All my end of year cards are now sent, and they are non-specific, non-denominational not just because I am an atheist, but because this is a very busy time of year. You can't say they're late if they're not for anything specific!

Bookstores need a section that's just "people writing proto-horror between 1860-1940."

I even had a little helper, running through aisles as they neared closing, helping me track down authors.

Sometimes you spend two hours in the bookstore and walk out creaking under the weight of your finds. Sometimes you walk out with nothing. Alas. The nature of the hunt.

Watching something filmed in Paris in the 60s and ignoring Roger Moore to focus on the many Deux Chevaux.

Really lovely feature on our departed politician. Thanks, Melissa. www.rollingstone.com/politics/pol...

My dad is going to take me to Detroit's largest used bookstore and it's entirely possible I will not get out alive, I will be crushed by the all books I attempt to carry. Last time I found a local history association's 1960s publication of urban legends and folklore. These are TREASURES.

It's time for everyone's favorite winter driving game: Where do YOU thing Think the Lane Is?

I have a stamp, I recommend everyone get a stamp! It's like those return address stamps, but it's got my name, email, and website. I stamp the back of everything now, is so much easier.

Nearsighted people with heavy prescriptions know the frought reality of "tiny eyes." So if a makeup brand is trying to court me, giving me a free mascara is a good start.

Making my life harder but also more fun. I find the quiet process of cutting plates soothing. #linocut #linoprint #MarteaniArt

If nothing else, when I can't draw I do a lot of writing. I'm going to have to publish six comics next year.

You can watch Cory Doctorow's entire talk about why and how these people are and will ever be terrible. youtu.be/7wE8G-d7SnY?...

Just me and the retired librarian next door, helping eachother shovel our sidewalks and talking about birds at 1:30 am.

I have a lot of uncomplicated, socialist thoughts about the industry. But rather than air out my grievances, I will remind everyone that if you're someone who donates money, the HERO Initiative is a creator run emergency fund that specifically helps comic people in trouble. www.heroinitiative.org

I can't claim moral high ground. I used Spotify a few months at launch, then went back to radio. It's like boycotting a store I don't go to. I like radio, where Skilled Music Knowers, people with niche tastes, random weirdos, share (new to me) music. Shout out to @kfai.org, thanks for a good year.

new this market— I designed a set of mushroom stickers, with more species to come! great for labelling grow tubs (or decorating whatever you like~)

I set myself two fitness goals for this year and I missed them both, but I have been pretty ok at being consistent and I've been very serious about biking. So I'm trying not to be too hard on myself that I still can't do the splits or a full pull-up. I can do so many hard leg exercises!

I did this foot angle to myself. I can't change this pose, it's too good. So I have to learn how to draw this stupid foot.

Same, my guy.

Back on my hot monster bullshit. This goes with a 6 page comic.

I am reading fountain pen reviews as I try to decide if I want a replacement travel pen, and this one for a Faber-Castell neo slim really stands out.

Minneapolis PSA.

First, if this happened (and it clearly didn't), they'd absolutely have pictures, a name, charges. But as someone who works with hazmat: no one with a full beard wears a "gas mask." There's too much leakage. You can sometimes wear a full face respirator provided the beard is trimmed. This is lies.

This might have been my last morning bike for a minute. Depends how well the city cleans up the coming snow. 1531 miles since May. 💪😤

Do I think Bonnie Tyler's cover of "Have you ever seen the rain" is anywhere near as emotionally effective as the original? Not even close. Does it still slap? Yes.

My vertical mouse now refuses to work unless a complex, unique, duct-tape based pressure system is applied to the cord and I cannot deal with it. Especially because it's starting to not work anymore.

What if I opened up for a commission and the payment is a specific verticle mouse.

I'm shocked there's still a few of these out in the wild. Loved making this label.

The downside to the morning bike ride is that as it gets deeper into winter, my butt will stay cold for hours after.

I don't assume any of you have mortal forms until I see you post otherwise.

It's not on purpose that "Without You I'm Nothing" and "Sleeping With Ghosts" are the soundtrack to a lot of my printwork. They're just really good albums to draw hot monsters to.

I heard it was going to snow today so I went on a bike ride. I'm going to wither into a husk this winter.

To briefly summarize: he waffles about letting the courts decide what is "fair use." He does the disingenuous comparison of generative ai to every other tool. He says his accent means he wouldn't do voice in games (nevermind he's not a VA). This is the statement of someone hedging their bets.

we all know the best Darkness bottle was designed by @marteani.bsky.social tho

We are now transition from "an unnamed but somehow all powerful intern accidentally stole work and we helplessly published it" to "deep in a totally meaningless part of the pipeline, generative ai was used by our faceless team and somehow accidentally made it to publishing." Corporations are shit.

Land Back happening in Wisconsin 💜

Library Christmas again! This time we have The Hollow Places by @tkingfisher.com , and I can already tell this book was written for me (and also possibly @jmawork.bsky.social )

I like when people post about books they're reading because that's half of how I find books now.

My best hoodie is by American Giant, which I thrifted (!!) for $40, new $158. I was running a hand along a rack and IMMEDIATELY felt the quality of material. The difference between a 13oz 100% cotton and the common poly-blend is staggeriy. It's a beast, I'm wearing it instead of a coat.

I have created a "quarantine" group on my phone, where I am putting all the apps I'm debating deleting based on whether or not they spark joy or are just a constant platform of frustration.

I had a print planned for the end of the year but I'm in a new dark headspace now and want to throw it out and draw screaming harpies instead.

In the midst of the nightmare, it felt really good to do a night bike just to see the Aurora Borealis above Minneapolis tonight.

I had to soak some of these nibs twice but they did all get clean.

A new campaign, with some artists you might remember from #hardcover, and of course, the content is for adults only: www.kickstarter.com/projects/spi...

I bought nib cleaner to try and revive some of my old G nibs but it contains ammonia and guess whose body reacts super poorly to even the mildest whiff of ammonia...

I will personally vouch for the spoons. These were self-housewarming purchase many years ago. Spoon still a spoon, flippin paddle still good at flippin and soup stirring!

The thing about Coke's new slop is they didn't need to do it. Christmas ads are universally nostalgic, an amorphous setting that's just coziness and vibes. If you get the mix right, you never need to make another ad. Which is why Hershey has been running the same damn kisses=bells ad for 35 YEARS.

Less than 20 hours to go, this book has a lot of excellent smut by some very talented artists (including myself).