BARKING AT THE GARBAGE TRUCK 6: Rundown for 2025
Hi! I rarely invade your inboxes, so you know I’m coming with some Good Shit. After being in development hell for a while, my agent and I have started to take around what essentially amounts to the last three years of my creative work. I’m working with a lot of my favorite people, and am hoping to have some more news to share as meetings are had, etc. But I’m not writing to talk about things that might happen—I’m writing to talk about things that are happening.
I have a couple of short comics coming out this year. You’ll be able to buy those in shops. I can’t quite say where yet, but the information should be publicly announced soon. I’ve already written both scripts—and I’m pretty confident that one of them is the best short comic script I’ve ever written.
On the pitch front, I’ve started shopping around an extremely Catholic slasher comic that I developed with Naomi Franquiz. Naomi is a fantastic artist and I’m extremely excited to collaborate with her!!
The next one that’s going out is a cat-and-mouse creature feature I developed with my close friend, and the graphic designer for all the wedding materials (I am getting married in a couple months), Liana Kangas. I’ve been wanting to collab with Liana for years, we’ve just been waiting to find the perfect project. This one’s a dream come true. It’s been in the pipeline for a while now, so I’m excited that schedules finally aligned in a way that will get this out the door! And by the way…the title is perfect.
In terms of other projects, I posted a partially-redacted document on instagram and bluesky recently, mimicking the style of classified government docs. Here it is, if you missed it!
I refused to answer any questions I got about it, so I’ll clear some things up here, that you won’t hear about on socials for a little while:
Shelby Criswell and I are doing a webcomic. All that I’ll give away about it is that it will be a departure from what we did on LEAF PEEPERS. It’s not ongoing. In fact, it’s fairly short. We’ve planned it to be about 25%-30% longer than LEAF PEEPERS.
It’ll run for about 6 months, free-to-read, after which point we’ll likely run a crowdfunding campaign to fund a print run. The state of social media is so dismal these days, that we’re not looking to raise money for our page rate on this one—we both work other jobs and have other comic projects we’re working on—this one is purely for the love of the game. Currently, I’m making my way through the first draft of the third act. On editing duties will be my close friend, fellow ex-satire writer and current novelist, Lauren Lavín.
Here’s the moodboard I sent to Shelby and Lauren, plus a finished panel from act one.
Aside from that, I’m planning to spend the summer Developing things. There are two comic projects I’ve been noodling around with in my head, that will hopefully get some playtime—but my main focus will be editing the draft of my longest prose project yet—a novella called People Keep Dying at the Punk House. I’m planning to self-publish it through Shelby and my micropub, Coffee Breath Press, to prove to myself that I can do it before developing a longer prose work for my agent to take around. I’m excited to be doing this one myself, though—I’ll be keeping everything in the family, so to speak. I’ll be working with an editor with whom I’ve worked in the past, and my buddy Trevor Henderson is slated to do the cover. The goal is to have it in your hands by Fall 2026, but we’ll see.
Now, what you really wanted to hear about—my favorite tracks from 2025 so far.
Favorite Tracks Released This Year So Far (All Different Artists)
Sugar Water – McKinley Dixon (ft. Quelle Chris & Anjimile)
This is the climax of a concept album about some kids whose best friend dies, they can’t accept it, and bring them back to life…but their friend is different somehow. I’m so hype for this album to drop. This one has me groovin’ on my way to work every day. Easily one of the best songs to be released this year.
“Sun been getting its revenge / feel the heat, you hear it buzzin / ‘how we raise him from the ground?’ / type shit discussin with my cousin / said ‘i’ll put that shit on everything” / everything it wasn’t / the sunlight gon take us back one day / (we hopin that it doesn’t)”
catherine never broke again – saoirse dream
What a wild blend of chiptune, hyperpop, and like…indie punk? My buddy Sam put me on to this record a few days after it dropped, and I already missed the band’s Chicago show. The whole album rips, but this is definitely one of the more high-energy bops. If you’re looking to listen to something fast, gay, and remarkably well-produced (the woman behind the project is only like 24 or something), here’s your song.
“Still wear my mask out ‘cause I’m such a faggot / get government funding, and I shouldn’t have it. / Pull up to self-checkout, and I pull a fast one / ring my prosciutto up as bananas”
B.A.B.E. – Scowl
I was a little apprehensive when I heard that Scowl had signed to Dead Oceans. I thought it meant the end of the singer’s bark. While there’s some clean singing on the tracks released off the forthcoming album, vocalist Kat doesn’t shy away from the harsh bark I dig. Really killer track about being exhausted. Really excited for the impending headlining shows they’ll inevitably announce. I want to see this one live so bad.
“Why does the good stuff never last? / Everything sacred finds its way to filthy hands / Make no mistake, I ain’t lacking in ambition / I’m digging my heels / I’m not taking your sour pills”
Empty Shed – The Taxpayers
If you are grieving, or have ever grieved, this bouncy folk song’ll hit you like a fucking shit ton of bricks. I had the chance to see this performed live on Friday, March 28th. I drove over an hour each way for the opportunity. Worth it to cry about my dead dog at a venue in a strip mall in the suburbs—cathartic as fuck. The Taxpayers have been a staple for me for the last 10-12 years. If you liked this one, check out their 2010 and 2016 albums, too.
“Bag up some garbage, Craigslist the couch. / Ride my bike home to let your dog out. / She’s happy to see me, but sad I ain’t you. / She barks when the ice cream truck sings its way through./ I’m alone with you. / I’m alone with you. / Can’t tell if you’ve left, or if you’re still near. / Talkin’ to nobody, hoping you’ll hear / I am talking to nobody, hoping you’ll hear.”
BIG ASS BEER – BIG ASS TRUCK (ft. Auditory Anguish)
I don’t even drink, but I had to smash a couple of NA beers in the kitchen after lifting weights to this banger. The purveyors of “fat ass nuts riffs” have done it again.
“SO TAKE A FUCKING SIP / AND REALIZE THIS IS IT / ONE LAST SOLID DRINK BEFORE YOU KICK THE BUCKET / THAT TASTE, SO VIBRANT AND SWEET / ELITE ELIXER, TELL ME WHO I’M GONNA BE.”
6. The Demon of Unreality Limping Like a Dog – The Callous Daoboys
A complex, heavy mathcore banger that bodes extremely well for the band’s forthcoming album “I Don’t Want to See You In Heaven”. The lyric, “Some of you need ‘death of the author’ / and the rest just death altogether,” got me real good—they’re right!
Everybody Breaks – XweaponX
I am waiting for the nerds to find this straight edge band (pronounced “Weapon X”) because it would be sick for them to blow up enough that they’d play in Chicago. This one keeps me going when I’m lifting/running/focusing, anything. If you’re a fan of Knocked Loose, two members are in this—they do some killer backup vocals: “Who will carry the torch / when the fire dies?”
Buckeye – Friends in Real Life
Pat the Bunny is back with a new band. The music is definitely different now—there’s less anger on this one–a jangle pop album. This track is definitely the most danceable, and has me movin’ in my seat at work.
“I don’t have to tell you that we have been wicked / but it’s no big deal, at least the way I was thinkin’. / And in a dream you didn’t forgive me exactly, / but you said it would be alright to go on livin’...well alright!”
Hallways – PUP
Griefsongs have been a real theme for me as of late. It feels like this feeling is never going to go away. But, after what I felt was their weakest offering, PUP have given me some confidence in their forthcoming album with this catchy tune that I took to be about grieving—not for a loved one, but of kneecapped potential due to what’s goin’ on in your head.
“Turn the TV on, but the thoughts won’t stop. / So I rip out the cord, but I just can’t turn ‘em off.”
Everyone’s Enemy – Combust
Really digging the new album from Combust. The song with Jay Mindforce nearly snagged this spot, but an NYHC ripper like Everyone’s Enemy really gets you fired up in the morning, what can I say?
“Temptations of man / You crush the bird that’s in your hand / My line’s in the sand, / but yours dissolve again and again”
I’ve compiled these into a lil playlist for your listening pleasure: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2sajatT2j8anMfSZZcTF8E?si=df36ac8c302d4107
And with that? Until next time.
—Mark