For those of you followed my previous Internet endeavors, you’ll recognize those two faces up there. I am really happy to say that they’re back — it’s been a long time coming.
Out of the Box is a webcomic I ran weekly from 2010-2017, when it fell out of production at the same time that I stopped blogging regularly. I admit that I was likely always the comic’s biggest fan, but I’ve definitely missed it — both as creator and as a fan. So, when we started up Mushakian.com, I thought it was beyond time to start up the weekly webcomic again. Of course, I was also in the midst of settling into a new job, planning a wedding, settling into another new job, and moving out, so it’s taken me a little while, but to start off the new year (and decade!), today I’m bringing Out of the Box back to life! Even if the main character isn’t going to be so happy about that…
The premise of Out of the Box remains the same — it’s a single-panel square in which our beloved stickman has been stuck for years. Along the way he’s made numerous efforts to escape, attempted suicide, duplicated himself, commented on the world a plenty, gained a canine companion, and nestled his way into my little heart. For those who are new to the comic, the entire 300+ history has been uploaded, so you’ll have the chance to catch up… if you want to. He references my old blog quite a bit, so not every reference makes sense, but even when the joke isn’t obvious, it’s at least an insight into the character’s state of mind.
Having said that, there is a fair warning, this comic can be a little PG at times — and somewhat embarrassing for our little dude. There are plenty of panels that I wouldn’t create now, but I opted not to censor them out as they are still a part of his personal journey and growth arc. Think of it as a meta-commentary on the fact that young folks these days are documenting their teenage years on social media for all to see. Try not to judge him too harshly. Or me 😉
So, where is this great new comic? Well, I didn’t want to overwhelm this blog with a weekly comic again, so I sought out an external source that I think fits it just perfectly – Instagram. You’ll always be over to see the most recent comic in the sidebar of this page, but give that image a click and head over to the official home for for the newly reborn Out of the Box – and if you’d like to see it on your feed every week, well by golly, give us a follow and make my day!
Oh, and Happy New Year 🙂