The Gang is Back

 

Truth is I took a small break from Life N Death. Not from working on it, but just from posting. I still have plenty of strips to run, but depression got the best of me and started playing games with my self esteem. 

I started telling myself that people weren't reading it, that they didn't like it. That they needed a break.

So I gave them one, whether they actually needed it or not. 

In some ways I hope you missed it, and wondered where the strips had gone. But if I can be honest, in other ways...it goes much deeper.

I had to remind my self that I started this web comic for myself first and foremost. To help ME cope with the darkness that would randomly fall over my mind. 

Here we are 5 months into this pandemic, and life is still doing its nasty little dance. It feels like we've lost even more and that there isn't a lot of hope in sight. It also has allowed me to feel defeated. 

So I'm bringing Jack, Kermeet and Mister D back from their very brief mini vacation early. They're back to give me some focus. Some clarity.

And hopefully to bring you guys the occasional laugh.

Have a great week everyone.

Walt Disney World in the time of Covid

Let me just start by saying how much I missed this place. It was always my happy place and I'd like to hope that it will remain that way. 

That being said. Times are changing and its a very different world we are living in now compared to 4 months ago. 

The Walt Disney World Resort has been closed for just shy of four months now thanks to the onslaught of the Coronavirus. In an attempt at normality and no doubt one to save dwindling bottom lines, the parks are putting their big mouse toes into the reopening waters. 

Opening full time to guests again starting July 11, the powers that be were gracious enough to give their employees a Cast Member Preview to one park. Thankfully, both my daughter and my best friend work at Disney, so I was allowed to tag along with them to Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom respectively on July 7th, and 8th. 

What follows, are my observations as to what could very well become the norm for attending The Happiest Place on Earth in the age of Covid 19.

Suit Up

So a guy I went to high school with got Covid-19 and died.

I tell myself to Let that sink in. 

A little longer.

Yeah, it still hasn't really sunk in with me. I admit I had to go into one of my old year books to look up Rene Chavez. I remembered him. I think we interacted a few times. I don't have anything bad to say about him, we just ran in different circles. 

But somehow, his passing makes me feel as sad as if we'd been best friends. 

He was school teacher, a husband....a daddy. He was my fucking age. 

And yet, I still see people chancing this shit. Walking around without masks. 

NOT. EVEN. TRYING!

Look, I get it. Wearing the mask sucks ass. Its hot, it makes your face sweat, and you have to breathe in the tacos you had for lunch a few minutes before. And you know what, it may not really be as effective at blocking this shit as we'd like it to be. 

But ultimately what the fuck does it hurt? If there's even a remote chance it could save your life, save someone else life...your sweet abuelita....your cousin Panfilo with the diabetes, wouldn't you take it?

I live in Florida where this thing is exploding by massive and gargantuan proportions. It's everywhere. And I just want to hedge my bets the best I can. I want that for all of you as well. I don't want you to die from this. I don't even want you to get sick from it. 

Take into consideration that in many places, like where I live, it's MANDATORY. Like seat belts, and no smoking in restaurants. Like not drunk driving, or robbing banks. It's a rule...and people just don't seem to give a shit.

My daughter and I had to go to the groceries. We wore our masks. We saw a family. Mom, Dad, 4 kids, most of them grade school aged. And the kids were wearing the masks....and the parents weren't. Let's say for the sake of argument that the kids are safe...they don't get it...but what about you Mom and Dad!? You get that shit, you both die....your babies are orphans. 

Good God the sheer amount of people whose freedoms are being so imposed upon because they are being asked to join the fight against this shit.....it's disturbing. Man, some of you dumb shits wear masks on Halloween, in the winter when its cold out....its a piece of thin fabric that you wear for a brief fleeting moment when you're out. 

Don't you get it? I want you to be healthy..I want you to not die. I want you to not carry this garbage to others and potentially harm them.

Oh...but TONS of people are recovering. 

And? People are getting it again. People are ending up with lasting long term effects from it. 

And guess what....PEOPLE ARE STILL DYING FROM IT. 

People who should still be on this planet. Holding their loved ones, laughing at silly moments, creating, contributing...living their lives. 

I dare you fucks who refuse to follow the rules and wear a mask, to walk into a closed room. A closed room filled with people sick and dying from it. Coughing and sneezing in your damn faces. I dare you to stand there with them and shit talk. Talk about how you'll be fine. How a mask wouldn't help anyway. Don't you DARE ask them to put a mask on to protect you. Breathe it in. Suck it in. THEN tell me how masks are pointless, and infringing on your freedom. 

Its a piece of fabric you're being asked to use to cover up a part of your body. I'm not seeing the outcry from people pissed off because their leaders are telling them they have to cover their naughty bits in public. Its the same damn principle. At the very least...the faster we curb this shit, the sooner you can go around showing your ugly faces again. It'll match your ugly fucking ideals.

Think of others, so that they'll think of you in return. Put on your mask. Suit Up. Safety and humanity will look good on you.

And for those shaking their heads. Those in the back, saying this pandemic is fake, that more people die from this or that, that its just another disease people are dying from....Tell that to the kids who have lost their parent, the wife that lost her husband....tell it to the countless dead....

Tell it to Rene Chavez. 

rest in peace Rene. 

For the Record...

The Boogar Bunch

I'm not done with these guys. Not by a longshot. They're just on a short vacation. They'll be back soon. I promise.

Stopping the Hate

If it isn't one thing with our country its the other.

What has happened? We went from lockdowns and looking out for each other, to looting in the streets. All because of the seemingly recurring issues affecting Black Lives, and continuing violence and racism against them

It's been heartbreaking to say the least. And George Floyd seems to be another victim of the worse that law enforcement could offer. But times will show, he will become so much more than just another victim. He will forever become a symbol for change.

I usually choose to not engage in politics or current events. But I have this platform now. This strip, that deals with the day to day of life and death. It has given me the outlet to vent, to observe and to speak. 

There has to be change. There has to be some difference. There has to be overwhelming solidarity and unity.

My heart hurts for every color, race, breed, gender identification and human being involved. I feel for the good, fair, and well meaning members of law enforcement. After all they aren't all acting with hate. Many are standing side by side with protestors. They are condemning the acts of the few. 

But it isn't about them. Its about the lives in turmoil. The lives being acted against only because their skin color is different. Right now its about showing that Black Lives Matter.

Life N Death

I honestly never thought depression would play a factor in my life. Much less thoughts of suicide.

Somewhere a little over two years ago, flickers of both started to show their ugly faces. I didn't understand them then and I still don't really understand them now. After all, when they began to surface, things in my life couldn't have seemed more perfect. 

I was making money doing something I loved for a living. I had the opportunity to travel. I was married to my best friend. Had two beautiful daughters and had just found out I had a third on the way.

Life couldn't be much more perfect.

But it corroded. 

Fast forward to about 7 months ago, and I had decided to end it all. I was going to take a cruise and never come home from it. 

I even had the perfect suicide note. I called it "The Kill Myself Cruise" and it was going to star the three characters you see in the above image. 

Mister D. 

A naive Grim Reaper who is new to life.

Jack. 

An aging cartoonist dealing with depression, suicidal thoughts, and life in general.

Kermeet. 

His stuffed frog toy from childhood who had always been there, and never let him down.

Luckily for me. Something changed. I won't get into all the details. But something did change. And it allowed me to walk off that boat, and continue trying to best the depression.

Things however went from bad to worse. So many details, so many stories, so much heartbreak, adventure, malarky, and memories. 

Then one day, out of the blue, I got to thinking of romance. And how much I missed it. I came up with a funny little cartoon strip idea about it. And I decided to see if I could incorporate these characters into it. So the first strip you'll read isn't even the first one I wrote. But its honestly probably the most powerful. 

I'm far from out of the woods with my depression. 

The world, is in a crazier place than, ANY of us probably could've ever imagined it would be. Viruses, rampant racism, murder, division and a crumbling society. There's so much left to deal with. 

Maybe, just maybe, this strip can be my saving grace through it all. And if it does something positive for anyone else dealing with the shit storms in their minds, then there is a reason I walked off that cruise ship and continued my fight.

Here are the first six strips of Life N Death. Be good to one another and enjoy.

That moment. I was Ready. But Mister D wasn't.

It really isn't a pretty sight.

Those FB avatars really drove me bonkers.

Need I say more? 

It's the little things right?

True Story. At least the first few weeks of lockdown.

and the latest. 

If anyone actually reads my blog, they got an early preview of today's strip before it releases to the social media masses. I hope you guys like them as much as I'm enjoying making them. Have a wonderful weekend!

Under Construction

I honestly thought about waiting to post something until June 2. I figured this way I could say I made it another whole year without posting on this blog. Even though I said I was going to make more of an effort.

Truth is, between social media and laziness, I never had the desire to. 

Is there really any point to a website anymore anyway? I can post updates on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, snapchat, linked in, linked out, inside, outside, up and down. 

But you just don’t get the full Monty on those social media utopias. And here? Well, you came here for a reason. And maybe you’re willing to spend a little extra time reading. 

And then there’s that whole pesky Coronavirus.....thing. 

Life has taken quite a tumble for EVERYONE in the last couple of months. I found myself with so much extra time, I figured, why not do something productive.

After the first two weeks of growing facial hair, sitting around in my underwear, binging on Netflix, PS4 and my Nintendo switch, it was time to put down the little debbies and get to being effective.

I made myself a 20 something list of things I wanted to accomplish. 

I’ve caught up on commissions, cleaned out the garage, finished 120 Marvel cards for an upcoming set, rearranged my studio, took my vitamins, said my prayers and started training. I’ve become Hulk Hogan lite.

And of course I wanted to update my site. 

I’m nowhere near done. But I cleaned out a bunch of the older artwork I’d been hoarding. Stuff that I thought was pretty great in its own specific time, but now reminded me of primitive cave art, has all been kicked to the digital curb. 

That being said, if you fart around enough with the links, you’re bound to run into this pink haired (and also redesigned) beauty. But I promise you, I am working on it!

The lockdown/quarantine has at the very least gifted me with time. Time to create, time to de-clutter, and time to catch up. 

I’ll make another quasi empty promise to continue the updates here. Because sometimes I feel like writing more than just 140 characters. Even if no one reads them.

See you guys soon!