I’ve been sitting on this piece for a minute because my feelings on the subject shifted from one end of the spectrum to the other. As a prominent champion of technology I kept an open mind to the possibilities of AI and what it can do; I tried it out, played around with it, thought about it, read other think pieces and first-hand accounts as to how it works in the field; talked to a friend about it and how it’s made his job much easier, that even the higher-ups have commended his “work”; and then I read about the environmental impacts and how various industries reacted to this tech and started treating their artists and creators. I’ve read countless comment sections of slop videos and posts that attempt to “discuss” the pros and cons of this burgeoning tech within specific artistic industries.

Much to the contrary of what every AI tech-bro CEO is saying, I don’t think AI is some new civilization-changing technology here to stay now because the cat’s out of the bag. See, the thing with all civilization-changing technology that came before is that part of its usefulness is baked into its sustainability; when we need water and electricity to live, best believe we’re gonna cut off the data center to secure it.

Generative AI is overblown and I’m ready for it to go away like NFTs. It’s stupid and wasteful, but sadly, it’s not going away anytime soon. The word-guessing text it spits out is mid at best. The image/video-generation aren’t really game changers, and people are sick of them and they’re grotesque outputs. Flyers look oversaturated and busy, books read like shit and don’t offer anything new (they’re essentially quick cash grabs), and videos look uncannily disturbing. I’m not even gonna touch how it’s making us mentally lazier. But AI is sticking around for the foreseeable future because police departments and governments use it as a tool of surveillance, one that is far more reaching than any technology before. And they’re turning their cameras and microphones to you.

See, all the “creative” work AI can do is just a distraction. In fact, it’s also a great way to collect data on its citizens, and a great way to train it in facial recognition. And facial recognition is kind of a big aspect in AI surveillance tech. All the talk of film makers and studios adopting AI is just a cash grab to keep the funding going until the surveillance systems are built and put in place.

But, any way you slice it, it’s all just a big waste of resources.

All this money going into data centers is a waste (and not just for obvious reasons) because they will soon come up against the need for upgrades. That’s right, all the computer systems and hard drives and the infrastructure that runs it all will soon be outdated (or at least the owners will be sold on the idea of obsolescence just like consumers with their phones), and the owners will have to pay to upgrade everything if they want to keep their investment useful. And so by building these data centers the government has subscribed to computer parts manufacturers. We, the tax payers, will fit the bill and we cannot cancel it. It’s a tremendous waste of money, waste of computer parts, waste of electricity and water, it’s all a big waste, and it’s speeding the collapse that much faster, all so a select few can pad their bank accounts. I, for one, did not vote for this.

We’re just not ready for AI, y’all. Well, we could be but we’re doing it for the wrong reasons. When you take the sum of all of humanity’s knowledge and then try to sell it back to everybody, you’re already starting on the wrong foot. See, the sum of humanity’s knowledge should be available for free to everyone (wasn’t this the basic idea for the internet?). We all contributed, it’s fair that we all should benefit. But that’s not gonna happen because capitalism.

For an efficient AI system to work for the benefit of the people we need to rethink our relationship to work. Rethinking how we view work means realizing that scarcity has become a thing of the past. We have enough food and resources to feed and care for folks the world over. We have enough clothes to fill up closets for the next 6 generations. We’ve manufactured so much plastic we can’t dispose of, and yet we’ve devised ways to make building materials out of it, thereby creating ways to make shelter for everyone. Phones, computers, and other consumer-grade technologies are cheaper and more attainable than they have ever been. This is the end of scarcity. However, capitalism runs on scarcity. It’s defined by it. Scarcity dictates what the value of a good or service is deemed. And our civilization is cradled in capitalism, indeed the masses can’t imagine any other economic system (dare, I say, we’re not allowed to try any other). But the thing about capitalism is that its ultimate goal is more and more profit. It doesn’t matter how it gets it, it just has to have it. And it must grow infinitely to achieve it. Newsflash! Earth is a finite system; we have limitations and to go past those limitations is to court ideations with the very end of civilization. If you keep up with climate news you know how this is going.

That brings us to our present state. Consumer technology is on a plateau; there’s nothing really earth-shaking that’s coming out that hasn’t been done before. The new iPhones and iPads on the scene still let you scroll on the same internet and do the same things the last one did. Computers still do the same things, oftentimes with less power and less sophisticated components. Hell, even video game consoles have maxed out graphical output and processing power with regard to the demand of the consumer. So when our tech has plateaued, how can corporations make it new and shiny to keep selling more units? Pad it with AI! Oh, so that’s why my PDF reader has an AI assistant!

Nobody asked for this AI and it doesn’t do anything useful outside of pattern recognition (I hear it’s great at spotting cancer growths). Sure, it can churn out commendable corporate reports, but here’s something better: what if we just did away with corporate reports altogether? All this talk I see from artists worrying about whether or not they’ll be supplanted by AI for paid work is valid, but not having paid work has been a worry of artists for, like, ever. Yes, it’s pressing because the bills are due, but what if we got rid of bills?

The tech bros are kinda right in that we are on the precipice of a new, exciting epoch in human history brought on by AI. Except it won’t be brought on by AI itself, but rather how the people react to it; how people react to the billionaires that are reaping all the fortunes from it; how people react to AI tech infrastructure that’s ruining the environment; how people react to the governments that are deploying more and more AI powered surveillance tech without our approval, even as you read this.

Yes, the cat is out of the bag then, and there’s no going back. But, do you really want to go back to how everything was? Now’s our chance to build a new world where we can be more equitable to each other and to the environment, but first we must imagine it. This is a chance to rethink what it is to do meaningful work instead of clocking into a bullshit job; to revisit art and what it means to create with our own hands and brains. This is a chance to break from the systems that have divided us for generations, dictating to us what we should value and who we should discard. In fact, if you dig a little you’ll see it’s already happening; are you a part of it?

And no, you can’t ask AI to tell you what to do or show you how it will look.

As I’ve been working on my new comic series Starboob, I always knew I wanted to, first and foremost, put it into a collected printed volumes (even possibly referring to them as tankōbon). So on that note, I kinda sorta neglected creating covers for each individual chapter or “issue” because I’m not printing single issue floppies. However, I came to realize I was overlooking a very important component of creating my own comics, because the comic covers visually can reveal the ebb and flow of the series when displayed together.

Also, a big part of any comic creator’s dream is seeing the vast array of comic covers lined up next to each other, showcasing the vastness of the stories within. It’s an utter achievement to view the work like that, and its usually a big motivation to keep plugging along on a series. It’s a way for comic artists to see the whole “body of work” and it can be motivating and very satisfying.

As I’ve been working on the series I’ve had a few ideas for how the I wanted the covers to look but it wasn’t a big priority like having comics themselves completed. A few instances I’ve drawn some really intricate splash pages, which upon finishing them I thought “this would be a dope cover,” so I took the steps and made them covers.

Another instance I had an idea for a cover but didn’t feel like whipping it out on a sheet of paper at my desk. Instead I sketched it out on Procreate and finished it up completely digitally.

While I don’t care too much for coloring my comics, working on the covers breaks up the monotony of the rest of the post-production process. And once it’s complete I love to stop and stare and see how far the story has come.

I’m definitely not lazy, but these pages conveyed exactly what I wanted for the cover, so why redraw them? Instead I expanded and colored them.

With these covers whipped up in the last few weeks I’ve been on a cover-creating streak. It’s definitely got me thinking about future cover images, and to not treat them as an after thought, but rather create a really compelling image the gets to the heart of the chapter. Hell, I already drew up the cover for Chapter 5, and have a solid idea for Chapter 6. Although my priority is to create the collected books, creating these covers has opened up the possibility of releasing limited edition single issues. We’ll see. Here’s a sneak peak at the cover for Issue 5:

I keep saying after Chapter 5 is done I’ll have enough for the first Starboob collection. We’re almost there!

Chapter One is in Screw Comics! 5 and Chapters 2 thru 4 are available here digitally.

The weekend was a raving success!

So, I’ve been working with a comics collective for the last year or so, and this year we made the bold move to purchase an endcap space at this year’s Comicpalooza. The thing about working without other dedicated folks is that they’re, well, dedicated, so everybody was all in. Nobody squirmed about it or was wishy-washy. Once we decided we all stuck to our guns; special layouts were attempted, banners and graphics were made up for the space, and even additional badges were purchased.

And then we did it! The weekend rolled around, we each collected badges and brought stuff in when we could, and then we just manned the table for the weekend. The time just flew by, and we each pulled in our audiences and introduced them to the other artists next to us.

Not only that but with an official title as Houston Comics Scene we kept getting inquiries from up-and-coming artists and writers who saw there was an official club they could someday be a part of. A community of like-minded creatives that want to tell stories and share experiences, and here we were front and center facing the central promenade.

Banding together for table space not only saved us loads of money (each share was a mere fraction of what we’d pay for our own individual tables), but the comradery kept the time moving and the boredom away, and with 8 people holding it down taking breaks away from the table wasn’t a big deal. Somebody is always there to watch your stuff, even help you make a sale when you aren’t there.

I don’t think I could ever go back to tabling solo at Comicpalooza.

I even brought in a smaller table to help with other miscellaneous tasks we would need to do not on the main tables. It came in handy for holding bags, art supplies, snacks, and was a great place to sketch without getting in the way.

The show itself, while still very popular, is having less and less to do with actually comics and comic books. There were very few comic vendors, both in retail and in Artist Alley. While that’s a very sad thought, I couldn’t help but think that’s a big boon for us, seeing how that’s what we’re here to sell, COMICS!

Walking up and down the aisles were countless print and trinket vendors, and although I didn’t look to closely, a lot of AI artists selling their junk wares. I wasn’t looking too closely cuz I was just gravitating to the stuff that interested me; indie comic creators and unique artists.

One exhilarating moment was meeting Edward James Olmos and Esai Morales, as they were signing autographs at the show. I found some unique prints on eBay to get signed, and when it was my turn I was just star struck.

What an epic weekend! The Comicpalooza Experiment was a raving success. We’re getting the formula down, so expect to see the Houston Comics Scene more and more. We can’t be stopped!

Starboob Returns June 5th

I’m putting the finishing touches on Chapter 4. 36 fresh pages are coming your way with a new chapter up on Webtoon next week. Click the link to subscribe so you don’t miss it!

The grey tones truly take the longest time, even more so than actually drawing the art. But we’re coming up to a checkpoint; after Chapter 5 I’ll have enough work to make a printed book! Once the greys and post production is finished I’ll begin work on Chapter 5.

This story has truly been a joy to work on. Did I mention I’m already penning issue 15? Oh yeah, it’s just writing itself. Be sure to check back with Starboob dot com for character bios and upcoming chapter sneak peeks!

Big shout out to all my ongoing fans and new ones I’ve made this weekend! As always, if you know someone interested in creating comics shoot this blog over to them, let them know they’re not alone.

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See ya next time, Toonsters!

Needless to say, I’ve been obsessed with the little guy. I went and dug up my old stash of games and even hit up eBay to find a few more. I talk about all the parts and how easy it was to build in the video. This thing is so fun, and it fits right in your pocket. It’s a great alternative to scrolling when you have a few minutes to spare. They even make cartridges with a Micro-SD card slot you can load up with games that’ll work in this little guy. So fun, watch the video if you’re interested.

Plus I’ve been looking up old Gameboy Color ads from the 90s. The ads themselves were nuts and were not afraid to speak to the new generation. Advertising sucks today cuz nobody has the guts to do like they did 30 years ago.

Anyway, watch the video!

Man, I missed the March deadline for my monthly Substack post. Well, I have reasons.

Of course, I’ve been busy finishing the next 25 pages of Starboob, rounding out Chapter (issue) 3. Here’s a sneak peek:

I also visited Mexico City for the second time:

I saw a very important film, Zoot Suit, and this was happening outside the theater.

And upon finishing and fixing a custom Gameboy build for a friend, I went down the rabbit hole of Gameboy mods, and here’s my latest obsession:

How’s that for busy? And all this time I’m keeping the momentum.

How did you like the time-lapse page inking? I’m gonna try to do more of these, they seem to be a hit.

Starboob returns to Webtoon this week for Chapter 3, part A. Get the Webtoon app and save it as one of your faves!

20 Pages deep into the new script pencils (of 36, yikes extra pages) for Chapter 4, so it’s gonna be a few weeks before its ready, but I’m still going! I’m glad I’ve accomplished so much this year, and it’s barely touching April.

That’s it for now! I’m doing my annual guest lecture for Professor Lee’s graphic novel class on April 15th. Look alive, UHD students, that one’s for y’all!

When you’re working on a comic, whether you’ve just started writing it and even when you’re already drawing it, it feels like you’re living in that world. Thoughts pass on possibilities to progress the narrative; images and other visual inspiration catch your eye for possible character designs; the news of the day inspires circumstances within the world of the story.

I’ve written all kinds of comic stories. Stoner stories (Screw Comics 1), Horror & Political action thrillers (Screw Comics 2), about graffiti artists & alien encounters (Chingazo zines), time travelling and parallel universe travels (Screw Comics 3 & 4), retelling of classic fables (Screw Comics 4), so never would I have imagined that I would be immersed in a superhero universe, cranking out chapter after chapter of masked character action. I guess I have a lot to say using this story framework. Indeed, I’ve written the first 12 issues (chapters), they poured outta me when it was time to sit down and write.

But also, all those different types of stories I mentioned, they were short stories, designed to be visited but never really for you to take up residence in. Starboob is a series, and is designed as such. Every main character will have an incredibly detailed backstory, every villain a justified origin; many of the characters will grow and change over the course of the saga, some may even perish. And of course, there is an ending in the distant future (in mine and the world of the story).

Filling all in between, there in lies the task! Really, the hardest part about this long process is deciding how and where the story should go before the ending. When you’re writing a wide open series the possibilities are endless and therefore writing it can seem daunting.

But also being that I’ve designed this comic as an ongoing series, I don’t intend to write and draw the whole thing. No! Ideally I would love to work with other artists and writers, guiding them on how to properly tell the story while showcasing their art and writing talents. Ideally.

Chapter 2 is in the can after a month and half of work. Like, 25 pages fully done, ready for print/publication. Here are the principal inks and some notable finished panels of Chapter 2. Chapter 3 is also shaping up for a quick completion. Mid-March it’ll be done? We’ll see! When I finish the comic thru Chapter 5, I’ll compile it into a printed fat collection.

Chapter 2-1 goes live on Webtoon Friday March 6th. 2-2 goes live a week after that. Peep it! The eBook comic will be up this Friday February 27th.

Now to get back to the world of flying, super-powered women!

Happy 2026 everyone! Yeah, it’s already 14 days in but I’ve been so preoccupied with doing other stuff, I just haven’t mustered up the want-to to throw a post together and fill you in on stuff, well, until now.

Well, first off, this past holiday actually felt like a holiday. I’m off from the day job between Christmas and New Year’s (technically my PTO) and this year since New Year’s day fell on a Thursday, they pushed the return to the 5th. Normally my wife and I would have somewhere to go because this time off is the largest swath of time I get off all year. But this year, we’ve forgone any travel plans and stayed home, and when I say we rested I really do mean we rested. I stayed out of the studio most of that time, did yard work (gingerly), went for long walks at various parks, vegged out on the couch and watched shows with my undivided attention, hung out on my PS Vita, and even caught up on some reading. Oh, and I slept and slept and slept.

I guess this all feels like such a revelation because even when time off looms, I’m scheming and reeling to get back in the studio, or just taking stock in my head of what I can be working on with the idle time. So for once, I said NO, and gave myself permission to lay around and NOT do anything if I didn’t feel like it, and as a result I rested.

Well, the down time really paid off cuz it’s the new year and I’ve hit the ground running. I’ve been itching to start digging into the next script and start penciling some new pages, and so last we I started. And yesterday I finished. 25 new pages are ready for the next stage: paneling and inking!

Starboob issue 02, ya’ll.

I’m getting ahead of myself, though, because I just wanted to show you how I spent my down time.

A friend from high school saw that I refurbished iPods and sent me a new challenge: an original Gameboy to pimp out. It’s a clear one (cuz they made a few clear ones), but he wanted to update it with a lit screen, rechargeable battery pack, and some snazzy LEDs around the buttons to glow through the shell. I was confident I could do the first two mods, but the the LEDs would require me to step my game up and do some soldering.

The final finished piece! Had a copy of my fave, Tetris DX lying around.

On the game front, I got into a quirky Super Metroid ROM hack. So, a ROM hack is when somebody takes the game ROM and modifies it at a code level. Hacks can be something as easy as changing a sprite graphic, changing the difficulty level, or even just changing the order of the levels or bosses. Some hacks, though, can change the game entirely.

The skeleton of this game is Super Metroid, but as far as everything else, it’s like a whole new game: new graphics, new maps, new weapons, different music. The difficulty is not too hard, so it’s really easy to just fire it up and get lost in the maze of tunnels.

Works in your Super Nintendo emulator. Real easy to find the ROM, just search it!

Speaking of PS Vita ROMs and games, I was able to convert my save file for Final Fantasy 7 from my PS3 to open in the PS Vita Adrenaline emulator.

Quick run down: during the pandemic I played my PS1 copy of FF7 on my PS3. I maxed everything out, obtained the best and most sought-after equipment and materia, and even whooped on the toughest bosses of the game. But why keep it locked in the PS3? I extracted the save files, tried a file conversion website, and upon loading it into the Vita I was able to get it to read in a PS eBoot of the game! I then proceeded to whoop on Sephiroth for old times sake.

The ending, Post-credits scene. SPOILER ALERT!

For Christmas this year, I got books! And I’m a HUGE fan of autobiographies, especially when it pertains to purveyors of pop culture. We certainly enjoy the work, but I wanna know what went in to making it, the artist’s struggle. Added these to the stack.

We visited parks we’ve never been to! As cheesy as “Tourist in Your Own City” sounds, it’s real.

So, in short (or long as this post is) this is what I did over the holiday break.

Now let’s get back to making comics!

-Phew!- What a busy convention season it’s been. Just wanted to make a post to list the all the shows I’ve been to this year, promoting my new book Screw Comics! 5.

So let’s see….the books came in and the first stop on the tour was Kimo Kawaii Conroe.

This is an anime convention put on by a friend so I even designed a limited edition tee that’s only sold at my booth.

Here’s the detail of the shirt.

Next, my wife and I hightailed it to Dallas for the Texas Latino Comic Con, a one-day show that features comic creators with Latino backgrounds.

At the end of the summer I managed to squeeze into Eastern Rim Comic Con, a very comic-centric show in Baytown.

A month or so later, I headed out to Austin for MexAmericon. Like TX LatinoCC, it’s a one-day con with an emphasis on Latino creators. Plus the show coincides with Dia de los Muertos festivities so you have a lot of people flowing through, many of which may not know about comics or see too much original art presented by the artists who make it. It’s just great talking to people without any preconceived notions of comics and the comic industry; they’re open to new stories and intrigued by the different art styles. Always a very good show.

The next day I headed back to Houston for Comic Indie Con. It always packs so much incredible local talent. Here’s an interview I did ahead of the show!

And soon after, I headed out to San Antonio for Comic Arts San Antonio, or CASA.

As with MexAmericon I got to bring my dad along for the ride! He’s aware of what I do but this year is the first time he’s witnessed me first-hand “working”. He also got a kick out of both shows; every time I turned him loose he would come back with art, comics, or t-shirts to take home. CASA was also a lotta fun cuz I was in close proximity to my friends in the Houston Comics Scene.

Plans for 2026 are in the works! So far the Houston Comics Scene and I are planning a Comicpalooza take-over: a big collaborative space with experimental new display techniques. More info to come as we sign off on the applications.

Well, thanks for sitting through my tour walk-through. That’s why I’m running it down, so I can internalize this year and be thankful for my new fans, followers and patrons who I’ve met over the last six months. And extra big thanks to my existing fans, friends and family as y’all are still here and continue to support me. As a token of that gratitude use the code word TARIFFS in my store to take 30% off of the comics. Christmas is coming so buy them some unique books and stickers! Or if you haven’t yet picked up the new book, treat yo’self!

And in the meantime, here are some finished comic pages!

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Last weekend my wife and I embarked to San Antonio for Muertos Fest, a weekend-long celebration of Dia de los Muertos, in downtown San Antonio. We even booked some seats for the boat parade on the Riverwalk which was really something. And naturally, inspiration struck, so I made this mock cover featuring Starboob.

I’ll have a couple of these in print form at my next few shows. Here’s how it looks without all the text and titles.

Much like many comic artists and writers of yore, I was immersed in a cultural gathering of people surrounded by colorful sights, delicious smells, and rhythmic infectious sounds, and then I imagined what if a giant monster emerged? And who do I have to save the day?

I whipped up a sketch and then put some ink to board, scanned it, and sent it off to a good friend of mine for some color work, and he did not disappoint.

It was a fun and restful weekend. We went to the fest Friday and Saturday. Here are some highlights:

San Antonio, I’ll be back in your area November 15, 2025 for C.A.S.A. It’s a one day show that’s very comic-centric. Come by and snag the new print!

That’s it for now. Next post I’ll have smattering of new pages to run thru. Oh, speaking of which, I dropped a new eComic HERE, if you like reading PDFs.

Just keeping up the pace of workflow!

‘Til Next time, Happy Halloween everyone!

And have a very introspective and epiphanous Day of the Dead.'

Closing up August and cruising into September I find myself with all sorts of “bonus” art, that is, art of original characters for promotional material.

Thanks for rocking with the Starboob #1 webtoon roll out! And you haven’t just click the cover above and you can read it easily on your phone, right now! Go on, I’ll wait…

Because Starboob #2 is about to be in the works I had to throw the readers a few bones so they don’t forget about me, and that means whipping up promo art that’s actually based on the story beats in the script. This is stuff that’s not in Screw Comics 5. I whipped these up one weekend, took a few days to grey them out and viola! Some bonus art. Peep it below, or see them at the end of the last chapter in the Webtoon. Your choice!

And that’s the bonus art! The script has 9 issues in the can already, just gotta sit and work on them.

Something I whipped up for the Zine Fest Houston 2025 compilation. It’s western themed so I drew an upcoming character in her western get-up reading with character Walter Lutalica. Her speeder bike is called The Deathless Horsie, y’all.

That’s about it for now. Next time I’ll an annoucement about another comic. Til then, keep reading!

Since I’m always looking for good, dependable, and sustainable drawing tools, the Kuratake Fountain Brush Pen No.13 came across in my research. JetPens.com, my fave pen store was sold out, but I managed to secure one thru Amazon and it arrived.

Here we’ll unbox this brand new pen, charge it with ink and give it a go, and just discuss the key features to …

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With comic accessibility on my mind these days, I’ve been thinking about other ways people read comics. Turns out there are plenty of platforms on the world wide web that cater to a comic format called Webtoon™. It’s a comic that’s formatted for your phone screen, and you simply scroll to read it. No zooming, no pinching, no PDF or CBR readers needed. The panels are cropped and zoomed for emphasis already. There isn’t an easier way to read a digital comic, this is about as easy as it gets.

Always wanting to try something new with my work, I started webtooning Starboob #1 (in Screw Comics! #5). I’ve created a profile on the Webtoon™ site where the comic will debut in the webtoon format, a chapter every week for a few weeks, starting tomorrow, Friday. Hit the link and add me to catch it when it drops!

Formatting an existing comic to webtoon is pretty straight forward, but it does bring a few challenges. Basically you’re setting up the panels and storytelling on a long narrow strip of a page instead of a sheet of paper. Many square and long panels fit and work just fine, it’s the splash pages and the wide panels that can prove difficult to present. But there’s a solution for every story, and with the right cropping and zooming it’s not difficult to move past. I’ve been playing with the Webtoon format on my own comic site, MilqtoastComics.com. Pull up a comic on your phone to see how it works.

So, since I created my own Webtoon site, why sign up for a mainstream one? Well, I wanna go where the readers are. Being an independent author, there’s only so much social media lurking/commenting/posting one can do to drum up more eyes to my work. So, it’s time to go where comic readers are! I’m trying to expand my audience beyond the realm of native comic readers, I would like to get to the bare bones of it all and find the readers that enjoy a good story, comic or not. I want to reach readers that perhaps never have set foot in a comic store; readers untainted by the expectation of the phrase ‘comic book’; readers who are unconcerned with what comic book movies are coming out. But don’t me wrong, I love my comic nerds too!

Another reason I’m webtooning Starboob is because I posted this image last week, and received a helluva lot of praise and cheer.

I’m printing up some FREE cards with this image on one side, and on the other side a partial list of rights you have when confronted by ICE, in Spanish. Really cool, and really handy, cuz it’s ugly out there, y’all, and we need to know our rights. Starboob wants you to know your rights! And here’s the piece before the color:

STARBOOB vs ICE cards will be given away FREE starting at the next show, which is the Texas Latino Comic Con, in Dallas, TX - Saturday, August 9th - and it’s FREE Admission. Come on out if yer in the area.

Here’s something cool, I recently did an interview with Comic Indie, Houston’s premier independent comic champions. We ran the gamut of basic questions, I feel like I covered some good stuff, but I went off on other tangents thinking we had more time. I don’t know, I haven’t listened since I did it, but you can! Tell me what you think.

I think that’s it for now. Stay cool, and I’ll see y’all in Dallas!

One of the smaller comics featured in my new book, Screw Comics! 5, is an illustrated essay entitled Everybody Wants Manga. In this essay I run through a few key factors about how and why Japanese comics, or manga, are dominating comic sales here in the U.S. And I point out many of those reasons are because the American comics industry simply falls short in specific ways. But, the bottom line is the American public is hungry for nuanced stories and characters.

For the last few years I’ve been listening to comics business podcasts and reading the insider blogs trying to understand this industry, and how to find out where I fit in best. As an independent creator working with my own characters and stories it’s been a paralyzing task trying to calculate if my time is better spent trying to get signed by a widely-distributed publisher, or making calls trying to get stores to carry my books. Because yes, each of those tasks take a lot of time and energy, but I’d rather spend my time making more comics. I already have a day job, a family, and other social obligations. I’d rather not be cold-calling comic stores and chasing down managers so I can collect that $2.50 in consignment profits.

This also raised questions about the viability of making comics in itself: can making comics “professionally” or otherwise allow you to pay your bills? It’s arguable these days that working on “pro comics” on a big label, getting distributed nationally can yield a way to sustain yourself financially. And even then you’re working on somebody else’s stories and characters. I’ve talked myself into believing that IF I did land a major deal, I’d be on the hook to produce a book on a timescale, locked into an agreement to hand something in on a deadline…but without the financial incentive. Sure, I can quit my job to produce comics full time, but will producing comics pay as much as the salary I gave up? Some will say, ‘Yeah, in due time, especially if your book becomes popular.” But I just don’t believe that happens anymore. Sure, books become popular and creators become stars, but does that translate into $$$? If I’m not gonna make any serious money making comics at least being independent allows me to take my time and create the work I want without any pressure of external deadlines.

Maybe I’m jaded, perhaps I haven’t looked into this deeper? It’s not like I took a poll of working professionals to see where they’re at on the poverty scale (someone else can do that). Maybe I’m afraid of success so I’ve convinced myself that doing all the ground work, the submitting, the cold calling, the invoicing is not worth my time. Even then, all this administrative work has one singular goal: to get my comics in comic stores. What if I want to reach those that don’t go to comic stores?

Regardless of what I do professionally or not, all this industry introspection caused me to take a look behind the curtain and try to see how all this works or why it doesn’t. What I uncovered is a quite clusterfuck of problems, some are of a capitalistic nature such as outdated distribution models, and gimmicky sales tactics, as well as social issues such as unmitigated fandoms and jaded audiences. As per capitalism, once something is successful it doesn’t want to change. The American comics industry tasted success through the decades and had a big boom and bust in the 90s, so it’s desperately trying to hold on to that model and recreate that success to diminishing returns, refusing to learn anything from it. Nothing changes.

Instead, more and more creators like me are trying to figure out how to break in and board this sinking ship. We keep wracking our brains about out how to work the system so we can live out our comic creator fantasy of getting paid to make comics full time and getting famous for it, when those days are long gone.

With more and more people aware of comics, comic stores, and going to comic conventions how is it that the American comics industry is failing?

Because, yeah, I think the industry is failing. It’s slow, but it’s happening. I have a better idea. I believe a better system can be built. I say we scrap the system altogether. Radical idea, sure, but there’s seriously too much talent out here, and there’s too much offset printing equipment out there that needs to get used (have you ever thought about what happens to a newspaper printer when the newspaper itself goes under?). There are hungry audiences out there that want to read nuanced stories about eccentric characters set in wildly fantastical places. And much of this audience doesn’t frequent comic stores.

I really get into it in the essay, you can read it here. And seriously, if there are any millionaires or billionaires reading this I do have a whole plan of how I would roll this out. If you wanna change the world, get at me! This is way bigger than any Kickstarter campaign could handle.

I believe that a new analog trend will be emerging soon. People are growing weary of social media and its diminishing reach, they’re tired of streaming fees going up and up as their favorite content gets shelved. Phones are cool and all, but I think people are starting to want their media to be real and tangible, and they want to pay for it only once; DVDs and Blu-rays, tapes, CDs and Vinyl records, and of course books and comic magazines. It’s coming and my idea could be at the forefront of this new media reckoning.

And yes, the comic essay is hosted in a webtoon format on my very own site! I’m still building it out but ultimately MOST of my comics will be hosted here to read digitally for FREE. The cool thing about this site is that it detects your device and displays the comic accordingly. For instance, if you look at the site on a desktop computer with a large monitor it will display the original pages because you have the space for it. But, if you view the site with your phone it will display the webtoon version, which is a cut and edited version displaying one panel at a time. No pinching or zooming needed, you just scroll. Super easy!

But, Jarrod, if you put your comics up for free who will buy them?

Well, there’s a proverb that has been floating around in my head for sometime, and maybe it pertains or maybe not, and I paraphrase: Readers don’t steal, and thieves don’t read. I guess what I’m getting at is if you do read these comics then maybe you will consider buying a book, either now or in the future. If you don’t I still got you to read my work. And if you don’t read nor buy comics then it doesn’t really concern you. But if you’re here reading this then that’s not you. Okay, time to read some comics!

The heat for summer came rushing in, after a very tidy spring. Things around here are chugging along; shows, new products, house stuff, family stuff, it all seemed to coalesce in June.

To kick off summer I headed to Conroe, Texas for the Kimo Kawaii Anime Convention. The show is put together by a friend of mine, and he asked to whip up some special poster art.

And because of my proximity to the owner I had a green light to whip some bootleg t-shirts for the event. Inspired by a father and child I actually saw the first time I did this show, this shirt got a lotta laughs and even more sales. The idea is for next year to have Bobby cosplaying a different character, making each year collectable.

Here are some new bookmarks I’m giving away with sales. My wife has been suggesting I make bookmarks for years, but it didn’t occur to me until I looked at the latest book, coming in at 128 pages, and realized a bookmark would be downright useful for reading MY comics.

Of course, the Skessions full wall happened.

Attention Houston Area artists: You want a place to hang out, drink, draw, and fraternize with other creative like-minded individuals in a safe environment. Skessions (Sketch+Sessions) is that place. Thursdays. Houston Cidery. Full Wall Event once a month. Follow now to stay updated: Skessions Drank n Draw

Come thru!

I don’t do Comicpalooza anymore, it’s too expensive and the artists seem to get treated like an afterthought. So when Comicpalooza weekend came around, my wife and I were painting the living room. No big deal, although I noticed that Marc Silvestri was gonna be there I do have a book I’d like to get signed. But I made my peace that it’s not worth a ticket. Well, Sunday rolled around and after my little sister got her pics with Hayden Christensen & Alan Tudyk, she bounced and offered me her pass to see if I can snag that autograph. So, right away, in my painter clothes and house shoes and bolted out the door, snagged her badge, parked, and made my way into the show. Popping in for a few minutes I surprisingly ran into a lotta people I know, and I stopped in on my HCS peeps in attendance, while I waited for Marc to come back from a panel.

So that’s what’s new, just trying to stay dry out here.

It’s been a rainy summer so far. Some days it sprinkles, others it downpours. Either way, if its gets a little overcast with a sprinkle of thunder Nola is not gonna come out for a while.

This just in…Dallas, in August I’m coming to you!

That’s it for now! New projects are always in the works, so stay tuned for updates. Follow my Insta for story updates blah blah blah. Until next time!

June 4th! Wednesday! At a cool spot called Two Headed Dog (in Houston)! 6pm-8pm! Although we will probably be hanging out longer. Come on out!

See ya there!

Funny thing about that, when I uploaded it to Instagram I muted the existing audio track (just a song) and overlayed it with the same song I used in the edit, just so it could be made clickable and the artist can get credit. However, in the video editor I didn’t extend the audio to cover the full length of the vid and so it drops out halfway. There’s no way to edit that without deleting the post and starting anew. It’s kinda stupid, actually, every other video editor out there will automatically extend the whole track to at least the length of the vid (or until the song ends) when it’s dropped in. Reels editor, not so much. So, here’s the vid with the song all the way through, the original edit.

This also officially announces the presale for Screw Comics! 5 is officially open!

PREORDER YOUR COPY HERE

It features two epic origin stories, and a 10 page essay expaining how manga has become so popular in America, and how the American comics industry is falling short. Wanna know more just click the cover, the description says it all!

With a new book coming out, my calendar is beginning to fill up! Here’s where I’m gonna be soon:

Saturday May 31, 2025 - Misfit Toys Robot Store Grand Opening - 10am-6pm

Sat-Sun June 7-8, 2025 - Kimo Kawaii Anime Convention - Conroe, TX

Other stuff is on my radar as well. Hit TOONZDAY.com for the ever-growing list.

Alright Toonsters! Talk to ya soon.

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Now it’s time for details.

You may have noticed my last post, pics from the CDMX vacation, was a paid one. Sorry to disappoint you, especially family, who wanted to see such pics. I just figured they’re personal and maybe I shouldn’t give away the personal for free. But don’t fret, if you’re a good friend or family I can probably give you some kind of code or pass to view the post, just holla.

But in this post I’m uploading all the various art murals, graffiti flicks and illustations from the Museo de la Caricatura. And boy is it a lot. Mexico City is just so rich in the visual arts, it’s beyond incredible.

There was something in the juxtaposition of these murals; if (somehow) they travelled and I was to look upon them in an American museum they perhaps wouldn’t have been as moving. But something about looking at a mural that depicts native Mexicans, in a space occupied by Mexicans really cemented the power of the messages within. I looked over and saw the people they’re depicting standing next to me.

From there we walked a few blocks to the Museo de la Caricatura. It was nestled within an old building, one that looks like it was refurbished many times over it’s lifetime. Now it holds all these cartooning treasures. I didn’t get a pic of the facade, but there’s plenty of art to look at. I’m sure you can click a pic to enlarge it see details.

After the older exhibits we get to some more contemporary works. Here’s a bunch of political cartoons depicting Mexico’s relations with its northern neighbor.

Murals, murals everywhere.

This concludes the art tour!

Back here in the homefront, the new book comes together! Here I am building the cover:

I’ll showcasing more art and process as this month unfolds. We’re in the home stretch! I’m lining up shows and putting together a press release so I can do some signings around town. And of course the book release party…but let’s not get too ahead of ourselves, I need to finish the damn book first!

Follow my progess on Bluesky!

Next stop, my yearly guest lecture Professor Lee’s comic book class at UHD.

A little five day vacation with my wife and two other close friends, we turned 5 days into an unforgettable time in one the biggest, and culturally richest cities in the world. Among many other things we visited an eccentrically designed library, saw all types of murals, did happy hour atop one of the tallest buildings in the city, walked the pyramids, had breakfast in a cave, drank on a colorful boat, and my wife even rode in a hot air balloon.

I only threw up 10 pics on Insta but here’s a good chunk of photos from the whole trip. No filters! All pics taken with my Sony Xperia 5 iv phone.

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