Zen Comix

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Zen Comix, by Dave Dugan

Zen Comix is the home page and blog for Dave Dugan, a wonderfully talented cartoonist. His webcomic consists of a mix of both his new work and previously published and unpublished panels, all with great political and social commentary. He also experiments with all sorts of different media when creating his art (even doing some pieces on homemade paper!). His works have appeared in local papers where he's been, and he also created two unpublished strips, Marty Python and the Holy Grill and Duck Soup. He has also done covers for albums, ads for a radio station, and greeting card and t-shirt designs as well (see examples of his other art here).

Check out some of Dave's great art below!

Example of Zen Comix daily by Dave Dugan, used on the site on January 7, 2005. Copyright Dave Dugan. This panel was drawn in 2002, and was originally published in the newspaper The Daily Iowan in Iowa City. I myself am "Lord of the Fries", but I wouldn't even think of trying something like this. Obviously there are others on this earth that think otherwise.

Example of Zen Comix daily by Dave Dugan, used on the site on January 12, 2005. Copyright Dave Dugan. This panel was drawn in 2003, and was originally published in the newspaper The Daily Iowan in Iowa City. Great art and great political commentary.

Example of Zen Comix daily by Dave Dugan, used on the site on January 13, 2005. Copyright Dave Dugan. This panel was drawn in 2003, but was unpublished. However, here's what has happened with that piece since, according to Dave: "Ironically, last fall, before I got going on the blog and after I quit The Daily Iowan, I printed up a handful of small zines and distributed them around town for free. I called it The Daily Idiot, a slang name here for The Daily Iowan. The Daily Iowan is the college paper for The University of Iowa. I did a few issues, and Horton Hears a Coup was on the cover of one issue. Evidently, somebody liked it because it is now on display in The University of Iowa Main Library in an exhibition titled 'Liberated Images: the subversive culture of Collage and Zines' A checklist of all the materials in the show are located here at Liberated Images."

Example of Zen Comix daily by Dave Dugan, used on the site on January 23, 2005. Copyright Dave Dugan. This panel was drawn in 2003, and was originally published in the newspaper The Daily Iowan in Iowa City. A great piece, and is sadly far more true than some people realize.

Example of Zen Comix daily by Dave Dugan, February 3, 2005. Copyright Dave Dugan. This piece was drawn on homemade paper. As for the rest of this unique piece, this is what was used to create it, according to Dave: "In the 'Happy GroundBlog Day,' there is Bic ballpoint pen, black colored pencil, Uniball fine point marker, and a Sharpie for the lettering." Amazing, huh?

Example of Zen Comix daily by Dave Dugan, used on the site on February 12, 2005. Copyright Dave Dugan. This panel was drawn in 2002, and was Dave's first panel that was published in the newspaper The Daily Iowan in Iowa City.

Example of Zen Comix daily by Dave Dugan, used on the site on February 18, 2005. This panel was originally drawn in 1987, but was unpublished till the website came along. Some history behind the panel, in Dave's own words: "A variation of the Contra Aid originally appeared in the Skidmore News, but unfortunately it is lost in space. This is one of the cartoons that I experimented with the liquid chemical shading medium on special paper, and as you can see it doesn't age well. It looks better when it is scanned using the 'black and white' setting."

Example of a political panel by Dave Dugan. This panel of Bush and Dukakis in the 1988 election was originally drawn in 1988, but was unpublished.

Colored print of the design for the future Zen Comix t-shirt by Dave Dugan, posted on the site on January 9, 2005. Copyright Dave Dugan.

Great original sketch by Dave Dugan created specifically for my site. In Dave's own words, "The "Toast to CSF" is done on homemade paper using ballpoint pens,rolling ball pens,gel pens and colored pencils." Amazing.

Example newspaper page of The Skidmore News in which some art from Dave Dugan was published (upper left corner and lower right corner). This page is from February 20, 1986. The Skidmore News is the weekly paper for Skidmore College where Dave went to school.

Another example newspaper page of The Skidmore News in which some art from Dave Dugan was published (upper left corner and lower right corner). This page is from April 16, 1987.

Page one of a typed letter from Dave Dugan, describing his cartooning background, the history behind the art in my gallery, and also explaining his creative process.

Page two of the typed letter by Dave Dugan.

Also, check out the gallery pages for his two unpublished newspaper strips, Marty Python and the Holy Grill and Duck Soup. See other miscellaneous art that he created on this gallery page as well.

Go and see Zen Comix online for yourself by clicking here (Dave, please create a link button for your site!).