Happy New Year from the Awesomeverse! In this episode, Matt and Jory kick off 2026 by recapping all the wild, weird, and wonderful things that happened across Font Awesome and Web Awesome in 2025. From the launch of FA7 and small-batch icon packs to a possum puppet mascot (yes, really), they reflect on the big (and small batch) wins, behind-the-scenes hilarity, and creative experiments that made the year unforgettable. Oh, and if you're wondering what it's like to direct a hot dog-eating scene at a Kickstarter video shoot? We’ve got that covered too.

TL;DR: New icons, big upgrades, hilarious videos, brainy guests, possum puppets, and one heck of a year. 

🧠 What We Cover in This Episode

• 🎉 Reflecting on FA7 upgrades
• 🧪 The rise of Pro Plus and its small batch icon packs (Etch! Jelly! Not Dog!)
• 🎥 Behind-the-scenes on the F.A.C.U. cinematic universe and the FA7 shoot (hot dog suit included)
• 🧩 How the newsletter icon puzzle took on a life of its own
• 🧰 The official Web Awesome launch and what’s next
• 🧠 Brainy takes on icon cognition from Dr. Brian Glenny
• 🐾 The birth of Awesome Possum, our unofficial but fully fabulous mascot
• 📦 Teasers for what’s coming in 2026: More icons, more components, and more fun

⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 – Post-holiday haze & back in the podcast saddle
02:00 – FA7 highlights: Pro Plus packs + icon design overhaul
04:30 – Icon Pack breakdown: Etch, Jelly, Not Dog, and beyond
06:00 – Behind-the-scenes filming stories from the FA7 Kickstarter video
10:00 – Web Awesome officially launches!
12:30 – How the Awesome Possum was born
16:00 – The rise of the icon puzzle & newsletter hijinks
24:00 – Standout guests from the past season + the philosophy of icon design
28:00 – Accessibility icons, graffiti activism, and symbol cognition
30:00 – What’s coming in 2026: New icon packs, new components, and new surprises
32:00 – The Awesome Possum signs us off (kinda)

🔗 Links & Resources

• Check out the FA7 Launch Video
• Learn more about Pro Plus
• Build with Web Awesome
• Subscribe to our Newsletter (get the puzzle!)
• Jory’s Puzzle Book: “Goes Without Saying”
• Behind-the-scenes of the FA7 Shoot
• The Accessibility Icon Project 

🎵 Theme music by Ronnie Martin
🎹 Interstitial music by Zach Malm
🎥 Video support by Isaac Chase

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