FWACATA

I was digging through the archives and came across this great conversation from way back in 2021, when I was still running Goblins Heist—and it absolutely holds up.The talk features Rodney Barnes, a veteran, award-winning screenwriter and producer whose work continues to shape modern genre storytelling across comics, television, and film. Barnes dives into what he was working on at the time (and what was coming next), while breaking down craft, survival, and voice in horror, fantasy, and drama with the confidence of someone who’s been in the trenches and earned it.If you know his work on The Boondocks, Killadelphia, Marvel’s Runaways, American Gods, or Wu-Tang: An American Saga, you already know Barnes brings intelligence, bite, and real cultural weight to everything he touches.This panel was part of AARLCC-CON, an event dedicated to providing African-American comic creators and sci-fi writers with a platform to share their work, trade knowledge, and connect with industry professionals. Back then—and still now—it felt less like a convention and more like infrastructure being built in real time.If you’re into comics, genre storytelling, or hearing from creators who actually do the work, this is a solid watch—even years later.I would love to catch up with him again and just get his take on everything that is going on. Find more of his stuff here https://rodneybarnes.com/ Get full access to FWACATA’s Newsletter at fwacata.substack.com/subscribe

Not the cute “What’s the deal with traffic?” kind of joke or the coffee-mug Instagram quote kind of motivation. I’m talking about the kind of information that feels like the entire internet is screaming at you as you scroll through your phone.Somehow, you’re still expected to go to work, be charming, and be productive despite feeling overwhelmed. We live in a time where we have access to more information than any previous generation, yet it feels like we’re caught in a chaotic storm. Every headline is alarming, every feed is intense, and it’s hard to tell what’s truly important amidst the noise.You can live in one place and feel the impact of events happening across the country, all while carrying the weight of this information in your pocket. It’s disorienting and makes you wonder where the “good guys” are and if anyone will finally say, “Enough.”But beneath this overwhelming noise, people are fighting back—filing lawsuits, speaking up, and organizing in everyday ways. This is the real rebellion, looking like neighbors talking and communities coming together.The temptation now is to feel hopeless or numb, but remember that politics is very much involved in your life. When the world feels unstable, you don’t burn it down; you take care of your home and people, look for helpers, and stay engaged.Don’t let the noise make you feel powerless. There’s more to this than just a rant—a deeper inquiry into purpose, action, and our responsibilities to one another. If you want a deeper take on this, the podcast is waiting. For now, on this Monday: Stay sharp. Stay human. And above all, be good. Get full access to FWACATA’s Newsletter at fwacata.substack.com/subscribe

There’s a question I think everyone should ask themselves from time to time:Am I the asshole?If you’ve never asked that question — not once, not even a whisper of it — then odds are, yeah… you probably are.We’ve all met assholes. You’ve probably encountered one today. Hell, in the last 48 hours, you’ve likely seen someone cut in line, ghost a friend, act superior at work, or just let a door slam in your face. And if you can’t think of anyone? Congratulations, it’s you.But here’s the thing: being an asshole isn’t always evil. It’s often a side effect of honesty, frustration, or just being human.The Razor’s Edge of TruthMy father had a saying — “Con la verdad no se juega.”You don’t play around with the truth.It sounds simple, but it’s one of those phrases that sticks with you your whole life — like a pebble in your shoe, reminding you to walk carefully.Because the truth is tricky.The truth doesn’t always make you popular.Sometimes it makes you the asshole in the room.You tell someone, “It’s not the pants that make your ass look big — it’s your ass,” and suddenly you’re the bad guy.But if we’re supposed to be chasing truth, shouldn’t we welcome it?Nah. Most people want comfort, not clarity. They want a version of truth that flatters them.My dad’s point wasn’t about being cruel — it was about being responsible with honesty. The truth isn’t a weapon. It’s a tool.You don’t swing it to hurt people. You use it to build something better.The Door at JV’s PizzaA few days ago, I went to pick up some pizzas from a local joint — JV’s. Great food, not fancy, but solid. I’ve got my hands full, trying to get out the door, and there’s a guy right in front of me. Makes full eye contact — like predator-level eye contact — then lets the door close right in my face.Okay. Fine. I back up, nudge it open with my shoulder, whatever.Then his wife (or girlfriend) comes out behind me.So, me being me, I hold the door open for her.She smiles and says, “Thank you.”And this dude — the same one who let it slam on me — turns around and glares at me like I just insulted his ancestors.Now, I didn’t say anything. I didn’t have to. I knew in that tiny, perfect moment that he’d spend the rest of the car ride home wondering what the hell I meant by that “thank you.”That’s the good kind of assholeness — the surgical strike.Because yeah, sometimes you have to be an asshole to make a point. But do it with purpose, not pettiness.The Asshole SpectrumThere are levels to this.At one end, you’ve got the cruel assholes — the bullies, the trolls, the people who sprinkle shit on everyone’s ice cream just to feel tall.At the other end, you’ve got the honest assholes — the ones who tell you the truth, even when it hurts, because it needs to be said.The goal is to live somewhere in between — the Zen of Assholeness.Right on that razor’s edge between brutal honesty and empathy.Because someone’s gotta say it, but someone’s also gotta care how it lands.The LessonThe truth is messy.Sometimes you’re right but still come off like a jerk.Sometimes you’re wrong and look like a saint.But if you can pause — just for a second — and ask yourself, “Am I the asshole right now?”That’s when you start leveling up.That’s when you stop reacting and start reflecting.We live in a world where everyone’s ready to pile on, to shout, to dunk, to “gotcha.”Being thoughtful, self-aware, and honest without being cruel — that’s rebellion now.So, be brave enough to tell the truth.Be kind enough to own it when it hurts someone.And if you have to be an asshole, at least be one with purpose.Because the truth matters — and as my father said, con la verdad no se juega.You don’t play around with it.And if you hold onto that, even just a little — you might actually make the world one asshole lighter.🧩 TL;DRYou can’t escape being an asshole sometimes. But you can choose why and how you do it.Be the honest one, not the cruel one.And as always — be good. Get full access to FWACATA’s Newsletter at fwacata.substack.com/subscribe

I never thought I’d be making this episode.Not this soon.This past week—March 15th—we found out that comic creator and artist Sam Kieth passed away.He was 63.And yeah… that’s young. That’s too young.And I’m not going to sit here and pretend I can talk about him in some detached, objective way. I can’t. His work didn’t just influence me—it changed my life.Straight up.Let me take you back.Mid-90s. I want to say ’94, ’95.I’m in Miami, in an art magnet program. I’ve already decided I’m going to be a painter. That’s the path. Fine art. Canvas. Beret. The whole cliché.Also—I didn’t have cable.So I’m already cut off from a lot of stuff. And my girlfriend at the time tells me:“Have you ever seen this show… The Maxx?”I hadn’t.So she records it for me. Hands me the tapes.I go home, put it on……and it hit me like lightning.I didn’t just like it. I didn’t just think it was cool.It felt like something I had been looking for without knowing it existed.And here’s the thing—at that point?I was done with comics.Burned out. Completely.The industry was collapsing. Shops closing. My local spot—gone. Everything felt dead. I had checked out.And then I find The Maxx again—this time in a record store, on a busted spinner rack. Bent comics, half-wrecked copies… and there it was.I flip through it.And I’m like—“This is it.”I bought it. I think I grabbed Spawn too, just out of habit.But that was the moment.I was back.From there, it was everything.Hunting comics wherever I could find them.Digging through shops across cities.Finding new voices, new styles, new ways to tell stories.But at the center of it?Sam Kieth.Because what he did… it wasn’t just drawing.It was permission.Permission to be weird.To be messy.To mix mediums.To let the story feel like a fever dream and still hit harder than anything clean and polished.And that changed my path.I didn’t go to a traditional art school.I chose sequential art. Comics.I started making comics again.Creating characters.Building worlds.That’s where things like Meathook started.That whole direction?That comes back to him.I’ve been doing this for over 20 years now.Publishing. Drawing. Writing. Grinding.And yeah—financially? It’s always a fight.But creatively?Worth it. Every second.And I can trace that back to one moment:Watching The Maxx on a VHS tape in my room.There’s this idea in stories—like a “nexus point.”One thing that, if it didn’t happen, your whole life goes a different way.For me?Sam Kieth was that.And the thing that hits me now… is I never got to meet him.All the conventions. All the years.I met so many people I looked up to.But not him.And that… that stings.From everything I’ve heard, he was a private guy. Humble. Almost dismissive of his own work.But man—You don’t always get to see what your work does to people.And his?It mattered.It mattered to me.It gave a 16-year-old kid direction.It showed me what comics could be.It gave me a path I’m still walking.And yeah… it hurts knowing there won’t be more.But I’ve also seen the outpouring. The artists. The work. The influence.That energy?It didn’t disappear.It spread.So if you’ve never read his work—Go find it.The Maxx.Zero Girl.Anything.Sit with it.Let it hit you.Sam—Thank you.For the work.For the permission.For the path.And to everyone listening—If something moves you like that?Follow it.Because sometimes…that’s the thing that changes everything.Be good. Get full access to FWACATA’s Newsletter at fwacata.substack.com/subscribe

There’s this idea—old, almost cliché at this point—that if you want something bad enough, you can make it real.Most people nod at that and move on.But actually doing it?That’s where things get ugly.This week, I’m coming off finishing the second issue of FUGGLY, pushing toward a 52-episode webcomic structure, juggling formats (web, Instagram, print), and trying to build something that actually lasts. Not just a post. Not just a moment. A body of work.And here’s the truth nobody likes to say:It’s slow.It’s messy.It doesn’t care about your schedule.Some days it’s two full pages before work.Some days it’s one panel squeezed into a chaotic life.Some days it’s nothing—and you’ve got to live with that and get back on it anyway.That’s the real difference.Some talent. Some tools. Some AI.Consistency. Will. Showing up.We live in a moment where everything is supposed to be instant—press a button, get a result. And yeah, tools exist. I even use some of them. Backgrounds, textures, small assists. But the core? The storytelling? The grind?That still belongs to you.And there’s something uncomfortable about that.Because it means there’s no excuse.In this episode, I talk about:* Building a comic system that actually works week to week* The reality of making art while working, studying, and living life* Why the “panel a day” mindset might be the only thing that saves your projects* The loneliness of creating without a crew—and how to push through it* And why willing it matters more than any shortcut ever willBy the time you stack enough pages, enough issues, enough projects… You start to see it.Not just the work.The proof.That you can actually build something out of nothing.So if you’re stuck, waiting, thinking about making something—Stop thinking.Start small.Do one thing.Then do it again tomorrow.And maybe, just maybe…It won’t be a dream anymore.Want to own the FIST piece itself? Go to https://fwacata.bigcartel.com/product/mm-44-if-you-will-it-physical-art-piece and get it yourself! Get full access to FWACATA’s Newsletter at fwacata.substack.com/subscribe

We’ve all heard it before: “Don’t judge.”It’s one of those phrases that sounds good on a bumper sticker. Clean. Moral. Easy to repeat.But if you stop and think about it for more than five seconds… it falls apart.Because judging things is literally how humans survive.We judge traffic.We judge food.We judge situations, people, risks, smells, vibes, and that one guy in the airport walking barefoot through a plane aisle like he’s in his living room.Judgment isn’t the problem.The problem is what we do with it.In this week’s podcast I dig into something we all pretend we don’t do—but absolutely do all the time. From bad airplane etiquette to scooters in the rain to the quiet moment when you ask yourself the most important question of all:“Am I the asshole here?”Sometimes judging someone leads to understanding.Sometimes it reveals something about yourself.And sometimes it’s just realizing that maybe the guy who looks like hell in line at Walgreens is having a worse day than you are.So yeah—judge.Just don’t stop there.Think about it.Question it.And remember the three F’s that determine whether someone’s opinion really matters.Listen to the full episode here and let’s talk about the strange balance between standards, empathy, and the quiet little judgments running through our heads every day. Get full access to FWACATA’s Newsletter at fwacata.substack.com/subscribe

Some Mondays, the motivation shows up early, bright-eyed, ready to conquer the week.And some Mondays… it crawls in late, covered in dirt, smelling like a half-inflated air mattress and questionable camping decisions.This week was the second kind.Spring break has that strange effect on time where you wake up late, realize the day already started without you, and suddenly your plans involve doing something slightly ridiculous just because you can. In my case, that meant testing out some brand-new camping gear with Luna.Which is how I found myself in a tent last night with a half-inflated mattress that turned out to be slightly too big for the tent.So we improvised.Half inflated. Slightly crooked. A lot of “ow, my back… ow, my knee… why did I think this was a good idea?”But once everything settled down, it was… nice.Just lying there for a bit. Quiet. Nothing buzzing. Nothing scrolling.Luna, however, was not convinced.She spent most of the time staring around like: Why are we voluntarily sitting inside a giant plastic bag? I suspect the smell of all the new gear wasn’t helping her mood.Still, we tried it.And that’s really the whole point of this week’s motivation.Sometimes you just have to try things.Try small.Try medium.Try extra large.Sometimes the large one turns into a disaster. Sometimes the inflatable mattress doesn’t fit the tent. Sometimes your back complains about it the entire time.But you still tried.And that matters more than people realize.Because as you get older, the biggest obstacle isn’t time or energy.It’s your brain.Your brain starts predicting outcomes. It tells you not to try things because it already thinks it knows how it will end. It becomes very good at convincing you to stay comfortable, stay safe, stay still.You have to fight that.Most of the regrets I have in life didn’t come from the things I tried.They came from the things I didn’t.Even the bad attempts had something hidden inside them—some lesson, some story, some weird little memory that sticks with you later.Even the camping trip that makes you realize you might need a slightly smaller air mattress.Meanwhile, life at home continues its own little comedy show. Luna has discovered she can sneak back into the house from the yard and go bother the cat, who is older, wiser, and rapidly losing patience with this six-month-old chaos machine.It’s like watching a retired professor deal with a caffeinated toddler.And honestly, it’s hilarious.That’s the other thing I’ve learned lately.You have to laugh.There’s a lot of weirdness and craziness out there right now. Sometimes the best response is just to shake your head and laugh a little.This week I’ve got some time off, and I’m planning to use it the way I like best: drawing, painting, writing, maybe doing a livestream or two if the schedule allows.Another Dragonbreath short story is also on the way. If you haven’t read them yet, there are already several stories up exploring the world of Essidarius—a place that’s been sitting in my head for years and is finally starting to spill onto the page.It’s been a surprisingly good meditation just to write it all down.So that’s the motivation for this Monday—even if it arrived a little late.Try things.Laugh at the mess.Build what you want to build.And most importantly…Be good. Get full access to FWACATA’s Newsletter at fwacata.substack.com/subscribe

It’s Monday.You just woke up. Or you’re in your car. Or you made the bold decision to hit play on a motivational podcast before coffee. Respect.Let’s talk about something uncomfortable.A friend of mine once said he wished he lived in medieval times. Viking stuff. Sword. Tribe. Clear enemies. Clear purpose. Life was brutal, sure — but at least it was simple.And I get the fantasy.Not the pillaging. Relax.But the idea that if survival were harder, meaning would be clearer.Here’s the part that keeps me up at night:A thousand years from now, historians are going to look back and realize we were getting absolutely wrecked by text messages.Not swords.Not famine.Not plague.Group chats.A meme derails your morning. Laundry kills your momentum. A weird look at work ruins your focus. Suddenly, your consistency is gone.Meanwhile, people in the Middle Ages were getting stabbed before breakfast and still had to milk something.We live to 70 or 80. We have hot showers. Endless food. Infinite entertainment. More tools and knowledge than any generation before us. We live like kings.And what do we do?We doom scroll.We feel guilty for being tired.We wait for the “perfect” day to start.That day doesn’t exist.The sun will never hit the dust just right. You will never feel fully aligned, rested, and transcendent. Things don’t calm down. They multiply.So if you have a dream — a comic, a book, a business, a skill you want to build — here’s the hard truth:A lot of what’s in your way is your own bullshit.You don’t get what you wish for. You get what you fight for.And the fight isn’t epic.It’s not dragons.It’s not a montage.It’s not cinematic.It’s consistency.Consistency is boring. It’s quiet. There’s no applause. Nobody posts the five years they almost quit. Nobody uploads the days when nothing worked. We’re surrounded by finished products pretending they were inevitable.So when your progress feels slow and unglamorous, you think something’s wrong.It’s not.That’s exactly what it’s supposed to look like.I use a simple rule: don’t break the chain. One line. One page. One riff. One paragraph. Even when I’m tired. Even when I’m annoyed. Five minutes count.Five becomes ten. Ten becomes thirty. Suddenly, something exists that didn’t exist before.And even if it blows up in your face — even if it fails — you get to say you showed up.That matters.This podcast started because Monday mornings suck. I was sitting in traffic, talking out loud so I wouldn’t lose my mind. Turns out, other artists and creators needed that too.So we’re back.New work. New episodes. New chaos.But none of it happens without the boring part.Consistency.So it’s Monday.Stop waiting for the heroic version of yourself.Be the disciplined one instead.That’s the one who wins.BE GOOD Get full access to FWACATA’s Newsletter at fwacata.substack.com/subscribe

The State of FWACATA: Why the Podcast Went Quiet (and Why It’s Coming Back Louder)So… what happened to the podcast?A couple of you slid into my DMs asking if everything was good. First off — thank you. That actually means a lot. The simple answer? I’ve been busy. The real answer? I’ve been building.Comics. Paintings. Finishing FWACATA #3. Wrapping up FWACATA #4 for Kickstarter in March. Launching FUGGLY. Writing short stories for Dragonbreath. Experimenting with new painting techniques (acrylic + ballpoint pen has been doing wild things lately). Delivering books. Planning shows. Living life. Celebrating my wife’s birthday. Raising a hyper-intelligent, zero-stand-still puppy named Luna who has the energy of a lab-greyhound rocket strapped to caffeine.It’s been good chaos.But here’s the thing — I missed the podcast.Especially the Monday Motivations.One of you told me you plays them every Monday morning. Ten minutes. Just to hear someone say: You can do this. That’s what they were for. Not some polished guru routine. Just a reminder that even when the world feels like it’s duct-taped together and held over a volcano, you can still move forward.So here’s the plan.Monday Motivations are coming back.Wednesdays will be more topical — midweek resets, hump-day recalibrations, whatever we need in that moment.Comic reviews? Yes.Short fiction updates? Absolutely.Behind-the-scenes chaos reports? Always.I’ve been testing new gear, recording in a soundproof room at school (which, by the way, feels like a dream if you grew up loving art buildings and music halls). I’m experimenting with OBS, livestream setups, cross-platform broadcasting — trying to build something that actually works instead of duct-taping it together at midnight.And that brings me to the bigger shift.Substack is becoming a home base.Not just for the podcast RSS feed. Not just for blog posts. But potentially for everything — comics, webcomics, archives, video integration, community. I’m seriously considering consolidating it all there. One ecosystem. One HQ. A place where, if you want FWACATA, you know exactly where to go.If you sign up for free, you’re in. You’ll get updates, stories, and podcast drops.If you upgrade, that support directly buys time. And time is the only currency that lets me create more of the stuff you actually want. A handful of supporters can literally free up a workday that becomes a new comic, a new short story, a new episode.That’s the math.This episode is a state-of-the-union for the creative chaos. No drama. No complaints. Just reality. Life is full. The work is stacking. The ambition is still there. Maybe stronger than ever.March is going to be a big month.More consistency. More structure. More fire.As always — I’m listening. Tell me what’s working. Tell me what sucks. Tell me what you want more of. I may still do the thing I want to do… but I’m listening.We’re building this in real time.Palante. Always forward.And yeah —Be good. Get full access to FWACATA’s Newsletter at fwacata.substack.com/subscribe

Sometimes you pick up a manga because the title sounds like a joke.And sometimes that “joke” punches you in the mouth in the best possible way.TANK CHAIR is one of those books.Created by Manabu Yashiro, this series takes a premise that could have easily stayed a one-note gimmick — a combatant in a weaponized wheelchair — and turns it into one of the coolest high-concept action manga running right now.Let’s be clear: this is not metaphor-first, theme-heavy literary manga. This is a momentum manga.The premise is deceptively simple. A near-unstoppable fighter operates through an armored, modular, heavily weaponized chair platform. And when I say weaponized, I don’t mean “upgraded with spikes.” I mean full battlefield deployment. Swappable builds. Escalating configurations. Iterations that feel closer to Iron Man armor variants than a mobility device.Except this isn’t some billionaire hovering over a skyline.This machine scrapes pavement. It grinds. It tears through concrete at street level.That difference matters.Cool as a Narrative StrategyWhat makes TANK CHAIR work isn’t the absurdity — it’s the commitment to it.It lives comfortably in the same tonal ecosystem as Chainsaw Man and One-Punch Man.Like Chainsaw Man, it embraces brutality and escalation without apology. Things get bigger. Louder. Harder. And the book doesn’t blink.Like One-Punch Man, it understands that sometimes the cleanest storytelling decision is to chase impact over exposition. Wild character designs. Over-the-top confrontations. Action sequences that feel like they’re trying to break the panel borders.This is a manga that understands spectacle as a craft.The Weight of the PanelsYashiro’s linework carries a mechanical heaviness. The panels feel engineered.You feel torque in the wheels.You feel hydraulic pressure in the pivots.When the chair deploys a new configuration, it’s not just drawn — it feels assembled.Impacts land with intention. There’s a physical logic to the choreography. Even in the wildest sequences, the machinery has structure. That’s what gives the action its weight.But beneath the chaos, there’s something sharper happening.TANK CHAIR quietly plays with perception and power. Society underestimates. The world misreads vulnerability. And the story flips that expectation with artillery.The chair isn’t weakness.It’s dominance.It’s adaptation weaponized.It’s design turned into defiance.That’s what elevates it beyond simple grindhouse spectacle.And Here’s the Part That MattersI picked this up at my local public library.And I want to pause on that.Libraries right now are carrying deep manga catalogs. Not just classics. Not just safe picks. New releases. Niche titles. Wild concepts you might hesitate to drop $15–$20 on just to experiment.Libraries are one of the last algorithm-free discovery zones.No trending tab.No sponsored push.Just shelves.If you’re curious about manga — or comics in general — your library is a gateway. It’s how you try something insane like TANK CHAIR without risk. It’s how you expand your taste without shrinking your wallet.And honestly? That’s punk rock.If the title sounds ridiculous to you?Good.Go see if your library has it.Because sometimes the best comics are the ones that sound like a dare — and then deliver like a freight train.FWACATA Rating:Four and a half armored wheel deployments out of five. 🔥 Get full access to FWACATA’s Newsletter at fwacata.substack.com/subscribe

🔥 **DAWN – Timelapse Illustration | FWACATA** 🔥This timelapse features an illustration of **Dawn**, created as a commission reward for a backer of the **FWACATA Issue #2 Kickstarter**. From loose sketch to finished piece, this video captures the full process—lines, inks, mood, and all the little decisions that bring the character to life.**About Dawn:**Created by Joseph Michael Linsner, *Dawn* debuted in the 1990s and quickly became an icon of creator-owned comics. She’s a blend of myth, fantasy, sensuality, and rebellion—part goddess, part warrior, part symbol of independence during the boom of indie comics. Over the years, Dawn has stood as a reminder of what happens when artists take full control of their vision.📖 Read *FWACATA* Issue #1 for FREE📚 More digital comics (including FWACATA):https://globalcomix.com/a/fwacata-2https://www.drivethrucomics.com/en/publisher/18928/juan-navarro🛒 Want a custom piece like this or physical copies of my indie comics?Hit up my shop🌐 Everything FWACATALike, subscribe, and follow for more comics, art timelapses, sketchcards, and behind-the-scenes process.**FWACATA!** 💥#dawn #indiecomics #illustration #drawing #timelapse MUSIC from LESINFOCUS Get full access to FWACATA’s Newsletter at fwacata.substack.com/subscribe

Don’t break the CHAIN! This post/video is the real thing: me building a page of FUGLY from the ground up—panel by panel, mistake by mistake. No polish. No highlight reel. Just rough layouts, ugly sketches, rewrites, second-guessing, fixes, and all the tiny decisions that quietly decide whether a page works or dies on the table.(time-lapse version) I’m sharing this here because this is where comics actually live—in the process. Patreon isn’t just for finished art; it’s for the thinking, the false starts, and the problem-solving that happens long before a page looks “clean.” This page is still becoming itself, and honestly, that’s the whole point.FUGLY follows a man with the worst job in the superhuman world: he collects money from heroes and villains alike. Not souls. Not secrets. Damage.Cities wrecked. Blocks leveled. Cars melted by laser eyes. Somebody foots the bill—and that somebody is him.“Bad or good.Hero or villain.Laser eyes or super science.If you owe, you pay.”That idea drives everything—how the pages flow, how the jokes land, where the tension lives. Watching this page come together feels like turning the key on the entire series.Thanks for being here at this stage. Supporting the making—not just the finished thing—is how projects like this survive.More pages, more sketches, and more behind-the-scenes chaos coming soon as FUGLY ramps up toward its March launch.🖤 — JuanFWACATA Get full access to FWACATA’s Newsletter at fwacata.substack.com/subscribe

Just wrapped this Batman Metal sketch card for the newly released Upper Deck Batman Metal set—and yeah, this one was a blast.This card features Poison Ivy, and I leaned hard into what I love about her: not the pin-up cliché, but the green goddess of crime energy. Ivy isn’t fragile. She’s powerful, sensual, dangerous, and very much rooted in the idea that nature doesn’t ask permission. I’ve always preferred drawing women with weight, presence, and power—less “skinny-skinny,” more mythic force of nature.For this piece I used marker, watercolor, colored pencil, and gel pen—letting the materials fight each other a bit until Ivy emerged the way she wanted to. I haven’t seen this card in the wild yet, so if you pull it, tag me—I wanna see where it lands.Thanks for reading FWACATA’s Newsletter! This post is public so feel free to share it.A quick nerd moment: Pamela Isley has come a long way since her early villain days. In more recent DC storylines, she’s evolved into something more complex—sometimes antihero, sometimes eco-terrorist, sometimes outright savior of the planet depending on who’s writing her. Whether it’s her solo arcs, her time ruling the Green, or her redefinition alongside Harley Quinn, Ivy has become less “Batman rogue” and more force of ideology. That evolution is a big reason I love painting her—she’s no longer just a character, she’s a statement.And that brings me to FWACATA on Substack.This space is no longer just about comics—it’s about art in motion. Painting. Sketchcards. Zines. Mixed media experiments. Livestreams. Process. Mess. The stuff before it’s polished, and the stuff that never needs to be. You’ll see works-in-progress, finished pieces, abandoned ideas, sketchbooks, Batman cards like this, and whatever else crawls out of the studio.Subscribing means:* Livestream announcements* Art drops and process posts* Zines, paintings, comics, and experiments* A front-row seat to how the work actually gets madeNo algorithms. No noise. Just art, straight to your inbox.FWACATA isn’t just a newsletter—it’s a studio window and a growing community of people who care about making things, not just consuming them.So now I’ll throw it back to you:What’s a good day for livestreaming art for you all? Get full access to FWACATA’s Newsletter at fwacata.substack.com/subscribe

It’s Monday. You know what that means.It’s Monday Motivation fing time.*I’m on the road right now — my wife’s singing at an event, there’s no parking, and I’m sitting in the car like a responsible adult who’s pretending to be productive. And you know what? The hustle is real.So today’s theme comes from my dad, who had this one saying that’s been burned into my DNA:“¡VETE A VER!” — Go and see!See, when I was a kid, my dad would get so tired of me wondering about stuff. You know the kind of wondering — “I wonder if that bakery makes any money?” or “I wonder if I could open a tire shop?” or “What if I painted a mural somewhere?”And every single time, he’d snap:“¡VETE A VER!”Go see! Go ask! Go find out! Stop wondering and start doing.And as a kid, it drove me nuts. Like, “Come on, Dad, can I just daydream for a second?” But he didn’t let up. And over time, I realized what he was teaching me — don’t sit there stewing in what-ifs. Go test it. Go live it. Go do it.That’s the difference between talkers and doers.This week, I found myself living that lesson. While my wife was performing, instead of sitting around, I hit up a few spots — stopped by Asylum Comics here in El Paso (awesome shop, go visit them!), ran a couple errands, checked in on a property we manage, killed some wasps, trimmed weeds, and then went to a local art space that’s kind of like the Bakehouse in Miami.And while I was walking around, I thought — man, I need a studio again. A space to build and show. And by actually going, asking questions, talking to people — I learned way more than I ever would’ve just thinking about it.That’s the magic of “VETE A VER.”If you’re sitting on an idea — whether it’s starting a comic, opening a small business, painting a mural, or selling cakes shaped like… well, whatever — stop just wondering. Go find out. Ask questions. Visit the place. Email the person. See what the rent is, what the materials cost, what it would actually take.You’ll either find out it’s doable… or that it’s not. Either way, you’re further than where you were.Because the only thing worse than failure is wondering “what if” for the rest of your life.So that’s my challenge this week:Pick something you’ve been thinking about — a goal, a project, a side hustle — and go see. Don’t overthink it, don’t plan it to death. Just take one step.The next time you catch yourself saying, “I wonder if I could…”Remember my dad:¡VETE A VER! GO AND SEE.Stay loud. Stay curious.FWACATA! 💥🎧 Listen to the full episode: FWACATA Podcast on Spotify | Watch on YouTube Get full access to FWACATA’s Newsletter at fwacata.substack.com/subscribe

Hey, what’s going on, everybody?It’s Monday, the 27th (I think? My calendar’s buried somewhere under art supplies), and I’m feeling that post-Kickstarter glow. FWACATA #3 wrapped up strong — fully funded, stretch goals flying — and I’m buzzing. There’s no better way to start a Monday than on a high note.Because here’s the truth, man: life is highs and lows. That’s it. That’s the whole game. One day you’re up, the next you’re face-first in a puddle of ink, wondering if your printer hates you. But those dips? They’re part of the rhythm.Your heart pumps, your lungs breathe, and your brain—well, your brain just wants you to survive. It’s built to focus on the bad. That’s not your fault. That’s evolution being an overprotective mom. But the thing is, you can feed your brain. You choose what it focuses on. If you fill it with history, stories, good people, and perspective—you start seeing the patterns. Highs and lows. You start seeing that it’s all part of something bigger.I’ve been making comics for thirty years now. (Yeah, I said it. Thirty.) Started in 1992 as a kid, mailing submissions out in the ‘90s, chasing that dream through art school, conventions, jobs, heartbreaks, and late nights. It’s been a roller coaster. But the secret? The doing is the reward. Making comics is the dream. Nobody gives you a license. There’s no “Comic Creator Police.” You’re a comic book artist when you make comics. Boom. You’re in.And I’m on a high right now, because it feels damn good to see readers come back for Issue #3. To see new people jump in. To see names I recognize from Issue #1 and #2 still showing up, still supporting, still believing. That’s real. That’s fuel.I’ve got FWACATA #4 halfway done, plus new Zombie Years pages in progress. I’m aiming for a February release, maybe a digital annual before that. The plan? Keep it quarterly, keep it sustainable, keep the hustle alive.And man, I’ve found a groove. My printer, Comics Wellspring, is killing it—top-notch work every time. I’ve got a formula that’s finally clicking. So the goal now is just to keep going, refine, and level up.There’s a new career move on the horizon in January that might change how I balance things, but that’s okay. Change is part of the process. I’m not scared of lows—they just mean another high is coming.So if you’re reading this, and you’re in one of those valleys? Keep moving. Feed your brain. Jump off the cliff and build the parachute on the way down. That’s the only way you ever fly.Thanks to everyone who backed the Kickstarter, supported on Patreon, shared the posts, or even just believed in this madness. You guys are the wind beneath my… wings? Winds beneath my wings? Eh, you know what I mean. You keep me going.Here’s to the highs, the lows, and everything in between.Stay loud. Stay weird. Be Good. FWACATA! 💥 Get full access to FWACATA’s Newsletter at fwacata.substack.com/subscribe

(NOTE: SORRY FOR THE LATENESS, BUT IT WAS A PAIN IN THE ASS EARLIER THIS WEEK TO POST THIS! SO POSTING TODAY!)You don’t “find” balance — you learn to dance between deadlines and dinner dishes.Comics take time — a lot of it. And time is the one thing life never seems to have enough of.We chase this mythical balance: perfect productivity, creative satisfaction, and a stable existence. But the truth? Balance is a rhythm, not a ratio.Some weeks you create like a machine; others, you barely doodle between day jobs and real life. That doesn’t mean you’ve failed. It means you’re human.Art and life aren’t enemies. They’re collaborators. Life gives you the stories — art gives you the language to tell them.So take the pressure off.Draw small. Think big. Live fully.And remember: you’re not behind — you’re just between beats. Get full access to FWACATA’s Newsletter at fwacata.substack.com/subscribe

We all like to think we’re good people. But are we really? Or are we just people who haven’t been given the chance to be bad yet?That’s the thing my dad used to say: “People are how they are, and people are where they should be.” And as harsh as it sounded, he was right. Because most of the ugliness in the world isn’t random—it’s self-inflicted. There are very few tragedies. Doesn’t mean you don’t help or push people down, no, not at all, but many of us are where we put ourselves. The truth is, people are as good as their options.When life corners you, when you lose comfort, when the easy choices disappear—that’s when your character shows. And whether it’s in art, politics, or just being human, the same law applies:What you do when you can’t do much… says everything.As artists, we constantly face limits—time, money, doubt. But those limits don’t define us. How we respond to them does.So ask yourself this week:What options can I improve? What choices am I proud of?And which ones am I pretending I don’t have?Because the truth is—being good is easy when it’s easy.The real test is being good when it’s not. Get full access to FWACATA’s Newsletter at fwacata.substack.com/subscribe

Hey there, fuckos. Welcome back to another Monday Motivation—your weekly reminder that your brain is not just for storing old passwords and random Die Hard quotes.I’m FWACATA—your art dad, your creative comrade, your podcaster-shouter of truths.And today’s episode? The Joy of Learning.Not the homework kind. Not the “show your work on the math problem” kind.I’m talking about learning as fuel. The good shit.Learning ≠ HomeworkNow, I know what you’re thinking:“Learning? Didn’t I leave that back in high school, right next to my bad haircut and my crippling acne?”Yeah, me too. But here’s the thing—learning isn’t punishment. It’s fuel. It’s rocket fuel for your brain-car. Without it? You’re just Fred Flintstoning your way through projects, barefoot on gravel, wondering why everything feels stale.When I was working for the Hormel family as an art archivist—yes, that Hormel family—my boss used to say, “I don’t want to hear ‘I don’t know.’ I want to hear ‘I’ll find out.’” That stuck with me. “I don’t know” isn’t an answer. It’s an excuse. And excuses are where ideas go to die.Talent = Passion × TimeHere’s a dirty little secret: Talent is just passion times time.That’s it. No magic, no divine spark from the art gods. Just passion, multiplied by time, multiplied by the hours you put in.Learning is what accelerates that equation. It’s the turbo boost, the NOS in your Fast & Furious brain.Weird Knowledge Sparks Big IdeasAnd here’s the kicker: the learning doesn’t even have to be “useful.”Saul Alinsky studied sea urchins. David Bowie read about space exploration.Me? I spent an entire afternoon learning about raccoons. And now I can’t stop drawing them like they’re plotting world domination.Sometimes the weirdest, most random knowledge is exactly what sparks the coolest ideas.The Kim Jung Gi EffectTake Kim Jung Gi—the late, great Korean artist. Absolute monster talent. Guy could draw helicopters, motorcycles, and entire battlefields straight out of his head.Why? Because he studied everything. He took apart scooters and sketched every part. He drew the same engines, gears, and pistons over and over until he understood them.That’s the power of learning. When you absorb knowledge, it becomes part of your mental toolbox. You’re not just copying anymore—you’re creating.Curiosity is OxygenLook, learning keeps you alive. Without it, your brain turns into that one potato in the pantry—the one you forgot about—that sprouts alien tentacles and freaks you out when you find it.Curiosity is oxygen. It keeps your art fresh, keeps your perspective sharp, and keeps you from turning into that jaded asshole who thinks they’ve got nothing left to learn.Challenge of the WeekSo here’s my challenge for you this week:Pick one thing—just one—that you don’t know… and dive into it.* Learn a new recipe.* Read about an artist you’ve never heard of.* Watch a tutorial on how to play the ukulele. (You don’t even need to own one. That’s not the point.)The point isn’t mastery. The point is movement. Learning humbles you. And it energizes you.ClosingSo celebrate the joy of learning. Stay curious. Stay weird. Stay that person who always asks why—even if it annoys the hell out of everyone around you.Because curiosity isn’t childish. Curiosity is how you stay alive. And when you pour that new knowledge into your art—your writing, your music, your Nicholas Cage hot-glue sculptures—you’ll find inspiration waiting like an old friend.That’s it for this week’s Monday Motivation.Stay curious. Stay weird. And as always—be good. Get full access to FWACATA’s Newsletter at fwacata.substack.com/subscribe

Hey, everybody—it’s Monday, September 29, and this is your Monday Motivation Podcast by FWACATA.What’s up, heathens? You sweaty, creative masses of chaos? Yeah, that thing that happened—wild, right? I mean, I don’t know what happened, because I pre-recorded this. But thanks to the internet’s nonstop firehose of madness, I’m sure something insane just went down. So now it sounds like I know what’s happening. See how that works? “Dude, did you SEE that shit?” Boom. Timeless.Anyway. Welcome back to the other Monday Motivation—the one where we drag your creative bird out of bed, slap it around a little, pour some coffee on it, and shove it back into the ring.Today’s episode? Creative Reboots.Restarting stalled projects with fresh energy.Here’s a confession: I have drawers—literal drawers—of half-finished comics, folders of “someday novels,” Google Docs of script fragments, and sketchbooks that look like serial killer ransom notes. Every time I open them, these projects look up at me like, “Bro, remember us? You abandoned us like a Tamagotchi in ’98.”We all have them. Projects that start hot—burning like first love—and then three weeks later you’re wondering: Why the hell did I think a 400-page Gundam-meets-Full-Metal-Jacket-meets-Mad-Max comic was a good idea? (Spoiler: it wasn’t. But I still tried.)Creative projects are like relationships. They start steamy. You doodle hearts around their name. Then reality shows up like a chaperone at prom, and you’re sitting in the corner with your unfinished script, not even getting to second base.So what do you do? How do you reboot?1. Step Back.Look at your project like it’s someone else’s. Pretend you found it in a thrift store. What’s cool about it? What sucks? Sometimes distance gives you fresh eyes. Go get a coffee. Go stare at a wall. Hell, go smoke a cigarette if that’s still your thing. Come back. You’ll see it differently.2. Scale It Down.Maybe the project stalled not because it sucks—but because you made it too damn big. Instead of a 400-page epic, make it a 12-page comic. Instead of a novel, a short story. Instead of a film, a TikTok. Give yourself permission to shrink it. Small wins build momentum.3. Change the Tools.If you’re stuck, switch the medium. Writing on a laptop? Try pen and paper. Painting with acrylics? Try markers, charcoal, Photoshop—hell, carve it into a potato if you have to. Creativity thrives on novelty. Sometimes the project isn’t stuck—you are.4. Reconnect with the “Why.”Ask yourself: Why did I start this? Was it the story? The character? The mood? Go back to the original spark. I make soundtracks for my projects—yeah, actual playlists. When I hear certain songs, I remember what I wanted the story to feel like, and suddenly, boom—the fire’s back.5. Celebrate Progress, Not Perfection.A reboot doesn’t mean you finish it tomorrow. It means breathing life back into it. One sketch. One page. One note. That’s CPR for your project.Look—unfinished doesn’t mean failed. It just means paused. You can hit “play” again anytime. And if it really is dead? That’s okay too. Bury it, honor it, and move on. Not every sketch becomes a masterpiece. But every sketch leads somewhere.So this week: dust off one stalled project. Give it a reboot. Look at it with new eyes. Shrink it down. Switch your tools. Reconnect with your why. Do something. Anything. And maybe, just maybe, that creative corpse gets back up and dances.That’s it for today’s Monday Motivation. If you’re digging this podcast, support me on Patreon at patreon.com/fwacata—get behind-the-scenes chaos, comics, art, and maybe the occasional zombie project resurrection.And hey—the Kickstarter for issue 3 of FWACATA is live. Go check it out. Support if you can, or at least spread the word. Even a repost works wonders. https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ThisisJuan/fwacata-3-comics-to-the-face?ref=9gnlxmAlright weirdos—reboot, restart, and as always… be good. Get full access to FWACATA’s Newsletter at fwacata.substack.com/subscribe

Hey everybody—it’s Juan. Yeah, I know, I’ve been MIA. Missed a couple of episodes since September. My bad.And no, I wasn’t out there selling my ass on Biscayne Boulevard… but honestly? It came close. Life’s been busy as hell, and when the bills scream louder than your muse, you gotta answer.But that’s not the only reason I hit pause. Truth is, after the Charlie Kirk incident, it got really hard to sit down and record something motivational. I mean, how do you scream “be good, make art!” into the mic when the world feels like it’s circling the drain?The Shitstorm in My HeadEvery day, I catch myself thinking about how fast things are unraveling. And I try to balance it—like, “Juan, it’s not that bad.” But then I scroll the internet, and holy hell… it’s toothpaste ads next to hate speech, conspiracies being treated like facts, and everyone yelling louder just to be heard.And here’s the thing—I’m always more wary of the people pushing hate and violence than anyone speaking about peace. Because peace takes real work. Violence? Any asshole can pull a trigger. We’ve seen that.Charlie Kirk—yeah, I’ll say it—was a racist piece of shit. He didn’t deserve to die. Nobody does. And no, I’m not saying that to make myself look noble. I’m saying it because if people get shot in the neck for their opinions—no matter how shitty—then what’s stopping someone from putting a bullet in me because they didn’t like this podcast? That’s the scary part.Peace Is Harder Than WarWe think pacifism means “doing nothing.” But nonviolence is harder. Martin Luther King, Gandhi—they weren’t passive. They chose the long road, the painful road, but the right road. It’s easy to blow something up. It’s harder to build something worth living for.Now don’t get me wrong—I’m a Second Amendment guy. I’ve sold guns. I get it. Self-defense is real. But owning a gun means facing a truth: it’s not for sport, it’s not for decoration—it’s a tool designed to kill. And if you’re not ready to own that responsibility, then maybe rethink it.The Hurricane MetaphorHere’s how I see it: life right now feels like a hurricane. The outer bands hit first—wind, rain, chaos. Then comes the eye, calm and quiet. And that’s where people make the mistake—they think it’s over, walk outside, and get wrecked by the second half of the storm.I don’t think we’re even in the eye yet. I think we’re still getting hit by those outer bands. And when it looks calm? That’s when we’ve got to be extra careful. Because the second wave could be worse.What Keeps Me GoingSo what do we do? We prep. We make sure we can eat, drink, sleep, and shit without panicking. We don’t panic-buy—we prepare smart. And most importantly, we build community. Because that’s the antidote to division.Neighbors. Friends. Each other. That’s what’ll get us through, not lone-wolf Rambo fantasies.Back to MotivationSo yeah—your “motivational guy” got unmotivated. Happens. Doesn’t mean I wasn’t working. Doesn’t mean I wasn’t creating. Just meant it was hard to come back here and push positivity when the storm outside feels louder than my mic.But I’m back. This is a little bonus episode to reset. Monday’s episode—number 29—is coming, and I’ll be working to make up the ones I missed.Thanks for sticking around. Thanks for being patient. And remember—life is chaos, but we keep making, we keep moving, we keep showing up.Until then—as always—be good.PS: My Kickstarter for FWACATA Issue 3 is out, get your copy now in the pre-order and other awesomeness all right here! https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ThisisJuan/fwacata-3-comics-to-the-face?ref=9gnlxm Get full access to FWACATA’s Newsletter at fwacata.substack.com/subscribe