FWACATA

Yeah yeah, I’ve been off the radar for a couple weeks. Life happened. A few things exploded. Some of them metaphorically, some maybe more literally (I’ll let the insurance company figure it out). And let me tell you—it’s hard to hit “record” on a podcast when you’re busy taping the ceiling back to the roof of your life.

But here we are, and guess what?

It’s another Monday Motivation from FWACATA, baby.

This week’s episode isn’t clean or pretty or filtered through an inspirational quote over a misty lake. This one is duct tape and determination. This one is about being too broke to buy gesso, too tired to function, and still too stubborn to quit.

Because here’s the thing nobody tells you with a straight face:

You have to be belligerent about your goals.

Not cute. Not chill. Belligerent.

You have to make art like it owes you money. You have to write like you’re on a deadline that’s three days past. You have to keep showing up even when the algorithm ghosted you, your bank account is playing the “let’s see what overdraft feels like” game, and you’ve had enough of the news to want to just live in a pillow fort permanently.

And yeah, that’s the vibe of this episode. It’s real. It’s personal. It’s me figuring out how to keep making comics while staring down a mountain of bills, disillusionment, and the nagging sense that the world’s turning into a Dali painting made of garbage.

But I’m still here.

Still drawing. Still podcasting. Still putting issue four of the anthology together. Still helping out other creators when I can. Still yelling into the void—only now, it echoes back in stereo.

And I’m inviting you in.

Why listen?

Because maybe you’ve felt it too. That freeze. That “what’s the point?” moment. That tired-of-mediocrity art show hangover. That soul itch that says, “You’re supposed to be doing more than scrolling through disappointment.”

If that’s you? This one’s for you.

We talk Kickstarters. Backerkit. GoFundMe karma. Why mediocre art keeps getting hung in galleries. Why really good artists still need someone to walk up and ask, “What are you trying to say with this?”

And yeah, I admit I probably need to ask myself that more, too.

But in the end? This episode is a reminder that being a little crazy, a little loud, a little obsessed—might just be the only way to survive and thrive right now.

🎧 Listen now to the latest episode of the FWACATA Podcast. ➡️

TL;DR:

Be loud. Be weird. Be relentless.But don’t, for the love of comics, stop.

Ever try to have a rational conversation on the internet? Yeah, me too. And spoiler alert: it’s like screaming into a hurricane while juggling flaming chainsaws. Still, sometimes, you see something so egregiously dumb, so historically tone-deaf, that it lights a fire under your ass and suddenly you're knee-deep in the digital trenches trying to explain—again—why glorifying certain regimes is not exactly... enlightened.

This week's bonus episode of the FWACATA Podcast dives headfirst into the swirling vortex of misinformation, revisionist history, and that peculiar breed of online commentary that thinks life on a dictatorship-run island with state-controlled “free” healthcare is utopia. Why? Because one infographic said so.

Look, I’m not here to win internet arguments. But I am here to throw some intellectual elbows when people start sharing bad takes like they’re free samples at Costco. Especially when those takes ignore the glaring reality of censorship, repression, and political scapegoating—all wrapped in a shiny bow of "but the literacy rate!" Congratulations. You can read all the government-approved propaganda. What a gift.

This episode isn’t just a rant—it’s a reminder. A reminder that no system is perfect, especially when it's run by imperfect people (i.e., everyone). Whether it's capitalism with its billionaires-in-space fetish or communism with its charming knack for disappearing dissenters, the problem isn’t the -ism, it’s the a**holes in charge.

But don't worry, I serve this all up with humor and just enough bite to keep it from being a TED Talk after one too many Cuban coffees.

If you’ve ever wanted to hear someone explain, in hilarious and painfully honest detail, why critical thinking matters more than ever, why scapegoating is the laziest form of argument, and why white folks really need to stop experimenting with communism like it’s a new yoga pose—this one’s for you.

So give it a listen. Laugh, think, get a little uncomfortable. Then maybe, just maybe, don’t retweet that Che Guevara quote without doing your homework.

—

If you dig this, don’t just lurk—subscribe and support FWACATA for more comics, more rants, more real talk coming your way.

#Podcast #FWACATA #CubaRealTalk #PoliticalSatire #GeorgeCarlinVibes #ArtistRant #NoFilter #SubstackWriter #PatreonCreator #ComicsAndCommentary

Welcome to a new installment of the FWACATA Podcast!If you’ve been waiting for the perfect moment to finally launch your big project, get serious about your art, or just finish that damn thing sitting in the corner of your mind — here’s your Monday wake-up call:

Nobody’s coming to hand it to you.You’ve got to start.

This week’s episode is a no-holds-barred reminder that while the world might feel like it's tilting sideways (and hey, maybe it is), life, creativity, and hope are still worth the hustle.

The Fire’s Still There — You Just Need to Stoke It

Sure, things get harder as you get older. You need more coffee. More naps. Maybe a little more yelling into the void. But that flame? It’s still there.It just needs action to stay alive.

Movement. Creation. Forward motion.Even if it’s messy. Even if it’s slow. Especially when it’s messy and slow.

Planning is Great. Doing is Better.

We all love to plan. Sketchbooks full of notes, dreams, and “what ifs.”But without action, it’s all just doodles in a notebook.

You want to start a comic? Draw the first panel.Write a novel? Type the first sentence (even if it’s “Interior: My Asshole.” Seriously, just get moving.)Launch a business? Google the first step and take it.

Big ideas don’t mean anything until you get your hands dirty.

The Secret the World Doesn’t Want to Tell You

You know why all the loud, obnoxious people seem to get ahead?Because they’re doing something.It might be awful. It might be evil. But they’re moving. They’re working the system.

The good news?You can move too. You can build. You can create. You can do—without selling your soul or turning into a cartoon villain.

You just have to start.

This episode is a rally cry: Stop waiting. Start doing.

We’re talking about momentum, the real meaning of resilience, and why you should always plant your flag—even if it feels like you're the only one left on the field.

And if you want even more rants, motivation, behind-the-scenes chaos, and exclusive bonus content?

Let's build something better—one small, stubborn, sweaty step at a time.FWACATA all day, every day.

#FWACATA #MondayMotivation #GetMoving #CreativeGrind #ActionOverExcuses #MakeArtAnyway #JustStart #SketchbookLife

Plant the Seeds, Even if You’re in a Parking Lot

Some episodes are recorded in sleek studios with soundproof walls. Others are born in the wild acoustics of a car parked somewhere between real life and chaos. This one? Definitely the latter. But that’s kind of the point.

This week’s Monday Motivation episode of the FWACATA Podcast isn’t about perfection—it’s about momentum. It’s about the power of planning just enough to get moving, even if everything around you is a mess. It’s about planting creative seeds—whether you’re sketching, writing, filming, building, or just surviving the Monday grind—and trusting they’ll grow.

Because here’s the thing: you don’t need the perfect setup. You need intent. You need motion. And above all, you need a system that works even when everything else is on fire.

The Sketchbook Is the Garden

In this episode, I talk about the little notebooks I carry, the half-formed ideas I scribble in them, and the ones that come back years later to become something real. Sometimes it’s a design for a real estate ebook with a GTA: Vice City vibe. Sometimes it’s an old comic idea that hits just right in a new light.

Not every idea will bloom. That’s fine. Some turn into full-fledged projects. Some stay weird little notes. Others? They surprise you years later when you flip through your sketchbook looking for something else.

The lesson? Capture the idea anyway. Give it a home. Don’t trust your brain to remember anything—trust the page.

Build Your System, Then Ignore It… Until You Need It

This week, I talk through mailing out the last rewards from the FWACATA Kickstarter and how planning for the next one starts now. I’ve got issues of Zombie Years, Rez, and more ready to go. The sketchbooks and notes? They’re paying off.

I’m reformatting old issues, designing new covers, and setting up a bi-monthly Kickstarter schedule. That’s the hustle. That’s how indie creators survive. One step at a time. One weird idea at a time. One seed at a time.

And yeah, I even used AI for a cover mock-up because the job didn’t pay much. So what? It got the job done. That’s what matters.

Your Turn

If you’ve got something brewing—a story, a song, a sculpture, whatever—stop waiting for permission or the “perfect time.” Start messy. Plan loosely. Just start.

Got something you’re working on? Hit me up. Let’s talk. Maybe I’ll shout it out. Maybe we’ll collaborate. Maybe we’ll plant something weird and see what grows.

🎧 LISTEN TO PODCASTS HERE

#FWACATA #MondayMotivation #CreativeSeeds #SketchbookLife #MakeArtAnyway #IndieComics #StartSomething #CreativeMomentum #PodcastWithGrit

The Art of Experimentation – Stop Playing It Safe!

Listen, if you’ve been doing the same thing over and over and expecting some grand artistic breakthrough, I’ve got news for you: IT’S NOT COMING. You’re just drawing the same stale, predictable stuff, like a baker who only knows how to make plain white bread. You need to throw some jalapeños in there, swirl in some chocolate—GET WEIRD.

This week on the podcast, we’re diving into The Art of Experimentation—breaking out of your artistic rut, trying new mediums, and embracing the glorious mess of creativity. Because if you're not failing, you're not trying hard enough.

Why Experiment?

Because safe is boring. Safe is a creative dead end. The best artists? They took RISKS. Picasso didn’t stay in his Blue Period forever, and neither should you.

Trying new styles or mediums unlocks parts of your brain that have been asleep at the wheel. You’re going to discover new ways to express yourself, new ideas, and maybe even a little bit of that long-lost joy in creating. Remember joy?

Exercises to Loosen Up

Here are some simple ways to punch fear in the face and start experimenting:

* Draw with your non-dominant hand – It’ll be terrible, but it’ll teach you to let go of perfection.

* Limit yourself to three colors – Forces you to think differently about shading and composition.

* Make an ugly drawing ON PURPOSE – See what happens when you’re not worried about making it “good.”

* Use a tool you’ve never touched before – Charcoal, digital, ink wash, finger painting, crayons, whatever. Just break out of your default.

How to Get Older Adults to Join the Chaos

Now, if you’re bringing this to someone who’s set in their ways (cough your mom cough), you’ve got to make it fun and low-pressure. Here’s how:

* Make it a game – Timed drawings, absurd prompts, blind contour drawing. People forget they’re “bad” at something when they’re laughing.

* Use nostalgia – “Remember doodling in the margins of your high school notebooks? Let’s do that again.”

* Destroy the idea of perfection – Tell them to make something ugly on purpose. Takes the fear right out of it.

* Sneak attack – Leave some markers and a sketchbook on the table. Watch curiosity do its thing.

At the end of the day, creativity is about exploration. So stop playing it safe, grab a weird-ass medium, and make something ridiculous. You might just surprise yourself.

LINKS:

Michael Zulli and his amazing run on TMNT back in the Miarage days, great article

Website for poses, with timers and everything, a great warm up tool!

GO MAKE SOME SHIT!

BE GOOD

Without me, my sketchbook is useless. Without my sketchbook, I am useless.

…and so on

There’s something powerful about a blank page. It’s not just paper—it’s a space to build, reflect, and create. A sketchbook isn’t just for artists—it’s for anyone looking to capture a moment, map out an idea, or make sense of the chaos around them.

This week on FWACATA Podcast, we dive into why keeping a sketchbook (or journal, or whatever you want to call it) is one of the most powerful tools you can have—for your creativity, your productivity, and maybe even your sanity.

Your Sketchbook Is Your Spellbook

Think of it like this: in Dungeons & Dragons, wizards have a spellbook—a place where they collect all their knowledge, ideas, and incantations. Your sketchbook? Same thing. It’s your idea vault, your reference manual, your record of the weird and wonderful things bouncing around in your head.

Inside, you can:

* Sketch out ideas before they vanish.

* Write down those fleeting thoughts that might become something great.

* Paste in ticket stubs, fortunes, photos—anything that captures a moment in time.

It’s a living document of your creativity, and the more you use it, the more valuable it becomes.

The Digital World Won’t Save You

We live in a time where everything is digital, yet nothing feels permanent. You can scroll endlessly, save a million bookmarks, and yet… where does it all go?

A physical sketchbook stays with you. It doesn’t get lost in an algorithm. It doesn’t get buried under notifications. It’s always there, waiting for you to flip back through its pages and remember what you were thinking, dreaming, or creating.

Make It Yours

It doesn’t matter what kind of sketchbook you have—fancy leather-bound journals, cheap dollar-store notebooks, or something in between. What matters is that you use it. Fill it with whatever feels right to you. Doodles, notes, scraps of ideas—it all counts.

This isn’t about perfection. It’s about process.

So grab a notebook. Start today. This is your sketchbook—there are many like it, but this one is yours.

🎧 Listen to the full episode on FWACATA Podcast and start creating.

#FWACATA #MondayMotivation #SketchbookLife #CreativeProcess #MakeSomething #IndieComics #StayInspired

We all know that person. The one who spends more time complaining about their problems than solving them. The one who would rather wallow than take action. The one who insists their life is a mess but rejects every solution you offer.

I can’t do that. I don’t understand the point of sitting in frustration when the fix is right before you. Either solve the problem or let it go. Anything else is just wasted energy.

This week on the FWACATA Podcast, we’re talking about getting out of your own way.

Action Over Excuses

The hard truth? Most problems have a solution. It’s just that sometimes, people don’t like the options.

* Hate your job? Find a way out.

* Stuck in a rut? Change your habits.

* Tired of the same conversations? Surround yourself with different people.

It’s not always easy, but complaining won’t get you there any faster.

The Internet Has Made Us Passive

Remember when the internet was weird and full of surprises? When you’d stumble onto something new, some bizarre website or an artist you’d never heard of? Now, it’s just an algorithm feeding you the same recycled content.

Creativity, art, life—it all thrives on discovery and sharing. But we’ve let social media flatten everything into one monotonous scroll.

Be the One Who Shares, Not Just Consumes

You know what keeps creativity alive? Talking about it. Sharing it. Showing others something new. If you see something cool, pass it along. You never know who might need that weird piece of inspiration at the right moment.

At the end of the day, you can sit in the problem, or you can move forward. And if you’re reading this? You’re the kind of person who moves.

🎧 Listen to the full episode now on FWACATA Podcast. Let’s get things done.

#FWACATA #MondayMotivation #FixItOrForgetIt #StopComplaining #CreativeRebellion #IndieComics #MakeBetterArt #StayInspired

We live in a time where being an outright jerk seems like a fast track to success—where the loudest, meanest voices get the most attention, and stepping on others is just another strategy to get ahead. But here’s the thing: you don’t have to play that game.

This week on the FWACATA Podcast, we’re talking about the quiet, overlooked power of choosing not to be an asshole.

Empathy as a Power Move

Think about it—how many times have you had the chance to take advantage of someone? To push a little harder to get ahead? To bend the truth just enough to make things easier for yourself?

And yet, you didn’t. Not because you’re weak. Not because you weren’t smart enough. But deep down, you knew it wasn’t the right thing to do.

In a world where everyone is looking for an edge, having a conscience is its kind of rebellion.

The Art of Not Taking the Easy Road

The easiest thing to do is get bitter and angry. Start cutting corners and convincing yourself that everyone else is doing it, so why not you?

But the more complex, more rewarding path? Choosing integrity, even when it doesn’t immediately benefit you.

* As an artist, that means respecting your craft and your audience.

* As a creator, that means making work that means something—not just chasing trends.

* As a person, that means refusing to be part of the cycle that’s turning the world into one big, self-serving machine.

Why This Matters More Than Ever

If you’ve ever felt like the world is run by people who don’t care about anything but themselves, you’re not wrong. But here’s the trick: their power only works if we let them set the rules.

Every time you choose to be good—to create, to lift others up, to refuse to play dirty—you break their system just a little bit more.

And maybe, just maybe, that’s how we burn the whole thing down.

So ask yourself—what kind of person do you want to be?

Because at the end of the day, the biggest act of rebellion isn’t anger. It’s refusing to become what you hate.

🎧 Listen to the full episode now on FWACATA Podcast.

#FWACATA #MondayMotivation #RebelWithIntegrity #IndieComics #MakeBetterArt #CreativeFire #BeTheLight #NoMoreAssholes #StayInspired

Are You Actually Living, or Just Playing the Game?

Let’s be honest: most of what we deal with daily is just noise. The endless rules, the meaningless procedures, the polite but empty conversations—it’s all designed to keep us occupied, keep us complacent, and most importantly, keep us from actually questioning things.

You ever sit through a training, a meeting, a briefing, and think: "Why don’t they just say what they mean?" Instead, they dance around the truth, sugarcoat everything, and act like the rules they made up are somehow for your benefit.

That’s because clarity—real, unfiltered clarity—is dangerous. If people started seeing things for what they are, started saying what they actually mean, and—God forbid—started acting on it, well… that would be a problem for a lot of folks in power, wouldn’t it?

So, What Do You Do With That Knowledge?

You wake up. You start questioning. You start building. You start pushing back. Because the people making the rules? They don’t hesitate. They have their meetings, their strategies, their backup plans.

But you? What’s your plan?

Are you just going along with the script, nodding when you’re supposed to, staying quiet when you know something’s off? Or are you sharpening your own blade—whatever that means to you?

Creatively. Personally. As a community.

This week’s episode of FWACATA Podcast isn’t just a rant (though, let’s be honest, it gets a little fiery). It’s a wake-up call. A reminder that you can either sit on the sidelines or start making things happen.

So ask yourself: What are you actually doing? And if the answer is nothing, maybe it’s time to change that.

🎧 Listen to the full episode now. Let’s talk about what happens next.

#WakeUp #FWACATA #TakeAction #StopPlayingTheGame #BuildSomething #MondayMotivation #CreateAndDestroy #IndieCreator #NoMoreExcuses

As we move through life, there’s one undeniable truth—we change. Our energy shifts, our priorities evolve, and the things that once seemed like the center of the universe suddenly don’t carry the same weight. And you know what? That’s okay.

In this week’s FWACATA Podcast, I talked about energy—how we gain it, how we lose it, and how to make the most of what we’ve got.

Energy Isn’t Infinite—Use It Wisely

Remember when you could stay up all night, wake up the next day, and still power through like a champion? Yeah, that changes. As we age, our energy becomes less of a bottomless pit and more like an old phone battery—it still works, but it doesn’t quite charge to 100% anymore.

And that’s where perspective kicks in. Instead of fighting against time, instead of reminiscing about what used to be, maybe the trick is to make the most of where you are now.

The Secret to Success? Be Happy First.

Too often, people tie happiness to achievement—the job, the money, the status. But if those things don’t bring you peace, what’s the point? The real goal is finding joy in the simple things—a good meal, an hour of creative work, a well-earned nap.

Happiness isn’t in some far-off dream; it’s in the tiny moments—moments you can create for yourself every single day.

Protecting Your Energy & Living on Your Own Terms

* Recharge when you need to. Don’t let the world guilt you into thinking rest equals laziness.

* Stop chasing empty validation. Create for YOU first, not for approval.

* Find your small joys. A cup of coffee, a sketchbook, a favorite snack—sometimes that’s all you need.

Because at the end of the day, life isn’t about how much you accomplish—it’s about whether you enjoyed the ride.

So go outside. Eat something delicious. Laugh at something ridiculous. Make today a day worth remembering.

🎧 Listen to the full episode on FWACATA Podcast!

#FWACATA #MondayMotivation #EnergyMatters #HappinessFirst #LiveCreatively #ProtectYourEnergy #CreativeLife #StayInspired