2025 – Year in Review

This year has been typified by slow but consistent progress in my comics work. I have been moving steadily forward on two projects: The Third Floor and Mutant Fist. While my educational work and the chaos of the U.S. political system take much of my time, I have been able to maintain a steady comics practice. I don’t seem to be on the cusp of giving anything up (unlike the past few years). That feels good.

I had intended to put together a little print of the first book of The Third Floor and take it to a convention, but that never materialized. I applied to two cons, The San Francisco Zine Fest and Short Run, and did not get into either of them. But I may try again in 2026.

I also intended to continue with Before Comics, but, apparently, never got around to it this year. I was starting to gather research about Trajan’s Column and then discovered The Balawat Gates. I gathered material, but never pulled it all together into a post. Quite honestly, most of my writing brain has been committed to creating material for the classes I taught this year. Maybe I’ll get back into it in 2026.

I have also spent a lot of this year sketching from the life drawing videos through Croquis Cafe. So while I may not have many finished drawings this year, I have gone through two notebooks in 2025. I love life drawing. It is a meditative act and often creates surprising results.

Here are some of my notebook drawings from 2025…

And lastly, a self portrait: