If you are one of those people who finds it difficult to say if the glass is half full or half empty, you might have a new term to describe yourself—Optipess. It's a word made up out of two contrasting mental attitudes—optimism and pessimism—that can actually coexist in the universe of this Norwegian comic artist, Kristian Nygård. And the result is entertaining comics that are sometimes funny and silly, sometimes sad, and hit us right in the feels. The artist's name might ring a bell for any pandas who have been around a while, because we first featured Nygård's webcomics that explain depression over 5 years ago. Fast-forward to today—he's still turning his random ideas into witty comics drawn in his own distinct style. His topics range from mental health and social issues to pop culture and gaming, so everyone can find something they will enjoy and relate to.
"I wanted the name of my comic to somewhat describe the content, so the word Optipess is a combination of the words optimism and pessimism and I hope the comics will feel like juxtapositions of the two terms. The resulting comics are then hopefully sometimes silly and sometimes dark, or with elements of both," Nygård told Bored Panda.
More info: Instagram | patreon.com | optipess.com | Facebook | twitter.com
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Once my dad left me and my brother in the car, and my brother somehow figured out how to turn on the car, without the key. He almost started driving but my dad came back just in time. ;-;
My sister and I looked the keys in the car, when we got bored and went to find our parents in the store we didn't want to go to at first.
Load More Replies...That dude deserved what he got for leaving his dog in the car when its FREAKING HOT
i am here to educate y'all on leaving kids and dogs in cars! Even at 70F (21 C) the car can get up to 100F (37C) degrees within fifteen minutes! Leaving anyone in a car at that temperature can result in heatstroke, brain damage, and death.. It only takes 15 minutes for that to happen. Heat is extra tough for dogs because they can only cool themselves down by panting! Even with the windows cracked, the car will still overheat VERY quickly in hot or warm weather. It's actually illegal in some states. If you notice a dog locked in a car, try and locate the driver of the car. If that's not possible, take note of the car's model, color, and license plate. Call the non-emergency number for your area, local police, or animal control and they should be able to help the dog get to safety and educate the owner of the dog about the dangers of leaving a dog in a car! I hope this helps somebody :)
Sir, it's time for your snack and nap. You don't want to be sleepy while fighting crime, do you?
Nygård started creating Optipess in 2007 and a year later, he put his first comic online in English.
"I started doing them to have a creative outlet and now, over 12 years later (!) I wouldn't really know how to stop," Nygård told Bored Panda. "Usually I try to hone in on whatever is on my mind and make it into a comic. (Then, if I'm lucky, I won't have to think about the particular topic anymore!)"
All of us... Everyone sees that everyone else looks so much happier and better than them, so they pretend, just to fit in, to not be humiliated as the only miserable one, the only loser.... but they don't know that all those people were actually pretending too, and by doing it, they reinforce this pressure and shame in other people. It is a painful, endless, unjustified circle of shame and lies.
Load More Replies...This is what I do. But the mask is so itchy and uncomfortable I take it off whenever I'm alone. (Metaphorically)
My Ouija board keeps saying "Boo! LOL J/K!" Stupid teenage ghosts.
It's an US thing. I've forgetten what they call that board. There is an alphabet on that board and they hold a piece which is supposed to be guided by a ghost who wants to communicate with them.
Load More Replies...We asked Nygård about his inspirations.
"My favorite moment of inspiration is right before I fall asleep! Which can be treacherous if I don’t force myself to write down whatever I start thinking about. Also, ideas come from being intensely interested in a subject, then being intensely bored so you’re forced to process the information in another way. Don't underestimate boredom!" Write that down, bored pandas.
But I neeeeeed the stick piece to eliminate 4 rows at once. I just need it. 🤣🤣
Load More Replies..."Gay is when two men, or two women, are in love, instead of a woman and a man." It's one sentence.
If you aren't sure how to explain it to your children, ask le gays. They'll know.
Just explain that have different kinds of love. And love is love.
Love is love. I don't care what your religion is, your religion is not an excuse to be a jerk. And, anyway, why are you homophobes trying to control the gays' love lives? Do you guys have some sort of fetish??
I think it would be harder to explain to children why they were brought into a world that is grossly overpopulated where resources will be running out in their lifetime. But that is just me.
I always marvel at homophobia. It exists. So do rocks and trees. And? Let's just... keep living our lives and letting others live theirs. (Note: I suspect I just quoted my mother. Oh dear.)
Well i mean homophobia kills people so its kinda hard to ignore
Load More Replies...Here's how the artist describes his comics on his Patreon page: "It’s a comic which is sometimes sad, sometimes silly, but hopefully always entertaining. Optipess is usually about most things between romance and Cthulhu."
The artist says his webcomics are "devoid of continuity, character development, story arcs, logic, and wit," which is a very humble way to describe artwork with a unique sense of humor liked by thousands of people across social media.
However, you can spot a recurring character in Nygård's comics who is based on him and calls him "somewhat of a punching bag in a particular strip." The artist says that the main reason he sticks to the same character in non-character-driven comics is that it makes the drawing process much easier and the comics more recognizable for readers.
EXACTLY. I was thinking that when i clicked on this
Load More Replies...Yes yes, phone bad book good. Never mind that this art was done digitally and then posted online.
I think you may have missed the point. It is saying that the parents are only interested in cute pictures of their kid... instead of actually being interested in the kid...
Load More Replies...Pretty sure most of my childhood was documented with Cameras and camcorders. What's the difference?
I'm the eldest and the first grandchild on both sides. There's thousands of pictures of my childhood. I never once mistook a polaroid camera for my parent. 🙄
Oh no. Parents photograph their children. What is the world coming to? Doom and woe. It's all been downhill sicne the 1800s. This is only deep if you're shallow.
These people are a cartoon. And they're only a cartoon. They exist in the imaginations of people who are scared of technology.
Load More Replies...I think we should call him George from now on to clear up any confusion. All in favor
Actually, it isn't "Frankenstein's Monster" either. The actual monster in the novel is Dr Frankenstein himself. Dr Frankenstein never named his creation, referring to him as "demon" and "abomination" (amongst other things), but his creation referred to himself as "The Adam of a man playing at God." ... I have always found it interesting that people (who obviously haven't read the book) seem to think of the man who robbed graves and murdered beggars as "doctor" and the creature he created that stopped him is a "monster."
"The Adam of a man playing at God." That's true, the name of the book is "Frankenstein or the modern Prometheus", Prometheus gave the fire to humans, acting like a god, and he was severely punished. Like Frankenstein who wanted to play God, and was severely punished. This book is so good, i read it several times with pain for the poor "wretch".
Load More Replies...Wait, so if you see it, what will you yell??? - "Aaahh! Frankensteins monster!!" ???
so, if Frankenstein is the doctor... then... what is the monster's name?
The artist admits he is an avid movie, video game, and music fan on "moderate, passionate, and obsessive levels, respectively," which reflects in his comics. Various pop culture characters such as Batman and villains from horror classics such as Freddy Krueger, Jason Voorhees, and Frankenstein's monster (by the way, learn the difference between Frankenstein and the actual monster in one of the comics) make an occasional cameo in Nygård's humorous comics with dark undertones.
Yup. Makes me think of the US's gun homicide problem, and the typical governmental and cultural reaction. But the whole "thoughts and prayers" (ie: doing nothing) extends way beyond just that one type of tragedy.
It is convenient: it looks like you are doing something, it spares your self-righteousness, but you don't need to actualy make any effort.
Actually it would have been a guy just making a video of this happen instead of thoughts and prayers
Honestly, this is self-serving in many ways, and I don't mean the thought and prayers. Those who complains didn't exactly do anything more than them. Add another guy telling him he could just throw him the life buoy, and not do it either.
i do shirts so yo can just tell me when your ready
Load More Replies...My husband had to explain that Jason & Freddy are playing tic-tac-toe. He is laughing hysterically. I am appalled. This is marriage.
9 people for tic tak toe and those murdered get to live happy a win-win
"I’ve always been a sucker for dark humor and I like to play with the notion that every situation, no matter how happy and cheerful it might be, it also has an alternate darker side when seen from another perspective. This also goes for the other way around, a dark and hopeless situation for one part might be completely joyous for someone else, and in the intersection between cheerfulness and despair, there’s room for a lot of hilarity."
Although it looks like Kristian Nygård puts his funny random thoughts into well-drawn strips of comics, some of them are deeper than they might seem. He often uses humor to cleverly speak his mind and struggles about serious topics such as mental health, technology, LGBTQ+ rights, politics, and other things that are wrong with our society.
I'd love to play that, cherries are delicious! But not the juices....
Nygård shared the most challenging and rewarding things about creating comics: "The writing is by far the most challenging, and I have to keep pushing myself to try to go the extra mile when coming up with gags. It’s all too easy to settle for the first and easiest punchline, so the times when I’ve managed to push a concept to the most logical and hopefully best conclusion are the most rewarding."
Yup, story of my life. I asked this wonderful lady to go out with me and she said yes! Then an extinction level event occurred and we couldn't....oh wait, that happens next week...never mind...
Ooh I’ve seen some of these. I never understood why you would do this stuff. It’s not that funny.
this would never really happen but me and my brother would get very mad. my parents take some, they say it's taxes. we've never gotten mad over it.
I would never kill my parents, but I definitely know some people who would over something like this.
Nygård previously told Bored Panda: "I’ve discovered that by succeeding in sharing something genuine—presented in a true and honest way—it will inevitably always resonate with someone, somewhere." Being online for over ten years and having made over 1000 comics, he seems to know a thing or two about creating honest and relatable content as he now has 149k followers on Instagram and over 16k followers on Facebook.
"The reactions I get are usually all over the place, so I try not to get too caught up in what people are saying. Of course, I love it if people have positive reactions, but if someone says the comics are 'too dark' I can totally see that, but I choose not to let it affect me in any way."
The artist hopes that he's able to convey his worldview through his comics and that his voice is recognizable even if the comic is drawn in a different style and features different characters.
"First and foremost, I hope people are amused by them in some way," Nygård said about the effect on people he wants his comics to evoke. "But in addition, I hope I can expose and articulate a truth the reader already knew but wasn’t aware of—even if the particular comic might be a poop joke."
Teucer T, I was actually talking about how Trump had ruined everything. Biden's gonna fix it tho.
Load More Replies...The US is still going through the wash... All the dirty spots will hopefully be washed away with time :)
As soon as you cough or sneeze you automatically get assumed that you got Coronavirus....
Load More Replies...A year ago when this whole mess started to be a thing, I heard a joke. "I used to cough to hide a fart. Now I fart to hide a cough."
So far, the proudest moment in Nygård's career was an Optipess book released in late 2019 in Norway.
"I’m super proud of that, but I’m hoping to top that at some point. The comic has also been in print in various publications over the years (it’s currently in the Norwegian Nemi magazine!) and I always get a kick out of seeing my comics in any kind of physical form."
Drawing comics is not the artist's full-time job, but he says he would love to dedicate more time to it, and you can actually be a part of this wish! Consider supporting Optipess on Patreon as it "truly means the world" to Nygård.
Anti vaccine, much like anti mask, is really about selfishness. Some people are so selfish, they'd risk the health of everyone around them (as well as their own, and that of their families) just to 'protect' THEIR FREEDUMB!
The danger of having too much information available on the internet. People will always find "proof" that their belief, no matter how asinine, is true. And it's not just "anti-vaxxers"... It's also people who believe the problem Michigan's governor is having is due to ignorant people who don't understand how dangerous COVID is rather than people being pissed off that the order has prevented their grandma from getting the hip surgery she needs for almost a year now so that hospitals can have empty beds "just in case they are needed."
Load More Replies...The freedom to have guns, drive drunk, or go withotu a mask ENDS WHERE ANOTHER PERSON'S RIGHT TO LIFE AND LIBERTY BEGINS. Sorry-not-sorry...
Actually, some people are just dumb anti-vaxxers, and others have a good reason, for example ive gotten all the vaccines and stuff for school, like all the shots and whatever, but my parents wont get the covid vaccine because it hasnt been used long enough to know the long-term side effects of it.
I always love an intelligent, well researched response to an important discussion.
Load More Replies...As long as you don't admit you are wrong, you don't feel the embarrasment of being wrong... it is more comfortable, so some people do not do it.
I was reading an article about vaccines and found this funny. The french Marianne walking on a line between covid and vaccine, because frenchies are the most scepticals about vaccines in the world. But not like "antivaccers" "conspiracy theorists" trending, just because we are sceptical about a lot of things. In december only 40 per cent of french people wanted to get vaccinated against Covid. 20210211_1...332427.jpg
To wrap up, Nygård shared his recipe for overcoming creative block and a piece of motivation for upcoming artists who would like to succeed online!
"Keeping up motivation, especially these days, can be hard, but I firmly believe the alternative of NOT having a creative outlet would feel even worse. So whenever I feel blocked and can’t really come up with anything I’m excited about, a way out is to just to finish something even if it’s probably not perfect. A half-decent to OK comic is better than no comic at all, and usually, it helps me to jumpstart into the next comic. Related to that, for upcoming artists, the best thing is to just start and finish something. Chances are it is probably not amazing (of course, it CAN be!), but at least it’s done. Rinse and repeat, and along the way, people might fall in love with you."
Let's see... Pale king no cost too great, prime factorization... Boss perfect dark Gaia, Petz Catz music... and a video of a possum eating a strawberry.
Load More Replies...Vegan how to google docs school essay Math calculator when will COVID end how to not be lonely during COVID Bon Jovi and so on.....
Could people please not be downvoted for not getting the joke? There’s no need to dislike their comment asking for clarification.
It's cute how people think just deleting browser history does something. ----- the IT guy
For more funny comics with unexpected twists, you might want to check out some of the recent comics by great artists featured on Bored Panda. Here are cute comics by Ryan Pagelow that become not-so-cute when you reach the twisted ending; Tony esp ends his comics in a weird and unexpected way; Cameron Spires, known as goattoself, draws completely absurd, but hilarious strips; and Super Combo Deluxe creates random and offbeat comics you might also like. Enjoy!
i would be like "I'M FROM THE FUTURE I KNOW WHAT HAPPENS!! IF YOU VALUE YOUR LIVES GET OFF THIS SHIP RIGHT NOW!! IF YOU DIE, IT'S YOUR FAULT!! BYE!"
Nobody believes the raving madman in weird clothes. Haven't you seen that movie?
Load More Replies...Lots of people say they would go back and save the titanic but even if it did not happen to the titanic then it would just happen to another ship
Not the right time, but to be fair more died from Trumps recklessness about COVID than people died on the Titanic.
It would've been really funny if he drew a knife through the heart!
Load More Replies...In '88 as a hs senior, I dreamt about being in a Fri13 movie; the Jason actor was a hottie, and wasn't any of those who actually played him, tho'. The next day, a friend in class brought a hockey mask and I was freaked out!
The funny thing for me is that October 13th was my wedding day, but I'm divorced now. And I'm typing this with my cat asleep on my lap. My ex was allergic to them.
Its friday the 13 and he sees its cold and windy outside and says meh whyskip one day of work
“this doomsday event is sponsored by Pepsi Starbucks Coca-Cola and McDonald’s”
But that's messed up...they're only kids...
Load More Replies...Hells Angles...yes, that was geometry as I remember from school.
XDDDD does anyone get the glowing weak spots part from Lost Planet Extreme Conditions on Xbox360?
Load More Replies...but...but...that glowing eyes....and that glowing mouth. They should just recruit HALO or DOOM player instead of Fortnite player
Not to me, amigo. I support the Galactic Council.
Load More Replies...🎶Eenie meenie miney mo, catch a lady by her toes, if she screams, don't let her go🎶 this reminds me of Melanie Martinez.
i dont understand some people's problem with gays or bis. love is love and some people still need to learn that.
Actually, some people have a problem with all of the sexualities and genders. I get bullied at school for being a non-binary lesbian. They always tell me my pronouns aren't real and non-binary isn't a gender. I get made fun of for liking girls, but that doesn't stop me.
Load More Replies...There is a Homophobia award in the background of the 4th panel. Also why do some people not like gay people
The sooner people learn to go home and sit in judgement on themselves is when we'll have a chance at getting better...
lol i should do this to i can play animal crossing with somebody
And that demon probably talks less smack than your typical twelve-year-old gamer...
This needs some clarification: Ripe tomatoes are generally not recommended but not fatal for cats - unripe tomatoes and tomato plants contain solanine, which is dangerous for them, but that compound is greatly reduced as the fruit ripens. However, tomato sauce often contains onion and garlic, which is orders of magnitude more fatal for cats - minute amounts of onion or garlic can send them into renal failure.
I before E except after C.... "Garfield" sorry I had too. one person, fine everyone? not fine.
https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/i-before-e-except-after-c
Load More Replies...does this mean reviving ppl is possible? cuz the way I see it you just switch out the candle with a new one
Okay, but I find this relatable. There have been so many times I thought someone solved an answer for me but never said the solution-
Also why I dislike "no necroing" unwritten rule. Mostly when it's the first or only Google hit.
Load More Replies...Tried that, the kittens nuzzled him and went to sleep.
Load More Replies...I love rats. Almost as much as I love cats. I really wish that I could get rats. One day I WILL be a crazy crat lady...if that works out...
Load More Replies...It's a terrible joke. "Pilots can't fly", but they took off and flew for long enough to then remember "F**k we don't know how to fly". Moreso, we also can't fly. So it just doesn't work.
Penguins and Ostriches are flightless birds. So they're on a plane and learning to fly.
Load More Replies...I mean, boston dynamics are working on robots for the military already...
Welp, while they watch that, start prepping for life on mars. Or you can stay and observe what happens to humanity.
And I'm downvoting you. They are just trying to help
Load More Replies...Somehow you have created an ad hominem attack that combines feminism, sexism, lies and rudeness all in one sentence. (Slow clap)
Load More Replies...With the power to drink beer and watch sports on Sunday, Man-Spider leaps...onto the couch for a nap...
Man-spider, man-spider, Does whatever a man can, Can he swing from a web, No he can't, he's a man. Here comes the man-spider.
Plot twist new boyfriend, doesn't want child around
Load More Replies...From what I'm seeing the dad/brother/mom's boyfriend/etc used a puppet to scare the kid at night and now they're taking him to the mental hospital even it was all that dudes fault
Load More Replies...Unclear whether it's about a dead spouse or necrophilia. I'll probably get downvoted either way for questioning it.
This is a video response: https://youtu.be/ks219IgrXhM?t=308
Load More Replies...CORPSE HUSBAND YESSSSS (also do you watch dream and georgenotfound? i do)
Load More Replies...wait no- I should not be crying over this, it feels too close to home-
Haha. The best would be all three at the same time... ;) Man, I miss going to cons.
Did anybody else see the threesome and foursome on the list or is it just me😳
BREAKING: POLICE DOG ARRESTS HIS OWN TAIL AFTER FINALLY CAPTURING IT!
Creepy. What's appealing about sharing someone else's shirt though?
nanny overload world domination mode starting in 3...2...1... *boom*
*GASP* THE OCTOPUS WAS CHEATING ON THE BIRD, THERE IS BAT WINGS!!!!!!!!
Normally it takes intense and prolonged suffering to make someone lose their childhood, but you do you, I guess.. I had to be put into foster care when I lost mine, so it's a bit of a kick in the balls that some people can apparently lose theirs so painlessly 🤷♂️
Load More Replies...Smoking frog reminds me of some bad luck guy saying "I wonder if life smokes after it f*cks me" it was in a movie I think. Always makes me laugh.
Please have a long hard think about your existence.
Load More Replies...?......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................?
The Monster wanted some tattoos! In all actuality, I really like the embroidery/cross stitch tattoo style.
"Humanitiy doomed again AGAIN, everyone is freezing" ad: "Icepops now 50% off!"
Load More Replies...Improvise. Adapt. Overcome. Eat. Sleep. Drink.
Load More Replies...🎶And we will all go together when we go What a comforting fact that is to know Universal bereavement An inspiring achievement Yes, we all will go together when we go🎶 ---Tom Lehrer
I hate it. Cant even watch the videos I need to for school with it on.
Load More Replies...hehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehe
because of the money in the overalls of the bear it is implied that the bear sold the other stuffed animals so that only he would remain, at least that's what i think
Load More Replies...In the past, maybe now even, planes and trains, even buses release the contents of their bathroom facilities into the air or onto the track. He was standing in the wrong place.
Load More Replies...why is everyone downvoting Xylle Flora they are right. Light Yagami gave a purse stealer with the death penalty once
He tried to rob a grandma. Karma at it’s finest.🙃
Load More Replies...When you are so used to your miserable job that you forget you are dead...
Just another 13 years, we will have another excellent non-sequel like Half Life Alyx.
How did they get the USB in right on the first try?
I know this is fake because they got USB in right at first try.
Raider heisst jetzt Twix, sonst ändert sich nix! I'll show myself out.....
