Welcome to Gutter Thoughts, where I share weekly insights into my creative process, storytelling, and philosophy. From exploring big ideas to finding inspiration in comics, books, shows, and movies, this space is all about staying creative and grounded.
Let’s dive into what fueled the journey this week.
In the Trenches
A behind-the-scenes look at my creative process, focusing on the week’s challenges and breakthroughs.
It’s an uncertain but exciting time to be creative.
In the past few weeks, I connected with friends in various parts of the creative scene in Los Angeles. It was great catching up with some folks and figuring out what the future of my career path can be.
The future didn’t look too bright.
The combination of AI, the writer's strike, streaming, and mass layoffs (especially within big tech) has made it hard to find stable work. Hearing my peers' struggles was disheartening. However, it reminded me that I am not alone in my pursuit of strengthening my career. It was also a reminder that this is an exciting moment we’re all in.
This is a moment of transformation.
I’ve noticed a typical behavior in our cultural history regarding creativity. Here’s what the cycle of a newly formed creative industry goes through:
A new product is formed, and an industry is created.
Inspired folks bring investments in creative innovation.
It booms with endorsements, funding, and eventually going international.
The industry eventually becomes stagnant, lacks innovation, or crashes.
From the broken parts, new ideas and industries are created.
This cycle happens all the time. It has happened in the music, comic, tech, and film industries. It’s so common that it happens yearly in nature—we know it as seasons.
Austin Kleon talks about this in his latest book, Keep Going. I highly recommend you check it out as he dives deeper into the topic, but this part stood out to me:
You have to pay attention to the rhythms of cycles of your creative output and learn to be patient in the off-season. You have to give yourself time to change and observe your own patterns. “Live in each season as it passes,” wrote Henry David Thoreau, “and resign yourself tot he influences of each.”
When you see an industry decline, observe its cycle and where you are in your creative journey. Consider this a time for reflection, creativity, and excitement about the future. Use this moment to search the universe for answers.
What can you learn from your past so as not to repeat mistakes? What problems are you facing that you can creatively solve to improve your future?
Finding the answers to these questions will not always be easy. But when you do, you will be ready for the next phase of your creative journey.
Fuel for the Fire
Here’s what’s been fueling my creativity lately, from shows and movies to books and animation.
Anime: Dan Da Dan
The animation in Dan Da Dan slaps. The same feeling I got from reading the manga is the same feeling I got from watching the first episode. I knew what was coming, but I still found myself laughing out loud, screaming, “What the F**k!” The animation is on another level.
Show: The Challenge Season 40
I’ve been watching The Challenge since college. What started as a competitive reality show has now become a sport. It’s been great to watch competitors from four decades compete and show who the best Challenger is over the eras. The best part is that the drama on this show is not fabricated at all. This is all because the players have genuine relationships and tons of history with one another outside of filming the show. If you’re looking for inspiration, definitely check out this show.
Book: City of Stairs by Robert Jackson Bennett
City of Stairs was a book I saw come up quite a few times on BookTube. I started it three times and couldn’t get through the prologues. But every person who loves the book says you must push past the first 25%— it gets better. And they were 100% right. An urban-esque fantasy with a FullMetal Alcmeist vibe to it. If you like a good mystery with well-written politics, check it out.
YouTube: A New Dawn | Halo Series
Halo is coming to Unreal Engine. I am a big fan of the Halo franchise. Watching this video made me very excited for its future. It’s exciting to see the franchise continue for so long, and now, this new team is dedicated to evolving it over the years. You will see that Halo is to Xbox what Zelda is to Nintendo, and I’m here for it.
Panel to Panel
Let’s look at a comic that caught my attention this week.
Plastic Man No More!
Books One and Two
This is a comic I would love to see adapted into a live-action mini-series on HBO/Max. It gives us a quick history of how Plastic Man got his powers, quickly followed up by revealing that he doesn’t have much time to live. Through this lens, the book explores his relationships with the Justice League, his wife, and his son. The League doesn’t take him seriously, and his relationship with his family isn’t the best.
The best part of this series is how they visually tell the story. Whenever Plastic Man interacts with the Justice League, one artist draws those pages: the art is light, fun, and optimistic. When Plastic Man is on his own figuring out his life, another artist draws, creating a darker, moody, and grim vibe. This story shows that the creative team has a vision of more than a comic. They want you to understand that this story will make you feel.
With two issues in, I am already claiming this series as one of my top contenders for the year. Go ahead and head to your local comic book shop and check it out.
The Creative Team
Writer: Christopher Cantwell, Artists: Alex Lins & Jacob Edgar, Colorist: Marcelo Maiolo, Letterer: Becca Carey
The Stoic Creative
This is a Stoic quote to inspire and ground your creative journey this week.
“It’s in keeping with Nature to show our friends affection and to celebrate their advancement, as if it were our very own. For if we don’t do this, virtue, which is strengthened only by exercising our perceptions, will no longer endure in us.”
—SENECA, MORAL LETTERS, 109.15
Take time to celebrate your friends when they win and to support them when they lose. That’s being virtuous. Make an effort to follow up with a friend this weekend.
That’s a wrap for this week’s Gutter Thoughts. Thanks for joining me on this creative journey—hopefully, something here sparked an idea or inspired your own work. Until next time, keep your eyes on the prize, stay grounded, and keep pushing forward.
-Damian