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.

Bliss 2 AKA “Not Monkeypox”

This week’s new Dustinland comic is not really about Monkeypox, but it sort of it. Basically, it’s about where I’m at right now, mentally speaking. Which is trying to avoid paying attention to stressful things I have no control over. Some people seem addicted to bad news and rage, and while I’m not saying to be uninvolved in the harsh realities that shape our world, I do think it is harmful to spend so much time either fuming or worrying.

And so… the dude abides.

Unqantifiable

This week’s new Dustinland comic is about the QAnon conspiracy, which is essentially a massive troll effort meant to destabilize America. On one hand, this is obviously absolutely frightening and depressing, but on the other hand, I think it’s more important to examine the state of our country and discuss why so many people were in the kind of mental state that this sort of madness would appeal to them. Because this is the real problem — and it’s a big one without a simple answer.

Escape

This week’s new Dustinland comic is about escaping. Literally and physically. Physically, leaving the city, or even your own cramped four walls you’ve been seeing over and over for so long. Mentally, escaping the same confines but in a different way… but also escaping what’s in your mind — Covid, Trump, all of it. But it seems that no matter what you do, something follows you. You can’t fully escape. You can’t just leave the world’s problems to everyone else. But how do you find the balance? How do you do what it takes to stay sane, but stay involved enough to make a difference?

Fast Times

I know this latest Dustinland comic is going to be seen as depressing for most people, especially parents. That’s okay. Sometimes we have to publicly talk about these things. You know, I spend most of my time entertaining people with my comics, making them feel better, distracting them. But the world is full of distractions. And social media is full of people saying “look at me, look what I did, look how great my life is, yay.” But that’s not reality. And that’s not looking at the hard truths that affect our lives. So yes, sorry if I bummed you out, but I do think it’s good to acknowledge some of the darker thoughts we all have from time to time, and maybe that will make us feel a little less alone.

Two comics for the new year

I drew two comics for the new year.

A positive one. 

A negative one. 

Which did you click on first?

20 Years

This new Dustinland comic is not so much about my new book (which you can now buy here at Amazon!) but rather inspired by it. It’s about the thought process behind it, and the hopes, fears, dreams, and paranoia brought on from discussing it with people in the real world. So really it’s more about success, as an artist and as a human.

It’s a topic I’ve touched on before and probably will again, but I felt that this 20-year milestone was the right time to dive into it.

Also, I was inspired by my trip last night to the Society of Illustrators for a goodbye party for MAD Magazine, as they are moving from their classic NYC home out to the west coast to join the rest of their DC Comics companions/overlords. As an occasional contributor, it was an honor to be among great like Al Jaffee, Tom Bunk, Hermann Mejia and basically a huge room full of some of the world’s best cartoonists. I’d like to thank all the awesome MAD editors and staffers (especially Jonathan Bresman and Ryan Flanders), who were so kind to me over the years, and who brought me into this amazing family of talented artists and creators. It’s a bummer to see the gang split up and such a NY institution leave town, but hey, the times they are a changin.

To Be Young

Okay, so kids aren’t always as happy as I make them out to be in this week’s new Dustinland comic. BUT, I do think that in general, they are way happier than adults. They live in a naive world of joy where nothing bad has ever happened, aside from maybe someone they know got hurt or something like that. But certainly for kids, there is no war, terrorism, mass shootings, bombings, opioids, depression… etc… (first world kids, that is). And I think that’s one of the best parts of being a parent. Being around these perfect little balls of happiness is just so refreshing and invigorating. Of course I’m sad I will one day have to pass along this awful orb of misery we call human civilization, and I’ll have to teach him about how shitty people can be, but for now, it’s alllllll good.

Stay Young

I’ll admit it, a lot of my comics are depressing. I am definitely a pessimist. Or perhaps a realist at best. But as I allude to in this week’s new Dustinland comic, that’s what’s nice about being a parent. Kids are so naive and wonderful, they do seem to really love life. And that’s something to learn from. True, you can never go back to the garden again, but you can at least try to learn something from the way they experience life. In the face of such endless misery — like the awful events in the news today, this week, this month, this past year — what else can you do but try to do your best, to make the world better, and to find some joy in the world, wherever you can.

The Straggle

I don’t know what to say about this week’s Dustinland comic, but I do like how weird it gets at the end. Well, not weird, but let’s say I think it doubles down nicely on the concept of the strip.