The Dinette Set is a delightfully wacky single-panel comic with a large national following that satirizes middle class culture, juxtaposing thought-provoking observations with funny, absurdist background imagery.
In scenes taking place within the house, a to-do list often hangs on the wall, containing off-the-wall notes that only sometimes pertain to the characters' dialogue. Adding to The Dinette Set's whimsical charm is Larson's recent inclusion of a &œfind-it& word or object for readers to uncover, embedded within the elaborately illustrated panel.
The characters of The Dinette Set are a frustrating yet fun-loving lot who can be described as an odd mix of hyper-realistic folks who squeeze the life out of the American Dream. The Penny family serves up unintentional comedy by taking humorous situations literally and vice versa. They may not be the smartest gang or make the world a better place, but they are extremely happy with their ordinary lives in suburban Crustwood.
Appropriately enough, Larson first titled her panel "Suburban Torture" when she created it in 1990. She eventually changed it to The Dinette Set and it went into national syndication in 1997. It has built a large, passionate following since then and has become a staple in such papers as the Detroit News, Houston Chronicle, and The Record of Bergen County, NJ.
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The Argyle SweaterJulie Larson
Julie Larson grew up in a fun family of five kids in Lincoln, Ill., a small, quiet town surrounded by cornfields. With only three channels on TV and miles of open space around, Julie and her siblings had ample time and room to create their own fun.
"My family always had a terrific sense of humor and never hushed our peals of laughter at the dinner table," Julie says. Irreverent behavior and pranks were expected. Teasing only caused tears of uncontrollable laughter. In fact, Julie was in charge of homemade family birthday cards for close relatives. If you had a quirk or a visible Achilles' heel, it was tastefully highlighted in your personalized birthday greeting. Drawing was her hobby, and she always kept pen and paper close at hand.
Growing up, Julie hit the books hard and played competitive tennis until college. She earned a BS in Architecture from the University of Illinois and spent the next eight years working in the design field. In 1989, after her first of three daughters was born, Julie and her family moved from Chicago to the "burbs." She also changed careers.
Julie noted a dull, repetitive lifestyle from one suburb to the next. But when she took a closer look, she saw it was only monotonous on the outside. Underneath, she observed a lively hustle and bustle of people who truly enjoyed every moment of belonging to the masses. Mass consumerism was exciting and colorful! Julie embraced it and saw it as a theater filled with stars whose favorite ride was 'The Rat Wheel." She "got it."
Julie began writing The Dinette Set comic in 1990, then called Suburban Torture, offering a satire on middle class culture. The Dinette Set became syndicated in 1997. When asked where Julie gets all of her ideas, she admits there is only one way to write a daily comic: write about what you know. "I make no bones about who's really talking in The Dinette Set," says Julie, who is writer, director and cast of The Dinette Set. "If we can't make fun of ourselves, who will?"
Julie and her three daughters live in Central Illinois and often enjoy "playing the Pennys" when the mood strikes, whipping themselves into a frenzy of laughter. The recipe is simple: Take a mundane life situation (perhaps discovering after leaving McDonald's drive-thru that they forgot the fries), and then imagine what Burl and Joy might say about it. It's fun, its therapy, and Julie's loyal fans write to say they are "playing the Pennys" at home, too.
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