SGTDF #1: An Introduction

I was going to start this inaugural edition of Something Good to Die For (henceforth SGTDF) pondering whether or not it’s even a good idea to be doing this.Does anyone have the inbox bandwidth for another newsletter? Don’t we already have enough trash to delete? More importantly, does the world need another White Guy talking, like, at all? 

But having barely socialized outside of interactions with my amazing (and patient) wife, my silent pets, and too many Zoom meetings for my day job, I realized that for better or worse, I need this. 

I want a place to talk about things that aren’t related to work. I want a place where I won’t have to use any of the three Cs: “content” or “curation” or fucking “cadence.”I certainly don’t support the fourth C, “censorship,” but please, let us ban those from the dictionary. Besides, listening to someone talk about their work is about as interesting as talking about the weather in LA. 

To that end, I also don’t plan on talking much about writing here, but I’ve done some of that here and there on my neglected blog, which I would welcome you to check out, and there will surely be more of it in the future as new projects come out (see below!)So what I’d rather do with SGTDF is talk about that epic quest we are all on, particularly now more than ever, where everything is a dumpster fire and there is no hope for the future, which is finding the things that we wholly and truly love and can enjoy until Mother Nature finally decides she’s had enough of our bullshit. 

What makes life worth living when Everything Is Terrible? I suppose that is a lofty question, but it doesn’t need to have a profound answer. For example, video games. Video games, of many different types, make life worth living when Everything Is Terrible. 

As does reading, owls, relationships, your favorite albums, nice smelling candles, Jean-Claude Van Damme movies, talking to your pets in funny voices, organic peach-flavored green iced tea, trying new material at karaoke, Stephen King, a stiff cocktail, home renovation television shows, weed, cool action figures of obscure Star Wars characters, Top Chef, Costco hot dogs, old YTMNDs, tattoos, making comic books, buying art you don’t have room for, library book sales, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, playing music, organizing your pantry, Breaking Bad Season 4, finding the perfect GIF, and bonfires. In no particular order.

All of these could be topics for future issues of SGTDF, along with a host of other things. Some will hopefully be relatable, some may not, but no matter what, I hope it offers some food for thought to reflect on the things you love to love even when you don’t love yourself or the world all that much. My plan is for this to be ~monthly so it doesn't become a burden to manage, both from my end and for your inboxes. If you're receiving this in the first place, it's because we are friends IRL, you subscribed of your own volition, or you backed a Kickstarter campaign of mine or bought something from me at some point.So I hope you'll come along for the ride, but I won't be offended if you want to unsubscribe, which you can do below. 

Thanks for holding hands, Thelma and Louise-style, as we drive off this cliff and into oblivion, enjoying the Good Shit while we still can. -Joey 

P.S. — A limited edition No Prize to anyone who can name what Something Good to Die For is in reference to. No Googling. I will know.

P.P.S. — Thanks to the handsome and talented Ben Bailey, who made this newsletter’s logo for me. He makes a lot of cool designs he sells as t-shirts on TeePublic. I’m a proud owner of many pieces from the Ben Bailey Limited Collection. 

P.P.P.S. — My wife has an incredible newsletter called Pleaushares (which inspired me to create this one) that everyone should read. She is a very good writer and someone who knows how to talk about writing, which is part of the reason I never will. I don’t want to disappoint her. 

I've had the extreme pleasure of writing a Batman/Plastic Man story for Batman: Urban Legends #15, out May 10 from DC Comics, that was illustrated by the incredible Jason Howard. The image above is a variant cover by the equally incredible Riley Rossmo, which I think captures Batman's general annoyance with Plas very well. 

Just as exciting: I've also got a story (with wonderful artist Serg Acuña) in Batman: Urban Legends #17, on sale in July, that's a straight-up Brave and the Bold-esque team-up between Batman, Aquaman, and Mera — and it's kind of a sequel to one of the best Batman stories of all time, "The Laughing Fish." Tell your local comic book shop you would like to order exactly 5,000 copies. And look at this great variant cover by Sebastian Fiumara! I'm very lucky.