3 Questions With… Dan Abdo (of Dan & Jason fame)
I discovered Dan & Jason from a talk they did at Kid’s Comics Unite. The pair met in high school and have been creating things together ever since. It’s a true collaboration. They both write and draw and it probably gets pretty blurry on who did what. And who cares? Together they make awesome stuff. The Barb the Last Berzerker books about a little girl barbarian and her yeti sidekick, together they battle jerk villains. And their other series, Blue, Barry, and Pancakes, a worm, a frog, and a rabbit who go on ridiculous silly adventures.
Normally this is 3 questions but Dan answered ALL OF THEM! Buckle up, you’re in for an awesome ride.
Why comics? (What compels you to create in this medium?)
I’ve been into comics for as long as I can remember. My older brother was really into them—things like X-Men, ElfQuest, ROM: Spaceknight—so naturally, I got hooked too. I had TMNT, Spider-Man, and Calvin and Hobbes lying around the house all the time. Comics always felt like the easiest way to escape into different worlds. It’s like going on a whole adventure, but what makes them really special is how the art and story work together. The pictures pull you in, and then the story takes you places that words alone just can’t. It’s this perfect mix that always grabbed me.
I also love how comics bridge the gap between low and high art. They used to be seen as “unserious,” but I think they’re actually one of the most powerful forms of storytelling out there. While graphic novels have definitely found their place in the mainstream, people still think comics for kids are just fluff. But we’re out here trying to make comics for kids that are not only fun but also beautiful and meaningful. At least, that’s what we’re aiming for.
What is it that you want people to take away from your work?
At the core, we want to make a connection with our readers. When I was a kid, I remember feeling really lonely at times. I think grown-ups often forget how deep that loneliness can feel for kids. So, what we’re aiming to do is create stories that are funny and entertaining, but also shine a light on the world we live in. Above all, we want kids to feel less alone.
When a kid picks up a Dan & Jason book, my ultimate dream is that they feel like they’re hanging out with friends—laughing, maybe learning something new, but most of all, knowing someone out there “gets it.”
What is something you do now that you wish you had either figured out or implemented sooner in your career?
We spent a lot of years working in the advertising industry as animation directors, but what we really wanted to do was tell stories. We always had this belief in the back of our minds that if we made great commercials, someone would notice and offer us a shot at directing a TV show or a film. But looking back, that was kind of a fantasy.
Eventually, Jason and I decided to take matters into our own hands and start telling our stories in graphic novel form. It was such a freeing experience because we didn’t have to jump through a million hoops to get permission to create something. And it’s been amazing—telling stories that span entire books and really connect with kids. We’re reaching thousands, sometimes tens of thousands, of young readers, and it’s honestly the best feeling in the world. I wish we’d made that leap sooner!
What is your favorite part/step of the process?
I absolutely love the brainstorming sessions with Jason. That initial period, when the sky’s the limit and you can feel that you’re about to create something new, amazing, and important—it’s the most exciting part. There’s this incredible energy and sense of possibility.
Then comes the long stretch of hard work, self-doubt, and challenges—months and months of it. That’s when things can feel overwhelming. But when it’s finally done, printed, and out in stores, and you see a kid reading your book, completely lost in it… that’s the best part. It makes the whole rollercoaster worth it. Every bit of doubt, every challenge—it all melts away in that moment.
What has (pleasantly) surprised you about creating comics that you didn’t anticipate when you first started out?
I think this might be true with all forms of writing, but every time you start a new story—whether it’s the first book in a series or the tenth—there’s always this feeling that you’re starting from scratch. Even if you’ve written and published before, it still feels like you’re writing for the very first time. And honestly, that’s both scary and exciting. It’s this mix of vulnerability and creativity that keeps the process fresh and keeps you on your toes.
What are you currently working on?
We’re wrapping up the fourth book in the Barb the Last Berzerker series, which is really exciting. Along with that, we’re diving into several new projects. One of the most exciting is an illustrated novel—it’s a new format for us, and we’re really looking forward to exploring it. It’s always fun to try something fresh and see where it takes us.
What was the book/comic that you fell in love with when you were a kid/teen?
I absolutely loved Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Calvin and Hobbes. The art in both of those series is stunning—so dynamic and full of life—and the characters are so well-realized that they feel real. There’s this perfect balance between humor and heart, and they both do such a great job of blending fun with deeper, more meaningful moments. They’re both incredibly inventive in their own ways, and they really show what comics can do at their best. These series made me fall in love with the medium and showed me just how powerful and imaginative comics can be.
If you had a genie to promote your work in any way, what would that look like?
My dream is that comics become something universal—like manga is in Japan—where everyone, from all walks of life and all ages, enjoys them. That would be something new for the U.S., and I’d love to see it happen alongside that old-school vibe where you could buy a comic on a spinner rack in a drug store or at a subway newsstand. Imagine kids with comics folded up in their back pockets, adults carrying them in their bags, and everyone reading all the time. I think comics are an old medium that could survive the mass extinction smartphones have wrought on us. Maybe comics could even be the unifier that the digital landscape has done so well at dividing us.
For Barb the Last Berzerker, I’d love to see her become a household name. She’s a character who teaches kids not to judge a book by its cover and to solve problems without violence, and I think her message could have a huge impact. I can picture her crossing over into toys, video games, TV shows—and even a Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade balloon one day!
But honestly, what I’d love most is to be an old dude, sitting back and watching a whole new generation of creators take these characters and reimagine them for their time. Telling fresh, new stories. That’s the real magic of it all—passing the torch and knowing these characters will continue to live on in ways you could never have dreamed of.
You can find Dan (& Jason) online at:
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