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I don't have kids. And while I can understand what parents go through when raising their children (I think), I can't really relate to them. Unless I'm reading Chris Grady's comics.

For years, Grady has been drawing his experiences as a dad-of-two and sharing them through a project called Lunarbaboon. He started this endeavor to combat anxiety and depression, focusing on life-affirming aspects of everyday life. So it doesn't matter if a particular strip revolves around a not-so-pesky spider or teaching your son to respect women, Grady tries his best to infuse it with love and empathy. And it works.

Of course, a lot of inspiration comes from his family members too. For example, he said he's very lucky to be married to a smart, strong, and opinionated person who is constantly fighting against injustice, so a lot of what they talk about on a daily basis makes it into the comics as well.

But don't get the wrong idea, Grady keeps Lunarbaboon far, far away from toxic positivity, preserving genuine human emotions. I believe this sincerity is precisely what allows even childless folks like me to connect to the series.

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HufflePuffleGothleGay
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I really wish my parents would follow the father in the comics lead when raising my brother. hes 8 and when he was 6 he picked a random girl in his class. ever since then , every day he writes a "loveletter" and gives it to her in school , sometimes with jewelery or toys he stole from my family . i hoped on her behalf that this would stop over lockdown, but my parents asked for her address so it can continue . AND HER PARENTS GAVE US THE ADDRESS. ive spoken to the girl before at my brothers 7th bday party, and she hates the constant barrage of letters . i know its stalkery , but my parents and her parents find it cute .

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"The comic is my outlet and the place I go to express how I am feeling," the artist told Bored Panda. "It’s not really a cure for anxiety and depression. There is none that I know of at this point in time, but it definitely helps channel some of that energy. Instead of letting my mind cycle over and over on negative thoughts I try and let it cycle on comic ideas."

After posting his comics on social media for a few months, Grady began getting messages from many people about how they connected to his stories and it gave him hope and strength as they went through their own dark times.

As Lunarbaboon's follower count began to grow, Grady decided to continue to spread positive messages on social justice, gender issues, xenophobia, and other important topics.

The artist thinks it is impossible not to be influenced by the world around you and says there is a lot of bad things happening in the world. But there is also a lot of good. So he tries to focus on the latter.

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Hans
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This one made me think...and truly, many parents would stop boys from wearing girl costumers but not the other way around. Which is very sad, if you think about it.

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When developing his comics, Grady believes the best ideas are the ones that connect to something more universal. "Usually, I try to simplify something that happens to me by elongating language and try to tell it with as few words as possible. If I can do that and it makes sense then usually it will make for a good comic."

While Grady made a few comics about the pandemic, it looks like it hasn't become an important topic in your comics. However, the artist said this wasn't a conscious choice. "I have a bunch of comics that deal with the isolation we are all feeling, but I try to make them less specific to the moment we are living in and more general to the feelings we are feeling in this moment," he said.

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Mimi
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Well done, dad. Extremely well done. I'm sure it's challenging.

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According to Grady, the main character of the series is different from you and me in a few distinct ways. "Lunarbaboon has too many pubes. His body hair count is outrageous," Grady writes on his website. "When he eats he never really feels full. He poops 4 to 5 times a day and rarely smells his fingers after."

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Lauren Caswell
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There are species of house spider too, that have adapted over time to live in our dwellings and can't survive outdoors, I found that out recently. I let spiders stay, the ones where I live are small and harmless, and they keep flies and mosquitos away (I'm allergic to the latter)

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"Lunarbaboon is very fast, enjoys foods wrapped inside a taco shell, and never drinks with a straw (even when a straw is required). He is hardly ever satisfied with anything. He pretends to be nice and like human people, but generally, he does not like most people. This makes Lunarbaboon feel bad about himself."

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Lauren Caswell
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yes pls, we all need people like this out there, to counterbalance the "dark side of the force" lol. We could all make a niceness effort on May 4th :D

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If we are talking about making comics, or creating art, the biggest influence on Grady was his mom. "She is an art teacher and has always been incredibly supportive when it comes to me doing something with my (minimal) talent," the humble artist said in an interview."

But if we are talking about how Grady lives his day-to-day life, the biggest influence on the man is his wife Danielle. "I consider myself a very weak and feeble-minded person, she is the opposite. She helps me be a more well-rounded human being."

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Ian Koch
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

yaaaaaay cozy sweatpants! I'm wearing some cozy sweatpants right now.

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TheBookwormPotato
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Sometimes it only takes a little bit of work to make someone else's day. Learn from this!

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Bisexual Tiger
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If you think about it, just randomly kissing a sleeping princess is kinda creepy

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Kim Irving
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I do this all the time. I love the changes in expressions. First the fear of the employee thinking they've done something to upset me & the realization that I'm saying they're awesome & finally the giant smile they get when it sinks in. Customer service is one of the hardest jobs on the planet, if you don't agree, you've never done it. Pleasing people is very hard, especially when 99% of the time all people do is complain, no matter what you do. I always go out of my way to compliment great customer service, and I ALWAYS speak up if an employee is being abused by a customer.

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IDNOP008🥺
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I wish that this cute girl was my bff. My friends don’t give a damn about the world

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Ian Koch
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Cats are the solution. bad days, when you just don't want to, forcing a Karen to wear her mask, ANYTHING YOU CAN IMAGINE.

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jazz
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

phone cameras somehow manage to always make you look like an abomination 😔

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Books
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I need this for my art teacher. He is constantly saying similar things like this!

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Nerdy
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3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I hated math for a very long time but then I had a teacher who was super understand and devoted. She understood that we for the most part hated math(It was a lower level math class) and she spent the time with student when ever she had time to give to help them understand better. Because of her I hate math little less.

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Ian Koch
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You can think what you want to think. but sometimes you probably shouldn't do what you're thinking.

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Teresa Thomas
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I feel like I never get that moment. I freaking love these comics though, they do usually prompt me to stop and look at the bright side of things

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