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Mike Swaim

@trillionpixels.bsky.social

1K followers 2.8K following 1.3K posts

Artist and Cartoonist behind Dani & Lulu, cartographer, and science educator. He/Him I always appreciate a follow for my comics, but if you are looking for the other Michael Swaim of Cracked fame you can find him here: @michaelswaim.bsky.social

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Mike Swaim @trillionpixels.bsky.social · 7h

I was thinking that was the case but could not recall. Thanks!

Mike Swaim @trillionpixels.bsky.social · 9h

Apparently those creatures were going to be the big bad of the next season.

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Mike Swaim @trillionpixels.bsky.social · 21h

COMICTOBER Day 4: Villain Work-Life Balance

Work and Let Die

Comictober day 4 is also NEW COMIC day! Remember, always get them monologuing.

#daniandlulucomic #comictober2025

Panel 1:
Dani, dressed in a gray suit, is strapped to a table and looks up in alarm. A dark silhouette of Lulu stands nearby, speaking dramatically. Lulu’s says, “Well, well, Agent Ward, finally we meet.” Dani responds flatly, “Bowfeld.”

Panel 2:
Lulu steps into view, revealing herself as the villain. She wears a tan coat and holds her plush cuttlefish like a Bond villain holds a cat. She says with pride, “You’ve fallen right into my trap.” Dani, unimpressed, replies, “You really thought this through, eh?”

Panel 3:
Lulu explains herself, looking exasperated and overworked. She says, “Naturally. I had to run it through HR, Legal, and evil focus groups. Sixty-hour weeks and no me time.”

Panel 4:
Dani, having released an arm using her pocket laser to begin cutting the other binding while Bowfeld/Lulu he’s her back to her comment, “Villain work-life balance is real.” Lulu sighs and looks downward, saying, “The real evil is scheduling.”

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Reposted by Mike Swaim

Meg Adams (ArtbyMoga) @artbymoga.bsky.social · 2d

Comictober Day 3: Scaredy Cat
#comictober #comictober2025

“im scared, shadowfang” says duck, sitting under a table looking at a vacuum. “Ignorant duck!” Says shadowfang, “that is a vacuum! You know what is really scary!? The insidious degradation of our very democracy!!”

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Mike Swaim @trillionpixels.bsky.social · 2d

COMICTOBER: Scaredy Cat

It will come up soon in my throw back Thursday comics- Lulu is terrified of penguins. Even Jules’ penguin plushy gives her chills.

#daniandlulucomic #comictober #comictober2025

Panel 1: A large black eye with a cold reflection fills the frame. Lulu’s narration reads, “Dark eyes with cold purpose, watch over the endless white. Hearts untouched by warmth.”

Panel 2: The interior of a gaping mouth lined with rows of sharp, overlapping teeth. Lulu continues, “A maw of a thousand teeth unforgiving and merciless.”

Panel 3: Silhouettes of penguins stand against an icy blue sky. Lulu’s narration reads, “Their cries echo across the ice, herald of some cold evil.”

Panel 4: Dani, Jules, and Lulu sit together on a couch watching TV. Jules says, “Lulu, it’s March of the Penguins.” Dani adds, “It’s not a creature feature.” Lulu, wrapped in a blanket and looking uneasy, replies, “I’d rather it not feature these creatures.”

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Mike Swaim @trillionpixels.bsky.social · 3d

I’m surprised they weren’t stung fixing the wing.

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Reposted by Mike Swaim

Janet Gamble/Get A Dog's Life! @getadogslife.bsky.social · 3d

Street Sailing!

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Mike Swaim @trillionpixels.bsky.social · 4d

From left to right, three members of Lulu’s family. Her dad, mom, and older brother. Her mom is wearing a traditional seashell hat. I need to compile the family lore it seems before I forget it. lol

Mike Swaim @trillionpixels.bsky.social · 4d

NEW COMIC!
Home Cooking

Dani finally meets Lulu’s family! This is big!

Sorry for the lateness- I found errors that needed fixing. I’m also out of town.

#daniandlulucomic

Four-panel Dani & Lulu comic.

Panel 1:
Lulu’s family is so happy to see Lulu has returned from her mysterious disappearance. Her dad, mom, and her older brother stand with her while Lulu hugs her mother who is wearing a traditional shell hat.

Lulu’s mother says, “Lulu! You’re home! We missed you so much. You’ve been gone so long.” Lulu replies with a big smile, “I missed you too Mama! I’m so glad to finally be home.”

Panel 2:
Lulu’s mom asks, “What’s this?” Lulu, still smiling, introduces her friend. Dani says, “Lulu’s told me so much about you all…” Lulu interrupts, “Oh yeah!”

Panel 3:
Lulu shouts excitedly, “I brought dinner!” The aliens suddenly bare sharp teeth and raise forks and knives. Dani freezes in alarm as the aliens close in.

Panel 4:
Dani bolts awake in lying bed, wide-eyed with fear. Moonlight shines through her window, casting shadows. She clutches her Pink and Black branded blanket tightly her glasses and Pink and Black branded alarm clock sit on her nightstand.

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Mike Swaim @trillionpixels.bsky.social · 5d

COMICTOBER: Monster Therapy

This seemed like a good way to handle the prompt. After all yesterday was #Peanuts 75th anniversary.

#daniandlulucomic #comictober #comictober2025

Panel 1:
Lulu sits behind a yellow booth labeled “Monster Therapy $1.” A smaller sign reads “The counselor is in”. Lulu rattles a money can and says, “That will be one dollar.” Dani, sitting on a stool in front of the booth, hands her cash and replies, “One dollar? The girl in the comic charges a nickel.”

Panel 2:
Close-up of Lulu and Dani at the booth. Lulu responds dryly, “She wasn’t unionized.”

Panel 3:
Dani holds out her hand and asks, “‘Monster therapy’ as in a monster therapist, or a therapist for monsters?” Lulu looks on and thinks carefully.

Panel 4:
Lulu, slightly smug, answers: “Well from my point of view humans are monsters.” Dani frowns and says, “I’d like my dollar back.”

Mike Swaim @trillionpixels.bsky.social · 6d

That is beautiful! Impressive recreation. It would go great with my Atari 2600 lego set.

Mike Swaim @trillionpixels.bsky.social · 6d

I thought you saw that already! lol

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Mike Swaim @trillionpixels.bsky.social · 6d

NEW COMIC!
Strip Tease

This is an epilogue I did just for Joe for some fourth wall demolition. @jobafett.bsky.social

Comictober continues tomorrow!

#daniandlulucomic

Four-panel Dani & Lulu comic.

Panel 1: Dani and Lulu walk among a group closed doors each labeled with names of comics. Dani asks, “What do we do now?” Lulu replies in a yellow speech bubble, “We go back to the bed and wake up.”

Panel 2: Dani asks, “What’s going to happen to them?” Lulu answers in a yellow speech bubble, “Joe will move on to other comics. Ninja and Pirate will live on in our imaginations.”

Panel 3: Dani smiles and says, “This was fun but I’m glad we’re not a comic strip.” Behind her are more labeled doors including “Pink and Black.”

Panel 4: Lulu gives a nervous laugh and says, “Ha ha… yeah, that would be silly.” The door labeled “Dani and Lulu” is visible behind her.

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Mike Swaim @trillionpixels.bsky.social · 6d

This is Meg Adams. Meg provided the prompt list for this year's Comictober. Credit where credit is due. Follow Art by Moga, the comics are fantastic.

Meg Adams (ArtbyMoga) @artbymoga.bsky.social · 7d

Comictober Day 1: Pumpkin Spice 🎃✨

#comictober #comictober2025

Meg looks excited, “pumpkin spice is back!!” “You know what else is back?” Carson says, “ seasonal depression.”

Mike Swaim @trillionpixels.bsky.social · 7d

I love the reaction. 😊

Mike Swaim @trillionpixels.bsky.social · 7d

COMICTOBER: Pumpkin Spice

Spice Girls

Okay I lied. My guilt got the better of me so I decided to post this one on the actual first day of Comictober. As usual Dani and Lulu will appear in all prompt comics. It will be challenging.

#comictober2025

Panel 1:
Close-up of Lulu sipping from a mug. She looks dreamy and content, eyes wide. Her yellow starry speech bubble reads: “Pumpkin spice is the little sip that brings autumn.”

Panel 2:
Lulu holds the mug reverently. Her starry speech bubble reads: “The pumpkin spice must flow! She who controls the pumpkin spice controls the fall!”

Panel 3:
Dani sits across from Lulu reaching for the mug in Lulu’s hands. Lulu stares at her with narrowed eyes. Dani says: “I think you’ve had too much pumpkin spice.”

Panel 4:
Lulu, glaring fiercely at Dani, clutching her mug. Her starry speech bubble reads: “Say that again, decaffeinated soft water, and I’ll cast you into the foam desert!” Dani looks startled and replies dryly: “Maybe too much Dune too.”

A list for all 13 prompts for Comictober.

— COMICTOBER 2025-
WEEK ONE:
OCT./ (WED) - PUMPKIN SPICE OCT.3 (FRI) - MONSTER THERAPY
WEEK TWO:
OCT. 6 (MON) - SCAREDY CAT OCT. 8 (WED) - ViLlAIN WORK-LIFE BALANCE OCT. IO(FRI) - PET COSTUME
RIP:
WEEK THREE:
OCT.13 (mon) - CURSED OBJECT OCT. 15 (WED) - CRYPTID ROOmmATE
OCT. 17 (FRI) - GHOSTED
WEEK FOUR
OCT. 21 (TUES) - MODERN WITCH
0CT. 23 (THURS) - SKELETON IN THE CLOSET
WEEK FINE:
OсT.27 (mon) - ZOMBIE INFLUENCER®
OCT.29 (WED) - GRAVEYARD GOSSIP OCT. 31 (FRI) - YOUR "HALLOWEEN SONA"

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Mike Swaim @trillionpixels.bsky.social · 7d

Tomorrow I will have an epilogue featuring Dani and Lulu leaving Stripspace. After that I move onto COMICTOBER!

I should have had a Comictober strip out today, but I’m pushing it back to Friday and Saturday for my sanity.

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Mike Swaim @trillionpixels.bsky.social · 7d

NEW COMIC!
Closure

The end? Yeah, yes, it’s the end. There was far more I wanted to do with this, but it would have taken me into the new year.

The last panel was conceived and written by @jobafett.bsky.social

Please check out Joe’s other comics!

#daniandlulucomic

Four-panel Dani & Lulu comic

Panel 1:
Lulu, bouncing with excitement, clasps her hands and says: “Oh my stars! You must tell me how it ends!”
Ninja stands with arms at his side, calm, saying: “End? This is it.”
Pirate says: “We have no direction.”
Buck taps on Pirate’s shoulder with his crab hand.

Panel 2:
Buck gestures toward a fragment of a crab statue, a carved stone butt. A script sits beneath it. Buck says: “We can look at the script. It’s sitting under Crab Cakes.”
Pirate shouts: “How could you keep this from us?!”
Buck replies: “Pardon me for wanting to experience free will.”

Panel 3a (top half):
Lulu holds the script open, reading eagerly: “Mech battles… a cure… Pirate saves the day and…”
Pirate leans closer, wide-eyed, muttering: “Dies…”

Panel 3b (bottom half):
Pirate grabs the script and glares at it in shock, shouting: “I die?!”
Lulu watches with concern.

Panel 4:
Ninja, smiling, says: “Yeah but it’s poetic and good.”
Buck, sitting nearby, nods: “It fit the story really well.”
Lulu, trying to cheer Pirate up, beams and says: “Now you can live here with your friends forever.”
Pirate slouches, frowning, holding the script in his lap, and mutters: “Dang it Joe! Why didn’t you finish our story.”

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Mike Swaim @trillionpixels.bsky.social · 9d

Anytime Charles! I love your comics and commitment to the craft. 😀

Mike Swaim @trillionpixels.bsky.social · 9d

I just ordered two copies of the newest Lauren Ipsum book by Charles Brubaker and you can too! Just go to the kofi link in the post and order as many as you want!

Charles Brubaker (NEW BOOK PRE-ORDER) @bakertoons.com · 9d

Pre-orders are now open for "Lauren Ipsum, the Queen of Cringe", a brand new collection for 2026! Contains over 200 comic strips. Also includes guest comics by other cartoonists!

You can place your order now at ko-fi.com/s/cdec8cd7c7 . Books will be shipped by January.

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Mike Swaim @trillionpixels.bsky.social · 11d

Thank you! She thinks so too. 😂

Mike Swaim @trillionpixels.bsky.social · 11d

NEW COMIC!
Star Struck

Never meet your fans. Except me, meet me. I’m one of the good ones.

Continuing to provide Lulu closure to Ninja and Pirate by @jobafett.bsky.social

#daniandlulucomic

Panel 1: Dani, Lulu, and Crab Man walk hand in hand. Crab Man says: “After I broke through the door everything just stopped. We had no idea what to do next. We sat and waited for anything. Eventually we started talking. Then we started building a new life.”

Panel 2: Crab Man pushes open a broken door. Two silhouetted figures are seen through the opening. Crab Man says: “Many left for other parts of the comic. Some stayed and helped rebuild after we rescued Ninja from the Waffle House. We’re here!”

Panel 3: Ninja, Buck, and Pirate sit at a round table playing cards. Crab Man calls out: “Guys!”

Panel 4: Crab Man says: “I brought fans!” Dani points toward Lulu and says: “A fan.” Lulu clasps her face and excitedly says: “Oh my stars! Oh my stars! Oh my stars!”

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Mike Swaim @trillionpixels.bsky.social · 12d

I will try to get one out. I am behind on so many comics and Comictober is coming up quick! I don't know if I will get the Ninja and Pirate arc finished before the first. I will have to shift one of them I think.

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Mike Swaim @trillionpixels.bsky.social · 12d

I meant “there on a weekly basis”*

Mike Swaim @trillionpixels.bsky.social · 12d

Rarely. I will occasionally share some art but no longer posting my comic here on a weekly basis. So I’ve not seen a lot of the hellscape it has become.

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