Moving Forward
An update from our studio in which we talk the 2024 Southern Festival of Books, get hyped for the next volume of American Gothic, and celebrate a true American princess.
Y’all–
I hope you’re doing okay because it’s been a rough few weeks since we last spoke. Many of our readers on the east coast of the U.S. have endured two hurricanes in recent days. As I’ve noted before, no matter where I am physically, my heart is always in Appalachia. The impacts of this disaster will be felt throughout central and southern Appalachia for years, so here at the New Futurists, we’re planning on doing a Hurricane Helene relief project in November. Stay tuned.
In the meantime, if you’re looking for trusted, reliable information or donation recommendations, the good people at Appalachian Voices have compiled an excellent resources page. Please take care of yourselves and each other.
On a personal note, if I seem more strung out than usual, it’s probably because I’m behind on grading.
That’s right, folks: this fall I’m back at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as a teaching assistant professor. I appreciate everyone’s patience as I figure out how to integrate educating the Tarheel youth into my daily practice of writing about ghosts and drawing cryptids. I’ve really missed the classroom. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: teaching is probably the closest thing to a “calling” I’ve ever experienced.
My current most divisive hot take among my colleagues? I love Gen Z. They’re straight talkers. They understand boundaries. And say what you will, but I find Gen Z’s refusal to accept customary norms refreshingly punk rock. That’s right, olds. This geriatric Millennial is casting his lot with today’s youth.
But by all means, check back with me come mid-December and see if I’ve changed my tune…
Southern Festival of Books
Big news, gentle readers: the New Futurists will be appearing at the Southern Festival of Books in Nashville, Tennessee on October 26 and 27! If you’re in Music City U.S.A., come visit with us at Booth 79! Maybe consider treating yourself to some fresh New Futurists merch?!
Totes
Speaking of the drip, wouldn’t you look fetching with one of our brand new American Gothic: Good Country People tote bags on your arm? We’re debuting these designs at the Southern Festival of Books, but all of you lovely readers can order them TODAY from our beagleman’s merch shop!
Nashville Substack Meetup
One last note on Nashville: Hubby Jon (who you may know more formally as Jon Cochran from his fantastic newsletter First Thing Monday) and I will be hosting a meetup for Substack writers and the Substack-curious at the Southern Festival of Books!
Join us on Saturday, October 26th at 4PM in the Festival Beer and Wine Garden! We’ll talk writing, share skills, and get to know other folks creating on Substack. Learn more about the event and RSVP here: https://lu.ma/ffg6ulam
American Gothic
You may have noticed that we gently rebranded Southern Gothic as American Gothic: Good Country People. Don’t worry: all of the materials in our archive will stay just as they first appeared with the Southern Gothic logo and all. But as we move toward print publication and build out the storyworld that Ezequiel and I originally thought would be put to bed with our first volume, we decided to go with our gut (and fan poll data!). The title “American Gothic” gives us a LOT more territory to explore…
On that note, the gang is back together working on American Gothic: The Hand of Poe! I’ve been talking to Poe fans at events this summer and I don’t want to get too hyped on my own supply, but I’m very excited to share this story with y’all starting in January 2025!
The Omniverse
Over in the Omniverse, I’m finishing up some short stories, illustrations, and music to share with you this fall and winter.
Luis is working on a gorgeous cover for the book collecting the first volume of Omniverse trading cards. Reminder: all of our 2024 paid subscribers will receive a copy of this book as soon as we get it finished, so watch this space for updates on that project!
Triangular Comics
My friends, do you know about Triangular Comics and Zines? First off, let’s talk geography: for those of you unfamiliar with the state of North Carolina, when we refer to the beautiful Research Triangle, we’re talking Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, and the surrounding counties. Come visit! Durham has lemurs!
Triangular Comics and Zines began as a resource hub and newsletter for comics creators in and around the Triangle. In 2024, site creator Patrick Holt added an online marketplace showcasing work from a wide array of creators across the region.
If you make comics I highly recommend the Triangular Comics Newsletter. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve learned about an event or opportunity from Patrick’s updates. The site is jam-packed with helpful resources for comics creators of all skill levels, regardless of where you live!
And if you purchase a copy of the Southern Gothic ashcan from the TCZ Shop, you’ll receive a limited-edition sticker sheet featuring characters from the book. Bookmark this site and subscribe to Patrick’s newsletter to stay up to date on central North Carolina’s comics scene!
Mark Brooks
Look: I’m really trying to limit my contact with social media these days. Election season in America? The entire social media landscape is rotting from tip to tail.
But for months now, one of the highlights of my DAY has been checking in on Mark Brooks’ Instagram. If you’re not familiar with Brooks’ work, get thee to your local comic book shop! Brooks is an Inkpot Award winner and a multi-Eisner Award nominee. His cover work is reliably jaw-dropping.
And if you follow him on social media, boy howdy are you in for a treat.
Way back in March, Brooks posted, “I may or may not often wonder what an X-men movie would look like if it was produced by Disney Animation. I also may or may not have spent months drawing the X-men in that style as a warm-up.”
What followed was an absolute feast of character design. Brooks took a few breaks from the X-men to “D-fy” Mad Max, What We Do in the Shadows, a xenomorph from the Alien franchise, and Final Fantasy VII. And now he’s “D-fying” the Avengers?! Okay, so I am just over here losing my mind and THEN I find out each of these illustrations was HAND DRAWN individually on 11”x17” bristol board!? Jaw on floor.
I’m not that kind of doctor, but may I offer you a prescription from my Rx pad? Give Mark a follow on the socials if you enjoy good vibes and gorgeous art.
Oh, Mary!
Do you support the American theater? Well, honey, put your money where your mouth is! Make your way to New York City (which you may have heard of as the town that Bethenny Frankel made famous?). Trudge through the utter depravity that is Times Square (flag for follow-up: who decided to build America’s theater district beside the M&M’s store?). Elbow your way to the historic Lyceum Theatre where you will have to contend with an aggressive crowd of gays and assorted deplorables to get a ticket for Oh, Mary! But by God, it’s worth it!
Look, at this point it feels passé to sing the praises of Cole Escola’s idiotic tour-de-force. It’s like coming out as a Moo Deng enthusiast— very two weeks ago. I’ve heard a lot of hype from the likes of the vaunted publication Entertainment Weekly calling it “the funniest play on Broadway.” Might I offer my own critical assessment? This play may be the funniest thing I’ve ever seen anywhere. Period. Jon and I saw it in August and I still quote lines from it daily— like it’s 2006 and I’m a straight dude who just saw Borat! If you find yourself in New York City, do whatever you have to do to see this show.
I was inspired by Mark Brooks to try my hand at classic Disney style and Cole Escola as Mary seemed like as good a victim as any to depict. Not all princesses wear tiaras. She’s a bonnet kinda gal.
The English Teacher
In other news of the funny, have you given The English Teacher a spin? The entire series is now streaming on Hulu here in the U.S. Not going to lie, as a gay English teacher, I found this one profoundly triggering. Brian Jordan Alvarez and company have created a comedy that is both sharp and tender, all while delivering a steady repartee of zingers. The eight-episode first season is too brief a treat; let’s pull together and run this one up the charts, gentle readers!
It’s Jeff!
I feel like I’m shilling for the Marvel Unlimited digital comics platform all the time, but let me assure you that I have yet to receive ANY endorsements from my primary target brands (i.e. Marvel, Sheetz, Coca-Cola Creations). Side note: Oreo Coke Zero? Send me a case, any time, The Coca-Cola Company. Hard feelings aside, I just discovered a part of my Marvel Unlimited subscription that was a game-changer. Do y’all know about Jeff the Land Shark?
I’d peeped Jeff in my digital library for years now, but ignorantly wrote the book off as a “kids comic.” Dumb move, Bolling. Only when my nieces were visiting last week, did I think to take a look at the It’s Jeff! vertical scroll Infinity comics series. Let me tell you: I’m a Jeff guy now. And so are my nieces! Writer Kelly Thompson and artist Gurihiru (and others!) are serving up an all-ages comic that is a treat to share as a family. Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water– it’s Jeff!
One last thing: I love how many of y’all send notes about the recipes I share here in “Moving Forward.” I recently got a message from someone who described my cornbread as “criminally salty.” Thank you. I have a new epitaph for my tombstone.
A few years ago my pal Sarah turned me on to Christina Tosi’s Milk Bar: Kids Only cookbook when I started actively uncling. I highly recommend this book for fun and delicious recipes that you can make with the kids in your life. I’m particularly fond of Tosi’s cereal bar recipe because you can include kids of almost any age in making a quick treat from whatever supplies you have in the pantry.
If you know me, you’re probably familiar with my unhealthy obsession with the General Mills monster cereals. I’m a proud trash can and snack technologist. This is who I AM!
So just in time for Halloween, I’m offering up my take on some unhinged monster cereal bars. I made these with a six-year-old and a two-year-old for my eighteen-year-old students. Just try and show me someone else who can capture such a wide swathe of the youth demo! Count Chocula 5eva!
