Why do some of the most compelling stories ask us to spend time with people who are difficult—or even outright horrible—to understand?

With Jon unavailable for this episode, Corey and Dylan sit down for a wide-ranging discussion on one of storytelling’s most uncomfortable but fascinating ideas: following unlikable or morally questionable characters as protagonists.

The conversation is sparked by Corey’s recent reading of Odin #1 from Image Comics, which follows an investigative journalist embedded with a group of young neo-Nazis lost in the wilderness. From there, the discussion expands into comics and beyond, exploring how writers navigate empathy, discomfort, and moral distance.

📚 Topics discussed include:

What makes an unlikable or villainous character compelling to follow

The difference between understa ...