In terms of how they contrast, effective writing is when little actually happens yet you feel like you've gone on a journey, whereas naïve writing is when you're taken on the most elaborate journey, but, when you think about it, little has actually happened.

I'm sure OP envisions moral boundaries or even evils but it is important to remember that this applies to acts of Justice as well. Don't just think about how many steps away you are from a moral atrocity or violence, think about how many steps away you may be from an act of bravery or kindness.

Think of morality in terms of stairs-- whatever we do enables us to then easily do something one step beyond that. Don't ask "should i do this," ask "do i want to be somewhere a few steps from here," because *that's* what may eventually seem exactly as reasonable as what you're considering now.

New work on Patreon -- sign up to read or miss out forever on my unwelcoming walls of text with occasional drawings alongside.. www.patreon.com/subnormality

One of my biggest takeaways from the new Robert Crumb biography is the recurring theme of him selling his original art and sketchbooks over the years, and the independence that granted. A literally valuable lesson: you can sell what you own (and a reminder of what AI art is meant to steal from you).

🖤RIP Drew Struzan Legendary artist Drew Struzan has died at the age of 78. His work has inspired generations of artists, and while his most famous illustrated movie posters include the other 'Star' franchise, he did a number of beautiful pieces for #StarTrek. 🖖1947 - 2025

Throwback to the horribly timeless BERNARD... www.viruscomix.com/page436.html

Jane Goodall used her stature to advocate for one of the most important, yet most unpopular, causes in the world: Animal rights. voxdotcom.visitlink.me/14PIox

Shoutout to Nell Brinkley, a fantastic artist who thrived 100 years ago when illustration was king (or rather, queen). Do yourself a favor and get to know her stuff-- the heights one can rise to with only paper & ink. Great work lives forever. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nell_Br...

A uniqueness of comics is the effect the visual character design has on the writing. You write the script, you design the character, they immediately become something unto themselves, and then must the script be adjusted accordingly. "She would never say *that*!" Now that you've met her, you know.

If you just want to read my thoughts on the Rapture instead of watching a three hour video making fun of the Left Behind movies, then here ya go open.substack.com/pub/drjordan... (no idea why you would, but I aim to please).

If you’re cancelling your Disney Plus subscription today, now’s a great time to sign up to The Daily Tism Patreon. Not only is it a great time with bonus articles, podcast episodes & monthly community events but we pay real writers to write real things & we don’t fire them for being right on.

Read what an actual nuclear historian thinks about my ol' nuclear weapons comic! Thanks so much to @wellerstein.bsky.social for the honor of this write-up! doomsdaymachines.net/p/understand...

For many years — until some kind of mandated clean-up removed all unauthorized postings — I kept a poster on my office door titled "Understanding nuclear weapons," from the webcomic Subnormality. Here's why I love it: doomsdaymachines.net/p/understand...

I've been thinking a lot about this comic lately, especially its take on "institutions." It goes both ways: the oppressive institutions are often more brittle than they look, but so also are the ones you rely on for safety, health, stability, job security, etc. www.viruscomix.com/page528.html

Read my comix btw-- it's my preferred means of communication viruscomix.com/page599.html

Freelance illustration gigs drying up. Ad agencies using Midjourney instead of hiring human artists. Costume design turned over to AI wholesale. Good work vanishing. These are the stories of working visual artists, who describe losing jobs, wages, and hope as their clients and bosses embrace AI.

Just some super fun quotes from my novel-- go read it, it's thoughtful and scary. Novels exist for a reason: sometimes it takes 300 pages to say something. Available on Evil Commerce Website, or get the ebook via my Pateon: www.patreon.com/subnormality...

If you want writing advice: using as few characters as possible, tell us a story you can't stop thinking about, which you're afraid to show people on some level. Beyond that is mostly compromises.

If you actually want the world to be better you need to ask why the shooters are always men, why the generals are always men, why the dictators are always men, why the tech CEOs are always men, why the cult leaders are always men, why we call these things "societal problems" or "war" or "normal."

Check out the peopleWatching season 3 playlist on Bandcamp! Enjoy (most of) the great musicians that feature in the new season, and enjoy a platform that's waiving its fees today so artists get paid more (instead of funding military AI, like certain other platforms)-Wr bandcamp.com/subnormality...

You'll never read all the good books, hear all the good music, see all the good shows. If a favorite artist turns out to be yet another person indifferent to others' humanity, continue walking– through the infinite galleries of human creation, to sit with new favorites you'd otherwise not have found

peopleWatching is a genuinely special piece of work. it's one of those delightful little things I hold very dear, and i'm very happy it's back! go watch it! i am asking so nicely!

Meet the characters of peopleWatching S3, and then see the new season via OUTtv..! We're lucky to have found such a great cast to bring truth to all these animated people-- there is so much talent in Canada, and here's example #1.

we like to highlight important historical figures

Despite everything wrong in this world, I’m so happy to live in the one where exists much art that has been engineered to break down the walls between people, all people, in the noble effort to increase human understanding. If this season of pW is anything like the ones before, it will do the same

Am I about to get another whole streaming service just so I can watch one show? You bet your ass I am

peopleWatching season 3 is LIVE! Stream now on OUTtv, or via their Apple TV channel, and via their youtube channel in some territories. This is it, the best show we could do, and now all you need to do is watch, people..! www.outtv.com/details/TV_S...

TOMORROW

If you're a Patreon creator, *please* fill out this survey they have created about your thoughts on AI content and its potential role on their platform. The more overwhelmingly negative feedback they get on this, the better for all of us.

Many artists don't have the mental bandwidth to engage with established media, or don't feel empowered to, or don't believe in those systems, or can *only* find a sense of control in society as indie creators. If you only ever engage with mass media, you will never hear the voices of those people.

Don't overthink it (or do): what comic book panels/pages live in your head rent-free?

New bonus comic on Patreon -- sign up to read or wonder about it forever! www.patreon.com/subnormality

It's worth thinking about how the way people analyze art reflects the health of a society. Do people feel empowered to decide that their own subjective interpretation of a piece of art has meaning, or is it just another process of transcribing and quantifying the singular intent of a superior?

Season 3 of peopleWatching is officially complete! We look forward to releasing soon-- stay tuned for more laughs/crying!

So is crypto and AI going to consume so much power that it wipes out all of our collective efforts to conserve at a consumer level over the last few decades (habits like keeping AC a little warmer, switching to LEDs, Energy Star appliances)? It's hundreds of terawatt-hours...

Us vs Them

Buy art books, instead of not buying art books

This one from @winstonrowntree.bsky.social still comes to mind often: "Monstrous Discrepancies" viruscomix.com/page528.html Also as a poster topatoco.com/collections/...

Here are some boring movies that I love

Congrats to @winstonrowntree.bsky.social / @peoplewatchingshow.bsky.social for reaching your Indiegogo goal! For everyone else, here's an example of why you should look forward to the next season of People Watching youtu.be/K9KLZ8C9DrY?...

With this latest attempt to erase trans women in the UK, let your reaction be to realize how a lot of people's identities rely on dehumanization-- they *have* to be superior to someone, better, more human than someone. Never doubt yourself as weak people disappear with their own fear into the abyss.

If a youtuber starts using AI for their thumbnails and posts, you're free to assume they're using AI for their script and editing too-- that they don't actually do any work or have any ability or know the material. And if they don't want you to assume that then they know what they need to do.

A week to go to help back the latest season of a great bit of indie animation.

The worse the streaming services get, the more happy you will be with your purchase...!

Remember to check out @winstonrowntree.bsky.social 's indiegogo campaign for season 3 of People Watching! It's already been funded, but if you want a copy for yourself: www.indiegogo.com/projects/peo... First 2 seasons on YT: www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...

reminder