Are you Keeping it Geekly? 7.14.26 Newsletter

Can you smell what the Geek is cookin'?

As we near closer to my youngest daughter's 1st birthday, I have begun reflecting a lot on how much has happened since her birth. During that time, I learned what to prioritize when it comes to Keeping it Geekly and began reshaping my schedule to accommodate it. Maybe it's time to drop down to 1 newsletter a month to stay consistent, just until life decides to settle down. A part of me hates the idea of not sticking to my original plan, but the other part of me realizes that press and interviews take priority, and staying consistent is always the goal.

I am currently in the process of setting up for my Public Library Book Drive, something I would love to continue to do in the future to come. Right now, I am accepting books and donations to help fill up my Local Library's comic section. The next big event after that will be working on The Geeklies!

Recent Interview

We recently sat down with Christopher Massari to chat about The Mafia vs. The Klan, which will go live on Kickstarter in September. It was a dark and violent graphic novel following a father's quest for revenge against the KKK. We dove deep into the creative process behind it, as well as learned about the true events that helped inspire it - including Massari's own family history, which ties into it.

You can find a free 22-page preview on the prelaunch page. I highly recommend checking it out. Talk about a cliffhanger!!

I do have several interviews lined up currently. Stay tuned for updates by subscribing to my YouTube channel and hitting "notify me" to get notifications when live streams are added.

Tools of the Trade - Wesley Gift

Roles
- Editor-in-Chief, Rolling Squid Bones (January 2026-Present)
- Staff Writer, Comic Shop News (November 2024-December 2025)
Titles
- Writer, Hard Justice, Creator-Owned
- Writer, Horus in "Sweet Treat," (Horus in Hell #2), Bad Bug Media
- Writer, Slaughtermarket Sweep, Creator-Owned
- Editor, Pecos Bill and the Guns of Oz, Keenspot Entertainment
- Editor, Slaughter Otter's Otter Squad, Keenspot Entertainment
- Writer, Let Your Adrenaline Rush (Choppin' Blades #2), Creator-Owned
- Writer, Howl of the West (Archetypes #2), Geek Collective
- Writer, Teeth & Treason, (Cthulhu Invades Fairy Tales vol. 2), Orange Cone Productions

Keeping it Geekly - What are some important aspects and roles an editor serves when working on a comic?

Wesley Gift - The most important aspect/role of an editor is to help the writer tell the best version of their story. The editing process needs to be a collaboration; while the writer should heed the advice of the editor, the editor should also consider the opinion of the writer as they explain their thought process/choices in developing the story.

KiG - What does the average editing session entail? Take us through your process of working on a page of a script.

WG - When I receive a script from a writer, I read it 2-3 times before I start making any notes. I want to get a feel for the story, the world, and characters who inhabit it before I start analyzing the script for improvements. When making edits, I ensure the setting and characters are established and that the events move the plot forward. Conflict is also important--what is it that the character(s) must overcome? How will the conflict challenge the character(s)? I make comments on what is working and what could be improved. I share my notes with the writer, and we usually go over them together so they understand my thoughts. This is also an opportunity for the writer to speak up. Once we have reviewed my feedback, the writer makes revisions to create a new draft, and I look it over once more. Once we have a final draft, we hand it over to the artist to start pencils/inks. I also make sure that the art process is completed on time to meet deadlines.

KiG - What are some qualities a creator should look for when searching for an Editor? What advice can you offer them when approaching an Editor for the first time?

WG - When choosing an editor, I suggest looking for someone who already has experience in not only editing but writing as well. Once you found someone you want to work with, get to know them before starting a professional relationship. You want to find someone who can be tough but kind. Receiving feedback can be hard, and it does not mean you are a bad writer; you just want your editor to give you feedback in a tactful way that will help you in the end.

You can stay up to date with Wesley by following him here!

It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s the Supergirl bundle from Humble!

A collection of the Girl of Steel's most iconic adventures and essential arcs is available. Every purchase supports the Book Industry Charitable Foundation

Pay at least $5 for 4 items (including a 30-day free trial offer for DCUI)

Pay at least $10 for 10 items

Get the entire bundle for $18

Learn more

What I’m Playing

I have been feverishly grinding different teams of Pokémon to lvl 45 after defeating Koga on Pokémon FireRed. At first, I would use the Versus Seeker on the Biker Gang on Cycling Road as a way to help level up Pokémon and fill out my Pokedex. Then, once I hit 100 caught, I switched to creating 3-4 teams of lvl 45 Pokémon to finish out the rest of the game. Like Final Fantasy games, I have completed most of the Pokémon titles more times than I can count. And often, I run a team that I can take to the end of the game without issue, so this time around, I am trying out some new teams.

Eventually, I will post my teams online and will ask followers which combinations they would like to see. Down the road, I would love to do a live stream even in a similar fashion, or maybe another nuzlocke would be fun.

I also recently started another playthrough of Final Fantasy VII. I do have a horrible habit of juggling multiple RPGs, either grinding myself to burnout on them or because finally finishing them means the story is over. Either way, you should know I have completed Final Fantasy VII multiple times and just realized you can tank the hit from Midgar Zolom's Beta if you equip fire + elemental in the armor slot. I never utilized that enemy skill enough to realize it could be done.

This playthrough is all about trying new combinations out; maybe I'll try a low-level challenge next time.

What I’m Reading

Since the last newsletter, I have been reading all of the Junji Ito titles I have on my read pile. I finished up Moan and Statues, and started with Socichi as the next book. It's always fascinating diving into Ito's work; the way they create horror and suspense makes for such great reading.

I am nearing the end of Making Comics by Scott McCloud, another instrumental book that has not only broadened my knowledge of the comic industry and field but also changed the way I want to approach comic journalism. I do have Reinventing Comics on my read pile, but I think afterwards I will pivot to another educational book about writing. I have been giving myself excuse after excuse on why I haven't continued working on any of my older scripts, and well, at some point, I just have to dive back into it. I might as well pair writing a new script with learning about how to do it better.

What I’m Watching

My daughter and I recently finished Season 2 of Frieren: Beyond Journey's End, and we absolutely loved it. The exploration of grief and loss, along with how explosive the combat becomes, is really riveting. I enjoyed the slow-burn examination of learning about these characters and their personalities, in combination with how they work together as a team. This will definitely be a manga that I read and collect in the future without a doubt.

Frieren: Beyond Journey's End Episode #6 Release Date & Time

I have been combining grinding on Pokémon FireRed with rewatching Dragon Ball Z, starting with Terrible Happenings in Heaven!! Garlic Jr. to Become Kami!? I have watched Dragon Ball Z so much during my childhood that anything from the Saiyan Saga to the Frieza Saga is embedded within my memory, so I decided to start my rewatch with Garlic Jr's return.