March 3, 2025

More about Belugas

I figured I should write a little more about the best part of my birthday this year, our visit with the Shedd Aquarium’s beluga whales. IT WAS SO GOOD.

Things I didn’t fit into the comic: Their closest relatives are narwhals! The round bit on their heads is called a melon! It’s filled with fluid, and it helps with echolocation, and they can move it back and forth and side to side! Animal encounter birthdays are the best. I think every year from now on, I’m going to try to meet a new animal friend. Next year: penguins?

In other news: I don’t often hype my Threadless shop, because I’m literally the worst human at self promotion. Mostly I’ll throw a design up there and forget about it and make a sale or two every month. But in the last month or two, this design has been selling extremely well, seemingly out of nowhere. Probably an indicator of these chaotic and difficult times?

Upcoming things!

• I’ll be in San Antonio on March 8 for the Hill Country Literary Festival

• I’ll be in Des Moines on March 22 for the Des Moines Book Festival

• I’m teaching a zinemaking class on March 29 at Hey I Thought of You! in Chicago

• I’ll be in Artists Alley at C2E2 this year!

What I’m into lately: Corinne Mucha recommended I read Glorious Exploits by Ferdia Lennon, and WOW. This book is so so so good. It’s about Athenian prisoners of war in ancient Syracuse putting on a play by Euripides, and it’s told in a very modern, extremely Irish voice, which feels like it shouldn’t work but it absolutely does. It’s funny, it’s heartbreaking, it’s spooky, it’s tragic, it’s transcendent. The last line of it made me literally gasp out loud with emotion. I highly recommend the audiobook, which is read by the author himself. I also highly recommend getting book recommendations from Corinne, who reads quite a lot and has excellent taste.

What Toki’s into lately: Demanding Ups. He just wants to survey his kingdom from the vantage point of your human shoulders! You wouldn’t dare deny the Young Prince his Ups, would you?