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.

Bohemian Crapsody

This new Dustinland comic is obviously set to the lyrics of a song we all know and probably love, or at least find amusing. But not the part most people focus on. I don’t know how it happened, but these lyrics came to mind as just a perfect illustration of how I’ve been feeling lately.

Of course the next logical step would be to follow with a panel that replaces “Mama!” with “MAGA!” but I like that I ended it on this mental health note, which is essentially saying we all need to step away from everything and just briefly say “I don’t care.” It doesn’t mean to actually not care or to give up and not try. It just means you can’t let it be your entire life, you can’t keep doom strolling. Turn it off, unplug, and just BE.

Mindfulmess

My 900th Dustinland comic is about meditation and the search for inner peace. That was totally unintentional, although it is a nice coincidence. I actually wanted to make a special comic for #888 and make it all about the number 8, but I forgot, and drew another comic, and then it was too late to go back. So I guess you’ll have to wait until #999, in which case I will be building up to #1000 by then, which is pretty cray cray.

I did do a special Dustinland comic for #500, which you can check out. But yeah, calmness. Meditation. I try. It’s hard. Five minutes feels like five hours. I do believe it’s good for you, even though it feels like torture, as I sit there and fight my rambling mind. They say you shouldn’t fight it, just let it go, and maybe concentrate on breathing. But I don’t know… it’s just not fun. Yet they say it works — it even helps your physical health. I should probably do more of that and less of beer, but, hey, you know, like the kids say, YOLO.

Talking To Myself

This week’s Dustinland comic speaks for itself. Pretty depressing I guess! Not really a cry for help. More like a substitute for therapy.

Also, my comic updates have not been as regular as they once were. This is why. Just hard to creatively get it up these days, if you will. Well, maybe it’s just a phase.

Days of Despair

This week’s Dustinland comic is about how I fight depression in these dark days. I mean, man, it’s getting pretty bad. When those kids were being taken from their parents, I just didn’t know what to do. I remember drawing an extra comic just to deal with it. Staying up late to do something, anything. Now of course the problem hasn’t be solved, but things are so bad, we’re just happy it’s not getting worse.

Anyway, yeah, if you want to look at it rationally, we are PRETTY fucked. I mean, it’s bad. But emotionally, that can really screw you over unless you just accept it in an eastern “life is suffering” sort of way, or… or I don’t know. You laughing at farting bunny comics.

“I’d rather be a humorous fool than a serious jackass.” — Way of the Peaceful Warrior

Blah Whatever

This week’s new Dustinland comic is about how life is telling me to slow down, but the rest of me is fighting the urge, even though I know it is the most beneficial approach. You know, in terms of happiness. But sometimes I think happiness is boring. Not happiness, but rather contentedness. You know, meditation, quietness, simple things — it’s just been done before.

I don’t know what I am talking about. Sorry for rambling. In other news, I drew this comic last week when the government was taking babies from their parents. But you know, because they’re immigrants, it’s okay. That’s America! Can you believe it? Who’d a thunk it would get to this point, where each day they trot out a new moral outrage just to see what they can get away with. How far can they push it and have us still take it, or even worse, enjoy it! Well, you can see why I made the new comic I just did.

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.

Color Therapy

Despite the feel of this week’s Dustinland comic, I love the whole adult coloring book thing that’s been super hot the last year or so. It’s like monks making those sand tapestries or whatever they’re called. Very eastern. Mindless meditative art is awesome. Hey, that’s one of the things I love about drawing comics. Yes, the first part of it is anything but mindless. But once it’s written and pencilled, the inking and coloring is relaxing. And mindless doodling, that’s even better. Just getting lost in your art… I love that more people are doing it, even if it’s “just” coloring.

But it is funny to see my wife using coloring books more than my kid.