Matt Battaglia is a designer, illustrator, and comic book enthusiast. Battaglia joined Ben Domenech in the studio to review “Captain America: Civil War” and to explain the ins and outs of the comic book industry.

This latest superhero movie is adapted from an original story arc from the comic version of Captain America. “The movie really fleshes out Captain American’s side and actually brings a lot of the political debates of personal and individual responsibility vs. the strong hand of government taking over for these heroes,” he said.

The comic book industry has experienced weird shifts and changes in recent years, from the rise of self-publishing to the politically correct character trends. “Marvel and DC have turned there comics for the most part into weird political thought pieces,” Battaglia said. “While I think it’s fine to have a diverse cast, it seems weird when you force it in ways that aren’t really story driven or if it’s just done simply to do it.”

Later in the hour, Battaglia explains how entertainment and fandom have changed the market for comic books and characters. “The focus has shifted where the fandom is the focus, rather than the actual product. Which is interesting in that being a fan of comics is now…has become the thing to be.”

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