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mauleon.bsky.social
Daniel Mauleón
@mauleon.bsky.social
540 followers 620 following 360 posts
Comic Writer + Educator | He/Him | Mexican-American | Banner art by Fran Bueno for The Fifth Dungeon | Rep'd by Sara Crowe | danielmauleon.com
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mauleon.bsky.social
A technique I've only seen in Akane Banashi (so far) is this bouncing tail where ideal balloon positions are closer to someone listening, vs the speaker.

These examples are from chapters 1+2, but it's used throughout and so far hasn't cause me to stumble.

1/2
Two panels from Akane Banashi. In one panel, a speaker's speech balloon is across the panel and closer to another character in frame. However the balloon tail is doubled, as in it comes to a point but a second tail pops off from there and points to the character speaking. The shape resembles a bounce or even folded paper. In the second, two characters are talking to each other with one speech balloon each. However, the character who should speak first, is positioned second in the art. To remedy this the same bounced tail is used for both speakers.
November 13, 2025 at 3:08 PM
mauleon.bsky.social
My rough napkin math has it taking them 131609 years of doing this every night before they run out of money.

Someone check my math cause I hope I'm wrong and yet I fear I'm not.
Screen shot of notes app: 23,000 chicken 13,000 cheese sticks +14,000 cheese balls = 40,000 food + 30,000 ~ 2 rounds of drinks = 70,000 won * 85 patrons = 5,950,000 won to pay for everyone in the restaurant Concert to USD 4,163.43 to pay for everyone in the restaurant 200,000,000,000 Networth of these individuals ÷ 4163 = 48037315.3866 how many times they can do this \365 = 131609 years of paying for one restaurants meals
October 31, 2025 at 4:38 PM
mauleon.bsky.social
I made a journal comic about playing a round of the 1994 Sailor Moon fighting game for the SNES!
Photo of a journal page filled out with a comic. Title: Lessons in 1994's Sailor Moon S (SMS) By Daniel M [Borderless] PANEL ONE. Borderless. Illustration of a printed and stapled cover of Jackie Sparkles’ Sailor Moon S Booklet for New Players CAPTION: Jackie Sparkles' makes it clear in their guide that Jupiter's Desperation Move is bad. Text on the guide: ~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Booklet for New Players Quote: "(Lightning Strike) is the worst Desperation Move in the game!" "I will continue to use it. (You, on the other hand, should use this with great caution.)" PANEL TWO. Infographic featuring a two part doodle of [1] a 2D Sailor Jupiter charging her fist with lightning -> [2] Her flying forward with a punch. It is accompanied by icons for fighting game motion inputs: Quarter-Circle-Back / Half-Circle-Forward + Heavy Punch {2141236HP} Caption: Desperation moves are strong attacks that can only be used when you have less than 20% HP or if there are less than 10 seconds in the round. Jupiter's DM has a charge animation, before she flies across the screen. It's easily telegraphed & easier to counter. Again, use with great caution... PANEL THREE: Borderless. Includes two sequences of four inset panels (a-d) and (e-h). 3a-d show the DM motion inputs performed on a leverless controller, 3e-h show same inputs performed on fightstick (mirrored for a left facing character). There are lines attached 3b-3d to 3e-3g indicating they are input at the same time. CAPTION: Unless you are in a mirror match with another new SMS player, you're both rocking 5 HP. PANEL FOUR. One doodle Sailor Jupiter is flying through the air, she is just about to hit a second Jupiter who is charging up her fist. CAPTION: There is only one reckless choice you're both going to make... And I made it faster!
October 19, 2025 at 9:33 PM
mauleon.bsky.social
A woman read my sign and asked me, "Is that about Trans people or immigrants?"

I replied, "All of the above."

Inspired by a recent reread of One Piece, and the Straw Hat flag popping up around the globe, I chose "EXISTING IS NOT A CRIME" for my No Kings sign yesterday.
A protest sign that reads "EXISTING IS NOT A CRIME" Sign is white cardboard with blue, purple, yellow and pink letter cutouts. Back of the sign depicting a black and white Straw Hat Jolly Roger drawn with sharpie. On either side of the illustration are "ドンドッ" and "トッ゙ト♪" the Japanese katakana for the sound effect "Doom dut da da*" *Translation based on official Viz translation. Screenshot excerpt of a comic. Panel 1: Franky sitting on a couch and speaking to Nico Robin. Franky: The government people call your existence a crime, but no matter what weapon you've got [*] just being isn't a crime!! Panel 2: Flashback. A close-up of a secret agent. Agent: For as long as she can remember, her very existence has been a crime. Panel 3: Extreme close-up of Franky, delivering a line with conviction. Franky: Existing is not a crime!!! ~~ Additional annotations added to the screenshot: "One Piece Chapter 375 pg. 4, Eiichiro Oda (Official Viz Translation)" "**weapon in this context is the ability to read a forgotten and outlawed language, which could potentially be used to control a mysterious super-weapon. " Screenshot excerpt of a comic. Panel 1: Establishing shot of the sky, the ocean, and some mountains in the distance. Walking through the ocean is the large elephant, Zunesha. Zunesha: I hear the drums of liberation. For the first time in 800 years... he is here!! SFX:ドンドットッ゙ト♫ SFX (Translation): DOOM DUT DA DA [[ These katakana may be incorrectly typed! Please let me know if that's true and I'll update this alt text]] ~~~ "One Piece Chapter 1043 pg. 16, Eiichiro Oda ( Translation: Stephen Paul, Lettering: Vanessa Satone) "
October 19, 2025 at 8:57 PM
mauleon.bsky.social
Filling out my absentee ballot and still upset that Omar Fateh's DFL endorsement was removed.

But they can't take away my memory of this moment from the Minneapolis convention.

Proudly voting for
#1 @omarfatehmn.com
#2 @dewayneforminneapolis.com
#3 @jazzformayor.bsky.social

#minneapolis
October 15, 2025 at 2:25 PM
mauleon.bsky.social
Weekly Akane Banashi appreciation post.
Close up of a panel from Akane Banashi showing Akane's eyes
October 5, 2025 at 3:42 PM
mauleon.bsky.social
Today's #AkaneBanashi grapples with the comic challenge of depicting first-person perspectives, and overall I think they pulled it off really well. (It's more than this one page fwiw)
Full-bleed Comic page , X-TREME close up on Akane's left eye. Her iris is replaced with an image of her from behind looking at the crowd. She is observing herself from an "out of body" perspective.
September 28, 2025 at 5:11 PM
mauleon.bsky.social
Seems I got a memory leak in my Scrivener compile.

huh.
Screen shot of word doc. Header: M98 Scrivener File, Daniel Mauleon 14 Text is: [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]? CAP (translation): [][][][][][][][][][][][][]buttons[][][][][][][] ALE nish) ALE nish) ALEJANDRA,(Spanish)(OP) : (OP) :[][][][](OP) :[][][][](OP) :]]]]]]] ALE nish) ALE nish) ALEJANDRA,(Spanish)(OP) : (OP) :[][][][](OP) :[][][][](OP) :]]]]]]]
August 8, 2025 at 5:20 AM
mauleon.bsky.social
Comic thumbnails for an original project!

Feels so good to finally be at this part in the process!
August 3, 2025 at 12:53 AM
mauleon.bsky.social
It's that time of year where covers for my upcoming Capstone titles have started appearing online!

I've got three books coming out January 1st, 2026

Next Level Trivia - Video Game trivia books (Mario + Fortnite)

Track Throw Down - My latest Jake Maddox Graphic novel featuring Shot Put!
Cover for Next Level Super Mario Trivia Subtitle: Secret Unofficial Guide for Superfans! by Daniel Mauleón The cover is hot pink with a ? Block in the center. Additional pixel stylings Cover for 'Track Thrown Down' Banner at the top "Jake Maddox Graphic Novels" Features four illustrations of a highschool athlete in a comic panel layout. 1. Angel stands in a Shot Put circle ready to throw. 2. Angel sketches a figure in art class 3. Angel watches his coach show him how to throw. 4. A close up of a hand releasing a shot into the air. Art by Eduardo Garcia
July 29, 2025 at 8:30 PM
mauleon.bsky.social
Audio in the video catches the unidentified officers debriefing and appearing to make light of the stun gun use. “You’re funny, bro,” one officer can be overheard saying to another, followed by laughter. Another officer says, “They’re starting to resist more now,” to which an officer replies: “We’re going to end up shooting some of them.”
July 25, 2025 at 6:57 PM
mauleon.bsky.social
It's Minneapolis DFL convention time!

Let's go Omar!
Selfie inside the Target Center at the Minneapolis DFL City convention, sporting a Omar Fateh tshirt
July 19, 2025 at 4:11 PM
mauleon.bsky.social
Back on my projections bullshit

Helping out Shalee from across the country :D

#theatre
Instagram image of Projections on a screen in a theatre. Projection is of black text on white and white text on black, used as a reference for the projection designer Text reads: "This is me eyeballing the best are to project in "(black on white) "This is likely hitting actors" (white on black) There is a small line of text on the floor " This is touching the floor?” Instagram caption "Just text things" Poster for theater performance of GUTS Image of a measuring tape wrapped around a fork like pasta Header: "Who's got the guts to lose the guy?" Title: GUTS Subtitle: By Rachel Beth Greene Directed by Shalee Mae Cole Mauleón 6/26 @7:30 pm 6/28 @3pm & @8pm 6/29 @2pm
June 21, 2025 at 8:34 PM
mauleon.bsky.social
Hennepin County Library gives patrons $5 of free printing each week. That's 50 b+w pages!

It's easy you upload a PDF go to your nearest branch and print anything out.

So Minneapolis, if you're heading to a protest anytime soon, maybe swing by the library first!

www.hclib.org/programs/com...
Text from Hennepin County Library website Printing is available from library computers at all Hennepin County libraries or you can print from your own device. Fees Cost per page (cash only): Black and white – 10¢ | Color – 50¢ Hennepin County Library cardholders can print up to 50 black-and-white pages or 10 color pages (or any combination up to $5 in value) every week at no charge.
June 13, 2025 at 8:05 PM
mauleon.bsky.social
I have a weird level of imposter syndrome around this whole event, but I wanted to share what I said that day here. (Although I had to cut it down significantly the day of)
My name is Daniel Cole Mauleon. I am a resident of Minneapolis and an author of over 25 books for children. These days we are all pulled in many directions, so thank you for taking the time to be here. I initially ignored the request for authors to speak tonight. I didn’t feel like my voice was needed and didn’t feel I had the time. But then I thought of my brother, who certainly doesn’t have time and whose doctor just put him on vocal rest for at least a week. No speaking, not even whispering. This is especially challenging for him because he’s a law professor and parent. His days are packed with preparing and delivering lectures as well as caring for his two kids: a toddler, and a newborn. It was exhausting already but right now he can’t speak because he severely injured his vocal cords trying to suppress a cough while putting his youngest to bed. Many of you are or know of a parent whose story is like this. Parents drowning in obligations, who don't have the time to read a book for their own pleasure much less to check if the content is appropriate for their children. So it's no surprise the BookLooks approach is appealing. Quick, at a glance ratings of books. Let someone else handle it. But we don’t know who is creating these ratings. In fact, you likely know more about me than any of the people working on sites like this. And I haven’t introduced myself yet. I’m a former English teacher and hold a master's in writing for children and young adults. These skills have helped me as an author, but also as an uncle. I Excel at choosing books for my family that they will love and that match their reading and maturity levels. That means picture books for two littles, that I know their parents won’t mind reading again and again. Or biographies of musicians for my 15-year-old nephew who wants to start a band. Compare this to the rating system that Book Looks uses. Which is at best misguided and at worst purposefully manipulative. They tear the most provocative passages from books not to help us but to scare us. And they want us scared because when we are scared we are easier to be deceived. They want you scared, so you don’t realize you’re trusting strangers on the internet to make decisions for your children. They want you scared so that you forget we already have sensible rating systems that we’ve used for decades, back when we were in school. But then we defunded library programs and overworked teachers and are shaming parents to pick up the slack. We don’t need policies that take away books – we need policies and funding to give time back to people in OUR community who can best help our kids: Teachers and Librarians. BookLooks wants to offer you an easy route. But nothing in life is easy. And the children of this district deserve that we take the time and do the hard work.
June 11, 2025 at 2:42 AM
mauleon.bsky.social
Earlier this year I joined other authors, and more importantly incredible students, to speak up at a school board meeting.

Really glad to see this outcome!

I'm also taking a moment to reflect on the idea that standing up, no matter how inconsequential it might feel, is important.
Press Release on Education Minnesota - St. Francis schools agree to settle lawsuits over book bans filed by ACLU, union Text from press release “We achieved this settlement because parents, students, our community and even Minnesota authors stood with educators to defend the freedom to read in public schools,” he said. “The students’ stories and commitment to fixing this terrible policy were particularly inspiring.”
June 11, 2025 at 2:33 AM
mauleon.bsky.social
At Minneapolis DFL Ward 4 convention, instead of individual rooms we're holding all caucuses in the auditorium.

Everyone directed to center of the room, and then after speeches we'll move to different parts within this same auditorium.

It's going to get loud.
School auditorium with maybe 100+ people Sign on wall saying Precinct 7
April 9, 2025 at 12:31 AM
mauleon.bsky.social
Sigh missed some steps

0. Put a pizza in and pull up YouTube while it cooks
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10. Overcook my pizza writing all this
An overcooked but thankfully not burned, Jacks pizza cools off on a pan Alternatively, a metaphor for the prison of ADHD.
March 17, 2025 at 10:07 PM
mauleon.bsky.social
Helping my mom with a presentation about medical interpreting and I'm really proud of these very silly chapter titles for her book.
Screenshot of a table of contents Chapter 19: I've Got a Gut Feeling: GASTROENTEROLOGY Chapter 20: Just a Stone's Throw: NEPHROLOGY Chapter 21: When You've Gotta Go: UROLOGY Chapter 22: Head and Shoulder, Knees and Toes: ORTHOPEDICS AND REHABILITATION
February 24, 2025 at 10:51 PM
mauleon.bsky.social
How it feels writing this Fortnite fact book
February 22, 2025 at 11:57 PM
mauleon.bsky.social
@justinaireland.com latest blog post meets the moment and you should read it.
Screenshot of the post with the text: "But then I realized that I was made for this moment. Not because of what everyone has told me my entire life, but because of what I believe."
February 4, 2025 at 11:14 PM
mauleon.bsky.social
Just realizing I sent this post without attaching the photo!!
Two big boxes of Giant fluffy 2ft+ big marshmallowy Pikachus plushies
January 26, 2025 at 7:26 PM
mauleon.bsky.social
I'm just creeping on my library author alerts and saw that all digital copies of Video Game Victors are currently checked out, and that's neat.

You should also follow the phenomenal artist @berelince.bsky.social who is now on Bluesky too!
Screenshot of a library dashboard with the text: Video Game Victors by Maddox, Jake Downloadable Graphic Novel All copies in use Holds: 0 on 2 copies Cover for Video Game Victors depicting a four illustrated panels 1. 14-year-old Valentina, playing at her desktop computer. She's got spiky black hair and a dark blue zip up. 2. Close up of a hand on a computer mouse 3. Five in-game characters: a dragon, a wizard, a mage, an archer, and a knight 4. Three gaming setups with a monitor, keyboard, and headset.
January 23, 2025 at 9:58 PM
mauleon.bsky.social
Also, while I was the write, -fei contributed the single best line/sfx in the comic. I've been waiting years to be able to offer this to y'all as a reaction image.
Two panels from the Family Found World Trigger Fancomic. Full script a few posts above: Panel 5. We see CAT looking up at her. Panel 6. Same shot. CAT turns away. SFX: LEAVES-
January 22, 2025 at 9:12 PM
mauleon.bsky.social
-fei did an incredible job with the art, really capturing the feel Daisuke Ashihara's manga and nailing all the expressions. Couldn't have asked for a better artist!

As a bonus, here are my thumbnails which I sent along with the script.
January 22, 2025 at 9:05 PM