Comics Tagged : mental health
No “Off” Switch
Strip Info
- Title
- No “Off” Switch
- Date
- June 12, 2022
- Tags
- anxiety, beach, Bird, fomo, Kevin, mental health, productivity, relatable, self care, social media, vacation
Transcript
- Panel 1 : Ext. Beach – Day
-
Kevin sits on a beach chair on a sunny shore. Wearing an open Hawaiian shirt, he clasps his hands behind his head and smiles. His bird perches on his elbow.
-
- Kevin
- Isn’t this great? A week away from social media! No F.O.M.O. No stress…
- Panel 2 : Ext. Beach – Continuous
-
Kevin and his bird sit in silence, soaking up the sun and surf.
- Panel 3 : Ext. Beach – Continous
-
Another moment of quiet.
- Panel 4 : Ext. Beach – Continous
-
Kevin’s bird turns to him.
-
- Bird
- You’re thinking of ways to turn this into content, aren’t you?
- Kevin
- Yes. I’m very broken.
The Procrastination Game
Strip Info
- Title
- The Procrastination Game
- Date
- May 8, 2022
- Tags
- Bird, couch, creativity, dumb things people do, Kevin, mental health, productivity, relatable, self care, videogames
Transcript
- Panel 1 : Int. Living Room – Day
-
Kevin sits on his couch, controller in hand, playing a video game. His bird sits next to him.
-
- Kevin
- Ugh. This game sucks.
- Bird
- Then why not play a game you like?
- Panel 2 : Int. Living Room – Continuous
-
Kevin replies.
-
- Kevin
- Because if I play a game I like, I’ll get absorbed and won’t do the other things I have to do today.
- Panel 3 : Int. Living Room – Continous
-
The bird ponders.
-
- Bird
- So why not do those other things first, then play a game you like?
- Kevin
- Because playing games is how I procrastinate.
- Panel 4 : Int. Living Room – Continous
-
The bird looks concerned.
-
- Bird
- Wow, you’re all messed up, huh?
- Kevin
- My therapist calls me his “goldmine.”
The Breakthrough
Strip Info
- Title
- The Breakthrough
- Date
- February 20, 2022
- Tags
- Batman, Bruce Wayne, crime, masculinity, mental health, movies, pop culture, self care, superheroes, therapy, thugs, toxic masculinity, vigilantes
Transcript
- Panel 1 : Ext. Gotham City Rooftop – Night
-
Batman holds up a thug by his collar on a Gotham rooftop.
-
- Thug
- What are you?
- Panel 2 : Ext. Gotham City Rooftop – Continuous
-
Batman growls.
-
- Batman
- I’m the victim of childhood trauma processing his emotions in an unhealthy way!
- Panel 4 : Int. Therapist’s Office – Later
-
Batman, in full costume, lays scowling on the couch of his therapist. Sitting nearby, the therapist writes in his notepad with a patient smile.
-
- Therapist
- Excellent, Bruce! We’re making real progress here.
Your Precious Spare Time
Strip Info
- Title
- Your Precious Spare Time
- Date
- November 7, 2021
- Tags
- Bird, couch, fomo, gross, Kevin, mental health, movies, peer pressure, PG13, recreation, spare time
Transcript
- Panel 1 : Int. Living Room – Day
-
Kevin slouches on the couch, watching TV, scowling. The bird sits on his head.
-
- Kevin
- Ugh. This movie is awful.
- Bird
- Then why are you watching it?
- Panel 2 : Int. Living Room – Continuous
-
Kevin continues
-
- Kevin
- Because everyone’s talking about it and I don’t want to be left out of the conversation.
- Panel 3 : Int. Living Room – Continuous
-
The bird looks quizzical.
-
- Bird
- Why are you letting peer pressure decide how you spend your precious spare time? Why not do what you want?
- Panel 4 : Int. Living Room – Continuous
-
Kevin leaves the room, looking sheepish, pulling the door closed behind him.
-
- Bird
- Oh gross!
-
We see Kevin is holding a box of tissues in his hand.
The Secret of My Success
Strip Info
- Title
- The Secret of My Success
- Date
- October 10, 2021
- Tags
- Avengers, burnout, Captain America, city, Kevin, Marvel, memes, mental health, movies, New York City, parody, self care
Transcript
- Panel 1 : Ext. New York City – Day
-
Close up on Captain America, during that famous scene in the big battle of the first Avengers movie.
-
- Captain America
- Kevin, you haven’t taken any time off from work in over a year. How are you not burnt out?
- Panel 2 : Ext. New York City – Continuous
-
Kevin, walking away, looks back over his shoulder with a smile.
-
- Kevin
- That my secret, Cap…
- Panel 3 : Int. New York City – Continuous
-
Closer on Kevin. Still with the cocky smile.
-
- Kevin
- …I’m always burnt out!
- Panel 4 : Int. New York City – Continuous
-
Reverse on Kevin as he faces away from Captain America. His smile is gone. Replaced by the hundred-yard stare, heavy eyelids, and sagging mouth of someone at his wits’ end. Cap stands confused behind him.
Blue’s Clues Blues
Strip Info
- Title
- Blue’s Clues Blues
- Date
- September 19, 2021
- Tags
- apartment, bachelor pad, Bird, Blues Clues, childhood, couch, Kevin, mental health, nostalgia, self care, Steve from Blues Clues, TV
Transcript
- Panel 1 : Kevin’s Int. Living Room – Day
-
Kevin’s POV: Steve from Blues Clues speaks in a clip from that recent video.
-
- Steve
- And then you at you! And look at all you’ve accomplished!
- Panel 2 : Int. Kevin’s Living Room – Continuous
-
Up angle on Kevin, who is watching the clip on his phone, derpy look on his face. The bird watches over his shoulder.
-
- Steve (OS)
- And it’s just… it’s just so amazing, right?
- Panel 3 : Int. Kevin’s Living Room – Continuous
-
Wide angle of Kevin’s shitty bachelor apartment. Laundry on the floor. Dirty plates and trash strewn about. Unopened mail. Framed Quentin Tarantino movie posters on the wall. And that one torch lamp every dude had in the early 00s. Kevin sits slumped on the couch, in his boxers and socks, watching the video on his phone.
-
- Bird
- He’s not talking to you.
- Kevin
- I figured.
As Good As It Gets
Strip Info
- Title
- As Good As It Gets
- Date
- June 27, 2021
- Tags
- Bird, birdcage, existentialism, Kevin, mental health, self care, The Future
Transcript
- Panel 1 : Int. Home – Day
-
Kevin sits at his desk, working on his laptop. Behind him, his bird stands on its cage.
-
- Bird
- What if this is as good as it gets?
(For you, I mean.)
- Panel 2 : Int. Home – Continuous
-
Kevin rasies an eyebrow as the bird continues.
-
- Bird
- What if you’re never as happy, healthy, or successful as you are right now?
- Panel 3 : Int. Home – Continuous
-
Kevin looks visibly annoyed as the bird really drives it home.
-
- Bird
- What if it’s just one long, slow slide into irrelevance from here on out?
- Panel 4 : Int. Home – Moments Later
-
The bird is in its cage. A black shroud covering it.
-
- Bird
(from under the shroud) - Not the self-reflective type I see.
- Bird
Bruce Wayne’s Dilemma
Strip Info
- Title
- Bruce Wayne’s Dilemma
- Date
- June 6, 2021
- Tags
- Alfred, Batman, Bruce Wayne, masculinity, mental health, Ra's Al Ghul, superheroes, therapy, toxic masculinity, vigilantes
Transcript
- Panel 1 : Int. Wayne Manor Study – Evening
-
A young Bruce Wayne looks shell-shocked. Alfred comforts him.
-
- Alfred
- Master Bruce, you’ve been through a terrible trauma…
- Panel 2 : Int. Wayne Manor Study – Continuous
-
Alfred introduces Bruce to a friendly-looking therapist.
-
- Alfred
- …You can either talk to this nice man about your feelings…
- Panel 3 : Int. Wayne Manor Study – Continuous
-
Alfred introduces Bruce to Ra’s al Ghul.
-
- Alfred
- …Or you can train with this scary man to beat up strangers and dress as a giant bat.
- Panel 4 : Int. Wayne Manor Study – Continuous
-
Bruce and Ra’s are gone, leaving Alfred and the therapist.
-
- Alfred
(to therapist) - I’m sure he’ll be fine.
- Alfred
It’s Not A Competition (Alt)
Strip Info
- Title
- It’s Not A Competition (Alt)
- Date
- April 11, 2021
- Tags
- COVID, douchebags, fomo, humblebrag, large axes, mental health, metalworking, moms, pandemic, white people
- Notes
-
This is an alternate version of another comic I made. I made this version to see which one shared better on social media: dudes or Moms. Moms won. Moms always win.
Transcript
- Panel 1 : Int. Void – Day
-
CLOSE on Some D-Bag bragging.
-
- Some D-Bag
- …Well, I finished writing my novel, got in shape, and learned French…
- Panel 2 : Int. Void – Continuous
-
WIDER to reveal she’s talking to a frazzled Mom with a little kid and a baby.
-
- Some D-Bag
- …What did you get done during COVID?
- Mom
(deadpan) - I took care of my kids.
- Panel 3 : Int. Void – Continuous
-
The D-Bag shrugs.
-
- Some D-Bag
- …That’s all?
- Panel 4 : Int. Void – Continuous
-
The D-Bag’s eyes go wide as Mom reaches off-panel for a large, ornate axe.
Talking To My More Successful Friends
Strip Info
- Title
- Talking To My More Successful Friends
- Date
- March 14, 2021
- Tags
- confession, friends, Kevin, mental health, relatable, success, vulnerability
- Notes
-
Confession: Sometimes I have a hard time being happy for the success of my friends. Especially those working in entertainment like me. Don’t get me wrong: I’m excited for and proud of them. I admire their hard work. But there’s always this voice in the back of my head that says “why not me?” Their achievements somehow point out my lack thereof. I know a lot of folks will look at my accomplishments and say STFU. And they’re right. But this is how I think. I can’t help it and I hate it. I blame social media. And capitalism. And toxic masculinity. And myself. Whatever. It’s a whole thing.
Transcript
- Panel 1 : Int. Void – Day
-
Kevin stands, smiling and listening to news from an off-panel friend.
-
- Friend
- …Well, the big news is I finally got a good agent…
- Kevin
- Wow! Congrats!
- Panel 2 : Int. Void – Continuous
-
The off-panel friend continues. Kevin’s smile widens.
-
- Friend
- …Who found a publisher for my children’s book…
- Kevin
- Amazing! Congrats!
- Panel 3 : Int. Void – Continuous
-
The off-panel friend continues. Kevin’s smile begins to bend unnaturally.
-
- Friend
- …Which Netflix is making into a series!
- Kevin
- Congraaats!
- Panel 4 : Int. Void – Continuous
-
Kevin’s smile has contorted into something grotesque.
-
- Friend
- Um… are you okay?
- Kevin
(droning) - Congraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
How I Feel Every Valentine’s Day
Strip Info
- Title
- How I Feel Every Valentine’s Day
- Date
- February 14, 2021
- Tags
- fomo, holidays, Instagram, love, mental health, modern love, Sarah, self care, social media, valentines day
Transcript
- Panel 1 : Int. Home – Day
-
Sarah sits on a stool. On a nearby table, Instagram walks up.
-
- Why so sad?
- Sarah
- I’m alone on Valentine’s Day. Again.
- Panel 2 : Int. Home – Continuous
-
Instagram makes an offer.
-
- Wanna see pics of your friends in happy relationships?
- Panel 3 : Int. Home – Continuous
-
Sarah stares blankly at Instagram.
- Panel 4 : Int. Home – Continuous
-
Instagram starts walking away, beckoning Sarah to follow.
-
- Yeah, y’do. C’mon!
-
Sarah sighs.
Feed Me
Strip Info
- Title
- Feed Me
- Date
- February 10, 2021
- Tags
- creativity, creator economy, fomo, Instagram, Kevin, mental health, productivity, self worth, social media
Transcript
- Panel 1 : Int. Home – Day
-
Kevin sits at his desk working. Instagram steps out on the table behind him.
-
- Hey. I’m hungry.
- Kevin
- I just fed you yesterday!
- Panel 2 : Int. Home – Continuous
-
Instagram gets indignant.
-
- Do you want to grow your audience or not?
- Kevin
- Yeah, but… c’mon- I’m tired!
- Panel 3 : Int. Home – Continuous
-
Instagram hops up on Kevin’s chest, grabbing him by his collar.
-
- Well maybe you should’ve have attached your self-worth to the likes I GIVE YOU.
- Panel 4 : Int. Home – Later
-
Kevin sits at his computer, drawing another comic, crying. His bird sits on his shoulder.
-
- Bird
- I mean, he’s not wrong.
- Kevin
(sobbing) - I know.