Welcome to Gutter Thoughts, where I share insights into my creative process and philosophy each week. From exploring big ideas to finding inspiration in comics, books, shows, and movies, this space is all about staying creative and grounded.
Weekly Creative Focus
Whether diving into creative work or spending time learning and reflecting, here’s what’s been on the mind and plate this week.
Damianism Comics 2025: Bringing Boom Kid to Life
This year marks a pivotal moment for Damianism Comics as we prepare for Boom Kid’s 10-year anniversary in 2026. It’s a milestone reflecting a decade of creativity, growth, and connection with readers—setting the stage for everything we’re doing in 2025.
I started Damianism Comics nine years ago with the release of Boom Kid Chapter 1. From the beginning, my mission was clear: to tell stories that inspire, challenge, and entertain—both myself and my audience. This update is a chance to share what’s happening behind the scenes as I gear up for the next phase of my comic-creating journey.
Looking Back and Celebrating The Wins
Since releasing Boom Kid in 2016, I’ve hit some significant milestones. Here are a few highlights:
Published and shared four chapters.
Printed a collection that sold out on its first run.
Raised funds for the Innocence Project through Boom Kid proceeds.
Along the way, I’ve learned two important lessons:
Simplify to amplify. When developing ideas, I now ask: what’s the most effective and efficient way to share this?
Share your work proudly. Creating in isolation can lead to burnout and self-doubt. By sharing my work, I’ve received valuable feedback that’s helped refine my storytelling.
Main takeaway: simplify and share with confidence.
The Challenges I Faced and Overcoming Them
Every creative journey has its obstacles, and Boom Kid has been no exception. Here are the top three challenges I’ve faced:
Mental Struggle: Creating comics is tough. Balancing full-time work with creative projects often left me feeling drained and doubting whether anyone cared about my stories.
Coloring: While I love sketching, penciling, and inking, coloring has always been my least favorite part of the process. It took me years to develop a consistent color language for Boom Kid, and even now, this stage can slow me down.
Comparison: I’ve struggled with comparing myself to others—feeling like I was moving too slow, that my fans were impatient, or that I might become irrelevant. These thoughts often circled back to the mental struggle.
To tackle these challenges, I’ve turned to Stoic Creativity:
Mental resilience: Practicing Stoicism has helped me focus on what I can control. Meditation, journaling, and reflecting on small wins have strengthened my mindset.
Learning from others: I’ve sought wisdom from books like Perspective! For Comic Book Artists by David Chelsea and taken classes on coloring. Learning from those just a few steps ahead has been invaluable.
Staying present: Stoicism reminds me to focus on the process. It doesn’t matter how long it takes or what others are doing. What matters is asking, “Did I work on my comic today?” If the answer is yes, I’ve succeeded.
The Vision: Looking Forward
This year, my goal for Damianism Comics is simple: publish more Boom Kid chapters. Here’s what’s on the horizon:
Reworking and finishing Chapters 5 and 6: Most chapters are drawn and colored, but I’ve identified a few areas to refine—redrawing pages, updating colors, and polishing the lettering.
Completing scripts for Chapters 7-9: These are already written, and I plan to outline and finish Chapter 10 by summer. Originally, I thought the story would end at Chapter 9, but adding Chapter 10 gives it the breathing room it needs.
Producing Chapters 7-9: With a streamlined process and tools like Jake Parker’s planner, I’m confident these chapters will be ready by the end of the year
Long-Term Vision
Looking ahead, my ultimate goal is to complete Boom Kid by Spring 2026 and move into the publishing phase. This milestone will cap off a decade of storytelling, marking the completion of a creative vision I’ve been building for years.
How You Can Be Part of the Journey
Your feedback has been instrumental in shaping Boom Kid. I’d love to hear your thoughts on Boom’s design and overall story direction. Your feedback has been invaluable in refining the project and ensuring it resonates with readers.
Stay connected by subscribing to Gutter Thoughts, where I’ll continue sharing sketches, storyboards, and exclusive updates. And if you know someone who loves action-packed stories with heart, share Boom Kid with them. Every new reader fuels the momentum.
A Personal Thank You
To everyone who’s supported Boom Kid and Damianism Comics, thank you. Your encouragement keeps me going and reminds me why I started this journey. Like Boom Kid himself, we all have the power to make an impact—one action at a time.
Here’s to another explosive year for Boom Kid and Damianism Comics. Stay tuned—the best is yet to come.
This Week’s Creative Sparks
Here are the shows, books, movies, comics, and more that have sparked my creativity this week:
Short Film Spark: Balloonerism
I’ve been eagerly anticipating Mac Miller’s posthumous album since it was announced last November, but life kept getting in the way of listening to it. That changed this week when a friend, unfamiliar with Mac Miller, asked if I’d seen the short film Balloonerism. After his glowing recommendation, I gave it a watch—and it blew me away. The story was moving, the visuals stunning, and the music absolutely perfect. Watching it was a joy, and I highly recommend checking it out. My friend loved it so much he bought the album afterward—his very first Mac Miller record.
Newsletter Spark: Jakes Desk Issue 203
This week, I came across an inspiring article from Jake Parker on Jake’s Desk. In it, he shares how he completed an incredible 252 pages in just eight months, using systems to sustain his momentum rather than relying on willpower alone. The timing couldn’t have been better—I’d just read another piece by a creator ready to quit comics entirely. The contrast was striking. Jake’s approach is a powerful reminder that creating comics is a mental game, and building effective systems can make all the difference.
Novel Spark: The Bitter Twins
I didn’t explore fantasy or sci-fi until 2021, after watching and loving Apple TV+’s Foundation. Craving more, I turned to BookTube and picked up The Ninth Rain by Jen Williams. Now, I’m finally reading the second book, The Bitter Twins, and it’s incredible. Jen’s fearless blend of inspirations—aliens, vampires, witches, mystical creatures, even deadly starfish—sounds chaotic, but it all works seamlessly. Her bold storytelling reminds me that great stories come from embracing the ideas that truly excite us, no matter how unconventional.
Video Game Spark: Clair Obscur Expedition 33
If you’ve been following Gutter Thoughts, you know how excited I am for this upcoming JRPG-inspired, turn-based game. Recently, not only did we get a release date, but we also got a behind-the-scenes look at the creative process from the French studio Sandfall. The unique collaboration behind this stunning, richly detailed world and its captivating story is awe-inspiring. Even the brief gameplay footage they’ve shared has me ready to dive in—I could watch it on repeat. Also, I have to admit—I’m jealous of how beautiful their studio office is.
Comic of the Week
Dino Babies in Space
Writer and Penciler: Matt Bolinger
What if the asteroid wasn’t the end of the dinosaurs? This book runs with that idea, exploring a wild concept where renegade dino scientists send four dino babies into space to save their species.
What I love most are the themes it tackles—dealing with emotions, staying positive, and knowing when to stand up for yourself. It’s packed with heart and life lessons yet manages to be laugh-out-loud funny.
And the art? Stunning. The backgrounds are intricately detailed, the colors beautifully rendered, and Matt’s coloring work continues to blow me away.
Whenever people ask if I make comics for younger audiences, I say no—but I always point them to Matt and his work. This is an all-ages comic that anyone can enjoy.
Grab a copy for yourself or a friend here.
The Stoic Quote of the Week
A Stoic quote to inspire and motivate, helping to stay grounded in the creative process.
“Ask yourself the following first thing in the morning: What am I lacking in attaining freedom from passion? What for tranquility? What am I? A mere body, estate-holder, or reputation? None of these things. What, then? A rational being. What then is demanded of me? Meditate on your actions. How did I steer away from serenity? What did I do that was unfriendly, unsocial, or uncaring? What did I fail to do in all these things?”
—EPICTETUS, DISCOURSES, 4.6.34–35
This quote, shared in The Daily Stoic this week, really stood out to me. Even in ancient Rome, they understood the importance of a morning ritual for self-reflection and intentional living. We are only as strong as the routines and habits we create for ourselves. Consider setting a daily routine to anchor your day and keep you aligned with your goals.
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, stay grounded, stay creative, and keep pushing forward.
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