AT SIXES AND SEVENS
Here we go again!
So what I've done is combine my State of the Art & Tales of Illuminatus! Substacks and moved the whole shebang over to a new ghost.io newsletter called GLORIA DISCORDIA.
The trouble with throwing lasagna against the wall until something sticks is even when it works you end up with a bit of a mess! This should streamline things as we head into our next big push :)))
My eternal gratitude to those still playing along with my pixelated nonsense through the many and various maelstroms <3<3<3
Let's dive into some specifics...
ITEM! Free Tales of Illuminatus! #2 Web Comic
Rather than the slow drip we did for issue #1, I figured let's skip the dog and pony show and just get to the thing itself!
Hopefully I held the exclusivity window long enough that our KS supporters don't feel aggrieved, and besides these web comic versions are going to disappear eventually anyways, so those digital purchases won't be for nothing.
My hemming and hawing aside, I'm super psyched to have this out in the wild, and hopefully catch more folks up on our illuminated tales as we ready the next installment.
READ HERE: https://talesofilluminatus.com/TOI_02_WEB.html
PRINT & DIGITAL VERSIONS AVAILABLE HERE (NORTH AMERICA)
PRINT & DIGITAL VERSIONS AVAILABLE HERE (UK/EU)
ITEM! WE SEE YOU
Yee-Haw! (Fuck the Law) EP by Danny and the Darlings
ITEM! EVENTS > IDEAS
Following indirect advice from R.U. Sirius about this era being driven by events more so than ideas I've taken up the habit of planning various events. The virtual Maybe Days and Nights are pretty well established at this point, but more recently I've added an Invisible College Reunion, and even a recurring in-person event, arguably the most impactful, Wilmington Comic Fest.
I pulled off three events, in quick succession, over the somewhat recently passed holiday season, which I will summarize quickly!
MAYBE NIGHT - December 21, 2025
CHECK IT OUT HERE: https://maybeday.net/night/
INVISIBLE COLLEGE REUNION - December 22, 2025
CHECK IT OUT HERE: https://invisible-college-reunion.neocities.org/
WILMINGTON COMIC FEST - January 10, 2026
This was a significant jump in stature from our first event back in July, and seems to have gone well enough that we'll get to continue growing the comic fest later on this year!
Check out this IG post with mosbunal of our awesome exhibitors tagged: https://www.instagram.com/p/DTYIEhmDphi/?hl=en
Emboldened by these small victories I have set my sights on an in-person Maybe Day event in Berkeley, California on July 23, 2026. We'll see!
ITEM! THE OTHER BOB
Wanted to make sure I mentioned this wonderful addition to the Illuminatus! canon, an excellently crafted spotlight on co-author Robert Shea. My enthusiastic review is enclosed below:
Meet Bob Shea! The legendary co-creator of Illuminatus!, Hodge to Robert Anton Wilson's Podge, a luminous man of letters, friendly suburban zen buddhist anarchist, and visionary creator of better tomorrows, that you are most welcome to enjoy today!
Tom Jackson has crafted a perfect introduction to Robert Shea's literary labyrinth, a guided tour of his revolutionary ouvré, wherein Shea's unique voice delivers enlightening epiphanies as casually as an old friend discussing the weather.
Make no mistake, the mystic mystery of Illuminatus! continues right here and now!
AVAILABLE NOW FROM HILARITAS PRESS: https://www.hilaritaspress.com/portfolio-item/every-day-is-a-good-day/
ITEM! MARSHALL McMOOING
The Guardian: Back-scratching bovine leads scientists to reassess intelligence of cows
ITEM! Mordecai the Foul employing expedient means
Excerpt from "A Quantum of Discord"
READ IT HERE: https://www.weirdcomix.com/quantum-of-discord.php
I'm in the process of building a new website for my anthology series WEIRD COMIX, and have the first batch of comix available for perusing over at weirdcomix.com
ITEM! In the year 2000 AD...
And if all that isn't enough I've also taken up the task of reviewing comics for Comic Book Yeti, mostly focusing on exploring 2000 AD, the much lauded greatest comic in the galaxy, through the eyes of a new reader, and whatever else looks especially interesting!
RECENT REVIEWS:
2000 AD - Prog 2465
2000 AD - Prog 2466
2000 AD - Prog 2467
Spirit of the Shadows #1
The simultaneous surplus of creative output and journalistic collapse has totally log jammed our systems of critical feedback.
Back in the day I used to get terrible reviews, I mean they would rip me to shreds, but then something even worse happened, total silence.
Just trying to be part of the solution!
ITEM! Odds and Ends
• Had a nice convo with the OG about simulation theory
• A quick review of Grant Morrison's short story "Peter's Thoughts"
• Barbelith Discussion: Everything is connected?
• Sal Buscema - Dove Sta Memoria
More next week!
STAY TUNED
<3<3<3
bc