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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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 .
"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.
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.
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."
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)
"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."
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
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."
IF the "make-wrong" is eliminated, change is easier. Instead of "you shouldn't," it is more empowering for ALL to say, "'Students is more respectful to everyone than boys and girls," or "You can say 'students' instead of boys and girls.
It only states two genders, I think it’s okay with young children since they aren’t figuring out their identity’s yet but for older peeps a more gender neutral introduction would be better :>
Load More Replies...How about just good morning or is there going to be something wrong with that too?
You shouldn’t use phrases like “you shouldn’t”, since you only get to be the boss of you . Maybe “ I’d like more options" or “ personally I think”...
I retired from teaching knowing much more about teaching than my education classes taught me.
As someone who loves to pass along knowledge to others, this is what I look forward to.
Will we have to refer to everyone as just sentinet beings in the future so as to not offend anyone? I mean, if you're saying you're a bucket than you are a sentinet bucket after all. With the way things are going, people may actually identify as buckets in the future. Sorry, that was kinda random.
Load More Replies...why you want to add the non normal idiots who can't decide what they are? God assigned you a gender. Deal with it just like everyone has to deal with their stuff.
Why do you think this? I genuinely want to know? Why do you feel the need to call NB, trans, etc. people idiots? I believe that they did decide what they are. Do you want to talk?
Load More Replies...Now we're getting too PC. You can transition if you want, but you're still either a boy or girl. You can be trans boy or girl too. But you can't be neither. And you can't be something else.
Non-binary people exist, you know?? Please don’t be homophobic. ( yeah, it’s still homophobic if you don’t support others in the community, big wow.. )
Load More Replies...No, some of them could be non-binary or other things and they just haven’t found out yet. You’d not ‘turn’ trans or non-binary.
Load More Replies...Jesus dude, have you ever been near a science book.
Load More Replies...Well actually, the Quaran does not mandate the wearing of a hijab. Usually girls start wearing it once she gets her first period, but she can get used to practicing Islam at a young age to make it easy for her when she grows up. As long as she is not being forced to wear it (because that is haram), then it is fine.
Load More Replies...Nah, only Karen here is you since this offended you so much apparently.
Load More Replies...Boys and girls exist, but so do nonbinary people!
Load More Replies...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."
Sometimes it only takes a little bit of work to make someone else's day. Learn from this!
If you think about it, just randomly kissing a sleeping princess is kinda creepy
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.
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.
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
I feel so bad cuz I accidentally downvoted your comment earlier lmao
Load More Replies...I've been reading this comic for a few years now. It's nice to see it pop up here.
For #45, mosquitos are also a vital part of an ecosystem. Tons of fish prey on them
I feel so bad cuz I accidentally downvoted your comment earlier lmao
Load More Replies...I've been reading this comic for a few years now. It's nice to see it pop up here.
For #45, mosquitos are also a vital part of an ecosystem. Tons of fish prey on them