Invisaloser

This week’s new Dustinland comic is about how I recently got Invisalign. I explain it all in the comic but yeah… not my favorite thing in the world but I’m hoping the results will be worth it. Just so annoying that despite having braces as a teenager for a bit, I still have to do this 30 years later. My dentist just said “yeah, teeth move.” I swear, the older you get, the more you’re like “no one told me about this!” Especially in the health department.

After a week though, I admit, I’m getting used to it. It’s just annoying if you’re not home. Definitely the worst part. Also – I really haven’t been snacking at all. Just such a pain to always be taking these things off and brushing… so I just eat three meals and that’s it. I wonder if people lose weight when they get these things. I probably don’t need that though. I’m already Kevin Durantish in stature, and I don’t mean financially.

Cringer

Today’s new Dustinland comic is about a dad trying to relate to his kid and getting shot down multiple times. I think most dads can relate. Maybe moms too. You know, once they even approach those teenage years they just turn into little weasels. But I do think they may in some ways think you’re cool — they just won’t let you know it.

Grindin

This week’s new Dustinland comic is a quick one-panel Mondays of a comic about coffee… or lack thereof.

Thereof. Kinda looks like a name from Game of Thrones. Lord Thereof. Pronounced Their-e-off. Can you even say thereof without saying lack of first?

Yea, not a lot goin on this week. But on Instagram I plan to add the music from Platoon to this comic. Really more of a post Oscars joke, if you think about it.

You Can’t Go Back

This week’s new Dustinland comic is about childhood fading. Definitely a bit ore melancholy then my usually strips, but it’s something I want to touch on. This really did happen to me, exactly like it was in the comic. There’s a weird children’s museum in Connecticut that my son used to love when he was a little one… say 3 to 6 years old. And then I remember going back when he was getting a little bit older, and he was so excited, but when he got there… the magic was just gone. It was honestly a bit soul-crushing. Just sad.

Like the title of the comic says… you can’t go back. There is a time in life for certain things, and when that time is over, it’s over, whether you’re talking about toddler activities or a 40-year-old trying to recapture the nightlife of their 20s. Life moves on, and that’s both beautiful and sad at the same time.

Prattle Call

This week’s new Dustinland comic is about the nervous polite chit chat that most meetings begin with. This is not limited to remote meetings, although they seem to make it a bit worse. But even in the office you have it. There’s that silence when everyone is just filing in and the first attendees feel the need to fill the void with something, but we’re not all friends so we all just wind up talking about the most nothingness of nothings. It’s honestly not even talking, it’s more like a ritual of politeness, like bowing.

I think the most painful for me personally is people from warm sunny places like LA talking about the weather. Either that or “got any weekend plans?”

Tooned Out

This week’s new Dustinland comic is my response to all the idiots out there who think it’s cool that this has been the warmest winter ever in New York (and surely some other places). I see it all the time, in comments on every social platform… well, sure it’s abnormally warm but hey, isn’t life about the universe conforming to my personal preferences? And when that happens, shouldn’t I just enjoy it and ignore the causes of said abnormal conditions? It’s truly painful. It’s like there’s a tornado coming and people are just standing there enjoying the breeze before it hits because hey, isn’t this a nice breeze on a hot day?

Man, we are dumb. It’s really sad. We are so doomed. The only mildly satisfying part will be when all these morons realize how wrong they were, but sadly that won’t even happen because just like with the war in Iraq, a few decades later and no one will admit they supported it. Oh well, it was a nice run. And we really did have everything, didn’t we… if you think about it.

PS If you’re a Ren & Stimpy fan, you should notice a ton of references in this strip, including the backgrounds. I was a huge fan of those first two seasons, and I really do feel that Ren’s simmering rage and irritation sums up my feelings personally. Also yes I know the creator was cancelled for doing scumbag things. I can still like the show though.

Blinded By The Light

This week’s new Dustinland comic is about something that actually does happen to me on occasion. I’ll wake up to a beam of light shining through the one-inch gap that the window shade doesn’t cover, only to see that somehow there is light blasting right into my eye from an ultra bright street light a block away. Seems intentional if you ask me.

Am I alone here?

Free Cat

This week’s new Dustinland comic is the story of how we got our cat. I’ve told this story to many people in real life, but now here it is in comic form. I think it was probably more entertaining when I was telling friends as it was happening. Like, when the cat was just living with us but wasn’t ours yet. That was pretty weird.

Great cat though. Worth the allergies. I think.

Bring Your Dad To Work Day

This week’s new Dustinland comic is a true story about what happened when my son joined me for a work meeting a couple of weeks ago. It’s funny — he really did a great job and enjoyed it… so I’m trying to encourage that initiative while simultaneously ensure he doesn’t follow me into advertising (in case you weren’t aware, that’s what I do to make money because it sure am hard paying the bills with comics).

Not that marketing hasn’t provided me with a wonderful life I appreciate every day. It’s just that the kid has his whole life ahead of him. I think my reco for him — or any young person — is to strive for a career where you care about the end result. And I mean you care because it means something to you as a person, your values, your artistic sensibilities, your vision of how earth and mankind can be — not because you want to succeed or make money or you simply have self-respect that requires you to do a great job at whatever you do. Now, of course most of us don’t get to do what we want and get paid for it… but that’s what being young is all about. You have the chance to strive for something special, and if that doesn’t pan out, you can fall in line like the rest of us and still have a satisfying life.

Outlookin

This week’s new Dustinland comic was inspired by my last trip into the city for work. I was walking to the office when I had this realization that I could be unfairly assuming everyone is awful. I mean, they could be, but is that the best way to live? I remember this graduation speech that David Foster Wallace gave, where basically he said sure, we can assume the worst of everyone, we may even be right about it… but we should strive to not see the world that way. After all, will it make us happier to live in protective bubbles of cynicism and disdain, or will it make us hate life and everyone around us?

Now, I’m not saying I live in the happy rainbow world either. But we’re always evolving and I think at least I’m more and more aware of my thoughts and sub-thoughts, and all I can do is strive to be better and happier.

Also weed girl in the comic is not a real person. I just thought it would be a funny way to end the strip so I made up this stoner friend. I do actually know someone like that but he’s a pretty normal looking dude and I didn’t feel like drawing that. High five.