Nana Wu
In an era where comic book publishers are increasingly looking toward cross-media synergy, AWA Studios has launched an ambitious, genre-bending shared universe that seeks to redefine the relationship between local storytelling and supernatural mythology. Titled Lesser Evils, the project functions as a love letter to the cultural epicenter of Brooklyn, New York, reimagining the borough as a place where modern, hype-obsessed human life intersects with the eerie, the magical, and the downright absurd.
Created by writer and creative advertising executive Ian Grody and director/producer Justin Fair, with art by the acclaimed Yishan Li (known for her work on Hellboy and Batwoman), Lesser Evils is not merely a single comic series. It is a sprawling, interconnected ecosystem of stories, webtoons, and live-action short films designed to capture the "hope, desperation, and frustration" of contemporary urban life.
The Core Concept: Supernatural Tales in a Modern Landscape
At its heart, Lesser Evils explores what the creators describe as "Brooklyn Through the Looking Glass." The premise is deceptively simple: what if the supernatural entities of lore were forced to navigate the same social anxieties, career pressures, and heartbreak that define life for modern twenty- and thirty-somethings?
The universe introduces a cast of characters who are far from heroic in the traditional sense. Instead, they are messy, flawed, and profoundly relatable. The lineup includes a golem with a flair for mixology, a cynical, foul-mouthed genie suffering from a mid-life (or mid-eon) crisis, a demon that sustains itself on negative energy, and a mermaid navigating the precarious social hierarchy of the restaurant industry.
"My aspiration from the jump has been to create a comic through the lens of contemporary culture," says Ian Grody. "Brooklyn was the perfect backdrop because it’s not only a cultural hub, it’s a place of becoming. Where people actively go to transform and reinvent themselves. Any place where there’s that much hope and desperation and frustration is already full of magic."
Chronology and Strategic Rollout
The launch of Lesser Evils has been characterized by a multi-platform, global release strategy that highlights AWA Studios’ commitment to digital-first accessibility.
The Initial Phase (May 2022)
The universe debuted on May 25, 2022, with the digital release of EMMETT #1. To maximize global reach, the title was released simultaneously in six languages: English, French, Spanish, Italian, Brazilian Portuguese, and Hindi, hosted on the GlobalComix platform. This "day-and-date" international strategy is a significant departure from traditional comic publishing models, signaling a shift toward building worldwide fandoms from the ground up.
The Digital Expansion
Following the initial launch, AWA initiated a steady stream of content, releasing three webtoon episodes per week over a nine-week span, concluding on July 22, 2022. This cadence was designed to keep the audience engaged with the serialized nature of the stories, mirroring the binge-watching habits of the streaming generation.
The Physical Transition (August 2022)
While the digital rollout served as the initial point of entry, AWA ensured that traditional comic collectors were not left behind. The physical, print-shop debut for the Lesser Evils collection began on August 24, 2022, with Emmett #1, setting the stage for the staggered release of the other core titles: Ginn, Thriftr, and Tails.
Detailed Breakdown of the ‘Lesser Evils’ Series
The Lesser Evils universe is built upon four foundational pillars, each exploring a distinct facet of the supernatural experience in Brooklyn:
1. Emmett: The Golem of Bushwick
The story of Lydia Loew, an artisan potter whose heartbreak leads her to accidentally conjure a golem in her Bushwick studio. Emmett is not a hulking, mindless beast; he is a refined companion who enjoys mixing cocktails and helping around the apartment. The series explores themes of self-love and the lengths to which one will go to exact revenge after a painful separation.
2. Ginn: The Existential Genie
Ginn tackles the "quarter-eon crisis." After being granted his freedom, an ancient, hard-drinking genie finds himself adrift in a world he doesn’t fully understand. His trajectory changes when he falls for a woman working for the Make-a-Wish Foundation, forcing him to choose between his newfound humanity and his former master’s vengeful demands.
3. Thriftr: The Startup Horror
A satirical look at the hyper-competitive world of Brooklyn retail. Two NYU graduates open a high-end boutique in Greenpoint, but their business relationship is tested when an mysterious, antique wooden sculpture begins feeding on their personal animosity. It is a cautionary tale about the dark side of ambition and the "curated" lives we present to the public.
4. Tails: The Under-the-Sea Struggle
Maude, a talented line cook, finds her workplace poisoned by a toxic, exploitative boss. Her story takes a dark, fantastical turn when she discovers a mermaid living in a nearby canal. This series serves as an allegory for reclaiming personal power, juxtaposing the oppressive reality of service-industry labor with the allure of a supernatural escape.
Official Responses and Creative Vision
The creative team behind Lesser Evils emphasizes that the title refers not to grand, apocalyptic threats, but to the small, insidious failures of character that people face daily.
"As a seminal rocker and voice of a generation, Gavin Rossdale sang: ‘It’s the little things that kill,’" says Justin Fair. "These are the less obvious, often self-inflicted, more insidious evils that threaten our well-being. They are the pitfalls we all must avoid to achieve a successful place in our social circles and in our neighborhoods."
Will Graves, Managing Editor at AWA Studios, notes that the collaboration was born out of a 2021 Tribeca Festival session regarding the crossover between graphic fiction and screen media. "We knew they had a creative style that synced perfectly with modern storytelling," Graves stated. "The fact that a year later this connection has led to the creation of four new series and a short film is a wonderful full-circle moment."
Christopher Carter, CEO of GlobalComix, lauded the initiative: "They represent a new breed of comic publishers that are living at the forefront of publishing and innovation in the digital era."
The Role of Multimedia and Short Film
A key component of the Lesser Evils universe is its integration of live-action content. The promotional short film Emmett, directed by Justin Fair and written by Ian Grody, serves as a proof-of-concept for the tone and aesthetic of the series. With a cast including Meredith Alloway, Jake Cannavale, and the voice of Isiah Whitlock Jr., the film bridges the gap between the static page and the screen, proving that the Lesser Evils world is adaptable across multiple media formats.
Implications for the Future of Comics
The launch of Lesser Evils serves as a case study for the evolution of the comic book industry in the mid-2020s. Several key implications arise from this project:
- The Death of Geographic Barriers: By launching in six languages simultaneously, AWA Studios is acknowledging that the "local" feel of a Brooklyn-based story is universally translatable. It removes the friction of waiting for international translations.
- The Hybridization of Formats: The project proves that consumers are increasingly comfortable moving between webtoons, traditional single-issue comics, and short films. The "transmedia" approach—where a story exists simultaneously in multiple formats—is becoming the industry standard.
- Agility and Transparency: The incident regarding the removal of initial plans for NFTs reflects a broader trend in the industry where publishers must remain agile. As the "Web3" landscape shifts, companies are learning to prioritize sustainable engagement over speculative assets.
- Creator-Centric Universes: By allowing creators like Grody and Fair to build a universe based on their specific, niche cultural observations, AWA is moving away from traditional "superhero" tropes toward more idiosyncratic, character-driven narratives that mirror contemporary television dramedies.
In summary, Lesser Evils stands as a testament to the fact that comics are no longer confined to the spandex-clad archetypes of the past. By grounding the supernatural in the gritty, aspirational, and often hilarious realities of modern Brooklyn, AWA Studios has created a blueprint for how a modern franchise can survive and thrive in an increasingly digitized, globalized market. Whether through the lens of a scorned potter or a depressed genie, the "lesser evils" we face are, as the creators suggest, hauntingly familiar.
Reynand Wu
Nila Kartika Wati
