I sincerely hope you’re enjoying part three of this story arc. Or, as I’ve affectionately come to refer to it, "The Close-Up of Jared, Dramatic Lighting EXTRAVAGANZA!!!"

I realize that I was kind of teasing you guys with cliffhanger after cliffhanger, but things should start moving forward now. I want to try and wrap up this arc by Friday.

Since Jared’s plan has been revealed more into today’s comic, I can kind of talk about what I’m trying to do.

Basically, I was examining the whole Jared vs. Ben Affleck confrontation and was curious as to if it was even relevant these days. I mean, this is conflict that has been going on for 4 years and I’m starting to worry that I’ve gone back to the well too many times.

Reviews for Hollywoodland seem to indicate Affleck’s performance as George Reeves is better than the movie it’s stuck in. That’s high praise for a guy that has been box office poison for the last few years. I have to hand it to Affleck. He laid low and made some smart choices. There’s no reason to assume that his career will flounder in a state of Reeves-like stasis and frustration – as much as we wish it were so.

Therefore, is it funny to beat up on a guy who has made some changes for the better? America loves to watch you fail, but they love a comeback even more. I think I’m in real danger of beating a dead horse by continuing to pit these two against each other. Even if the fans like it, there has to be someone a little more relevant to be deserving of this scorn.

Hopefully without giving too much away, this storyline is a means to resolving that situation. I tried to set it up with an air of finality – thus, Jared bringing the gun into play. But I didn’t want to escalate it to the point that he would actually murder Ben Affleck. And that’s what today’s comic was about. A twisted sense of reasoning that would lead Jared to believe that the only way to let Affleck off the hook is to act his way out of an impossible task and somehow proving that his talent was beyond reproach.

It’s a bit ridiculous, I know. And I’m not totally closing the door on Affleck, either. But it might be time to put this concept to rest. Hopefully you guys will enjoy where I’m taking things and how I wrap them up.

OBLIGATORY SHILLING

I can’t let a post go by without mentioning to you the pre-sale of "Theater Hopper: Year Two." Orders continue to be strong, which surprises me a little. I think people who bought "Theater Hopper: Year One" must have enjoyed it enough to give me a second chance! I got a lot of feedback from people on the first book that they were very happily surprised by it’s level of quality. I’m here to tell you that "Year Two" will toe the line in that regard. If you liked the first book, you’ll love the second!

If you don’t have the first book, take advantage of our special discount pricing that bundles "Year One" and "Year Two" together. You get both books for $25 (plus shipping and handling)! It’s a great deal and a savings of nearly ten dollars!

Remember, you have until tomorrow for your one-in-three-shot of winning one of these completely charming hand-made Truman dolls, stitched together by my wife Cami! After Wenesday, your odds drop to one-in-two ad we continue our march to meet our Sales Drive goal by September 29!

Thank you for your support!

Also, please take a moment to welcome our newest sponsor, Comic Pants. It’s a great blog about what’s going on in print comics. You guys should really check it out!

Remember, I have three sponsorship ad spaces left and I’ve also opened up the playing field for larger ads above and to the right of the comic. I’m selling those spots by ad views and it’s a really good deal. Click here to learn more about advertising with Theater Hopper!