Gareth-Michael Skarka
@gmskarka.bsky.social
Writer (comics and fiction), game designer (most recently FAR WEST), consultant/researcher (most recently on Netflix’s THE OLD GUARD) and publisher (Adamant Entertainment). Big Ol’ Nerd, Socialist, Antifascist and Abolitionist.
Back to work tomorrow, and a bit down that the holiday is over… but then again, I get to make shit up for a living, which is pretty damned cool.
Thanks to everyone who allows me that opportunity. Back at it tomorrow.
Thanks to everyone who allows me that opportunity. Back at it tomorrow.
January 5, 2026 at 4:37 AM
Back to work tomorrow, and a bit down that the holiday is over… but then again, I get to make shit up for a living, which is pretty damned cool.
Thanks to everyone who allows me that opportunity. Back at it tomorrow.
Thanks to everyone who allows me that opportunity. Back at it tomorrow.
I’ve got a PDF copy of the original pitch deck, but this is the first time I’ve seen the sizzle reel.
Knowing the story was originally set in Montauk, I laughed out loud at the line in the finale that Hopper was considering a job there.
Knowing the story was originally set in Montauk, I laughed out loud at the line in the finale that Hopper was considering a job there.
Stranger Things (2016-2025): OG mock trailer, composed of 20 to 30 movies, to convey the overall tone of "Montauk" (early version of ST)
Co-showrunner Ross Duffer: "This is the original sizzle reel Matt and I made to help sell the show."
Everything this show would become was in that trailer. 👌
Co-showrunner Ross Duffer: "This is the original sizzle reel Matt and I made to help sell the show."
Everything this show would become was in that trailer. 👌
January 5, 2026 at 12:58 AM
I’ve got a PDF copy of the original pitch deck, but this is the first time I’ve seen the sizzle reel.
Knowing the story was originally set in Montauk, I laughed out loud at the line in the finale that Hopper was considering a job there.
Knowing the story was originally set in Montauk, I laughed out loud at the line in the finale that Hopper was considering a job there.
Reposted by Gareth-Michael Skarka
yep. i can identify any number of structural issues but at the end of the day the basic problem is the republican party. this has been apparent for at least 20 years. it is also an incredibly unpopular observation to make among “serious” people.
Right.
If you want a good explanation of why the American system of government worked well enough for 200 years and then suddenly stopped, it's because Republicans in Congress suddenly started letting their partisan interests COMPLETELY override their institutional interests
If you want a good explanation of why the American system of government worked well enough for 200 years and then suddenly stopped, it's because Republicans in Congress suddenly started letting their partisan interests COMPLETELY override their institutional interests
a lot of problems wouldn't exist if we had a congress with even an ounce of self interest
January 4, 2026 at 11:52 PM
yep. i can identify any number of structural issues but at the end of the day the basic problem is the republican party. this has been apparent for at least 20 years. it is also an incredibly unpopular observation to make among “serious” people.
Reposted by Gareth-Michael Skarka
Impeach the Motherfucker
Convict the Motherfucker
Remove the Motherfucker
Convict the Motherfucker
Remove the Motherfucker
January 3, 2026 at 9:42 PM
Impeach the Motherfucker
Convict the Motherfucker
Remove the Motherfucker
Convict the Motherfucker
Remove the Motherfucker
Seeing a lot of people saying “we” didn’t do this, our criminal oligarch rulers did.
Sorry, but unless we take drastic action to overthrow them, we own everything they do.
Sorry, but unless we take drastic action to overthrow them, we own everything they do.
January 3, 2026 at 6:35 PM
Seeing a lot of people saying “we” didn’t do this, our criminal oligarch rulers did.
Sorry, but unless we take drastic action to overthrow them, we own everything they do.
Sorry, but unless we take drastic action to overthrow them, we own everything they do.
Reposted by Gareth-Michael Skarka
I miss Dave Stevens.
January 3, 2026 at 4:49 AM
I miss Dave Stevens.
Reposted by Gareth-Michael Skarka
The one exception to this being @gregrucka.com's QUEEN & COUNTRY series, which is simultaneously the best parts of THE SANDBAGGERS and its own unique thing.
January 3, 2026 at 12:42 AM
The one exception to this being @gregrucka.com's QUEEN & COUNTRY series, which is simultaneously the best parts of THE SANDBAGGERS and its own unique thing.
Reposted by Gareth-Michael Skarka
I love spy stories, and by that I mean I love THE SANDBAGGERS and am constantly disappointed by other spy stories that are not THE SANDBAGGERS.
January 3, 2026 at 12:40 AM
I love spy stories, and by that I mean I love THE SANDBAGGERS and am constantly disappointed by other spy stories that are not THE SANDBAGGERS.
Looking forward to DC Comics’ Next Level launches this year, especially @gregrucka.com’s BATWOMAN and @joshuawilliamson.bsky.social’s take on one of my favorite teams, the LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES.
Looks like 2026 will have me buying comics again!
Looks like 2026 will have me buying comics again!
January 3, 2026 at 1:50 AM
Looking forward to DC Comics’ Next Level launches this year, especially @gregrucka.com’s BATWOMAN and @joshuawilliamson.bsky.social’s take on one of my favorite teams, the LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES.
Looks like 2026 will have me buying comics again!
Looks like 2026 will have me buying comics again!
One of my favorite scifi series, first broadcast on this day in 1978 (although I didn’t see it in the US until 10 years later).
My daughter got me the Series 1 BluRay for Christmas, so I’ll be doing a rewatch soon!
My daughter got me the Series 1 BluRay for Christmas, so I’ll be doing a rewatch soon!
Opening titles for "Blake's 7" (first transmitted 02/01/78).
Music by Dudley Simpson.
In the future, Blake and his crew struggle against the totalitarian Federation...
The series was devised by Terry Nation who had created the Daleks for "Dr Who".
#sciencefiction #scifi #Blakes7 #1970s #horror
Music by Dudley Simpson.
In the future, Blake and his crew struggle against the totalitarian Federation...
The series was devised by Terry Nation who had created the Daleks for "Dr Who".
#sciencefiction #scifi #Blakes7 #1970s #horror
January 3, 2026 at 12:12 AM
One of my favorite scifi series, first broadcast on this day in 1978 (although I didn’t see it in the US until 10 years later).
My daughter got me the Series 1 BluRay for Christmas, so I’ll be doing a rewatch soon!
My daughter got me the Series 1 BluRay for Christmas, so I’ll be doing a rewatch soon!
Introduce yourself as what almost killed you:
Hi, I’m the FAR WEST Kickstarter.
(No joke—stress-related infection led to intestinal perforations, leading to a massive abdominal infection that was barely caught in time. Still spent almost 2 weeks in the hospital.)
Hi, I’m the FAR WEST Kickstarter.
(No joke—stress-related infection led to intestinal perforations, leading to a massive abdominal infection that was barely caught in time. Still spent almost 2 weeks in the hospital.)
Hi, I'm the ground.
Oh, okay. It's just that it wasn't walking off the roof of my parents' house when I was three that almost killed me, and it wasn't the fall that almost killed me. It was the ground that stopped my fall.
(Yes. I fell on my head as a child. Let the jokes begin!)
Oh, okay. It's just that it wasn't walking off the roof of my parents' house when I was three that almost killed me, and it wasn't the fall that almost killed me. It was the ground that stopped my fall.
(Yes. I fell on my head as a child. Let the jokes begin!)
Introduce yourself as what almost killed you:
Hi, I'm the fireball from the kitchen oven
Hi, I'm the fireball from the kitchen oven
January 2, 2026 at 9:52 PM
Introduce yourself as what almost killed you:
Hi, I’m the FAR WEST Kickstarter.
(No joke—stress-related infection led to intestinal perforations, leading to a massive abdominal infection that was barely caught in time. Still spent almost 2 weeks in the hospital.)
Hi, I’m the FAR WEST Kickstarter.
(No joke—stress-related infection led to intestinal perforations, leading to a massive abdominal infection that was barely caught in time. Still spent almost 2 weeks in the hospital.)
Closed out 2025 by watching the Stranger Things finale, which I quite enjoyed. Glad that overall, they managed to stick the landing.
January 1, 2026 at 5:46 AM
Closed out 2025 by watching the Stranger Things finale, which I quite enjoyed. Glad that overall, they managed to stick the landing.
Reposted by Gareth-Michael Skarka
Replace "good" with "American" and you got a slogan.
And I think liberals should stop taking the bait and ceding ground on immigration.
Immigration is good. Multiculturalism is good. Free trade is good. Stop being embarrassed to say so.
Immigration is good. Multiculturalism is good. Free trade is good. Stop being embarrassed to say so.
January 1, 2026 at 12:00 AM
Replace "good" with "American" and you got a slogan.
Keep seeing ads for the Byrna “non lethal self defense weapon” (the stupid one that uses a banana as a placeholder for the weapon)…
The ad talks about “riots and violent looting all over the country.”
What. The. Actual. FUCK.
The ad talks about “riots and violent looting all over the country.”
What. The. Actual. FUCK.
January 1, 2026 at 12:34 AM
Keep seeing ads for the Byrna “non lethal self defense weapon” (the stupid one that uses a banana as a placeholder for the weapon)…
The ad talks about “riots and violent looting all over the country.”
What. The. Actual. FUCK.
The ad talks about “riots and violent looting all over the country.”
What. The. Actual. FUCK.
Important thread. Read.
FWIW, I've never had a year typify "You do not rise to the level of your goals, you fail to the level of your systems" more than 2025. Emotionally and energy wise --fires and fascism factored in -- I've never been more punched out. But I worked and lined up more work based on old habits saving me.
December 31, 2025 at 10:39 PM
Important thread. Read.
December 31, 2025 at 7:39 PM
R.I.P Tim. Thanks for the influence your work had on me.
In other news, I really miss TTRPG magazines. A helluva lot.
In other news, I really miss TTRPG magazines. A helluva lot.
Jim Wampler announced this morning that we lost Tim Kask, who passed in his sleep on the 30th.
Tim was the creator of The Dragon, which set the foundation for what an industry-focused magazine should be. He was an icon and one of the few early founders of TSR still with us.
Tim was the creator of The Dragon, which set the foundation for what an industry-focused magazine should be. He was an icon and one of the few early founders of TSR still with us.
December 31, 2025 at 7:30 PM
R.I.P Tim. Thanks for the influence your work had on me.
In other news, I really miss TTRPG magazines. A helluva lot.
In other news, I really miss TTRPG magazines. A helluva lot.
Reposted by Gareth-Michael Skarka
oh christ look at the time
December 12, 2023 at 9:21 PM
oh christ look at the time
Reposted by Gareth-Michael Skarka
The NY Times just goes through the same Rolodex of voters who help them build the narrative they want to create. Rigged journalism.
December 30, 2025 at 8:05 PM
The NY Times just goes through the same Rolodex of voters who help them build the narrative they want to create. Rigged journalism.
How I’m walking out of 2025
December 30, 2025 at 5:01 AM
How I’m walking out of 2025
I’ve spent 30 years working at various nerd conventions.
It would probably take less time for me to list minor celebrities that I *haven’t* interacted with!
It would probably take less time for me to list minor celebrities that I *haven’t* interacted with!
Right folks. Feeling rather down at the moment so bringing back an oldie
Please Quote this with your most minor celebrity interaction
Please Quote this with your most minor celebrity interaction
December 29, 2025 at 9:06 PM
I’ve spent 30 years working at various nerd conventions.
It would probably take less time for me to list minor celebrities that I *haven’t* interacted with!
It would probably take less time for me to list minor celebrities that I *haven’t* interacted with!
Reposted by Gareth-Michael Skarka
"Emerging from this dark period in our history will require a sweeping, comprehensive strategy of repudiation and repair, one that encompasses the substantive, the procedural, and the symbolic."
"Trump will live forever, but only as a cautionary tale, one we tell successive generations to demonstrate that sustaining a democracy against the corrupt and the malevolent requires vigilance and determination." — @paulwaldman.bsky.social
Why every vestige of Trump must be torn down
He's trying to create a physical legacy. The moment he's out of power, it has to be smashed to bits.
www.publicnotice.co
December 29, 2025 at 7:56 PM
"Emerging from this dark period in our history will require a sweeping, comprehensive strategy of repudiation and repair, one that encompasses the substantive, the procedural, and the symbolic."