Please sign up for the Tom the Dancing Bug subscription service, the Inner Hive, and join the team that supports Tom the Dancing Bug’s very existence. Joining HERE is easy and fun.
And if you’re interested in exploring options, there are a number of ways you can choose to join: Info here.
-Ruben Bolling
I will be attending my second Phil Collins Day this year in Brooklyn, on February 14. Phil Collins is a beloved Tom the Dancing Bug character, and this year, I’ve named myself Grand Marshall of the event, so I’m deeply honored.
You might ask: What is Phil Collins Day? And is Phil Collins himself involved? And the answers are: It’s complicated. And No, not even a little.
If you’re in or near NYC and would like to join me in a celebration of the Chiswick Charmer*, please do. I’ll be wearing a yellow baseball cap; say Hi, and we’ll exchange fist bumps and maybe some Phil Collins anecdotes. I’ll be giving away some little Tom the Dancing Bug souvenirs to any Tom the Dancing Bug readers in attendance.
I plan to attend for most of the event; check @rubenbolling on Bluesky for updates the day of the event.
I’m also donating a sketched/signed Tom the Dancing Bug book to be raffled off at the event, which benefits Education Through Music. I’ll also bring an extra book or two in case anyone wants to buy one (cover price, signed etc.).
By the way, full info is here, but to clarify: Berry Park is not a park, but is an indoor bar/music venue.
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*Yes, The Chiswick Charmer is the new nickname I just made up for Phil Collins, born in Chiswick, London.
I rarely sell original artwork, and haven’t done so for years. But I decided to put last week’s comic up for sale. It’s only been out one week, and it’s already one of the most popular comics I’ve ever done.
It’s a Richard Scarry homage: “A Busy, Busy Immigration Enforcement Action”
Finished piece:
You can bid $3,000 or more by sending an email to tomdbug at gmail dot com, subject: BUSY ORIGINAL, by Monday, 1/26/26.
Purchaser also gets a high-resolution file of the finished comic, for printing. In the case of a tie, or a virtual tie, high bidders will be given a second chance to bid. Purchaser pays $50 p/h. Result will be kept confidential. I will sign per purchaser’s instructions. Purchaser chosen by me in my sole discretion.
Having completed the Daily Countdown on social media in these final days of 2025, I present here, in one virtual space for your reading convenience, the scientifically accurate, objectively unassailable list of THE TOP TEN TOM THE DANCING BUGS OF 2025.
Please do follow along with Tom the Dancing Bug in 2026, in your local newspaper (if you live in one of the few geographic locations that still sees the comic strip in print), on one of its fine online clients, on social media, or, best yet, join the team in the Inner Hive.
“Strike Force Five,” from the week of September 22, when Jimmy Kimmel was suspended
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“MAGA Goggles,” from the week of July 21
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Elon Musk and His Doge Pals, in “Auto Graft,” from the week of March 10
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SeverVance, from the week of March 31
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“A Trumpian Christmas,” from the week of 12/15/25
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Q-Nuts, in “All Hail the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown,” from the week of 4/28/25
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Hollingsworth Hound, in “The Devil Went Down to HoundCo,” from the week of August 11
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NOTE: The Top Three Tom the Dancing Bugs of 2025 were submitted to the definitive wisdom of the intrepid Inner Hive, and their exclusive vote, one of the many privileges of their membership, determined this final TOP THREE ORDER:
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“A Busy, Busy Day in Washington, D.C.” from the week of September 29
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“Know Your ICE Agent,” from the week of June 30
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And
“The N-Word Is Back!” from the week of March 24
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Thank you for your readership, support and enthusiasm in 2025. You can’t read these comics and fail to realize what a horrible year it was. Sticking together and fighting the oppression, through communication, commiseration, and humor, but also very real protest and democratic mechanisms, is our only hope. Let’s hope for more of that in 2026.
You may purchase the entire 2025 run of Tom the Dancing Bug, top ten and bottom forty, in the form of this handsomely bound pdf, THE 2025 TOM THE DANCING BUG ANNUAL.
Wishing you all a healthy, safe, and prosperous 2026, from all of us (i.e., me) here at Tom the Dancing Bug.
For the first time since their triumphant (and then disastrous) 1995 world tour, Null and the Void tour t-shirts are available, featuring Charley the Australopithecine, the front man for the pioneers of Scream Rock.
They are available in two options (with numerous colors and styles within each):
The full Null and The Void epic is contained in Volume 2 of The Complete Tom the Dancing Bug Library: Sex, Tom the Dancing Bug, & Rock ‘n’ Roll
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And the full array of available Tom the Dancing Bug t-shirts can be found here.
This holiday season, you can give that special someone(s) a Gift Membership(s) to Tom the Dancing Bug’s INNER HIVE.
That’s right, you can give a loved one / friend / frenemy a membership to the INNER HIVE, and they will receive the weekly INNER HIVE emails EXCLUSIVELY containing:
👉 that week’s Tom the Dancing Bug comic, at least a day before it’s published anywhere online; and
👉 exclusive commentary, extra comics, contests, giveaways, word-find puzzles, advice for the lovelorn, juicy celeb gossip, jokes, palindromes, puppy pics, etc.
👉 and all other benefits and privileges of membership conferred.
How can you give an Inner Hive membership as a gift? Let me count the ways:
✅ You can give a one-year gift Inner Hive membership through MailChimp / CampaignZee here.
✅ You can give a gift Inner Hive membership at various tiers for up to one year through Patreon here. You’ll get a link, which you can send to the recipient when you like.
✅ You can give a monthly or annual gift Inner Hive membership through Substack here, and you can even set a start date.
Yes, it’s the perfect stocking-stuffer! You can give a Tom the Dancing Bug Inner Hive membership, the gift the keeps on giving, every ding-dong week, from the comfort of your own cozy armchair by the fire, with the mere press of a button.
Yes, Black Friday lasts two weeks in Tom the Dancing Bugland.
For a limited time, from now until December 9 (subject to my pulling the plug, at my sole discretion), you can purchase either, or both, of two sets of Tom the Dancing Bug books:
🎁 Holiday Six-Pak
Six of the published books in The Complete Tom the Dancing Bug Library, personalized (if requested) and signed by me, Ruben Bolling, for the low, low price of $199.99. (Cheap.)
You’ll get:
You’ll also get two (2) handsome stickers: one for On the Trail, and one for It’s the Great Storm.
🎁 Super Fun Two-Pak
The two companion books for The Complete Tom the Dancing Bug Library, personalized (if requested) and signed by me, Ruben Bolling, for the low, low price of $89.99. (Cheap.)
You’ll get:
👉 About both packages
Because of the holiday crunch, all orders placed by December 2 are guaranteed to be sent out by USPS media mail ASAP, but no later than December 5. Orders received by December 9 are guaranteed to be sent out no later than USPS media mail by December 12. In my experience, USPS takes 4-8 days, but this holiday season may be unusual, so I suggest you place your order quickly. (Apologies to valued and esteemed non-U.S. readers, but this offer is only good for deliveries within the U.S.)
Yes, you and your loved ones can bask in the warm glow of Tom the Dancing Bug this holiday season!
To buy the Tom the Dancing Bug Holiday Six-Pak, enter the name you’d like the books signed to (if any), and click Buy Now:
$199.99, plus $15 s/h
DEAL EXPIRED
To buy the Super Fun Two-Pak, enter the name you’d like the books signed to (if any), and click Buy Now:
$89.99, plus $7 s/h
DEAL EXPIRED
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👉 Or: SKETCHED books!
And of course, you can still purchase any or all of these books not only personalized and signed, but with a hand-drawn (what other appendage would I use?) SKETCH! Link is here!
Volumes 1 and 2 of The Complete Tom the Dancing Bug have Kickstarted!
UPDATE 11/21: THANK YOU to every one who backed this Kickstarter and made it such a success. We raised TWENTY TIMES the Kickstarter’s goal, and with all these pre-orders in our arms, we are moving to the printing process to get these books in your hands!
As always, you guys have shown why Tom the Dancing Bug readers are the best group of people who have ever walked the face of this planet.
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Volumes 3 through 8 of the Complete Tom the Dancing Bug have been published, but as of today, you can finally pre-order Volumes 1 and 2. These volumes will make The Complete Tom the Dancing Bug… complete!
The volumes are published by Clover Press, and can be pre-ordered only through a limited-time Kickstarter, starting TODAY (10/28)!
The window to get these books closes November 20, 9pm PT.
👉 👉 CLICK HERE <<offer expired>> to get information and/or pre-order Volumes 1 and 2 on Kickstarter!
BUT THAT’S NOT ALL! ACT NOW, and you could get this new comic book with your Kickstarter order!
TRUMP YOU! will be a 24-page comic book (not a trade paperback) containing a selection of Trump-related Tom the Dancing Bug comics from 2024 and 2025. The Kickstarter also offers many other bonus items!
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About Volumes 1 and 2:
VOLUME 1
TOM THE DANCING BUG: SECRET ORIGINS
Compiling every Tom the Dancing Bug comic, 1990-1994
APX. 232 PAGES
This volume compiles the weird and wild beginning of Tom the Dancing Bug, in which new characters and formats kept percolating up, including: Harvey Richards, Lawyer for Children; Max & Doug; Charley the Australopithecine; Games Louis Plays; and Bob. The very first months were bizarre and experimental, including comics from various abandoned never-before-seen projects. Witness the comic strip coalesce, by the end of the first year, into something more consistently resembling the award-winning Tom the Dancing Bug that has run for 35 years. Also included is the 1991 Harvey Richards comic that ran in National Lampoon magazine.
VOLUME 2
SEX, TOM THE DANCING BUG, AND ROCK ‘N’ ROLL
Compiling every Tom the Dancing Bug comic, 1995-1998
APX. 200 PAGES
This volume resumes the adventures and misadventures of the characters introduced in the early ‘90s, and continues to add new ones, such as Sam Roland, The Detective Who Dies; and God-Man, The Omnipotent Superhero. It also includes two multi-part stories featuring Charley the Australopithecine: “Monkey Business;” and the Scream-Rock epic “Null and the Void.” Also in the volume is the celebrated expansion of the “News of the Times” format and the launch of “Super-Fun-Pak Comix.”
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UPDATES:
Here is some of the press the two new books have generated:
More samples from the upcoming Volumes 1 and 2 than you can shake a stick at!
Assuming you have limits to your stick shaking capabilities…
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Part one of the Null and The Void Saga:
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Complete your Complete Tom the Dancing Bug Library!
Volumes 3-8, compiling every Tom the Dancing Bug comic from 1999-2023, can be purchased as part of this Kickstarter campaign, or at your local bookstore or online retailer, or from Clover Press, or signed and sketched directly from me.
Okay, if you were thinking of signing up for the Inner Hive, doing it now would do some extra good.
From now (Tuesday, 9/16/25, 4pm ET) until midnight, the night of 10/3/25 (ET), if you sign up for any annual Inner Hive membership, I’ll donate $33* to Immigration Law & Justice New York. (In addition to my own personal, non-Inner Hive related donation.)
“We advocate for and provide free or low-cost legal services to people of every race, nationality, religion, age, gender, and sexual orientation who have come to the United States seeking freedom, safety, and opportunity.”
👉 You can purchase an annual membership on Patreon here (toggle the “Pay annually” switch).
👉 You can purchase an annual membership on Substack here. (Hit the Subscribe button, and choose a paid annual membership).
Members of the Inner Hive get each week’s Tom the Dancing Bug comic emailed to them at least a day before it’s published, plus extra comics, commentary, exclusive info, etc.
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*$33 (comes to $2.79 per month) is the base price of an annual Inner Hive membership on Patreon.
(If you want to avoid automatic recurring payments and third-party corporate subscriptions, you can join the Inner Hive on a two-year non-recurring membership, directly from me. Joining on this type of membership will also trigger the donation.
For the past five years, Clover Press and I have been working on the multi-volume COMPLETE TOM THE DANCING BUG book program. There were eight books planned, each book containing every single Tom the Dancing Bug comic published over a four or five year span. And we worked sort of backwards, starting with Volume 7, covering the years 2016-2019, working our way back to Volume 3 (1999-2002), and then catching up last year with Volume 8 (2020-2023).
Well, in celebration of the 35th anniversary of the birth of Tom the Dancing Bug, Clover Press and I are finishing the program in one fell swoop, publishing Volumes 1 and 2 simultaneously, in time for the holidays.
Yes, it’s the thrilling completion of The Complete Tom the Dancing Bug program.
With all previous volumes, Clover Press sold the books through bookstores, Amazon, etc., and its own website, while I also offered signed/sketched books here and at public appearances.
These volumes will be sold differently, only through a Kickstarter campaign, and then in bookstores, Amazon, etc. For the time being, I am not selling signed/sketched copies on my own.(1)
Last week, Clover Press announced the Kickstarter, and so I’m passing it on here.From the article in graphicpolicy.com.
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Ruben Bolling’s groundbreaking and wildly popular comic strip Tom the Dancing Bug is a two-time Pulitzer Prize Finalist that has won multiple awards including the Herblock Prize, the Berryman Award, and a Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award. Now Clover Press is completing its eight-volume collection of definitive editions of the award-winning political humor comic strip with the release of two new volumes of Tom the Dancing Bug, which collect seminal strips originally published from 1990 to 1998. Fans can now follow the pre-launch page for the Kickstarter page to get an email when the project launches later this summer.
Just a year ago, in an article about Bolling, The New Yorker extolled the 1990s Tom the Dancing Bug comics that will comprise these two volumes: ”In the nineties, ‘Tom the Dancing Bug’ felt like a quietly thrilling revelation, beloved by many but never a household name. Bolling seemed to tease all of pop culture, much of human nature, and comics history at once, always with sensitivity and an eye for the subtly absurd.”
Blending a surreal sense of humor with razor-sharp political satire, Tom the Dancing Bug has delighted fans for decades, and Bolling’s work remains as vital and important as ever. Clover Press’s new collections will give readers a chance to see the strip and Bolling’s art evolve throughout the 1990s. Tom the Dancing Bug: Secret Origins collects Bolling’s early comic strips from 1990 to 1994, and Sex, Tom the Dancing Bug, & Rock ‘N’ Roll will collect Bolling’s strips from 1994 to 1998. In addition to the two 200+ page 8″ x 9″ books, the Kickstarter campaign will feature a collectible 11″ x 13″ lithograph print, a slipcase that will hold all 8 volumes of Clover Press’s Tom The Dancing Bug, t-shirts, and more to celebrate Bolling’s beloved dancing bug.
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From Clover’s press release:
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“With the announcement of these two volumes, The Complete Tom the Dancing Bug program will soon stand as a full eight-volume chronicle of 35 years of comics – my life’s work,” said Ruben Bolling. “I’m grateful to Clover Press for its commitment to the project. The quality of the books has been extraordinary, and I’m honored to have this complete set in print. These two volumes will document this strip’s earliest years, and in some ways, my most audacious and ambitious work.”
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So, yes, please do sign up on this Kickstarter page just to be informed when the campaign starts, at which time you’ll have the opportunity (!) to participate and purchase the books.
By the way, I just started work on an extra item that purchasers will get that I’m particularly excited about. More info to come!
And of course, for now, I’m still selling signed/sketched copies of Volumes 3-8, info here.
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(footnote 1) This phrase has caused some confusion among readers, particularly my very favorite kind: collectors and completists (among which, for certain series such as “The Complete Carl Barks Library,” I count myself, so I get it). Many of these people have collected signed/sketched editions of Volumes 3-8 and want Volumes 1-2 in a consistent manner. I say that I am not selling them signed/sketched “for the time being” because I don’t know what the future will bring, and I don’t want to be called a liar for saying I’ll never sell these books signed/sketched online. I hope to live a long time, and the Universe is ever-changing. But because of economic realities, Clover Press and I agreed to sell these books this way through a Kickstarter (unsigned and unsketched), and I have no current plans to offer them any other way. But signed or unsigned, rest assured these books are designed to fit perfectly next to Volumes 3-8, creating a perfectly satisfying completion of the line. (Until it’s time for Volume 9, collecting 2024-2027? If I live/stay out of a Trump gulag that long?)
