Because if you’re going to do something, do it with FIRE 🔥

Late Entry I know, but thought it better to put out now, as writing juices course through my brain. So first some news:

AVAILABLE TODAY! 

UNNATURAL by Image Comics Variant cover by…
ME!

Yep, landed the gig this week and through the hecticness got it done. Not bad right? Colors by the Amazing art animal, the uncontainable, Daniel Dulitsky! The book looks really cool too, it was awesome to work on. MY FIRST PRO WORK, so I hope it leads to more. Order at 12pm TODAY on ComicXposure to get yours! If you do and want me to sign it at a con, mention this blog post and I’ll do a free sketch for you too!

This came at a very interesting time. I think I will post about it on my ANCHOR podcast if you want to know more.

I have behind the scenes sketches going up on my Patreon too, with a look at the pencils they rejected and other ideas I had for the cover. Just a BUCK A MONTH will get you access AND, you help a brother make more stuff! BOOM. 

The week since Puerto Rico Comicon also saw me doing a mural:

This was done in front of the Studio since we are a part of the new Hialeah Art District. Of course, I had to do some branding:

it was very cool and my first VERY PUBLIC mural. That textured surface was FUCKING brutal though.
I also participated in a great art show that I posted on my Instagram about on Saturday: 

There is a real community of Artist coming out of Hialeah, especially the Downtown District. It’s not perfect mind you, but the talent is there. I think it’s more and more coming to fruition but it takes time… and knowing Spanish. My Spanish is passable, albeit a bit awkward and clumsy at times but I understand it. I think it doesn’t help that have a mix of Mexican and Cuban Spanish growing up so at times clear and well spoken and other times a slurring mess. BAH! But it was a good time and good show, with some really good work. I couldn’t stay the whole time due to what was happening personally.

Here is some of the work including my own piece from back in 2008, “PARADISE LOST” :

So as you can see, I was a bit OVERWHELMED, to say the least.

So what did happen? FYI:
Through all this, I had a difficult weekend with the passing both a long time acquaintance and an Aunt in Mexico. Sunday was all hands on deck to get my mother to the airport and out to Mexico for the burial. Was not easy, for sure, but you know what helped? Edibles. I had a small gummy beforehand and it was enough to get me relaxed, not easy, but enough to have the patience and surprisingly focus to get my mom to the airport and through the gate. I only flipped out once at the tall pansy asshole who tried to shoo my mother to another Security Checkpoint and yelled at him that he was a tall sack of shit.

Sorry but it’s my mom. Fuck with me all you want but not my mother, you fucking swine.
I’m not one to tell anyone what to put in their bodies, but a little the goes a long way. I guess I micro-dosed? Either way, it was totally worth it.

My aunt, or Tia, was a sweet woman. I don’t think I ever spent too much time with her, but she was a kind woman to me, ALWAYS. I think she saw the fat little Cuban kid in her living room and thought “let me feed this thing”, like most of my Aunts. Her children, my cousins, are a special breed of awesome; kind loving, laughing people. Most of my family are hilarious in their own right, smart as fuck. It pains me not to be there.
I miss Mexico.
It’s been like 17 years since I’ve been there. I should go. I should go see my amazing family. Fuck why am I poor?!? I’ll get there. There is a plan.
She’s off now, in a better place. I know she is, she did her work and did it well and raised a large family without ever complaining, always with a smile and a laugh. I love you, Tia, and you are loved.

The friend who passed was a good man. Big George as people called him, was a very sweet and lovable guy. I was never close, but we knew each other since God knows when, and seemed to bump into each other at various clubs and establishments, mostly metal shows and such. he was always cordial and cool, quick with a joke. I always came out laughing with him. Now as I write this I get a little remiss, again. He had pancreatic cancer for the last 3 years or so, but you never thought it was real because he carried himself well and he was always with a joke. Little did we think it would come back so bad. He was in hospice this weekend and passed Monday. It’s hard for me to go to such things even the funeral when I felt that I wasn’t that MUCH of friend. I didn’t even have his phone number, but we ran in the same crowd. I genuinely liked the guy. It was an odd conflict of emotions when you don’t want to overstep your bounds, but in the end, when you ultimately do give a fuck about somebody you should. I didn’t. Maybe I’ll be eating it later for that. Still, he is beyond the pain anymore, and for all that it’s worth, I believe in a better place. He was a good guy, Big George. I used to call him Undertaker because at one time he was built like a Brick house and with long hair. He always laughed at my dumb jokes. Fuck. I’ll miss him.

SO yeah, I think today has been the first day I’ve come up for air. Still, I’m sort of proud of myself to have been able to navigate and NOT flip my shit through all this. And it doens’t stop; this weekend and weekend are another lock down as I have to prep for Heroescon next weekend, with a film industry shing dig tomorrow and then anohter event midweek next week. All the hwile needing to collect nad finish freelance. WHEW.

Forward.