Today in 3 Panels, by Dean Mang-Wooley

"Is that the sunrise?" "It's beautiful" "Maybe someday I'll see it without staying up all night."

Sunrise

Apr 18, 2016

Dean is sitting at a computer, working on an animation. They think to themself: I just drew the same thing 60 times. And 2 hours have mysteriously disappeared.

Animation vortex

Sep 27, 2008

The comic is laid out like an instructional pamphlet. Panel 1 image: Dean is standing in a neutral position, facing the viewer. Panel 1 text: 1. Make eye contact. Panel 2 image: Dean looks down, surprised. Panel 2 text: 2. Look down suddenly. Panel 3 image: Dean looks at their cellphone with a puzzled look on their face. There is an arrow pointing to the cellphone with the words: "not on." Panel 3 text: 3. "check" cellphone. Repeat.

How to approach strangers, the Mang-Wooley way

Sep 3, 2008

Dean is sitting across from their friend David in a restaurant, holding their wallet in one hand. Their wallet is bulging with receipts. David says: I love your fat wallet. Dean says: I can't make it any thinner. David says: Those are load-bearing receipts.

Fat wallet

Jun 1, 2018

Dean, aka Rita, is in a car with their mom. A bug hits the windshield and splatters. Dean says to their mom: "I wonder how many bugs we've killed in our history of traveling." Their mom replies: "most of them."

Driving to Swift Current

Aug 1, 2008

Dean is on the main floor of their house. They hear their dad yell from the basement: "Something down here just REEKS!" Dean goes down to the basement and thinks: "I don't smell anything." They smell their own underarm and think: "Maybe it smells exactly like me."

Reek

Sep 17, 2008

Dean's mom and dad are stting together at the kitchen table. Dean's mom is sweating, and is putting a cold pack on her head. She says to Dean's dad: "This feels really good." Dean's dad replies: "It looks very good too. Mrs. Gumby."

Hot flash

Sep 22, 2008

Panel 1 image: Dean is staring at a blank sketchbook with a pencil in their hand. Panel 1 text: Trying to think of something--anything--to draw about.... Panel 2 image: close up of actor Hugh Laurie's face. Panel 2 text: But all I can think about is Hugh Laurie in 'Blackadder.' Panel 3 image: Dean smiles dreamily, resting their chin in their hands. Panel 3 text: Damn that British funnyman and his wide horsey smile.

Distraction

Sep 2, 2008

Dean is writing a test. Panel 1: wide shot of a large room full of desks. Panel 2: close up image of the test booklet. It has the words "Written response" printed on the front. Panel 3: close up image of a heart being struck by lightning bolts, symbolizing anxiety.

Jitters

Aug 13, 2008

Dean is working as a cashier at a cafe. They have a new haircut. A regular customer approaches Dean and says: "I like your haircut. Do you feel brave today?" Dean says: "I don't know. I feel like the haircut is more daring than I am." The customer replies: "That's great. Now you can live into that daring."

Bravery

Jul 5, 2015

Dean is on a city bus, reading a book. Text reads: As I was reading 'Heart of Darkness' on the bus, I started listening to two women talk about the life they left behind in Botswana. Everything I do is trivial.

Microcosm

Sep 23, 2008

Dean is house sitting for their mom's coworker. They are in a storage room, looking at a photo album. Image text reads: "After a few minutes of snooping, I finally found what I was looking for...photos of my mom's workmate as a kid." There is a close up image of one of the photos, showing a child with the year 1953 printed above his head.

Invasion of privacy

Aug 9, 2008