Achewood, the beloved absurdist comic, is back with a Patreon and AI. This is a great news for Achewood’s long-time fans who have been longing for a new installment. It is difficult to explain Achewood’s influence, especially for those who did not experience the pleasure of it in the early 2000s. Achewood was like a surreal Anna Karenina, passed among people via AOL Instant Messenger away messages and phrases from the strip are still used to this day, such as “due to Circumstances,” which serves to note something unpleasant.
The story follows the adventures of cats, robots, and stuffed animals, all intertwined in the fictional world created by Chris Onstad. C. Roast Beef Kazenzakis, the main character, is a Java programmer and hails from “Circumstances,” a euphemism for his unhappy childhood.
Chris Onstad is a San Francisco-based cartoonist, writer and author. He wrote “The Great Outdoor Fight”, an acclaimed graphic novel, and is the creator of Achewood and the scandalous Twitter account @onstadater. He has worked with various cartoonists, musicians, and stand-up comedians, while simultaneously pursuing projects such as a TV show, book, and feature film. He is an alumnus of The Nib, the quarterly humor magazine, and and the artist-in-residence at Kickstarter.
Achewood stands out from other comic strips due to Onstad’s witty writing and knack for world-building. A mix of sincere and surreal moments, it has served both as a source of entertainment and as a platform to express social criticism. This makes it a perfect fit for our current times and the political chaos that come with them. With the new installment now live, fans can once again enjoy Achewood’s unique brand of entertainment.
