Like what you like
but you don't have to shout about it
Hello Kids and Kiddos,
I hope you’re doing well! This is the first part of the first newsletter of 2025, during which I will deliver some ideas and opinions about popular culture. Then I will attempt to sell you things in the second or third part. I find this is how modern newsletters work, so please forgive the sales pitch at the end.
Over the last few weeks, I’ve seen a lot of “best/worst of 2024 lists”. I used to love making lists like this. I’d rank all the albums I bought, the movies I saw in theatres, even the concerts I attended. Now? I’m in my 40s and I don’t leave the house as much. I only get to the movie theatre a few times a year (did I really only see Drive Away Dolls, Twisters, and Ghostbusters last year?) and I see about the same amount of concerts (Nick Lowe, Bruce Springsteen, and NOFX) each year. I picked up a few records by some of my favourite musicians, and I tried to slow down on collecting action figures (my house is only 700 square feet) but since the pandemic, like many of you, I dove back into comics collecting in a big way.
I haven’t had a pull box since I was a kid (age 12 or 13, so 1995 or ’96), and that was at Comic Cave, which became Mighty Comics and has moved at least three times since. But in December of 2023, after three years of replenishing my back issue collection, I got a pull box at Galaxy Comics here in Winnipeg. In the last year I’ve enjoyed visiting my old friends Batman, Daredevil, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and the Transformers in all of their new monthly adventures. I’ve checked out indie books by Zoe Thorogood, Caitlin Yarsky, and a whole bunch more. It’s felt really nice to stretch stories out month to month in our “binge it all at once” world.
I thought about ranking my favourite graphic novels or comic series of the year, but I don’t feel the desire to anymore. I’m comfortable in what I’m consuming, and I don’t feel the need to share it as much. If someone asks what I’m into or what I thought of a thing, I’m happy to discuss, but I don’t need to shout “I loved Mike Allred’s Batman miniseries” this year (even though I really did). It seems like everyone on YouTube and Instagram is constantly rating and ranking and listing, and I just want to read my stack of comics or draw my little books without having to say “I read it, too!”. And I think that’s okay. I’m at this place where just liking the thing is enough. I don’t want to document or take a video of unboxing a thing. I just want to enjoy the thing, and feel secure in knowing that I’m part of enjoying the thing, along with millions or hundreds or dozens of others.
But on another level, I still get a kick out of putting a spotlight on certain people, by helping to put their work out, because we’re all fighting for that space online and on your shelves. Curating a tribute album or comic anthology. Creating a community out of nothing. That’s not just talking about something, that’s making something. And that’s different. So that’s what we’re doing here at Inservice Comics and Records. We’re taking a little time to put a few new things out into the world. This coming year is going to be good, and I hope you’ll stick around to see what we come up with!
So what’s new with me?
The new and improved Inservice Comics website is LIVE! Visit inservicecomics.com to pick up comics, anthologies, cassettes, and more! Yes, we’ll be looking to put out comics by others in the near future, but right now it’s mostly my work and The Setlist anthology (in addition to many Inservice Records releases, going back to 2014).
I’m working on my next graphic novel, Big Shiny Tunes. Canadians are familiar with this title, as it is taken from the best selling series of compilation albums put out by Much Music (Canada’s MTV) throughout the 90s-2000s. The book follows Tunes, a young woman on a mission, and each “track” suggests an act break as well as a change in style/colours/medium.
I’m also launching my black and white daily comic strip, Abigail Anxiety, on all my socials - @nicholastronaut - and Webtoon Canvas! It’s a Peanuts-style strip loosely based on my own childhood anxieties. It’s funny, sad, and free on those platforms. As an added bonus, if you follow me on Webtoon, you’ll get that strip during the week as well as full colour Olivia Sea strips on Sundays!
What’s old with me?
I’ve made a LOT of stuff over the years, and I want to share some of it here. This is one of my favourite things I’ve made, a hand drawn rotoscoped/animated music video for Sierra Noble. It took me about four months to make, and I used pencil crayons, markers, ink, and digital colouring.
Show Dates
I’ve applied to a few out of town shows taking place this spring, I’ll update you all as they are announced, as I may be coming to your town next!
Patreon
If you’re interested in seeing my daily strips a week early, checking out process pages of my new book, or getting quarterly physical goodies, subscribe to my Patreon!
Well, that’s it until next month. Thank you for indulging me.