Watusi the Talking Dog

After years of producing comics targeted at a more adult readership, I set out to make simple comics for all ages … and Watusi was the happy result! Of course, when I collected the first batch of Watusi jam pages into a little digest comic back in 2002, I had no idea it would turn into my longest-lived comic project, a favorite of readers of all ages! Or that, best of all, I would still love writing and drawing new Watusi the Talking Dog issues all these years later!

Most of the early issues are filled with one-page jam comics where I collaborated with a variety of talented and clever artists (see here for the complete list); some issues shared a theme, contained longer stories, or had other special features. Later on, the title took on its current form: a collection of longer comics by me, where I could better develop Watusi’s “voice” and cast (including familiar faces from many of my past SSP publications), rounded out with jam comics.

Watusi the Talking Dog #44 (October 2024)
Watusi the Talking Dog #44This issue is another solo outing, as I expand “Frankenstein’s Dogcatcher”, the story I did for the 2017″Monsters” issue of Oh, Comics. I also reveal the origin stories of Watusi’s monsterific foes from that same story, and fill the issue out with other monster-themed one-page comics! 

This 16-page black & white digest w/full-color covers can be ordered in print here and in digital here.


Watusi the Talking Dog #43 (May 2024)
Watusi the Talking Dog #43This is the “convention jams” issue! Back in 2012 and 2013 I tried something new at my convention appearances: I set up a long-form jam comic and enticed con attendees to participate in its creation! The brave test subjects in these experiments were Craig Klotz, Mike Sullivan, Tara Avery, Martin Tomlinson, Thayer Bray, Shawn Geabhart, David Bitterbaum, Kelly T., Steve Swope, Emily Kircher, Jonah Wolk, Joshua Wolk, Natalie Wolk, Michelle Young, Nathan Burns-Spring, and Alorrah. This issue’s back cover comic was another jam with fellow APA-5 alum Drew Boynton!

This 16-page black & white digest w/full-color covers can be ordered in print here and in digital here.

Watusi the Talking Dog #42 (April 2024)
Watusi the Talking Dog #42This issue kicks off with an ALL-NEW lead story! In “Copied by the Copy Cat”, Watusi crosses paths with an equally chatty animal … and it doesn’t go well! This issue also features a 3-page “Bad Joke Funnies” segment (originally published in 2022’s “cheese” issue of Bob Corby’s Oh, Comics! #30), where Watusi & many of his supporting cast deliver some real clunkers! Rounded out with my full-color “Let’s go to a Comic Con!” promotional comic. 

This 16-page black & white digest w/full-color covers can be ordered in print here and in digital here. 

Okay, here’s your caveat: this is a work in progress page that will get updated as I excavate Watusi’s past. Until then, here are some links to Watusi comics on my Smeary Soapbox Press blog…

  • Watusi the Talking Dog #41
  • Watusi the Talking Dog #40
  • Watusi the Talking Dog #39
  • Watusi the Talking Dog #38
  • Watusi the Talking Dog #31-37
  • Watusi the Talking Dog #30
  • Watusi the Talking Dog #29
  • Watusi the Talking Dog #28
  • Watusi the Talking Dog #27 (The Small Press Syndicate’s “Carpal Tunnel Syndrome” crosses over into the pages of Watusi’s comic, featuring guest stars galore as Watusi tries to keep the negawave generator from altering the character of Wonder Valley. Art cameos by Robert Upton, Tom Cherry, and Rusty Mathis; 16 page digest w/2-color hand-stenciled cover.)
  • Watusi the Talking Dog #26 (A collection of Watusi comics that originally appeared in other publications, including a 7-page alphabet comic from Rap Sheet #123; 16 page digest w/2-color hand-stenciled cover.)
  • Watusi the Talking Dog #25 (Dale takes a break for Watusi’s silver anniversary issue to enjoy a collection of strips by Keith O’Brien, Tom Cherry, and Carrie O’Brien; 16 page digest w/2-color hand-stenciled cover.)
  • Watusi the Talking Dog #24 (Watusi’s third Halloween issue, featuring jam comics by Tom Cherry, Larned Justin, Matt Corrigan, T. Avery, Matt Levin, and others! Plus, a four-page Watusi comic Dale finished with no help whatsoever! 16 page digest w/2-color hand-stenciled cover & googly eye accents.)
  • Watusi the Talking Dog #23 (In a double-blind experiment, cartoonist Tom Cherry finished the same strips Dale did in issue #22, with very different results. It’s fun to compare and contrast their different styles (Dale thinks Tom’s panels are funnier!); 16 page digest w/2-color hand-stenciled cover.)
  • Watusi the Talking Dog #22 (Another double-blind experiment when paired with issue #23, featuring jam comics from Mark Morehouse, Chris Garrett, Steve Willhite, Greg Gildersleeve, and others; 16 page digest w/2-color hand-stenciled cover.)
  • Watusi the Talking Dog #21 (Featuring jam comics by Tom Cherry, Larned Justin, Larry Blake, Matt Corrigan, Nate Corrigan, Mark Plaid, and others; 16 page digest.)
  • Watusi the Talking Dog #20 (Watusi’s second Halloween issue, featuring scary/funny comics by Keith O’Brien, Larned Justin, Nino, Brien Wayne Powell and others; 16 page digest w/2-color hand-stenciled (glow-in-the-dark) cover.)
  • Watusi the Talking Dog #19 (Introducing W-Tusi25 – the talking dog of the future – in a 5-page mini-epic, along with jam comics by Kel Crum, Nate Corrigan, Billy McKay, Tom Cherry and others; 16 page digest w/2-color hand-stenciled cover.)
  • Watusi the Talking Dog #18 (It’s fun in the sun with comics by Mark Morehouse, Zac Crockett, Angela Curtis, Matthew Corrigan and others; 16 page digest w/2-color hand-stenciled cover.)
  • Watusi the Talking Dog #17 (The conclusion of the two-part “Space Vortex” storyline, spun around the contributions of cartoonists at SPACE 2004. Features comics by Pam Bliss, Matt Feazell, Tom Cherry, Millard Draudt and others; 16 page digest w/3-color hand-stenciled cover.)
  • Watusi the Talking Dog #16 (Part one of the two-part “Space Vortex” storyline, spun around the contributions of cartoonists at SPACE 2004. Features comics by Michael Carroll, Nate Corrigan, Jeffery Manley, Jerry Smith and others; 16 page digest w/2-color hand-stenciled cover.)
  • Watusi the Talking Dog #15 (Watusi’s first theme issue, featuring Halloween comics by Jimmy Gownley, Brian Payne, Larry Blake, Sean Bieri, Matt Feazell and others; 16 page digest.)
  • Watusi the Talking Dog #14 (Another change of pace issue; it features an issue-long jam comic with B. Winter, guest-starring his own funny animal character, Izzy the Mouse; 16 page digest w/2-color hand-stenciled cover.)
  • Watusi the Talking Dog #13 (A change from the regular routine: in a double-blind experiment, cartoonist Drew Boynton finished the same strips Dale did in issue #9, with very different results; 16 page digest w/3-color hand-stenciled cover.)
  • Watusi the Talking Dog #12 (The second of two issues completed with young cartoonists at the Lawrence Public Library as part of a spring break program; 16 page digest.)
  • Watusi the Talking Dog #11 (The first of two issues completed with young cartoonists at the Lawrence Public Library as part of a spring break program; 16 page digest.)
  • Watusi the Talking Dog #10 (Featuring comics by Steve Peters and students from his cartooning workshops (among others); 16 page digest w/2-color hand-stenciled cover.)
  • Watusi the Talking Dog #9 (Featuring comics by Rusty Mathis, Billy McKay, Johnny Gonzalez and others; 16 page digest w/2-color hand-stenciled cover.)
  • Watusi the Talking Dog #8 (Featuring the conclusion of “The Great Treasure Hunt”, along with jam comics by Pam Bliss, Michael R. Neno, and Larned Justin; 16 page digest.)
  • Watusi the Talking Dog #7 (Featuring part two of “The Great Treasure Hunt”, along with jam comics by students from one of Dale’s cartooning workshops; 16 page digest.)
  • Watusi the Talking Dog #6 (Featuring part one of “The Great Treasure Hunt”, a 24-hour comic project, along with jam comics by Hector Casanova, Travis Fox, Jack Bertram and others; 16 page digest w/2-color hand-stenciled cover.)
  • Watusi the Talking Dog #5 (Featuring comics by Steve Skeates, Brien Wayne Powell, Rick Bradford and others; 16 page digest.)
  • Watusi the Talking Dog #4 (Featuring comics from the 2003 SPACE show by Steve Peters, Matt Dembicki, Ray Tomczak and others; 16 page digest.)
  • Watusi the Talking Dog #3 (Featuring comics by Mike Hall, Matt Corrigan, Tim Corrigan and others; 16 page digest.)
  • Watusi the Talking Dog #2 (Featuring comics by Larned Justin, Tom Cherry, Dan Lauer and others; 16 page digest.)
  • Watusi the Talking Dog #1 (Featuring comics by B. Winter, Mike Goetz, Mike Leuszler and others, along with an overview of the genesis of this project; 16 page digest.)