Table of Contents
Welcome Back (00:00)
Project Updates
Follow Naked Kaiju Woman (01:13)
Main Story
From the Mouths of Maows (02:22)
I'm Not Vegan, But... (03:32)
James Gunn Gets It (04:56)
Time Moves Fast (07:37)
Release Info & Updates
Upcoming on Substack (08:36)
Upcoming Appearances (09:00)
Release Calendar (09:35)
Instant Ink Comic Book Podcast (11:43)
Super Secret Epilogue (12:47)
Super Secret Epilogue II (16:14)
Welcome Back
I've really grown to like cats. I wasn't always this way.
Not unlike the rest of the Internet, when I see a cat in my social feeds, I have to stop and see what it's up to. I really like the videos where they strap a camera to outdoor cats and just see how they go about living their lives chasing birds or other cats. Just seeing what adorable trouble they get themselves into.
That’s if you’re lucky. A lot of times, when I see mutuals posting about their beloved pets, it's usually a post saying goodbye. They're always very heartfelt and, even though I hope I have a lot more time with my little guy, I know that our sad day is somewhere down the road. I hate being reminded of that.
Even more so, much like we do with people, I hate that we wait for them to pass on before we start talking about how much they mean to us. I figured I'd take a post to do exactly that.
That's right, it’s a post about our cat, Oliver, to celebrate his adoptaversary.
I'll bring it back around to comics and writing. I swear.
Project Updates
Follow Naked Kaiju Woman!
Last week, I shared the new prelaunch page for Naked Kaiju Woman on Kickstarter. We’re still trying to build a nice, healthy following before launch early next year.
If everyone who opens this newsletter gave it a follow, we’d break records for the comics category on the platform. I’m not expecting that, but I know a few folks are holding out.
Even if you don’t plan on pledging to the campaign, your follow does wonders for getting this project higher in the algorithm.
Lend your support by following the campaign on Kickstarter.
Naked Kaiju Woman launches on January 8th.
Read My Dirt Sheet in Undisputed #1
’s Undisputed #1 has a cool reward for digital backers and up. The dirt sheets were the wrestling magazines and newsletters where you’d learn what’s really happening in the world of professional wrestling. P.J. has put together a great team, including myself, to get one of those set in the universe of Undisputed. There have been lots of great wrestling comic books of late and P.J. has added to that pantheon.
Once you’ve checked both of those out, come back for cute cat photos…
Main Story
From the Mouths of Maows
I have learned a lot from being a pet owner.
My wife and I don't have kids and we have no intention of having any. We enjoy our DINK lifestyles way too much to ever change that. This wasn't a choice that we've made lightly. The feeling we get when we see a cute cat or dog is the feeling that other people get when they see a young child.
Neither of us get that same spark for children and we know that tells us everything we need to know. We’ve been told that would change as we age, but it really hasn’t. We’re at the point where even if we did have some drastic change of heart, it’s too late biologically speaking, so at least the pestering from loved ones has settled down.
That doesn’t mean we don’t have an urge to care for something living that’s more than a goldfish.
I say all this not to compare having a pet with having a child. I understand we're talking about apples and refrigerators at that point. It’s more so that people tend to have these big revelations when they have a child, seeing that the world is bigger than themselves and yada yada yada.
I'll have no such revelations in my future.
All that said, there are some unexpected lessons that I learned from having this little, furry animal walking around my house.
I'm Not a Vegan, But...
I never thought I would feel guilty about eating meat. The funny thing is, Oliver has no such qualms. If he was big enough to do so, he'd surely make a meal of me while I slept. He eagerly does so with any insect that dares enter his domain. That includes his fish-shaped toys.
Given that he’s so small and so cute, I can’t help but see him in every animal I encounter now. Every raccoon, squirrel, fish or dog just looks like the helpless little goober that flops around on our bed trying to finally show his own tail who’s boss.
And don't get me wrong, I'm not gonna pass up on a juicy burger or grilled steak in the summer. I won't even be upset if you throw some bacon on there and we try to get the whole farm on my plate. I just have to block that part of my brain out that makes me a horrible hypocrite. I'm not perfect.
(I also realize this very much makes me a townie.)
My wife is deathly afraid of spiders and I find, even with those creepy creatures, I have a hard time feeling good about killing them now.
I've gone soft.
That's all thanks to this aggressive, bitey, furry little boy.
He has a mind of his own, but without us, he wouldn't last the day. That just makes me think of all the other animals out there that don't have someone making sure their water bowls are filled and they get their kibble on the hour, as expected.
Nature is brutal. I get that. That doesn't mean I have to like it.
James Gunn Gets It
I didn't know too much about Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 before I walked into the theatre. Some mild spoilers if you haven’t seen it yet. Just hop over to the next section to avoid them.
The entire plot with Rocket and his former animal crew was so manipulative, and yet, I didn't foresee myself tearing up at the end. When Rocket says you have to save everyone on the ship: that really hit home. Before I had Oliver around, I would have been just like Star Lord saying “We got everyone, what are you talking about?”
Now I couldn't imagine leaving any animals behind. When I was younger, I never understood people running into the burning buildings to save their pets or risking injury to save an animal in the wild. I was always a bit heartless about it, thinking they’re just animals, but now I see that there's more to life than that.
You see the theme again in Peacemaker with Eagly. Peacemaker is an extremely lonely guy and if it wasn't for Eagly, he'd have nobody. That's the magic of pets. They don't judge you in the same way people do.
Those who don’t get it might be reductive and say they just hang around because you feed them. There’s a grain of truth there, but I really do think there's more to it than that. There's a connection that’s built over time that doesn’t break for their entire lives - even if yours ends before theirs does.
There was some eye-rolling online James Gunn announced Krypto, in the new Superman movie, would be inspired by his own dog. I totally get it. He's just following his own advice and not leaving anyone behind.
Hot Take: Having a Cat Makes You a Better Writer
It doesn't need to be a cat, but any pet.
I always thought I was somewhat empathetic. As a writer, I always try to put myself in other people's shoes. I try get a sense of how they are perceiving the world. You have to if you want to be even a decent writer, but more importantly if you want to be a decent person.
Seeing the world through the eyes of your pet is an entirely different experience. They come with minimal baggage. They don’t have a culture or education that nurtures them to become something they wouldn’t have otherwise. They're purely themselves and you're the center of their universe.
Kids grow up, become adults and, if you do it right, their own people. It happens faster than you can imagine. Pets stay mostly the same. They just want their routine of food, walks, pets and toys. In return, they give you their unwavering loyalty that is truly unique to pets.
I’m always trying to figure out what's going through their heads, even if it's just that they’re hungry or tired or itchy. It’s a simple life that's unbothered by politics or concerns about the future. Pets live in the now. That's a good lesson to take for your own life.
Time Moves Fast
It feels like just yesterday that we picked Oliver up from the shelter, put him in his carrier and he meowed the whole way home in the backseat of the car.
I love coming home with him ready to greet me at the door or how when wants to be pet, he taps me on the hands to let me know. I love when he wakes up from one of his many naps and he'll call out when he's not sure if we're home. If he hears us, he'll run from wherever he made a bed - usually freshly folded laundry or a box meant to go out to recycling - and join us until his next nap.
I just love that he's there. I know it won't be forever, but I wanted to say all this while he’s still around and healthy. I’m taking the lesson and living in the moment, appreciating what’s here instead of waiting until I’ve lost it.
We adopted this guy six years ago today and I looking forward to many more years. Happy adoptaversary, Oliver!
And to you - thanks for indulging me this week. Go hug your pets.
Until next time...
This week, the podcast version has two super secret epilogues! If you haven’t listened before, this is a section where I riff and reflect on the week’s post. This week, I talk about future projects and even more about Oliver.
Skip ahead to 12:47 on the player at the top of this post.
Release Info & Updates
Upcoming on Substack
December 18
Post-Mortem: Big Smoke Pulp
Reviewing the first non-comic project by Pesto Comics
December 25
A Year in Review
A Merry Christmas and a look back at the year that was
January 1
A Preview of the Year Ahead
A Happy New Year and a look forward to what’s coming
Upcoming Appearances
Pesto Comics Release Calendar
Instant Ink Comic Book Podcast
Share this post