Quiet; August 12 2026

I have thoughts about quiet storytelling, today. Oddly enough, this was sparked by a superhero movie.

I went to see the latest Spiderman movie, Brand New Day, in spite of not having seen the previous ones. I knew the gist of what had happened previously, so it was easy enough to follow. More important than that, though, was the core of the story. Naturally, as a Marvel blockbuster, there were showy action sequences and quips, but there was a surprising amount of humanity in the story itself.

That’s what I want from my media, and that’s what generative AI can never give us.

AI doesn’t understand the point to what it pumps out. Without giving spoilers, the core of Spiderman’s story this time around was very much about isolation, about the connections we need to forge with others, or risk losing everything about ourselves that matters.

I really like the direction Marvel is going in, with that. I hope they keep centring their stories this way. Maybe someone in the writers’ room looked at the world and told the rest of the room, “This is important, now more than ever.”

If you want more stories along those lines, I’m thrilled to also announce that my novelette, As Thick as Water, is officially out on Amazon! I’ll also be selling copies for cheaper than the online price at Toronto Dark Arts Market’s event this Saturday, August 15, for the Beach Party Market.

I hope to see you there, but if not, I still hope you look into the book and enjoy it, if you read it!