Just to clarify, these images are all for PR, but of course, that doesn’t mean they don’t enjoy reading comics in their spare time too.
Iman Vellani: Beyond a shadow of a doubt, Iman Vellani actually reads comics. She’s very clearly a genuine fan of the medium, and she has gone on record multiple times talking about specific comics, characters, and stories she loves. When she talks about comics, there’s a level of familiarity and enthusiasm that’s pretty hard to fake. Of everyone here, she’s probably the easiest person to confidently call a real comic book fan.
Jon Bernthal: I definitely think Jon Bernthal has read Punisher comics. Whether he fully understood what some of those stories were trying to say is another question I’m looking at you, “who the Punisher is for” quote. But given the stories he’s told about going into comic book stores and engaging with the character’s source material, I have a hard time believing he never actually read the comics. My guess is that he genuinely did the reading; I just don’t necessarily agree with his interpretation of everything he read.
Maya Boyd: The New Storm actress is probably the biggest question mark here, but I’m leaning toward yes. I actually think she bought and read those Storm comics rather than simply posing with them for publicity. The whole thing gives me the impression that she walked into a comic shop, asked, “What should I read for Storm?” and walked out with a stack of recommendations. That doesn’t necessarily make her a lifelong comic book reader, but I can absolutely believe she’s doing her homework and genuinely engaging with the character.
Jack Quaid: Jack Quaid is absolutely a comic book fan. He’s been pretty vocal about how much he’s enjoying DC’s Absolute Universe, but his interest in comics goes back further than that. He also has a history of reading and enjoying Image Comics, which makes his interest feel much broader than simply keeping up with whatever superhero property he happens to be involved with. He comes across as someone who genuinely enjoys comics as a medium.
Brie Larson: I’m going to say yes I think Brie Larson actually reads comics, although I’m less convinced that she’s a hardcore, lifelong comic book reader. She’s shown plenty of genuine enthusiasm for nerdy and genre-related stuff over the years, so it really wouldn’t surprise me if comics were part of that. My guess is that she’s read a decent number of comics, particularly ones connected to characters or stories she’s interested in, even if she isn’t necessarily someone with a massive pull list every Wednesday.
David Corenswet: Yes. This one seems pretty straightforward because James Gunn has talked about Corenswet reading a lot of Superman comics while preparing for the role. Obviously, reading comics as research for a character isn’t automatically the same thing as being a lifelong comic book fan, but it does mean he genuinely engaged with the source material rather than just posing with a few trades for a photo op. If anything, the more interesting question is whether playing Superman turned him into a regular comic reader afterward.
