FWACATA

MAY 18, 2026

A tribute to John Ulloa — the loudest dreamer in the room, the first guy to help carry the table, and the kind of friend who burned through life with both fists full of love, comics, chaos, and impossible ideas. This week’s podcast is part obituary, part celebration, and part reminder that sometimes the people who drive us the craziest are the same ones who push us to live bigger, create harder, and stop waiting around for permission.If you would like ot help the <a target="_blank" href="https://gofund.me/d1a464cb4">ULLOA family as they make arrangements in these trying times, hit up their GoFundMe!</a> “What survives is what you gave away.” Get full access to FWACATA’s Newsletter at <a href="https://www.fwacata.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4">www.fwacata.com/subscribe</a>

18 MIN

MAY 4, 2026

MM 50! "Been There Done That" is a crappy concept

Fifty episodes in.That alone feels like something. Not a finish line, not a victory lap—but a marker. A pause where you look around and go, damn… I’ve been at this a minute.But here’s the uncomfortable truth that creeps in right after that moment:Sometimes the thing that stops you next…is everything you’ve already done.This episode isn’t about celebration. It’s about confrontation—specifically with that little voice that says:“Yeah, yeah… you’ve done that before.”“You know how this goes.”“Why bother?”Because that voice?It sounds like wisdom.But a lot of the time… It’s just fear wearing your experience like a costume.In this episode, I talk about hitting that weird mental loop—where opportunities show up, and instead of excitement, you feel resistance. Not because they’re bad. Not because they won’t work.But because you think you already know how they’ll turn out.And that’s where things get dangerous.Because life doesn’t repeat itself the way we think it does. The landscape changes. The audience changes. You change. And what didn’t work before… might hit completely different now.Or maybe it won’t.But that’s not the point.This one digs into:* The trap of “been there, done that” thinking* Why experience can quietly become a limitation* The difference between real instinct and fear disguised as logic* Taking opportunities even when you’re unsure (especially then)* Navigating a changing creative landscape without losing your edgeThere’s also some real talk about getting older in this game—feeling out of place, questioning relevance, and still choosing to show up anyway.Because whether it’s comics, podcasts, or whatever you’re building…At some point, you’ve got to decide:Are you protecting yourself from failure?Or accidentally protecting yourself from growth?Fifty episodes in… and somehow it still comes back to the same thing:Take the shot.Even if you’ve taken it before.Especially if you have.🎧 Listen to the full episode and ride the thought process in real time:If this one hits, share it.If it doesn’t, maybe it will next time around.And if you’re out there doing your thing—quietly, stubbornly, imperfectly—Keep going.We’re all just hermits in our own caves trying to make something real.Say hi once in a while. Get full access to FWACATA’s Newsletter at <a href="https://www.fwacata.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4">www.fwacata.com/subscribe</a>

15 MIN

APR 27, 2026

Monday Motivation — HAVE FUN!

A wrong turn, a wasted morning, a Spider-Man sketch… and the only mindset that actually saves your day.There’s a special kind of frustration that hits when you do everything right… and it still goes sideways.You wake up early (which already feels like a personal attack), you show up where you’re supposed to be, you’ve got your day mapped out—and then boom: wrong place, wrong time, wrong everything. Plans? Gone. Energy? Shot. Mood? Hanging by a thread.That’s where this episode lives.But instead of spiraling (okay, maybe a little spiraling), this one turns into something else. A reset. A pivot. A reminder that sometimes the only move you’ve got… is how you choose to react.So I grabbed a coffee, sat in the park, hit record—and started working through it in real time. Not polished. Not perfect. Just real.And while all that’s happening?I’m sketching out Spider-Man—because sometimes the best way to process life is to put ink on paper and keep your hands moving while your brain figures itself out.That’s kind of the thread through this one:* When your plans fall apart… what do you actually do next?* How long do you let yourself be pissed before it becomes a waste of time?* And is it actually possible to have fun even when things suck?There’s a line in here about time that hits harder than expected. Because yeah—money comes and goes, opportunities come back around… but time? That’s the one thing you don’t get a refund on.So maybe the real move isn’t controlling everything.Maybe it’s learning how to flip the moment.Turn it. Twist it. Make something out of it—even if it starts as a bad joke, a dumb story, or just you entertaining yourself like a crazy person in your own head.That’s where the good stuff lives.🎧 Listen to the full episodeIf you’ve ever had a day derail before it even started—this one’s for you.FWACATA’s Newsletter is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.🎨 Side note (because yeah, this matters):The Spider-Man sketch from this episode? That’s part of the process too. Drawing, creating, staying in motion—that’s how you keep from getting stuck.If you’ve been thinking about grabbing a custom piece, commissions are open.Sketch cards, full illustrations, weird ideas, cool ideas—let’s make something.Bottom line:Plans are fragile. Your mindset doesn’t have to be.Go listen. Go make something.And yeah—this week?Have fun.BE GOOD. Get full access to FWACATA’s Newsletter at <a href="https://www.fwacata.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4">www.fwacata.com/subscribe</a>

13 MIN

APR 20, 2026

Monday Motivation 47 – Stop Pretending, Start Showing Up

There’s a strange pressure out there right now.To look a certain way.To smell a certain way.To be a certain thing that maybe… isn’t you.And somewhere along the line, that pressure turns into performance.In this week’s Monday Motivation, we get into that uncomfortable, hilarious, and very real space between who you are… and who you think you’re supposed to be. From middle school trends to grown-up “branding,” it all starts to blur into one big question:Are you actually becoming something… or just pretending?Because there’s a difference.A big one.This episode isn’t about tearing people down—it’s about calling out the quiet lies we tell ourselves when we try to fit into molds that were never made for us. The outfits, the personas, the attitudes… the “look.” We’ve all done it. We’ve all bought into something that didn’t quite fit—and paid for it one way or another.But here’s where it flips.What happens when you stop?What happens when you lean into who you actually are instead of chasing some filtered version of it?That’s where things start getting interesting.There’s talk about confidence—not the fake-it kind, but the real kind. The kind that doesn’t come from pretending, but from owning your reality and building from there. There’s also a little bit of tough love, a little humor, and a reminder that self-improvement is real… but it has to come from truth, not illusion.And yeah—there’s some chaos in there too. Because life isn’t clean, and neither is growth.If you’ve ever felt like you’re trying too hard to match something that doesn’t quite sit right, this one’s for you.Tap in, listen through, and start your week with something honest.👉 Check out the full episode on SubstackIf you dig the PODCAST, the COMICS, or even the general vibe, subscribe to not miss a beat. Want to help further? Contribute monthly or at the FOUNDER level and get some comics and art! Get full access to FWACATA’s Newsletter at <a href="https://www.fwacata.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4">www.fwacata.com/subscribe</a>

13 MIN

APR 13, 2026

Monday Motivation 47 – You can't be racist with a LISP!

There’s a moment that hits you out of nowhere.You’re just sitting there, minding your business, sketchbook open, doing your thing—and then someone nearby says something so loud, so confidently wrong, that it snaps you out of your own head.Not just wrong… but performatively wrong.Like they want to be heard. Like they want the reaction.And that’s where this week starts.Because what followed wasn’t just a dumb comment—it was a reminder of something deeper: people don’t always think… they react. They repeat. They perform. They chase attention instead of truth.And sometimes, you have to slow things down and actually look at what’s being said.Take someone like Martin Luther King Jr.—a man who risked his life to speak about equality, fairness, and unity. Not comfort. Not clicks. Not controversy. Real, dangerous, meaningful action. The kind that took time. Eleven months of sacrifice for a single boycott to work. Eleven months of discipline.Now compare that to the kind of noise we hear today—hot takes, loud opinions, people talking at each other instead of thinking things through.And here’s the thing:Not everything that sounds similar is the same.That’s the trap.That’s the lazy thinking.sssThis episode isn’t about politics—it’s about discernment.It’s about realizing that in a world full of noise, you’ve got to actually think.You’ve got to pause and ask:* What is this really saying?* Who does this help?* Is this lifting people up—or tearing them down?Because we live in a comfort culture.A soft, padded, algorithm-fed world where controversy is entertainment, and thinking is optional.And comfort? Comfort is dangerous.Comfort is that big, soft bed you lay in, telling yourself everything’s fine… until you realize you’re stuck. Until you realize you stopped growing. Stopped questioning. Stopped seeing.Here’s a hard truth:People who’ve actually seen struggle—real struggle—don’t glorify chaos.They don’t chase violence.They don’t romanticize conflict.They want peace.Because they understand what the alternative feels like.Sometimes, the harshest lessons—the ones that wake you up the fastest—come from getting knocked down. Not metaphorically. Literally. Life hits you, and suddenly everything is clearer.Food tastes different.Music sounds different.People matter more.You don’t want noise anymore.You want truth. You want peace.So what’s the takeaway this week?It’s simple, but it’s not easy:Don’t be comfortable. Be aware.Be critical of what you hear.Be careful of what you repeat.Be honest about what you believe—and why.Don’t just “be woke”—that word’s been chewed up and spit out.Be awake.Actually awake.Because the world doesn’t need more noise.It needs more people who think.More people who question.More people choose to be good when it’s easier to just go along.So this week, stay sharp.Pay attention.Think for yourself.And most of all—Be good.HERE IS THE FINISHED PIECE:A version of Batman using a symbiotic alien suit called LASOMBRA. I figured if I took over Batman, I would science the fuck out of it. Hmmm, maybe one day. TOMORROW! FUGLY premieres! So stay tuned! If you dug this podcast and want to see more, SUBSCRIBE! You also support this, comics, art, and more with a small contribution every month, or give for the year as a founder, and get original art and comics from me! WHOO Get full access to FWACATA’s Newsletter at <a href="https://www.fwacata.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4">www.fwacata.com/subscribe</a>

12 MIN

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