August Highlights
Do I Even Need The Gutternaut Website Anymore?
This entire month, my real life has been eventful. I turned 31, I replaced my decade old desktop for more downloaded comic storage, I guest posted on
’s Comical Opinions, I had to talk with someone about Gutternaut’s name usage, I did finally got around to doing things I wanted, I had to change my website a bit to keep up with EU regulations, and my website got hacked so I had to buy pricey security.Did I Do Anything With Gutternaut.net?
Honestly, I’ve been spending less time on Gutternaut.net. Since I started doing quick reviews here on Substack, I’ve been feeling less pressure to actually be on there. The only posts I have made on there were usually buffers for my longer Comics of the World sections.
Two of Thailand’s neighbors have painted for me a broader picture on the perspectives on pirating, creators rights, and accessibility.
Then there’s a review request via a social network I was ready to give up on. And it’s from a gaming studio ready to branch out.
It just felt right to put that up on a real website instead of a newsletter post. Despite it’s rough edges, I like comics where it feels like people put in actual effort. Kind of like how this guy reached out to me.
Unlike so many of the review requests I get from Mad Cave. Save for the best ones.
Scoop Vol. 2: Buried Leads
Scoop manages to avoid what many followups fall into. Instead of continuing a formulaic approach, it builds on what came before. From characters, central themes, and world building.
Mad Cave Reviews #2
So some people might be confused about that title. Well it’s cause I changed the name of the other one and formerly known as #3. Wonder what the url will look like on here. I’m actually going back to what was planned on here. Several quick reviews on one page
Revolution 9 #1
One thing I gotta respect about Mark London is that he always sets out to do what he wants. Sometimes that comes with implications on how he runs Mad Cave. But as a creative, I can always compare him with Geoff Johns in making those turn off the brain style of stories. Because a clear mind is what engrosses readers the most.
The only ones I did on Gutternaut.net were updates to old reviews with the albums.
It’s so much more efficient to do these on Substack than a website cut off from certain media I have walk hurdles to upload stuff on. Especially with my work place’s security slowing everything down. And it was getting uncomfortable to work on Gutternaut.net from home despite that it’s the ideal place to do it. I had to separate my place of relaxation from work for a reason!
Plus I got out of the structure I used on Monkeys Fighting Robots here.
Nothing against
or my time on there, it’s thanks to IC3 that I got to connect with more creatives I can relate with. But filling out the checklist like that started to feel soul crushing.This way I can just say what I feel by focusing on what stood out to me the most. Trying to list everything over stuff I just don’t care for was getting too stressful.
It’s part of why I spent time going through bits of WildStorm’s history. Doing stuff I wanted to do but left collecting dust. Starting with Cybernary because Steve Gerber worked on that. And it wasn’t even that great despite potential. So most of Gen 13 was a great palate cleanser.
Gen 13
Have you ever heard of Gen 13? Maybe that animated movie floating around YouTube based on the original mini-series. It was one of the best performing titles of former Image Comics imprint WildStorm even as WildStorm came into DC. Probably because it dealt with characters with actual arcs and characterizations, not just early Image’s bunch of violent man…
Funny really how a comparisons post felt better on here too. I just thought it would be too much work to put specific details together with SEO.
Meanwhile much needed updates to checklists on Gutternaut.net had taken up so much time.
But now I wonder…