Dustin (comic strip)
Encyclopedia
Dustin is a daily comic strip created by Steve Kelley
, editorial cartoonist for the New Orleans Times-Picayune
, and Jeff Parker
, who holds the same position for Florida Today
. It is carried by King Features Syndicate and started running on January 4, 2010. At its outset Dustin was carried in more than 100 newspapers nationwide, and by October 2010 it had expanded to 300. In several papers, Dustin was the replacement strip for Cathy
, which ended its run in papers on October 3, 2010. Among the papers that carried Dustin from the beginning was the New York Daily News
, but due to a recent cutback in the paper's comic section Dustin, along with several other strips, were jettisoned from the paper.
The title character of the strip is Dustin Kudlick, a 23-year old college graduate who failed to find regular employment in today's economy after graduating and thus moved back home to live with his parents.
Dustin's father Ed is an angry, bitter lawyer who despises Dustin and is the strip's main antagonist. Ed is never supportive in any way, and always seeks to crush Dustin's attempts to find meaning and useful employment, ceaselessly mocking Dustin and putting him down.
Dustin's sister Megan, who is seven years younger than her brother, also resides in the house and is the strip's secondary antagonist, following her father's example and also insulting and undercutting Dustin at every possible turn, showing how poor parenting can poison the next generation as well.
Dustin is trapped in a cycle of dead-end temp jobs and grueling manual labor, frequently shown putting in long hours at a car wash or asking his supervisor at the temp agency for more career enhancing assignments that might help him break out of the cycle of wage slavery.
Despite his dysfunctional, hateful family, Dustin remains stoic, a heroic everyman and inspiration to the reader, as he endures and strives, trying to find true employment and happiness.
Steve Kelley (cartoonist)
Steve Kelley is a syndicated political cartoonist. Born in Virginia, he was an honors graduate of Dartmouth College in 1981, where he drew cartoons for both the Daily Dartmouth and The Dartmouth Review...
, editorial cartoonist for the New Orleans Times-Picayune
New Orleans Times-Picayune
The Times-Picayune is a daily newspaper published in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA.-History:Established as The Picayune in 1837 by Francis Lumsden and George Wilkins Kendall, the paper's initial price was one picayune—a Spanish coin equivalent to 6¼¢ .Under Eliza Jane Nicholson, who inherited the...
, and Jeff Parker
Jeff Parker (editorial cartoonist)
Jeff Parker has been editorial cartoonist for Florida Today which serves Florida's Space Coast, since 1992. He also assists Pulitzer Prize winning cartoonist Mike Peters with his comic strip, Mother Goose & Grimm and worked with Denis Lebrun on the daily Blondie comic strip from 1996 until 2005...
, who holds the same position for Florida Today
Florida Today
Florida Today is the major daily newspaper serving Brevard County. The Gannett corporation bought the paper in 1966.In addition to its regular daily publication, Florida Today publishes four weekly and eight biweekly community newspapers which are tailored for distinct neighborhoods within Brevard...
. It is carried by King Features Syndicate and started running on January 4, 2010. At its outset Dustin was carried in more than 100 newspapers nationwide, and by October 2010 it had expanded to 300. In several papers, Dustin was the replacement strip for Cathy
Cathy (comic strip)
Cathy was a comic strip drawn by Cathy Guisewite. It featured a woman who struggled through the "four basic guilt groups" of life — food, love, mom, and work — the strip gently poked fun at the lives and foibles of modern women. Cathy's characteristics and issues both made fun of and...
, which ended its run in papers on October 3, 2010. Among the papers that carried Dustin from the beginning was the New York Daily News
New York Daily News
The Daily News of New York City is the fourth most widely circulated daily newspaper in the United States with a daily circulation of 605,677, as of November 1, 2011....
, but due to a recent cutback in the paper's comic section Dustin, along with several other strips, were jettisoned from the paper.
The title character of the strip is Dustin Kudlick, a 23-year old college graduate who failed to find regular employment in today's economy after graduating and thus moved back home to live with his parents.
Dustin's father Ed is an angry, bitter lawyer who despises Dustin and is the strip's main antagonist. Ed is never supportive in any way, and always seeks to crush Dustin's attempts to find meaning and useful employment, ceaselessly mocking Dustin and putting him down.
Dustin's sister Megan, who is seven years younger than her brother, also resides in the house and is the strip's secondary antagonist, following her father's example and also insulting and undercutting Dustin at every possible turn, showing how poor parenting can poison the next generation as well.
Dustin is trapped in a cycle of dead-end temp jobs and grueling manual labor, frequently shown putting in long hours at a car wash or asking his supervisor at the temp agency for more career enhancing assignments that might help him break out of the cycle of wage slavery.
Despite his dysfunctional, hateful family, Dustin remains stoic, a heroic everyman and inspiration to the reader, as he endures and strives, trying to find true employment and happiness.