#93 "The Many Deaths Of Laila Starr" with Seth Adrian Romo

ABOUT THE EPISODE

Comic Watch contributor Seth Adrian Romo joins Sean in discussing Boom! Studios series The Many Deaths Of Laila Starr by Ram V., Filipe Andrade, Ines Amaro, and AndWorld Design. They do an overview of the series, their favorite key moments or aspects of the series, and what changes they would have liked to see. They touch on the themes of the dualism of life and death, the physical and spiritual, and Hindu principles.

They also chatted about how ChatGPT is not great for comic book summaries, the recent announcement on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles The Last Ronin video game development, and what comic books they and the listeners of the show are reading.

ABOUT THE GUEST

Seth Adrian Romo is a lifelong fan of comic books and believes there is a comic out there for everyone. He writes for Comic Watch, shares his comic book commentary on Substack, and does his best to get through his ever-growing comic book “to read” pile. His current goal is to read every issue of Detective Comics starting with Issue #27.

He's a Husband, new Dad, Pet Parent, and so-so toy photographer.

RESOURCES & LINKS

ChatGPT DESCRIPTION OF "THE MANY DEATHS OF LAILA STARR"

"The Many Deaths of Laila Starr" is a five-issue comic book series written by Ram V and illustrated by Filipe Andrade. The series was published by BOOM! Studios from April to August 2021. Here is an issue by issue summary of the series:

Issue #1: "The Offer"

The first issue introduces Laila Starr, a woman who has lived for thousands of years and is tired of immortality. She works as a clerk in a Mumbai death registry office and is approached by Death himself with an offer: to become the new Death and end her endless cycle of rebirth. But to do so, Laila must first find a suitable replacement for herself.

Issue #2: "The Replacement"

In the second issue, Laila sets out to find a suitable replacement for herself, meeting with various individuals who have come close to death but were ultimately spared. She eventually settles on a young boy named Mir, who she believes has the potential to become the next Death.

Issue #3: "The Confrontation"

In the third issue, Laila and Mir confront the current Death, who is reluctant to give up his power. Laila engages in a battle with Death and emerges victorious, taking on the mantle of Death herself.

Issue #4: "The Reunion"

In the fourth issue, Laila reunites with her long-lost love, Manish, who has been reincarnated multiple times but never remembered her. Laila struggles with the realization that their love is doomed to be unrequited, as Manish will continue to be reborn without any memory of her.

Issue #5: "The Choice"

In the final issue, Laila must make a choice between staying as Death or giving up her power and being reborn as a mortal. She chooses the latter, hoping to find happiness in a mortal life with Manish. However, Death reveals that Laila's choice was always an illusion, as she was fated to become Death again and again. The series ends with Laila accepting her fate and embracing her role as Death once more.

ABOUT THE SHOW

A show for the most casual and dedicated fans of comics. Join Sean as he discovers what the world of comics and graphic novels has to offer from one-on-one interviews with industry professionals, round table discussions with passionate fans, and reviews on the latest comics, tv shows, and movies. New episodes every week. The Captioned Life is a part of the Comic Watch family.

SHOW CREDITS

Sean Winningham - Host, producer, & editor
Image used in the show by Jeremy Bishop on Unsplash
Music used in the show: “Fine Line” by Geographer