Hello again, Squad. It’s me, it’s me… it’s DDP. Wait. No, that’s not it. I’m MJF. I’m better than you, and you know it! Hmm. Still not right. Closer, though, with the initials. I’m Marc Alan Fishman, and I’m just glad to be here. Yeah… that’s the ticket.

With the passing of 2025, I sit here ready to crack into the new year. I’ve never been very big on resolutions to be honest. I think everyone tends to hit things super hard in January, stumble in February, and somewhere around March make a little joke about it and return to normalcy. And if I’m going to be super honest? Those “new year new me” people really grind my gears. I don’t know why exactly. Maybe jealousy. Probably jealousy. But I digress.

Nothing inspires me more to commit to things than just writing them down. In my mind, all of you reading this hold me accountable — or at very least, look forward to rubbing my face in the dirt when I inevitably fail. With all that in mind, here’s an easy to digest listicle of my plans in pop culture for 2026.

1. I will contribute 40 articles here on Pop Culture Squad.

One of my larger regrets about last year is that I contributed to PCS a whopping four times. I’d love to blame it on being unemployed for more than half of it… but that would make even less sense as I certainly had some time to wax poetic to my legion of 18.38 fans.

Well, I’ll draw the line in the sand. Forty articles is plenty doable. Especially because it’s whatever I want to write about. While I’ve heavily skewed my thoughts towards pro-wrestling, I happen to consume a metric ton of pop culture. So, I might as well celebrate it! Some of my favorite things I’ve written here on PCS have deep footholds to continue the conversation. This includes: hot takes on pop culture I’ve missed, deep dives on the obscure comic characters I happen to love, the comings-and-goings of Unshaven Comics, and yes… pro-wrestling analysis and fantasy booking. 

So go ahead and start the tally. Forty articles in 2026 by yours truly. Or I owe you a Coke.

2. Unshaven Comics will release a new issue of The Samurnauts.

The Samurnauts: Rage of Repsimian #1 has been written, pencilled and flatted. At this point, all it needs are some final fancy colors and lettering. As I proved to myself I could knock out a complete five-pager by myself in 2025 (a contribution to Chutzpah: A Celebration of Judaism in Comic Books, which a future article will definitely cover), finishing a book for my studio is a must. 

Simply put, a new book keeps things moving at our table as we attend conventions. Another #1 to sell also allows us to not only move our most profitable book — The Samurnauts: Curse of the Dreadnuts — but these new issues represent great upsell opportunities. All that and this particular book is a continued expansion of my little brand. The amazing artist Stephanie Mided contributed pencils, and we recently got word of another amazing friend of ours who will contribute a cover. One of the big reasons we believe The Samurnauts is great is tied directly to the wide breadth of art styles the stories are told in. 

3. PokeMashups will expand the product line… a little.

My side-hustle to the side-hustle, PokeMashups, has long been the dinner-money-earning endeavor that has turned our single table con experiences into double-wides. The numbers prove the worth. At the larger shows, my mashups pay for their table, and leave a little profit left over. They also lure in would-be Unshaven Comics customers, which has been a beloved byproduct.  

The time has come however, to consider the specific offerings of the brand. I have plenty of data that shows me the designs that the fans love the most. So, with careful consideration, 2026 will see some testing of stickers, posters, and if I’m feeling insane… a set of TCG-scale cards complete with Pokemon powers. Now that itself may be a stretch goal depending on profits made throughout the year. Either way, you’ll be the first to hear about it, Squad.

4. I will see some pro-wrestling IRL again!

The last time I actually paid for some tickets and enjoyed my guiltiest pleasure live, I was in my mid-twenties. I just turned 44 a little over a week ago. It’s high time I indulged again. My favorite company, AEW, makes frequent stops to Chicago… and local(ish) promotion FLOW (the Fantastic League of Wrestling) is always an affordable option. And given that I semi-regularly cohost the Torn Quadcast on WRMN Radio (AM 1410 from the Fox Valley River, baby!) alongside Chicago’s literal King of Geeks, Elliott Serrano? Well, the opportunity to catch some live rasslin’ is too good to pass up. 

5. Unshaven Comics will exhibit in two new cities for the company.

Unshaven Comics will be debuting in 2026 at the Northwest Indiana Comic Con on February 7th. Past that, we Unshaven lads have already applied to the gem of the midwest, C2E2, with hopes of being let back in after several years of nopes. Fingers crossed. That aside, we have a short-but-sweet list of locales we’d like to sell our wares in — with several of them specifically in towns we’ve never been. The fact is, every time we can show up somewhere new, our fanbase expands. So, here’s hoping then that we’ll bread bread in new cities to do just that.

6. Lastly: I will purchase and review a new indie comic each time I table.

Back in high school, when a still very shaven Marc Alan Fishman and Matt Wright both attended the AP Studio Art class, we were challenged every month to get out and see art. This was in-part tied to a series of assignments where we were asked to look at, think, and discuss art. It forced us to breakdown art we enjoyed or loathed and to back it up with actual artistic reasons. I fondly recall many of these gallery visits — as the need to not only mill around and absorb meant that we had to learn to speak about art much as we made it. 

For those who know my written work, you may recall my stint reviewing comics for MichaelDavisWorld — the Snarky Synopsis. I figure a good challenge to myself (and a great way to hit that whole Forty article promise I made above…) would be to find new comic creators out there and to give my honest takes on their work. Easy enough to do it by letting the would-be writers and artists pitch to me same as Unshaven Comics pitches to patrons at the same shows. I’ll look forward to opening my eyes to the next Unshaven Comics out there — and hopefully uncover some great creators that need a little love (when they’ve earned it!). 

Cheers to 2026!