32 Hilarious Comics That Satirize Modern Life, By David Ostow (New Pics)

David Ostowmay be a stay-at-home dad, but that doesn’t mean he’s traded his iPad for sippy cups entirely—he just has to get a little creative with his cartooning schedule. Between school drop-offs, laundry-folding epiphanies, and sketching on playground benches like a suburban Banksy, he still finds time to turn everyday life into sharp, relatable comics.Whether he’s getting emotional over corny movies or dodging dark humor in favor of universal chuckles, David’s goal is simple: to make people laugh—ideally loud enough to make them snort their coffee. Because in the world of single-panel comics, that’s basically winning an Oscar.More info:Instagram|FacebookThis post may includeaffiliate links.

Whether he’s getting emotional over corny movies or dodging dark humor in favor of universal chuckles, David’s goal is simple: to make people laugh—ideally loud enough to make them snort their coffee. Because in the world of single-panel comics, that’s basically winning an Oscar.

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Comic illustrating absurdities of the modern world with a monster asking to hide under the bed from a kid talking about Roblox.

Comic highlighting modern absurdities with “Mansplaniac vs. The Know-It-All” causing chaos in a city.

Comic humorously depicting the absurdities of the modern world with two men discussing location sharing in a bar setting.

The artist also explained how he approaches sensitive topics in his work, particularly when it comes to dark humor. “It doesn’t happen very often, but if I think of a joke that feels too dark, I’ll probably scrap the idea before even drawing it because in general, I like to keep my work enjoyable for people of all sensitivity levels (within reason). The beginning of 2020 was very interesting in this regard because death is a perennial topic in gag cartooning, but when COVID came, and we started to lose so many people, it began to feel immensely wrong to joke about death. So—like many of my peers—I veered away from that subject matter.”

Parent reassuring child about a hissing radiator, with a snake humorously visible, highlighting modern absurdities through comics.

Humorous comic illustrating modern parcel packaging layers with a figure for scale.

Reflecting on the challenges of creating humor in a single-panel format, David shared with us what makes a successful comic for him. “Since it’s such a stripped-down medium, it’s hard to make people laugh out loud with single-panel cartoons. When I see cartoons I like, mostly I’ll chuckle inwardly and say to myself ‘That’s clever.’ So it’s very special when something I see literally makes me laugh out loud. Even just generating ideas that seem worth drawing feels like a victory to me, but if I make something that makes people laugh out loud or spit out their coffee—that’s always the dream.

Comic of father and son fishing, with dad advising about dreams. Humorous take on the absurdities of the modern world.

Comic illustrating modern absurdities with a patient on an operating table and doctors discussing network issues humorously.

Humorous comic of a reindeer dressed as a biker with text about recalling a dangerous reindeer.

Humorous comic showing two ghosts in a suburban street with political signs, capturing absurdities of the modern world.

When asked about future goals, David shared his aspirations for the year ahead, particularly his dreams of writing and illustrating children’s books. “I have a number of ideas, and I’m hoping 2024 is the year I can finally make something happen. Eventually, I’d love to be writing and drawing books for adults too, but that may be further down the line. Right now, I’m taking notes from the books I read to my kids. And of course, I’ll continue to draw single-panel cartoons. They’re too much fun to come up with and draw to ever stop.”

Insect couple in a city scene humorously portrays modern world absurdities in comic form.

Humorous comic depicting a valley of disconnected thirteenth floors, illustrating modern world absurdities.

Comic depicting humor in modern life: man holding a guitar in a store, planning to play quietly at home.

Two kids humorously question Santa’s capabilities in a modern comic about absurdities.

Modern world absurdity comic: family discussing AI Christmas tree.

Humorous comic of two ghost families planning a low-key Friendoween, depicting modern world absurdities.

Humorous comics scene with Santa sitting near a family dining table with takeout, discussing an absurd mix-up.

Humorous comic depicting Pac-Man characters in a living room setting, highlighting modern world absurdities.

Humorous comic shows a confused Christmas tree next to a table with a menorah and gothic decor, highlighting absurdities.

Comic illustrating absurdities of modern world; two angels and a figure discussing dust creation in a humorous setting.

Comic showing a man reading a phone forecast, highlighting the absurdities of the modern world with humor.