As a bit of news for later on January 13th of 2026 was the day cartoonist Scott Adams died. I’m not going to get into the weeds of his life, but we do share a profession, and I recognize the impact he left on American culture over the course of his career. In my days in retail I sold so many of his books. At that time I really had no hope, or even desire, to become a cartoonist. I can’t even say he inspired me particularly to actually try doing it. His comics just happened to be part of the tapestry of American life for a large part of my life. Dilbert started in 1989, which means it predates a lot of films that cover similar topics and even some that only tangentially share characteristics, but it was part of our cultural shorthand in a time when the US still had a living monoculture. Shit, we still had thriving newspapers back then where you could become a minor celebrity by making comics. He is one of the last creators from the print era of comics. That’s not to say that comics aren’t going to be printed, or that they won’t even be in surviving newspapers, but comic strips don’t circulate like that anymore. You usually start on the internet, build a following, and then get a publishing deal. Even if your comic doesn’t conform to the 4 panel style that was most common in newsprint. You also very rarely begin a merchandising and media empire from there. What I’m saying is that there aren’t any modern comic strips that you can mention in mixed company and have people know what you’re talking about. Your real world friends know what Dilbert is, or Garfield, or even Boondocks. It’s unlikely that they know what PVP is, or Girl Genius, or whatever webcomic you want to name. It’s much more likely that you could go into a random house in America and find a Dilbert collection than one of Starslip Crisis. Scott Adams made a comic in a time before the fracturing of American culture. His death is a signal that an era is ending. Setting aside all of his weird political opinions and whatnot he created a cultural touchstone and now that time is over. Of course I don’t need to be told this, but younger people who didn’t grow up in that time might come along later and wonder what the fuck I was writing about. Assuming that my website outlasts me by a long length of time anyway. Even on my best day I don’t make a widely marketable product that speaks to the masses. I don’t even try to make such a thing, I never did, but I do sometimes wish that I could reach as many people as someone like Scott Adams did. I don’t think I was put here for that though. I think I’m meant to speak to the people who read these words and help them in whatever way I can. Still, I would like to think that someone who sold millions of books is still a peer, even if they are so far above me in terms of monetary success they would never bother to speak to me. He drew stories about made up people, just like I do, and now he has gone I know not where, like all men must.

I never bought a Dilbert book, but I laughed at a lot of the strips. Some in the papers, some tacked to cork boards, or taped to lockers. I appreciated those moments of levity in a dreary world. So rest in peace Mr Adams. I hope you went someplace nice.

You all, at the time of me writing this at least, are still stuck with me for the time being though. I’ll be back on Friday with more drawings for you to look at. Until then, stay safe, and watch out for the crabcat.

2933 Make The Taste.

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