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davidmariotte.bsky.social
David Mariotte
@davidmariotte.bsky.social
6.6K followers 2.4K following 1.8K posts
Writer of Transformers Wreckers: Tread & Circuits, TF/Terminator, etc! Prev at IDW, BOOM! Studios. He/Him. Icon by my husband, @beccabeean aka Beck! For more, including contact, davidmariotte.com!
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davidmariotte.bsky.social
And an oldie but a goodie, Jimmy Squarefoot by me and @beccabeean.bsky.social!
A six-panel comic page. Written and lettered by me, art by Rebecca Ann. Panel 1: A big black cat is being chased by a strange pig man monster. Caption: Silverburn River, Isle of Man, 1942. Panel 2: The monster keeps chasing the cat down a path by a river. Panel 3: A girl on a bike suddenly turns to maneuver around the terrified looking cat. The girl goes, "huff huff... AAAAAH!" The cat goes MROW! Panel 4: The girl bikes right past the pig man, Jimmy Squarefoot, not noticing him. She says, "Where'd ya come from and where'd ya go, ya divil?" Panel 5: She keeps on biking. Jimmy leans down to grab a rock. Panel 6: He hurls the rock at the girl, but it misses her. A seven panel comic page. Written by me, art by Rebecca Ann. Panel 1: Jimmy looks confused. Panel 2: Jimmy's looking all around, but can't find his friend, the cat. Panel 3: An inset panel, the cat's face with a "gone" label over it. Panel 4: Jimmy wanders by a house. Panel 5: He steals a sheet that's drying off the line. Panel 6: Jimmy, covered in the sheet, walks down the riverside, thinking of his missing cat friend. Panel 7: Jimmy, still covered, jumps into the channel toward the English mainland. A six-panel comic page. Written and lettered by me. Art by Rebecca Ann. Panel 1: George Orwell walks out of the BBC offices. He speaks to himself. Caption: London. Outside the BBC offices. Orwell: "It's becoming so clear, but who rules the taxonomy? Horses hae a certain majestly, but they're so easily blinded and made beasts of burden." Panel 2: Jimmy, shivering from the cold and wet swim, leaving bloody footprints in his wake, walks down an alley worried his cat friend is cold too. Panel 3: Orwell walks, approaching the alley. Jimmy's bloody feet can be seen. Orwell says, "So, are they asses? Ha! No, too on the nose. Come on, Orwell." Panel 4: Orwell's still muttering to himself, not noticing Jimmy. Jimmy calls for his friend. Orwell: "Think! What works? So not horses, not asses, nor chickens, cows, or goats... What other farm animals are there?" Jimmy: "Cat?!" Panel 5: Orwell is terrified by the massive pig-man monster suddenly in front of him and retreats his head into his scarf and jacket like a turtle ducking into its shell. Orwell, "P-P-P-Pig!" Panel 6: Jimmy is confused, still wondering abut his cat friend. Orwell is cracking the hell up. Orwell, "A pig walking on its hind legs! Genius!" A six panel comic page. Written and lettered by me, art by Rebecca Ann. Panel 1: Back to the beach on the Isle of Man. Jimmy's body can just be seen washed up. Panel 2: He walks back toward his home, abandoning the stolen sheet, feet and prints still bloody. Panel 3: Jimmy's close to his home, in a familiar area. Panel 4: The girl is out on her bike again, approaching Jimmy. Panel 5: The cat was here the whole time and attacks the girl ont he bike. The girl screams, "Wha--?!" Panel 6: Jimmy and the cat are reunited and excited to be together again. Jimmy expresses love. The cat stands on top of the girl, who he has presumably killed, crushing her into the ground. The end.
October 31, 2025 at 5:51 PM
davidmariotte.bsky.social
Happy Halloween! Enjoy a couple of spooky short comics!

Banana Spiders! Written by me, art & letters by @jimstafford.bsky.social!
A six-panel comic page. Written by me, art and letters by Jim Stafford. Panel 1: A thin sliver of light in darkness. A voice off panel says, "Thanks, pal. I'll take it from here." Panel 2: The darkness parts as fingers pull the sides. A voice says, "Lessee." Panel 3: The man looks down at the reader. He's upsidedown from our POV. The mans says, "Wow, it's bananas." Panel 4: We see the man is a grocery store employee in a polo and nametag. He's got a cart with boxes full of bananas. The bananas are in large bundles, with four bananas facing left, and four facing right, off the mutual stem. He says, "Weird. Don't they usually all face one way?" Panel 5: An inset. He grabs a bunch of bananas from either side. Panel 6: He pulls them apart, but gross slimy goop and guts come out. SKRRIIIIP! The employee says, "Eugh! What the--" A three-panel comic page. Written by me, art and letters by Jim Stafford. Panel 1: Still holding the two bunches of "bananas", the man looks in horror to the waiting cardbord boxes next to him. He says, "No." Panel 2: The "bananas" are moving. They're massive spider-like beings, with 8 banana-y legs. They skitter out of the boxes and off the cart toward our man off panel. He screams, "No!" Panel 3: One of the horrible banana-spider monsters leaps at the man's face. It's legs are hairy at the end and its center is a spooky toothy mouth! It makes a Skreee!!! sound as our off-panel man shouts, "NO!!!" one final time!
October 31, 2025 at 5:51 PM
davidmariotte.bsky.social
We're here, it's open, come say hi!
Becca sitting behind our half-table at SD Zine Fest.
October 18, 2025 at 7:13 PM
davidmariotte.bsky.social
It's my birthday! Wow!

I'll be at San Diego Zine Fest with @beccabeean.bsky.social selling zines and comics and stickers and stuff! C'mon out and say hi!

Can't make it? If you're going to another community event, stay safe, know your rights, and keep hydrated!
A flyer for The 13th Annual SD Zine Fest. It is today, October 18th, and tomorrow, 10/19 (but we're only there today). Woo! Studios, 2212 Main Street, Barrio Logan, San Diego. @SDZineFest on Insta. SDZineFest.com
October 18, 2025 at 3:05 PM
davidmariotte.bsky.social
More of the stuff I worked on!

Plus edits on VR Troopers; Samurai Jack; Canto; The Kill Lock; Dune; Lawful; Profane; ROM; M.A.S.K.; Micronauts; Wynonna Earp; The October Faction; Princess Royale; x-overs with MLP, Ghostbusters, Star Trek, TMNT, Back to the Future, and way way more!
The cover to Transformers vs. the Terminator #1, art by Gavin Fullerton. It depicts Optimus Prime in stark red with a blue eye, but part of his face is torn off, revealing at T-800 endoskeleton in blue with a red eye. I co-plotted this series with John Barber & Tom Waltz, and co-wrote it with John. The cover to the first volume of Hello Darkness, the horror anthology series from BOOM! Studios. Art by Paolo Rivera. It depicts the cover girl, Darcia, on the edge of a clawfoot bathtub. She's blowing out a candle, but the smoke is revealing a bunch of spooky stuff in the darkness around her. I was one of the original editors on the series and still have stories coming out that I edited. The cover for the collection of Scarenthood by Nick Roche. Art by Nick Roche. It is a stark, graphic cover of a man taking his child out for a walk in a stroller in front of an ominous looking building. Buried in the ground is a statue covered in thorns, which are extending to follow the father and child. I edited this series too! The cover to Samidoon: Comics for a Free Palestine by Dania Omari. It depicts a Palestinian man on a boat pushing himself forward through a swirling tide that is superimposed over the landscape, but he remains steadfast. This charity anthology has raised money for the Palestine Red Crescent Society. I organized, edited, and wrote a short story for it.
October 14, 2025 at 7:51 PM
davidmariotte.bsky.social
Hi #portfolioday, I'm David! I'm a writer & editor! Currently looking for comics writing work (licensed or original--I've got pitches, webcomics okay, NSFW okay) and long-term employment in editorial or a related gig! Hire me!

dmariottewebhost@gmail.com
www.davidmariotte.com
The A cover to Transformers Wreckers: Tread & Circuits by Jack Lawrence and Candice Han depicting the "IDW2" version of the Wreckers. They're showing off for the cameras. Clockwise: Thunderclash, Ricochet, Minerva, Circuit, Aileron, and Hot Shot. One of several Transformers projects I wrote. I also edited the entire line of Transformers comics for several years. The cover to the Eisner-Award Winning Godzilla 70th Anniversary book, by E.J. Su who also has a fantastic story inside. Godzilla is destroying a town and chomping on a train. In the background, a silhouette of light in the destruction makes a giant 70. A comic I co-edited with Jake Williams at IDW (and one story edited by Jamie S. Rich). I was the Godzilla editor for a bit working on other titles as well. The cover to Power Rangers Prime #5 (which makes the Pink Ranger look more purple than he really is). Depicting the Prime team. Clockwise from top: Red, Yellow, Black, Pink, and Blue! Art by Dan Mora. I am also the former Rangers editor at BOOM! Studios. The cover to the Sonic the Hedgehog 2022 Free Comic Book Day special. Art by Adam Bryce Thomas featuring Sonic, Knuckles, and Tails. I was the editor on Sonic at IDW from 2018-2023, as well as writing some additional materials for the book, including a recap back-up story in this very issue!
October 14, 2025 at 7:51 PM
davidmariotte.bsky.social
Spoilers for the latest chapter of Chainsaw Man!

I know in the fiction, he isn't in office, but I believe with my whole heart that Gavin Newsom would do this.
Yoru, the War Devil, from Chainsaw Man Part 2 speaking menacingly. She says "I made a contract with the governor of California. In exchange for me not attacking California...the citizens of California will shoulder the burden of my deaths."
September 30, 2025 at 5:47 PM
davidmariotte.bsky.social
Happy one year anniversary to my sweet love @beccabeean.bsky.social! I can hardly believe a year has already gone by. We'll get back to Japan soon. And we'll have so many more years together to make memories. I love you so so so so so much!
A picture of our wedding day outside the temple when we had just gotten married. Our Buddist priest is leading us as our family and the very lovely staff shower us in flower pedals. Picture of our hands right after we had our rings made in Kawagoe. Becca has their very nice gyaru nails. A picture from our wedding photoshoot in Jimbocho book town. I'm holding and kissing Becca who is laughing. People shopping the many bookstores are in the background. A picture of our wedding photoshoot. Becca and I are looking at each other as we peek out behind a drink vending machine in Jimbocho.
September 27, 2025 at 1:11 PM
davidmariotte.bsky.social
This big dumb dumb had to go to the vet for her lip and then was not friendly enough for a full exam, so she's gotta go back Sunday.
Nadja eating a cheez-it so I can get a picture of her lip for the vet. Nadja in her carrier at the vet. She is cute, but her lip is big.
September 25, 2025 at 9:37 PM
davidmariotte.bsky.social
#bskycensorship is so bad already. I had to appeal them adding inaccurate label to the accurate one I had already added, on my thread about how @moderation.bsky.app will be unable to properly moderate adult content with the upcoming TOS because they already can't moderate it as is.
My appeal to the "Adult Content" label Bsky applied to a comic cover that was already tagged for nudity. This is not an explicit sexual image--it's a comic covers that includes nudity. This is the exact sort of embarrassing inability to properly moderate your content that made me make this thread about how I don't trust you guys to not censor art. You're literally doing it.
September 23, 2025 at 10:47 PM
davidmariotte.bsky.social
I love Lossow's The Sin. But how does context change this? Is this sex consensual?

Does the historical context of it being based on the Banquet of Chestnuts change things? Does it change that the Banquet of Chestnuts accuracy is contested? Does it change that this was painted 300+ years after?
Heinrich Lossow's The Sin depicts a nun having sex with a priest through a gate. The nun has her legs up, hands gripping the metal. The priest is grabbing her breast. The figures are more dressed than a person on a beach.
September 22, 2025 at 6:07 PM
davidmariotte.bsky.social
For this Hello Darkness cover from an issue I worked on, the artist, other editors, and I had a long discussion of having it be sexy while also scary, without feeling violating. But a viewer doesn't have that context. Stripe, a payment processor, would forbid this on the basis of nudity period.
The NSFW cover to Hello Darkness #7. A hot demon lady holds a hot human lady by the throat and belly. Black veins of darkness course through the human lady's body, but she seems into it.
September 22, 2025 at 6:07 PM
davidmariotte.bsky.social
Different example: If I posted the full clip of the Halsin bear scene from Baldur's Gate 3, is that in violation? We don't actually see the sex, but the implication is obvious, so at what point does it cross the line. To what extent is this a "realistic depiction"? To what extent is a furry?
G. Animal Safety: We protect animals by prohibiting abusive or exploitative content. i. Do not create, share, or promote sexual content involving real animals or realistically depicted synthetic, simulated, illustrated, or animated versions. An IGN graphic saying nealry 200,000 Baldur's Gate 3 players fucked the bear with an image of Halsin the druid in bear form from an implied sex scene in the game.
September 22, 2025 at 6:07 PM
davidmariotte.bsky.social
This is a sequence of panels from Watchmen of the beginning of a sexual assault. Is this okay on Bluesky? Does the sexual violence fall under the violence category (clearly fictional) or the adult content policies (clearly non-consensual)? Do the images in the panels matter?
A three panel sequence from Watchmen where the Comedian begins a sexual assault of Silk Spectre.
September 22, 2025 at 6:07 PM
davidmariotte.bsky.social
Let's talk #bskycensorship.

Here's some snippets from the new TOS. Short version: They made the language more clear and specific (did they?), some adult & violent content is allowed, and there are exceptions for journalism, education, advocacy, and "analysis".

But what does that actually mean?
More Specific Language: Where you told us terms were too vague or confusing, we added more detail about what these policies cover. Protected Expression: We added a new section for journalism, education, advocacy, and mental health content that aims to reduce uncertainty about enforcement in those areas. iv. These rules do not prevent you from posting content that involves violence without glorifying real-world harm, including: a. Professional combat sports, martial arts demonstrations, and regulated extreme sports. b. Discussion, analysis, or depiction of violence in clearly fictional or artistic contexts such as literature, film, televisions, video games, and visual arts. D. Adult Content: We provide a safe space for consensual adult expression by requiring clear consent and stopping abuse. i. We allow consensual adult sexual content, including fictional depictions, when appropriately labeled and subjet to appropriate age restrictions. ii. We do not allow sexual content involving non-consenusl activity, including synthetic, simulated, illustrated, or animated versions. A. Journalism, Analysis, Education, and Advocacy: i. Factual reporting, academic research, or educational content about matters of public interest, safety, or legal significance. ii. Anti-violence advocacy, safety campaigns, and prevention resources taht raise awareness without providing harmful methords or glorifying harm. iii. Content warnings about dangerous viral challenges or emerging safety threats. B. Support, Recovery, and Mental Health: i. Personal recovery experiences or survivor stories shared to promote healing and community support rather than encouraging harmful behavior. ii. Sharing verified mental health resources, crisis prevention information, and support group discussions.
September 22, 2025 at 6:07 PM
davidmariotte.bsky.social
It's funny (derogatory) that while my icons on my two accounts currently match and are the exact same image, for the one that's explicitly an NSFW account, Bluesky is censoring my own profile picture. Neither one is sexual and, again...both accounts are mine.
The "switch account" screen, but the picture for the account to switch to is blurred. The same picture sits like half an inch above it, not blurred out at all.
September 21, 2025 at 11:06 PM
davidmariotte.bsky.social
Fuck censorship
Quote your NSFW

#bskycensorship

From my @dukenucum.bsky.social account. Art by @jamesotron.bsky.social, @beccabeean.bsky.social, and me!
Kursthh, a fishy monster, is sucking human dick with surprisingly luscious lips. They're lit by Kursthh's bioluminesence. Kursthh's chest is also covered in slobber from their session so far. From the comic Monster Under the Bed, by me and James Marsh! A two panel sequence from the Rivals: Deluxe Edition. Written and drawn by Rebecca Ann, with colors and lettering by me. Freddie (largely off-panel except her hand) tugs Laurie, the goth bimbo's top down, revealing her large bouncy boobs. There's a little "tug" initially, and when they're released, it's one of my favorite SFX of all time "Ploobadooff"! Upon seeing them, Freddie remarks "H-Holy shit!" in a balloon that resembles Laurie's chest. A two-panel NSFW preview from Night Gospel, the Albedo/Lumine Genshin Impact fanzine project, originally part of Midnight Oeuvres a free to read digital zine. Written and illustrated by Rebecca Ann, lettered by me. In these panels, demon Lumine has just come to a sleeping priest Albedo. She's fully naked sitting on his lap and her little tail waggles as she says "I heard your prayers, priest..." She grinds against his cock as she continues, "...consider them answered." A picture of a juicy butt with a toy in it. Drawn by me.
September 21, 2025 at 7:03 PM
davidmariotte.bsky.social
So, please, take some time to help. Give feedback to Bluesky. Make some calls. Send some letters. Send some faxes. Send emails too.

Things'll only change with pushback.
September 21, 2025 at 6:58 PM
davidmariotte.bsky.social
The ultimate expression of cartoon sex on Bluesky. Watto & ALF jerkin' each other off. #bskycensorship

Use the feedback button to tell Bluesky to listen to its users and not capitulate to real or imagined external pressures to censor the creators on this site.
Watto, from Star Wars, and ALF, from ALF sit on a couch next to each other, jerking each other off. Watto is cumming. Their dicks look like their noses. In the top left corner, next to the signature, is a word balloon saying "We consent!" and the bluesky logo.
September 21, 2025 at 6:49 PM
davidmariotte.bsky.social
More on Palestine and everything else. Thanks to the BDS for making easy infographics on their priority targets.
• What can you do? • Obviously, once again, while you're contacting your reps anyway, you should push back against HR5300 as well as any bills that seek to (now violating UN bylaws) provide further military or financial aid to the occupying forces of Israel. • You can also join in the cultural and financial boycott of Israeli products and partners. There are a number of campaigns you can learn more about through the BDS movement (https://bdsmovement.net/), but here are some of the targets that they've identified for boycotts. These include Google, Amazon, Expedia, Booking, Teva, Airbnb, McDonald's, Coca-Cola, Burger King, Papa John's, Pizza Hut, Wix, Carrefour, Reebok, AXA, Intel, Dell, HP, Chevron, CalTex, Texaco, Siemens, Sodastream, Disney+, and Re/Max • While aid relief is incredibly hard to come-by due to Israel's blocking actions and murder of people trying to get aid, I will recommend both the Palestine Red Crescent Society (https://www.palestinercs.org/en) and the Palestine Children's Relief Fund (https://www.pcrf.net/) as organizations doing good work as they are able. • There are also tons of Palestinians who have open GoFundMes and similar campaigns open seeking financial aid to either leave Palestine or simply to be able to buy incredibly overpriced food to survive. Operation Olive Branch is a grassroots effort that has identified campaigns in need (https://linktr.ee/opolivebranch). • Right now, it feels as if there is a flood of information at all times. It is meant to overwhelm you. • I will mention, among the many other things, RFK Jr. is trying to further restrict access to COVID vaccinations. Some states are fighting back--here in California, it's still pretty easy to get a vaccination, and if you live in a nearby state, you can come over for one. • The Department of Education is trying to remove public service loan forgiveness for anyone who provides gender-affirming care or helps migrants or, essentially, does anything in their public service that goes against the oppressive, authoritarian whims of the administration. Public comment for opposition is only open through tomorrow, 9/17. • This week, historical Black colleges and universities were under lockdown for bomb threats. While there were not actual attacks, that's some scary shit, particularly given that they were targeting HBCUs. • In Mississippi, both a Black college student, Demartravion “Trey” Reed and White homeless man Cory Zukatis were found hanging. Investigations are ongoing. • While I am not directly making claims or connections, I will say it is worth noting Mississippi's history of lynching, the aforementioned threats to HBCUs, the fact that--due to age verification protocols--Bluesky and other social platforms are inactive in the state making outside communication more difficult, and that days ago, Fox News host Brian Kilmeade said that homless people should recieve "involuntary lethal injection." • This actually goes back to the issues of trans rights, but also beyond that, within the last week, many marginalized groups have found themselves targeted by the Republican party and the far right as they've tried to find any sort of connection between the people they want to eradicate and the suspected assassin, despite the suspect being a far right White kid. • Many American cities are under siege by ICE. As a reminder, regardless of your citizenship status, you are protected by the law. You have a 5th Amendment right to not speak to them, answer their questions, or sign or give over any paperwork or documents. You have a 4th amendment right to deny them access to your home, without a warrant with your name on it signed by a judge or magistrate that they have slid under your door. You have a 4th amendment right to deny them permission to search any of your belongings. • As has been shown in LA and Chicago, the best defense is community. Show up and speak up for your neighbors. Boo ICE. Walk them out of your community. Let them know they are unwanted and unwelcome. • While I've been talking largely about problems specifically in the US, many of these things actually have international claws--whether that's similar proposals in places like Canada and the UK or just the general restrictions of the internet being an international issue. • It genuinely feels like every day is a new challenge in making you feel scared, uncertain, and unsafe. Of removing your financial security, your privacy, your rights, and your health. But the only way to survive is to resist. And we aren't in this alone. • Don't use AI. AI is the tool of the enemy. It is a misinformation engine based on stolen work that only seeks to further empower the facists who are attempting to put these bad laws into place and irreparably harm our environment. I have written a whole zine on this in the past, and will be updating it shortly with even more info, especially now that AI companies are settling lawsuits over intellectual property and copyright violations and in lawsuits for contributing to teenagers suicides. • Fight the tariffs. These things are making our lives more expensive and cutting us off from so much of the rest of the world. • What can we do? • Again, community organization. Support the parts of your local government that do work and do give back to the community--things like libraries and post offices and resource centers. • Demand resignations, recalls, and impeachments. From RFK Jr. to the President to probably someone in your state, there're a lot of creeps who have got to go from office because to let them stay is dangerous. • CALL YOUR REPS. State reps. Federal reps. Literally anyone in the government who'll listen to your concerns and, hopefully, act on them. • You can fax your reps for free (if they have fax machines operational) with FaxZero.com • You can get scripts for a lot of these issues via 5calls.org, which will also help you identify who to call and what number to call them at. • And, like, yeah, also, sure ask about releasing the Epstein files, though, again, we all know that the sitting president is in them.
September 17, 2025 at 12:16 AM
davidmariotte.bsky.social
More on censorship. Thanks to the folks who made the infographics I included on these slides. As well as info on Palestine.
• New York is also dealing with the "Safe for Kids Act", which would force age verification for TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, and other platforms. • Here in California, the Digital Age Assurance Act (CA AB1043) is maybe the best version of age verification (though I'm still pretty hesitant about the whole thing). In this version, there isn't an ID upload component which does reduce some of the privacy risks, and the bill is largely about providing a place in which to enter a birth date or age to provide age-appropriate services through the website or application. • Now, as has been mentioned many times, notice how many of these censorious bills claim to be about the safety of children, but almost exclusively target already-regulated adult content; do nothing to actually address the dangers to children online; and send people away from safe sites that do support adult content to less reputable, less regulated, and more dangerous sites that skirt the law anyway. In risking children's identity information, these bills make the internet a more dangerous place for them. • I've also heard--though only a few rumblings--that due to new AI systems in the post office, books are automatically being flagged as suspicious materials or unsendable. • Obviously, all of this also exists in the broad web of book-banning that has gripped the country in recent years. • And HR5300 would seek to further censor the public by allowing the state to revoke or deny passports of US citizens who're critical of Israel. What can you do? And a graphic for CPBC, 4 phone calls a day to a Card (Mastercard & Visa), Paypro (PayPal & Stripe), Bank (Citibank, Barclays, and Wells Fargo), and Choice (either another of the above or a congress person or a journalist). Thanks to @dieselbrain for putting this graphic together. More info at https://yellat.money/, https://stop-paypros.neocities.org/, and https://www.fightforthefuture.org/. Folks in Australia, the UK, and Canada have additional governmental petitions they can sign. U.S. folks have one from the ACLU we can also add to. I recommend making the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund actually make a statement and stand on this. What can you do? Another graphic specifically with international numbers for Visa and Mastercard, which includes US and European laws that their censorship policies are violating. Sorry I don't have the name of the person who originated the graphic to credit them. Also, dropping here in the alt text that they said they don't support fantasy--including cat ears and fairies--in adult material. What the actual fuck? You can and should also call your reps, particularly over the state and federal censorship laws they're trying to enact. Make sure to support creators of adult works, whether fully fictional pornographic creations, non-pornographic works that're still wholly under fire (e.g. Watchmen, Baldur's Gate 3, Hello Darkness, Lindsey Straube's books, whatever), and of course sex workers wherever you still can find their work--be that itch.io and Steam where some projects are still available, subscribing to Patreons, OnlyFans, Fanslys, SubscribeStars, etc. Absolutely start with how they are trying to censor trans, queer, and otherwise marginalized existence, censor access to information about bodily autonomy, censor works of obvious fiction, but also, yeah, fight for specifically pornography as well. It's all important. • At the time of writing, 9/16/25, the UN has officially recognized that Israel is committing genocide against Palestine. • This comes after almost two years of that being obvious on the world stage. The current siege has gone on for over 700 days (in addition to the 75 years of the Nakba before that). • Current estimates put ~65K people killed and 161K injured. The overwhelming majority are civilians, and ~20K of the dead are children. • People are missing. People are starving. People are being killed when they try to get food from aid trucks. They've destroyed hospitals (16 remain partially functional in Gaza, and every single one has been attacked). They've killed doctors. They've killed journalists. • As of July of this year, according to Gallup, the majority of Americans disapprove of Israel's actions and of President Netanyahu. However, that only goes so far in doing much of anything. • As noted earlier, HR5300 would seek to further censor the public by allowing the state to revoke or deny passports of US citizens who're critical of Israel. This is one of many campaigns presented at both a state and federal level to attempt state-sanctioned censorship and to attack people who are pro-Palestine. • These censorious campaigns are also being seen in universities and colleges, as well as workplaces, ostensibly under the guise of "antisemitism", despite the vast number of Jewish people who support Palestine and the fact that Palestinians are a semetic people themselves.
September 17, 2025 at 12:16 AM
davidmariotte.bsky.social
I made a few short, sharable info posts about the things that're going on (mostly here in the U.S.) that I think people need to be paying attention to and fighting for. Trans rights, fighting against censorship, fighting for a free Palestine, fighting against all the oppressive policies in place.
• Almost 1000 bills have been introduced in the U.S. at both the state and federal levels attacking the rights of Trans people in America. • According to translegislation.com, which tracks those bills, 122 have passed, 225 are pending, and 677 have failed. As recently as 2021, only 153 bills were even considered (and only 18 of those passed). • Some current big ones to be aware of: • In Michigan, HB4938, the "Anticorruption of Public Morals Act" would seek to imprison for 20 years, fine for $100K (or more), all "pornography", which includes in their definition, any trace of trans existence. It'd also target all actual porn, block usage of VPNs, and seek to force sites to comply to not host any sort of "adult" content, which again, includes trans people just existing. • The FY2026 budget for the departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies would prohibit any federal tax dollars going to any gender-affirming care for trans people, and ban funding for any school that allows a trans kid to play sports. These are secs 243-46 and 311-12 respectively. • Again, there are so many fucking more. 92 have just been introduced at the federal level this year. • What you can do: If you live in Michigan, call your state reps to tell them to vote no. Also demand that the 5 Republican reps who introduced this bill resign in disgrace. If you live in the U.S. generally, call your reps and senators. And keep up to date on legislation in your state and in the country with translegislation.com to know what to fight against. • In the comics and entertainment community, I also want to make sure you're up-to-date on what's been happening with trans creators. • Last week, after the death of a noted transphobic white supremacist, Red Hood writer Gretchen Felker-Martin sent out a few posts on Bluesky. They referred to the man as what he was, a nazi, and didn't mince words about how he shouldn't be missed. • Felker-Martin received both a week-long suspension from Bluesky and had Red Hood unceremoniously canceled within 24 hours of the first issue's release. • Like, canceled canceled. Future issue orders canceled, the collection canceled, offering retailers refunds for sold issues canceled. • It may also be worth noting that DC's parent company, Warner Brothers, has significant business dealings with noted transphobe and person Felker-Martin once killed in a work of fiction, JK Rowling. • Trans folks and their allies have already been suggesting a boycott of WB in light of their continued Harry Potter push and funding Rowling's anti-trans crusades in the UK. Now, trans comic creators and allies are suggesting a boycott specifically of DC. • This isn't the only instance of our trans peers being silenced and censored. Speaking specifically to comics, on itch.io, though this has largely been addressed, when they began their panicked response to their payment processors threatening transactions for having adult content on the site, a number of non-adult trans creators had their work restricted and delisted. • It only benefits the people seeking trans genocide to silence trans people. • Closely related, including Michigan's HB4938, are numerous bills seeking to codify first amendment violating censorship. • At the Senate level, there's S.1748 the Kid's Online Safety Act (or KOSA), which has never actually been significantly revised from when KOSA co-author, sen. Marsha Blackburn, said that the bill was specifically for "protecting minor children from the transgender in this culture" (a statement she "walked back", but we know the intent). It is also backed by known radicialist group, the Heritage Foundation. The bill is incredibly overbroad in what topics must be censored online as "harmful to children", including the existence of queer people, information about mental health or women's reproductive rights, and of course porn. • There's also the s.1671, the Interstate Obscenity Definition Act, that seeks to create a new definition of Obscenity (and therefore non-protected speech). It's essentially HB4938 on a national level. • There's s.737 the SCREEN Act, which is national age verification online, similar to the UK's Online Safety Act, especially in tandem with KOSA. The ability to punish sites for including age verification--particularly sites like Wikipedia where it isn't posting porn, but has information about sexuality--is another attempt at censorship. It also requires an unreasonable burden on most sites that don't have the capacity to safely capture users identification data (which CONSTANTLY leaks even when "securely captured"). States are also implementing these kinds of age verification policies in law (and in Missouri, the Attorney General just decided it herself), which has driven sites like PornHub to stop operating in those states. It is dangerous for online privacy and through limiting sites that can comply, acts as de facto censorship. • Other states that're specifically going for age verification laws right now include Minnesota (SF2015/HF1434, HF1875), Hawaii (HB1212, HB1198), Michigan (SB284/HB4429, SB191), New Jersey (S4455,A4146), Pennsylvania (HB1513, SB603), South Caroline (H3405), Tennessee (Ht B222/SB466), Iowa (SF207/433, HF864), and Wisconsin (AB105/SB130). • Additionally, Texas, home of so many censorious bills and bills seeking to regulate trans folks out of existence, recently passed SB-20, which is incredibly overbroad in its language to prevent "child pornography" to include any depiction of children's anatomy, causing a comic shop to stop selling Dragon Ball. • Beyond that, there're bills like FADPA (HR791), which while as a creator I am concerned about infringement of my copyrighted work online, has very few checks in their ability to regulate sites that may include copyright violating material (or copyright dubious material) out of existence. Fan sites, for example, could easily be destroyed by this bill. • Outside of state and federal bills looking to create censorship, there is also campaigns going against payment processors, credit card companies, and banks (like Stripe, PayPal, Visa, and Mastercard, to name a few), over their policies that're significantly targeting and restricting the sales of legal, adult content. • In speaking with representatives of Stripe, for example, I've both been told that the Song of Fire and Ice series would be exempt from their restrictions, and yet also, an art book with nude Greek statues would not. Therefore, it's a bad policy. Stripe also doesn't penalize accounts that're violating their policies around intellectual property or not promoting harm, given that they're involved with Substack, Amazon, Anthropic, and OpenAI.
September 17, 2025 at 12:16 AM
davidmariotte.bsky.social
You • Your Favorite Pokemon
Me Totodile Ludicolo
September 16, 2025 at 2:44 AM
davidmariotte.bsky.social
Have some ugly pictures of Nadja!
An ugly picture of a calico cat. An ugly picture of a calico cat. An ugly picture of a calico cat. An ugly picture of a calico cat.
September 2, 2025 at 3:37 AM
davidmariotte.bsky.social
Post a meme made by you
The Hotline Bling Drake meme is 4 panels. The top left is Drake doing a "no" or "stop" motion with his hand toward the top right square. Imposed on his face is a midly disguested looking Baby Sinclair from Jim Henson's Dinosaurs. The top right square is Earl Sinclair, the dad dinosaur from the same show. The bottom left square is the also Drake with Baby Sinclair's face superimposed on him, but now he's pointing to the right and looks happy. The bottom right square is Fran, aka, the mama.
August 30, 2025 at 5:34 PM