Comic Transcripts

MATT [speaking to his reflection in a mirror]: You can’t do it. You’re not good enough. You’re not talented. You’re entirely pedestrian.

MATT: I’m tired of being told I can do anything I can put my mind to. Don’t really want the pressure anymore.

LOLA: So you’re just giving up?
MATT: Not giving up. Carving a way OUT. If I tell myself “YOU CAN DO IT!” then I’m just inviting guilt when I inevitably don’t. But if I say “You CAN’T do it” then I create the opportunity to prove myself WRONG.

MATT: My psyche is liable to push me into success. Simply to SPITE itself.

{{header: do what works at WONDERMARK.COM}}
{{alt-text: I’ll either succeed, or I’ll be vindicated! WIN-WIN}}

#699; Conquering the Only Enemy transcribed by in

MATT [speaking to his reflection in a mirror]: You can’t do it. You’re not good enough. You’re not talented. You’re entirely pedestrian.

MATT: I’m tired of being told I can do anything I can put my mind to. Don’t really want the pressure anymore.

LOLA: So you’re just giving up?
MATT: Not giving up. Carving a way OUT. If I tell myself “YOU CAN DO IT!” then I’m just inviting guilt when I inevitably don’t. But if I say “You CAN’T do it” then I create the opportunity to prove myself WRONG.

MATT: My psyche is liable to push me into success. Simply to SPITE itself.

{{header: do what works at WONDERMARK.COM}}
{{alt-text: I’ll either succeed, or I’ll be vindicated! WIN-WIN}}

#699; Conquering the Only Enemy transcribed by in

MATT [speaking to his reflection in a mirror]: You can't do it. You're not good enough. You're not talented. You're entirely pedestrian.

MATT: I'm tired of being told I can do anything I can put my mind to. Don't really want the pressure anymore.

LOLA: So you're just giving up?
MATT: Not giving up. Carving a way OUT. If I tell myself "YOU CAN DO IT!" then I'm just inviting guilt when I inevitably don't. But if I say "You CAN'T do it" then I create the opportunity to prove myself WRONG.

MATT: My psyche is liable to push me into success. Simply to SPITE itself.

{{header: do what works at WONDERMARK.COM}}
{{alt-text: I'll either succeed, or I'll be vindicated! WIN-WIN}}

I'll either succeed, or be vindicated! WIN-WIN

#699; Conquering the Only Enemy

  — February 4th, 2011

[ Tags: , , ]       Permalink: https://wondermark.com/c/699/

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Applications open for Genius Northwest – an IRL gaming competition

May 8, 2026 by David Malki !

Last year, I participated in Genius Northwest, a gaming competition inspired by the Korean gameshow The Genius and its ilk.

It’s a reality show without the cameras — a 3-day, all-inclusive weekend retreat structured around a series of challenges and puzzles, in which personalities and dealmaking matter as much as playing games.

It’s truly a remarkable thing. I came in dead last in the competition, but I still had a great time participating.

The event is held annually in the Pacific Northwest (hence the name) and applications are now open to participate in the 2026 competition!

Learn more — and apply — at GeniusNW.com.


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