Suro Senen
In an ambitious move to redefine the landscape of modern graphic storytelling, AWA Studios has launched Lesser Evils, a sprawling, interconnected multimedia universe that mirrors the contemporary Brooklyn experience through a lens of dark, supernatural satire. By blending the mundane struggles of urban life—broken hearts, professional burnout, and social media obsession—with elements of the uncanny, the project aims to serve as a “guided tour” of both the physical borough and the psychological landscapes of its inhabitants.
The Core Concept: Supernatural Realism in the Borough
At its heart, Lesser Evils is a shared universe that invites readers into a version of Brooklyn where the line between reality and the supernatural is dangerously thin. The setting is inhabited by a curious cast of entities: a golem created during a post-breakup bender, a foul-mouthed genie suffering from a quarter-life crisis, a demon that feeds on bad vibes, and a mermaid living in the local canals. These entities collide with "hype-obsessed" humans, creating narratives that explore the complexities of intimacy, spite, and friendship in the 21st century.
Created by writer Ian Grody and director Justin Fair, with art by the acclaimed Yishan Li (Hellboy, Batwoman), the project is designed to be more than a comic book series; it is a transmedia property that spans traditional comics, webtoons, and live-action short films.
A Chronology of the Project’s Evolution
The path to Lesser Evils began in earnest during the 2021 Tribeca Festival. AWA Studios hosted a session focused on the intersection of graphic fiction with film and television, where Grody and Fair first crossed paths with the AWA editorial team.
- June 2021: Initial discussions between Grody, Fair, and AWA regarding a crossover-style creative project.
- May 2022: The official launch announcement, accompanied by the digital debut of EMMETT #1.
- May 25, 2022: The commencement of a nine-week rollout featuring three webtoon episodes per week.
- August 24, 2022: The scheduled physical retail release of Emmett #1, marking the beginning of the print rollout for the Ginn, Thriftr, and Tails series.
The rapid development of the property from a pitch to a full-fledged launch represents a "full-circle moment" for the publisher, which has sought to position itself as a forward-thinking player in the digital-first comic market.
The Four Pillars: A Breakdown of the Series
The Lesser Evils universe is built upon four foundational narrative arcs, each focusing on a different "lesser evil" of the human condition:
1. Emmett: The Golem of Bushwick
The flagship title, Emmett, centers on Lydia Loew, an artisan potter struggling with a devastating breakup. In a moment of sheer existential despair, she accidentally conjures a golem—Emmett—from the clay in her studio. Emmett acts as a supernatural "man-about-the-house," capable of mixing cocktails and aiding in revenge plots, serving as a dark reflection of the modern desire for a perfect, custom-tailored companion.
2. Ginn: The Existential Genie
Ginn follows a hard-drinking, foul-mouthed genie who has been set free by his master. Cast into the world of mortals, he faces a crisis of purpose until he falls for a human woman working for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. His story is one of impossible choices, as his former master threatens his new love interest, forcing the genie to decide between his freedom and the woman who gave his immortal life meaning.
3. Thriftr: The Haunted Boutique
A satirical take on the startup culture of Greenpoint, Thriftr follows two NYU graduates who open a boutique filled with carefully curated secondhand items. The story takes a turn for the supernatural when a mysterious antique wooden sculpture appears in their inventory—a piece that feeds on the co-owners’ buried resentment. The duo must destroy the object before their professional partnership, and their sanity, is consumed.
4. Tails: The Power Struggle
Tails tells the story of Maude, a talented line cook subjected to the predatory behavior of her "Batali-esque" boss. After befriending a mermaid in the local canal, she is offered an escape into the ocean. The series explores themes of agency and self-preservation as Maude weighs the temptation of abandoning her life against the courage required to confront her harasser head-on.
Official Perspectives: The Visionaries Speak
The creative team behind Lesser Evils has emphasized that the project is intended to be a mirror of current societal trends.
"My aspiration from the jump has been to create a comic through the lens of contemporary culture," said writer Ian Grody. "Brooklyn was the perfect backdrop because it’s a place of becoming, where people go to transform and reinvent themselves. Any place with that much hope, desperation, and frustration is already full of magic."
Justin Fair, who directed the accompanying short film, drew inspiration from rock music and the "insidious" nature of modern life. "As Gavin Rossdale sang: ‘It’s the little things that kill,’" Fair noted. "The Lesser Evils are the less obvious, often self-inflicted, more insidious evils that threaten our well-being. We want to provide a guided tour through these microcosms of Brooklyn and the frighteningly familiar microcosms of ourselves."
Will Graves, Managing Editor at AWA Studios, highlighted the publisher’s commitment to modern storytelling. "We knew they had a creative style that synced perfectly with modern storytelling capable of inspiring a new generation of readers," Graves stated. "The project perfectly blends pop culture, a little bit of horror, and relatable characters."
Global Reach and Digital Strategy
A critical component of AWA’s strategy for Lesser Evils is its digital-first, multi-language release model. EMMETT #1 was made available globally on GlobalComix in six languages: English, French, Spanish, Italian, Brazilian Portuguese, and Hindi.
Christopher Carter, CEO of GlobalComix, praised the initiative, noting that AWA’s approach to simultaneous digital distribution represents a new era for the industry. "They represent a new breed of comic publishers that are living at the forefront of publishing and innovation in the digital era," Carter observed. "Building a universe of storytelling that spans comics, film, and TV from the get-go is one of the strongest initiatives we’ve seen for building worldwide fandom."
Implications for the Comic Industry
The launch of Lesser Evils signals a broader shift in how boutique publishers are approaching content development. By focusing on a "shared universe" model, AWA is attempting to cultivate a loyal audience that feels invested in the cross-pollination of these stories.
Furthermore, the integration of live-action short films—such as the Emmett short starring Isiah Whitlock Jr.—highlights the industry’s pivot toward transmedia storytelling. Publishers are no longer merely creating static images on a page; they are creating "intellectual property incubators" designed to translate easily into streaming and film formats.
While initial reports mentioned potential for NFTs, AWA Studios subsequently clarified that their plans in the web3 space are fluid and subject to change, reflecting the volatile and rapidly evolving nature of digital assets in the current tech climate.
Ultimately, Lesser Evils serves as a case study in modern publishing: a fusion of hyper-local, culturally relevant narrative themes with a globalized, digital-first distribution strategy. As the universe continues to expand, it will likely serve as a litmus test for how effectively traditional comic publishers can compete in a media landscape dominated by short-form video, webtoons, and rapidly evolving digital platforms. Whether the audience embraces these "lesser evils" as their next obsession remains to be seen, but the ambitious scope of the project has undeniably set a high bar for creative innovation at AWA Studios.
Lina Irawan
Evan Lee Salim
