26: how’s it going in here?

content note: contemporary US politics (Trump) and various opinions thereof

january 27th, 2025

comic page! normally I’d likely have much to say here, but I’m posting this way past my bedtime, so brain eepy. I do wanna send lots of love to everyone else affected by this situation <3 and to note that in the couple days between me writing this script and me posting the finished page, I’ve started the feeling-of-fear mentioned here, and it’s both a) quite unpleasant, b) I think at least somewhat productive in my processing-of-things, and c) definitely reducing how much I’m tempted to brush away my loved ones’ feelings! to clarify some context, I’m definitely aware that this presidency is already actively causing tangible harm to people, and I am already one of those people; it’s just one thing to know that logically, and another thing to actually grapple with it emotionally, and yet another to integrate it with my existing life-is-great worldviews. methinks my brain has indeed been protesting a bit too much towards my friends and family in an effort to keep my own worries at bay, and I’m glad I’ve consciously caught that!

oh also!!! I just remembered, I wanted to mention — the last panel in this one is very much inspired by the style and philosophies of Tikva Wolf’s work in Kimchi Cuddles! I read a lot of Kimchi Cuddles growing up and it’s definitely one of the comics I credit with both inspiring me to make comics and just generally shaping me as a person, and I heartily recommend giving it a peek :3

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transcript:

Trump is president of the United States again, and I’m trying to figure out how I feel about it
[Blobic stands in his work apron, holding a broomstick still, thoughtfully watching a tv on the wall that depicts a little stick-figure Trump signing something]

I have lots of nuanced thoughts and philosophies about it, many of them pretty optimistic, and I’d love to share them in detail some other time
[Blobic is taking his work apron off and softly smiling to himself as a variety of thought bubbles balloon out from his head! one is full of scribbled text, another has a doodle of Blobic and another person talking, and a third contains more scribble text and a network of interconnected dots]

but in trying to write them down for this comic, I realized that I’ve been having a hard time sympathizing with my loved ones who’re scared right now
[Blobic is standing outside in winter gear with Chris, the recurring giraffe friend, and the unnamed friend who wished him a good trip on page 14. the three of them watch Blobic with unreadable expressions as he smiles, waves a hand, and proclaims “I was openly trans during his first term and I came out fine; y’all don’t need to worry!” Chris and giraffe friend have somewhat tense body language, and on a cute silly note, the giraffe friend also has a very long, very well-wrapped scarf around her neck.]

and I think maybe it’s a sign that I’d benefit from letting myself feel scared too
[a mildly-distraught-looking Blobic, surrounded by dark squiggles in the background, gently holds a large cartoon-style heart in his hands, with a matching heart-shaped hole in his chest. he softly says “hey there,” and the heart, which is smiling back with raised eyebrows on a cute lil’ face, replies “hey!”]

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