Surviving the World



Surviving the World is a now-defunct daily, gag-a-day Photo Comic by Dante Shepherd, covering topics ranging from all over the map including life, romance, politics, science, etc. It also included a monthly crossword by Justin Smith.

It ran from 2008 to 2018, for over 3500 strips. Dante also occasionally hosted a live stream for the making of the comic. These normally ended with him doing an impression of a raptor in a situation. It was awesome. It was also somewhat interactive with it's occasional "homeworks". It's also the only homework you've ever wanted to do.

Despite having ended its run, its site still exists as of May 2020 and hosts its complete run for those wanting an Archive Binge. You can find it here.


 * Awesome McCoolname: Dante Shepherd. How is it not awesome?
 * Badass Labcoat
 * Berserk Button: Proposition 8.
 * CPR: Clean, Pretty, Reliable: He acknowledges drawbacks but advises you learn it anyway.
 * Deadpan Snarker
 * Do-Anything Robot: Apparently all of them if he turns out to be right.
 * Freudian Slip: He once went as this for Halloween.
 * Early Installment Weirdness: The Blackboard the comic appears on changed often until Dante bought his own. Also the hat that he switches to possibly may be this or a Mid-Season Upgrade
 * Hot Scientist: Here.
 * I am so so sorry
 * Hurricane of Puns
 * Mad Scientist: As good a theory as any as to why they exist and in some pictures he certainly looks like one, especially with his default Badass Labcoat.
 * Mathematician's Answer: Occasionally, in response to reader questions on Fridays. Usually overlaps with Comically Missing the Point
 * Never Bareheaded: In every picture he has on a Boston Red Sox ball cap. He's gone on record saying he wants his kids to think the hat is his normal hair.
 * Noodle Implements: Manatees, Jetpacks, Rayguns.
 * Not Actually the Ultimate Question: Therapeutic miscommunication
 * Not That Kind of Doctor: Dante himself as well as this strip on getting a doctorate
 * One of Us: As proven by this tweet.
 * Our Zombies Are Different: Of the real world, "living dead" variety
 * Punny Name: Dante's Dog (and occasional guest lecturer) is named German. (Do as many pet owners do and apply the owner's last name to the pet)
 * German is not, however, a German Shepherd. He's a large Beag- no, a Treeing Walker Coonhound.
 * Schedule Slip: Impressively averted for a webcomic that updates 7 days a week.
 * That Poor Cat: According to Dante cats make the best erasers
 * The Talk: On the differing views of Sex Ed
 * Why Fandom Can't Have Nice Things: The rather hilarious Livestreams are threatened by people who record them and post them elsewhere. He doesn't want potential employers to see his hijinx.