Moving Forward
An update from our studio in which we discuss personal challenges, Gunsmoke, and the brilliance of our friends
Hello y’all–
Oh my goodness, I hope you’re all doing well. It’s been a minute – and I’m sorry for that. I’ve wanted to sit down and write this update for weeks, but life just hasn’t afforded me the time.
In mid-November, my dad had a stroke. We noticed the signs early and he received treatment that mitigated the damage. But his language and mobility were severely impacted. And the added challenges presented by Alzheimer’s have made his recovery that much more difficult. My dad’s hospitalization has been particularly exacting for my mom, so she’s also needed some extra support this last month. All to say: the world is too much with us, late and soon.
If you’re new to the Substack: welcome? I promise the tone isn’t usually like this!
During her recent interview with Amy Poehler on Good Hang, Julia Louis-Dreyfus talked about being a private person and not necessarily wanting to tell the world about her breast cancer diagnosis in 2017, but feeling like she HAD TO because the final season of Veep was delayed a year during her treatment and hundreds of people’s production jobs were affected. The New Futurists is not Veep and I’m not JLD, but I do collaborate with a team of wonderful creators and I’ve come to TREASURE my interactions with our readers, so I felt like I owed you a good transparent update.
All to say: thank you for your patience, gentle readers. If you can put up with a little irregularity in our publishing schedule and give me a little grace as I navigate these personal challenges, The New Futurists will continue to bring you our best work in 2026 and beyond.
Did you know that Gunsmoke airs from 11AM to 4PM EST weekdays on TV Land? I’ve watched a LOT of Gunsmoke with my dad lately. I don’t know THAT much about the history of the show (though I have fallen down a few Wikipedia rabbit holes and I WILL be reading a history in the coming weeks). Like most Westerns it definitely peddles in racist, sexist, and other problematic tropes. But I’ll be damned if it isn’t engrossing storytelling.
I’ll be honest: it’s hard to tell if my dad understands what’s on TV when we watch. I originally turned on Gunsmoke because I knew it was a show he enjoyed. Now I watch it every day because it’s something I enjoy thinking my dad enjoys? Let’s be honest: I’m watching it for me, not for him. I text my friends entire plot recaps. Hubby Jon has had to sit through VERY DETAILED synopses of some of my favorite episodes (e.g. “The Wedding,” “Bohannan,” “Drago”).
I tell you this because my dad has always been a major supporter of my creative work. This football-playing, coal-mining, hardass Appalachian principal not only showed unconditional love for his faggoty-ass son’s frippery: he nurtured it. Dad bought me my first comic books, encouraged me in art and music, and never missed an opportunity to pass along a book or film he loved to see what my “snooty opinion” of it was. Even now, we’re sharing this classic Western that has greatly influenced my thinking about the Western I’ve been working on with Ezequiel. What a gift.
All to say: even in dismal days, I believe human connection is possible in the most exquisite, subtle moments.
We have SO many exciting stories to share with y’all. I have some absolutely gorgeous pages from Ezequiel from The Hand of Poe that I can’t wait for you to see! Many of y’all have asked questions about the lore of American Gothic and you’re about to learn a lot about the history and mechanics of our story world.
Also, wowza: I had no idea y’all would respond so strongly to The Supernaturalist’s Notebook. Your love for Cryptid Keep and the creatures that call the Appalachian Sanctuary for Parabiological Phenomena home has been genuinely overwhelming. I can’t WAIT to share more of that story with you, especially some special music and art that celebrate the beloved Appalachian setting.
This seems like a really good opportunity to say a profound “thank you” to all of our subscribers. Did you know that at multiple points during 2025, The New Futurists has been in the top 5 on the “Rising in Comics” Substack leaderboard— and for a brief moment after L.A. Comic Con hit #1? I continued to be humbled and grateful for every single one of you!
One of my absolute favorite things about writing these “Moving Forward” updates is taking a little time to celebrate my talented, inspiring friends. If you happen to have a little free time during the holiday season, boy howdy do I have some recommendations for you:
The Secret Astronomers - written and illustrated by Jessica Walker
Please don’t sleep on this gorgeous illustrated epistolary novel from my dear, talented friend Jessica Walker. The set-up: “When a recent transfer student starts keeping her diary in the oldest textbook at the Green Bank High School library, the last thing she expects is to receive a response. Thus begins a sweeping tale of unlikely friendship and long-buried secrets between two secret pen pals at a rural West Virginia high school.” Jeff Zentner nails it as far as I’m concerned: “It’s the rare book that sails into uncharted waters of form to also tell a brilliant story.”
Kick/Move/Shake - Andrew Leahey & The Homestead
Y’all, I hadn’t seen my pal Andrew in a decade or more and then last fall at the Southern Festival of Books, who should walk right in front of me, but the dapper Mr. Leahey, himself. Andrew is a brilliant musician, songwriter, and singer whose latest album Kick / Move / Shake is full of tender, electric pop that is masterfully composed and arranged. If you need some good vibrations in your life, check out this record STAT.
The Devil’s Done Come Back: New Ghost Tales from North Carolina - various authors, edited by Ed Southern
Honestly, my day job is…trying… on good days. But through it, I’ve been lucky enough to meet some wildly talented, kind, and generous writers, many of whom are featured in this collection. The setup for this collection is deceptively simple: “Fifteen of North Carolina’s finest writers reimagine and reclaim the stories of the ghosts who have haunted all corners of the state.” But let me tell you, the execution of these stories is a master class in short fiction. Major shout out to my pal Ross White and the best office-mate a boy could ask for, Julia Ridley-Smith, for two of the best short stories I’ve read in a good long while.
Escape from Clowntown - E.R. Flynn
No, I’m not talking about It: Welcome to Derry. E.R. Flynn’s fantastic comics Substack is a must-read. And I have to say, as someone who is VERY skeptical of the “connecting” power of social media, I’m happy to report that E.R. is a person who I’ve come to know a bit IRL via Substack and in addition to being a hilarious cartoonist, he’s good people.
Mom Stomp - FNLN Annie Donley and Jo Scott
Look, y’all know Annie and Jo are my ride-or-dies. So let me recommend one of my favorite Mom Stomp episodes of the year: “Season 5, Episode 4: Live, Laugh, Love, Fart with Special Guest Ryan Asher.” Also, if you haven’t checked out Ryan’s “The Bert Show with Bert Berkowsky,” let me just say that it fills a very special comedy hole in my heart (which I should probably have a doctor look at) once filled exclusively by Jiminy Glick (look it up, kids).
And finally, I LOVE sending out holiday cards. I’ve been illustrating a card for the last five or six years and it has become a meditation on sending out love to all of my far-flung friends and family at the end of each year. I’m running a little behind this year, but it’s been very important for me to find time to work on this year’s card as a means of staying sane and channelling the good vibes from all of you for which I’m infinitely grateful. So, I’ll leave you with a sneak peak at my finished inks for this year’s New Year card: “hope 2026 isn’t too scary.” I appreciate all of you, and I can’t wait to bring you more stories in the new year.
Ben Bolling
Chapel Hill, NC
12/19/2025
Thinking of you and your family. Look forward to seeing you in 2026!
Love you, Ben - my favorite rising comic artist out there! <3