wayne Jones

Zeus Comics' 'The Variants' up for two Comicpalooza Fandom Awards

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I just read on Zeus Comics’ Twitter feed that their homegrown Web show, The Variants, is nominated for two awards at this year’s Comicpalooza. The comic book convention happens this year in Houston and according to the tweet, the Variants will be in attendance. We’re hoping they walk away with both the Nerd-Centric and Wannabe Superhero Series awards they are nominated for.

You can vote for The Variants here although you have to go through a whole bunch of other categories before hitting theirs. If you’re in the comic-book-know, more power to you. But if you’re like me, as in out of the loop, just vote for what sounds cool.

—  Rich Lopez

'The Variants' is late

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So, this being the first Wednesday of the month, I logged onto TheVariants.com to get the latest installment of the locally-produced Web series about gay-owned Zeus Comics and … nothing. It’s usually up by midnight, but it’s already past 7 a.m. and no upload, no notice, no teaser … nothing.  What’s up, guys?

—  Arnold Wayne Jones