Ninja and Pirate

When A-Ha bought the neighborhood everyone thought things would turn around for the better. Decades later, the only sounds on these streets are those of police sirens and faint 1980’s synth-pop fading into the horizon.

Happy birthday tomorrow to my little sister Mary! She is going to be 22 which makes me feel really old because I still see her as 8. Little sisters of the world, your brothers will only ever see you as small and fragile and in need of protecting. Let your boyfriends and husbands know. Mary’s lucky because Zac (her boyfriend of many years) knows how to throw me off guard with talks of Pokemon and comics. He’s a clever one… Seriously though Mary, I hope you’re feeling well tomorrow because I’m coming over for dinner and you better be there. Otherwise who will I give this cracked vial of E. Coli to?

In sadder news, I’m sure you’ve heard, but Robin Williams has passed away. This seriously affected me because I’ve long held the opinion that he was one of, if not the, funniest person on this earth. His stand up was lightning fast and left me in stitches and he will be sorely sorely missed. I was wanting to do a tribute comic to him today but I convinced myself people would see it as tacky and/or exploitative. That’s something I didn’t want. So I settled for expressing my heartfelt admiration for this man’s work, and deep sorrow at his passing. He brought laughter into the world and that is such a universal good. I fully believe that wars, violence, and hatred would cease to exist if everyone could just stop being so serious and laugh once in a while. At jokes, at life, at each other, at yourself- just laugh. That’s why I make this comic. I don’t do it for fame and I certainly don’t do it for money (my bank account can attest to that) but I do it to try to keep away the sadness of life. As a clinically depressed man, I know how it feels to feel alone and defeated, much like I’m sure Mr. Williams felt. Some days you believe that no matter what you do, the world will continue to just tear itself apart and sink into darkness. That’s why I and others like me seek out the opportunity to make people laugh, to make people smile. Robin understood that no matter how terrible things became, you could always rely on humor to brighten the day of either you or someone else. Life is not a fun place. It’s dark, depressing, and full of death and countless tragedies everyday. The best thing we can do to make this life remotely habitable is to find the humor lurking between the solemnity of everyday existence. I truly believe that’s what Mr. Williams would want, for you not to mourn or be saddened but to remember him and his legacy by trying to brighten someone’s day, even for the littlest reason or amount. Nanu nanu, Captain. Rest well.