{"version":"1.0","type":"rich","provider_name":"Acast","provider_url":"https://acast.com","height":250,"width":700,"html":"<iframe src=\"https://embed.acast.com/$/66d9c19629a27e316730341c/699658534c238f5dca20e258?\" frameBorder=\"0\" width=\"700\" height=\"250\"></iframe>","title":"The Beauty (2015) by Jeremy Haun & Jason A. Hurley ","thumbnail_width":200,"thumbnail_height":200,"thumbnail_url":"https://open-images.acast.com/shows/66d9c19629a27e316730341c/1771460309872-d0f98849-f26f-4003-9b04-a6f20ec4a8ad.jpeg?height=200","description":"<h3><br></h3><p>&nbsp;The Beauty (Image Comics) vs. FX’s Adaptation: Ozempic, Body Horror, and Ryan Murphy</p><p>What if an STD could make you the most perfect version of yourself? This week on <strong>Collecting Issues</strong>, Benjamin and Michael read <em>The Beauty</em> (Vol. 1, Issues #1-6), the 2016 hit by <strong>Jeremy Haun</strong> and <strong>Jason A. Hurley</strong>.</p><p>We compare the original \"buddy cop\" police procedural comic against the new 2026 <strong>FX on Hulu adaptation</strong> produced by <strong>Ryan Murphy</strong>. From the eerily prescient social commentary on modern beauty standards (GLP-1s, Ozempic face) to the explosive consequences of the virus, we break down why this story hits harder in a post-COVID world.</p><p><br></p><p><br></p><h3>In This Episode We Discuss:</h3><ul><li><strong>The Elevator Pitch:</strong> Imagine a sexually transmitted disease that guarantees physical perfection for two years—before you spontaneously combust.</li><li><strong>Comic vs. TV:</strong> How the comic functions as a tight \"90-minute action movie\" versus the sprawling, body-horror-heavy miniseries.</li><li><strong>Cultural Prescience:</strong> Reading a 2016 comic in 2026; how <em>The Beauty</em> predicted the toxic positivity and division of modern weight-loss culture.</li><li><strong>The Ryan Murphy Treatment:</strong> A look at the FX adaptation’s star-studded cast (<strong>Evan Peters</strong>, <strong>Ashton Kutcher</strong>, <strong>Rebecca Hall</strong>) and the controversial decision to use \"recasting\" as a plot device.</li><li><strong>Character Deep Dive:</strong> Why Detectives Vaughn and Foster work as grounded leads, and why the villainous Carves feels like a comic book archetype dropped into a gritty drama.</li></ul><h3><br></h3><h3>Coming Up Next:</h3><p>We are reading <strong>Absolute Martian Manhunter Vol. 1</strong> by Deniz Camp and Javier Rodriguez. Join us as we explore this dark, conspiratorial reimagining of J'onn J'onzz in the new DC \"All In\" universe.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>Follow the Podcast:</strong></p><p><br></p><p><a href=\"https://discord.gg/CTKJr3j2jp\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Join the Discord and read along</strong></a></p><p><a href=\"https://collectingissuespodcast.substack.com/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Read Our Substack</strong></a></p><p><a href=\"https://www.instagram.com/collectingissues/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Follow us on Instagram</strong></a></p><p><a href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/@collectingissues?lang=en\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Follow us on Tiktok</strong></a></p><p><a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4JTsT8MXJtk5jr4sJxUpXQ\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Watch us on Youtube</strong></a></p><p><br></p><p><em>If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. It helps more than you know!</em></p><p>Time Stamps:</p><p><br></p><p>00:00&nbsp;Welcome to Collecting Issues + why we're covering The Beauty (and the FX show)</p><p>01:53&nbsp;Spoiler warning &amp; how to follow along (read Vol. 1, watch eps 1–2)</p><p>03:04&nbsp;The elevator pitch: an STD that makes you beautiful</p><p>04:37&nbsp;Worldbuilding: 800 days, stigma, and the ‘burn from the inside’ twist</p><p>09:26&nbsp;Who made this? Jeremy Haun &amp; Jason A. Hurley origin story</p><p>11:16&nbsp;Publishing &amp; rights: Image, Ignition Press, and the FX tie-in reprint</p><p>14:07&nbsp;Why Vol. 1 feels like a tight ‘movie’ + anthology series after issue #6</p><p>17:41&nbsp;Pre-COVID vs post-COVID reading: stigma, Ozempic parallels, and ‘earned’ beauty</p><p>28:54&nbsp;Meet the cast: Vaughn &amp; Foster, the Beauty Task Force, and the conspiracy setup</p><p>30:55&nbsp;Stock characters done well? Buddy-cop structure, Caris the hitman, and what works/doesn’t</p><p>34:59&nbsp;Caris the Masked Henchman: Grounded World vs Over-the-Top Villainy</p><p>36:24&nbsp;Best Scenes &amp; Twists: The Celebrity Spokesperson Hit and Foster’s Mirror Reveal</p><p>38:49&nbsp;Consequences Escalate: Collateral Damage and the Air-Traffic Controller Disaster</p><p>39:19&nbsp;Art That Serves the Story: Same-Face Syndrome, Visual Clarity, and Comic Fundamentals</p><p>40:43&nbsp;Covers, Character Design &amp; Horror: Mannequin Imagery and ‘Non-Beauty’ Markers</p><p>43:48&nbsp;The Cure Ending: Body Horror, Consent, and the Ethics of Forcing a ‘Solution’</p><p>48:26&nbsp;Cathartic Payoff: Vaughn Takes Down Caris (and Why Characters Act Smart)</p><p>50:37&nbsp;Netflix/FX Adaptation Talk: Ryan Murphy, Casting, and How the Show Changes the Premise</p><p>01:04:36&nbsp;Final Verdict &amp; Wrap-Up: Comic vs Series, Where to Comment, and Next Book Club Pick</p>","author_name":"collectingissues"}