Storycomic Weekly Newsletter: December 27th
ALWAYS POSTED A WEEK EARLIER ON PATREON
Drawing Life As It Happens: A Conversation with James Kochalka
On this episode of Storycomic Presents, I sit down with James Kochalka—American cartoonist, musician, and the first Cartoonist Laureate of Vermont. His work has won Eisner, Ignatz, and Harvey Awards, but for a lot of readers he’s simply the voice behind some of their most personal and playful comics.
James is known for American Elf, his daily diary strip that ran for more than fourteen years, documenting everything from family moments to surreal daydreams in a few deceptively simple panels. He’s also the creator of beloved kids’ books like Johnny Boo and Dragon Puncher, where bright colors and goofy humor sit right next to real emotional beats.
In our conversation, we talk about what it means to make art out of your everyday life, why he once argued that “craft is the enemy,” and how music, comics, and games all scratch the same creative itch for him.
This isn’t a promo for a new release—it’s a chance to hear from someone who has spent decades making honest, funny, and strangely profound work. If you care about creativity, play, and persistence, you’ll want to listen in.
Project Update: Still Plugging Away at Appliance
I’m still plugging away at Appliance this week. Progress has been steady rather than flashy, but I’m continuing to add to the manuscript, refine ideas, and smooth out parts of the world and systems as I go. It’s that good, solid kind of work where things slowly start to lock into place.
Even on the quieter days, I’m checking in with the project—making notes, tweaking sections, and thinking through how different pieces connect. It feels good to stay consistent with it, and each pass makes the whole thing a little clearer and stronger.
Slow, steady progress—and still moving forward.
Book Review: Bartholomew and the Oobleck – Sticky, Silly, and Surprisingly Thoughtful
Revisiting Bartholomew and the Oobleck is always a treat. It’s classic Dr. Seuss—full of imagination, strange creatures, and just enough chaos to keep kids fully engaged—but it also has a bit more weight to it than many of his other books. Beneath the green goo and royal foolishness, there’s a real lesson tucked inside.
The story centers on King Derwin, who’s grown tired of ordinary weather and demands something new. What he gets instead is oobleck: a sticky, stubborn substance that rains down on the kingdom and gums up everything in sight. As things spiral out of control, Bartholomew—the King’s loyal page—emerges as the calm, sensible voice in the room.
What I love about this book is how it balances humor with responsibility. The oobleck is funny and gross in all the right ways, but the story also gently explores pride, accountability, and the importance of admitting when you’ve made a mistake. That moment—when the King finally learns to say “I’m sorry”—lands just as strongly now as it did decades ago.
The illustrations are classic Seuss: expressive, slightly chaotic, and perfectly suited to a story about a kingdom slowly grinding to a halt under layers of green goo. It’s a great read-aloud book, with plenty of moments that invite reactions, questions, and laughs.
Bartholomew and the Oobleck is one of those stories that sticks with you (pun fully intended). It’s silly, smart, and timeless—a reminder that even in the messiest situations, a little humility can go a long way.
Personal Update: Long Nights, New Help, and Small Life Changes
This past week was a really busy one, especially on the radio side. We broadcast four high school basketball games, which made for a packed schedule and some very long days. My weekend production assistant officially gave his notice as he’s moving on to pursue life as a pastor—good for him, truly—but it did mean I had to step in and run the board myself. That resulted in getting home around 10 p.m. three nights in a row. Long days, but part of the job.
The good news is that I’ve decided to bring one of my nephews on board to help out, which should make things a bit more sustainable going forward.
On the home front, Christmas shopping is pretty much done now, which feels like a real win. I also made a small but meaningful lifestyle change this week—I officially retired the Keurig machine after learning more about microplastics. I’ve now pivoted over to using a French press, which feels like a slower, calmer way to start the morning… and honestly, the coffee tastes better too.
Busy, tiring, but productive—and making small adjustments along the way to keep things moving in the right direction.
It’s a French Press!
My Favorite Christmas Special!
🎙️ Been Here. Still Awesome. Still Limited. 🎨📚🎲
For a while now, we’ve been offering a tried-and-true promotional opportunity through the Storycomic Patreon—and if you’re an independent creative, it’s still one of the best ways to sustainably share your work and grow your audience.
Here’s what our Patreon members have been benefiting from:
✅ Permanent Promotion
Your website or project link is featured in the show notes of all podcast episodes for as long as you're a patron. That’s long-term visibility across every platform where our show is streamed.
🏆 Founders Club Access
The Founders Club remains limited to just 15 spots. No expansions, no waiting list—once it’s full, that’s it. These early supporters have their names (and links) locked into the Storycomic platform.
📢 Monthly Promotion at the Super Club Level
At the Super Club tier, members receive a minimum of one promotional post per month—whether it's a new release, project update, or spotlight on their creative work.
Founders Club patrons include amazing creators like:
Michael Winn, Higgins802, Von Allan, Stephanie Nina Pitsirilos, Marek Bennett, Donna Carr Roberts, Andrew Gronosky, Simki Kuznick, and Matt & Therese.
Explore their work:
🎯 If you're a creator—author, game designer, comic artist—this is your signal. This system is working. Don't wait until the last spot is gone.
Let’s keep building the kind of community that lifts each other up.
—Barney Smith