I’m New Here 7

This week’s comic is my latest work for The River Journal. If you live in a suburban town, I think you’ll be able to relate — even if it’s not Westchester. That being said, there is a certain New Yorkness to this comic. This town always has had a bit of “if you’re not here, you’re nowhere” to it. One thing I don’t understand is why so many people can’t except other people’s choices. It always has to come back to a subconscious defense of their own lifestyle. Why? Why can’t we like different things?

Livin The Dream?

This week’s Dustinland comic is basically a combination of all the discussions I’ve been having in the real world. I moved to the burbs about 5 months ago and so now everyone wants to hear my take on it. It’s like when you get married or have kids or get back from a big vacation. Everyone asks you the same things—for good reason. But it does get tiring having the same conversation over and over again. Although there are some subtle nuances that can be more interesting if you really dig into them. Like seeing skunks and fearing ticks. That’s when I enjoy the conversation more.

And man, I really did see a skunk this weekend, crossing the street in front of my house. A skunk! I live 40 minutes from NYC! Later I showed my kid a picture of a skunk and told him, hey, if you ever see this animal, STAY AWAY. And then a neighbor told me, oh boy, coming out in broad daylight, could be a rabid skunk. Man, that’s not cool. Skunks are bad enough. Now it’s a rabid skunk!

But yeah, I do like it out here.

Welcome To Homeownership

So the new house I refer to in this week’s new Dustinland comic is not quite as bad as I make it out to be in the strip, but it definitely needs more work than I thought it would. While I’m exaggerating for the strip, it really does feel that way. Anytime anyone does anything on the house, they uncover some new unlucky nightmare that costs thousands of dollars to repair. Man, I guess this is what grumpy dads across America have been complaining about on sitcoms forever. Here’s to joining the club.

Mi Casa es Mi Casa

I just bought a house. And that’s what this week’s latest Dustinland comic is about. Honestly, I could write an entire graphic novel just about this. The entire process. In some ways you could say it took years. Just closing on the house alone was many months. I could go on and on here and now, but I will save it for future comics.

If I have the time to draw comics, that is, since I will soon be so broke, in my spare time I’ll have to be one of those guys selling bottled water at stoplights.

Land Lord

Not a lot to say about this week’s Dustinland comic. I just think the word land lord is funny. There really are no more lords. There’s no office lord. There’s no zoo lord. I really think landlord is the only lord left.