| Genre | Comedy |
|---|---|
| Runtime | 8 to 10 minutes/ep. |
| Creator | Richard Neal Ken Lowery Joe Cucinotti |
| Director | Joe Cucinotti Jason Chinnock |
| Producer | Richard Neal Ken Lowery Joe Cucinotti |
| Camera | Garrett Dollar Nathan J Harris Luke Hawkins |
| Starring | Richard Neal Barry Fuhrman Keli Wolfe Ken Lowery Joe Cucinotti Curt Franklin Chris Haley |
| Open theme | The FarStar Adam WarRock |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Network | youtube.com |
| First aired | August 4, 2009 |
| Num episodes | 28 |
| Num seasons | 3 |
The Variants is an American web series comedy about four employees who work in comic retail. This scripted comedy has completed 28 episodes comprising three seasons. The Variants aired its first episode August 4, 2009[1] and wrapped season one in May 2010.[2] Its second season began May 3 of 2011[3] and completed in February 2012.[4] The Variants completed a successful Kickstarter campaign on May 29, 2012 to fund a season three.[5][6] A promo teaser was released on August 8, 2012 to Comics Alliance in advance of the new season.[7] Season three launched weekly on September 3, 2012.[8] The show is filmed on location at Zeus Comics in Dallas Texas.[9][10]
While the series is available free on YouTube, Season One of The Variants was compiled on DVD in June 2011.[11]
Plot
Richard and his employees handle the ins and outs of a struggling comic shop and its particular customers. While working retail in a unique market may offer bizarre situations, the employees have to work out a way to keep the store open through sales gimmicks and comic book artist signings.[12]
Awards
The Variants received a Dallas Observer "Best of" award for its Dallas based production.[13]
Reviews and Criticisms
Early criticism of The Variants include comparisons to Kevin Smith and his film Clerks.[14][15][16][17] However reviewers have called The Variants "a sharply written and produced series"[18] and noted positively the Variants strong LGBT and female characters in a medium dominated by men.[19][20][21][22]
Guest stars
Notable comic celebrity guest stars have include cartoonist Scott Kurtz of PVPonline,[23] artist Dave Crosland,[24] artist and creator of the Crow James O'Barr, artist Ben Templesmith,[25] writer Mark Waid (as Richard's brother William),[26] R. K. Milholland and Curt Franklin and Chris Haley of the Let's Be Friends Again web comic.[27]
Cast
- Joe Cucinotti as himself
- Barry Fuhrman as himself
- Ken Lowery as Vlad
- Richard Neal as himself
- Keli Wolfe as herself
- Chris Haley as Terry
- Curt Franklin as Svenus Jorgin
Episodes
| No. | Title | Release date |
|---|
Season 2
| No. | Title | Release date |
|---|
Season 3
| No. | Title | Release date |
|---|
References
- ^ "'The Variants' debuts". Dallas Voice. 2009-08-07. Archived from the original on October 4, 2017. Retrieved February 10, 2012.
- ^ "'The Variants' caps 1st season with 2-parter". Dallas Voice. 2010-05-13. Archived from the original on June 26, 2015. Retrieved February 10, 2012.
- ^ "Get into Free Comic Book Day spirit with 'The Variants'". Quick. 2011-05-01.[dead link]
- ^ "'The Variants' wraps up its second season". Comic Book Resources. 2012-02-03. Archived from the original on February 5, 2012.
- ^ "THE VARIANTS web series shows comics shops in a different light". Comics Beat. 2012-05-12. Archived from the original on January 19, 2013.
- ^ "THE VARIANTS season 3 0". Kickstarter. 2012-05-29.
- ^ "Link Ink: 'The Variants' Season Three, More Mickey Rourke As Marv And Custom Baz". Comicsalliance. August 8, 2012. Archived from the original on August 11, 2012.
- ^ "Link Ink: 'The Variants' launches third season". Dallas Voice. September 5, 2012. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved October 15, 2012.
- ^ "'Variants' Brings Guild-esque Charm to the Comic Book World". gigaom. 2010-05-28. Archived from the original on October 12, 2012.
- ^ "Watch 'THE VARIANTS' The New Comic Book Show". Newsarama. 2009-10-09. Archived from the original on October 11, 2009.
- ^ "Watch 'The Variants' season 1 on DVD". Dallas Voice. 2010-05-30. Archived from the original on August 1, 2016. Retrieved May 18, 2019.
- ^ "'The Variants', Dallas Comic Book Shop Turned Web Series". Tubefilter. 2009-09-14. Archived from the original on June 6, 2011.
- ^ "Best Clerks Ripoff/Marketing Ploy - 2009 'The Variants'". Dallas Observer. 2009-10-11.
- ^ "'The Variants' debuts". Dallas Voice. 2009-08-07. Archived from the original on October 4, 2017. Retrieved February 10, 2012.
- ^ "'Variants' Brings Guild-esque Charm to the Comic Book World". gigaom. 2010-05-28. Archived from the original on October 12, 2012.
- ^ "Nerd vs. nerd". Dallas Voice. 2009-07-30. Archived from the original on January 5, 2012. Retrieved February 10, 2012.
- ^ "Wherein We Connect John Hughes to Kevin Smith to Zeus Comics' New Web Series". Dallas Observer. 2009-08-06.
- ^ "Get into Free Comic Book Day spirit with 'The Variants'". Quick. 2011-05-01.[dead link]
- ^ "Watch 'THE VARIANTS' The New Comic Book Show". Newsarama. 2009-10-09. Archived from the original on October 11, 2009.
- ^ "Web show "The Variants" deals in Comic books and comic laughs". RedEye. 2012-01-11.
- ^ "The Variants Web Series Gets More Fabulous With Episode 6". Queer Me Up. 2011-11-06. Archived from the original on February 5, 2012.
- ^ "ARE YOU WATCHING VARIANTS?". Geeks Out. 2011-06-05. Archived from the original on March 10, 2012. Retrieved February 10, 2012.
- ^ "Watch 'New Variants' Episode arrives, PvP's Scott Kurtz guest stars". Major Spoilers. 2009-12-09.
- ^ "Watch 'New Variants' Episode arrives, PvP's Scott Kurtz guest stars". Major Spoilers. 2009-12-09.
- ^ "'The Variants' caps 1st season with 2-parter". Dallas Voice. 2010-05-13. Archived from the original on June 26, 2015. Retrieved February 10, 2012.
- ^ "'Variants' scores coup with guest actor: Comic writer Mark Waid". Dallas Voice. 2011-12-21. Archived from the original on January 29, 2012. Retrieved February 10, 2012.
- ^ "'The Variants' wraps up its second season". Comic Book Resources. 2012-02-03. Archived from the original on February 5, 2012.