The Poet has been described as being "like PEANUTS, but if Linus was an old man and Woodstock had an attitude."
Begin By Being is the sixth collection of The Poet comic strips, and follows its uniquely thoughtful cast of characters: the Poet, the Pigeon, and the Park Bench as they contemplate our silly place in the grand scheme of things, the meaning of poetry, and donuts.
Among the many delights in this collection, The Poet visits a sculpture garden, the Pigeon befriends a snowman, and the Park Bench celebrates the new year.
"The Poet knows that small miracles abound if you look at everything as if seeing it for the first time, which is how I feel every time I turn the page in this new collection of funny, sad, strange and beautiful observations on art, life, friendship and snowmen."
- Will McRobb, co-creator, The Adventures of Pete & Pete
"The Poet has a sense of humor about thinking hard and feeling deeply while not apologizing for such outrageous behavior. It's refreshing."
- Hal Hartley, film director
"Serene, existential, and self aware, Todd Webb's The Poet is a humorous and ultimately helpful respite from... everything."
- Adam J. Kurtz, author of Things Are What You Make of Them: Life Advice for Creatives
"These gently funny comics give a glimpse of a poet making his way in the world, accompanied by a somewhat skeptical bird. The two in combination strike a happy balance between dreaminess and the corporeal world, so that what emerges is an overall sense of love for poetry and its makers - the kind of love that's intimate enough to make space for poking fun. (It also makes space for a talking bench, which is an inarguably good thing.)"
- Heather Christle, poet and author of What is Amazing and The Crying Book
"Todd Webb has figured out what poetry was missing all these years - PICTURES!"
- Derek Drymon, creative director of SpongeBob Squarepants & executive producer of Adventure Time
"I have been a joy-filled fan of Todd's work on The Poet for as long as I can remember. -What's that? How the heck should I know?! Now pipe down so I can finish writing thi- Oh, poop, where was I...?"
- Kevin Pollak, actor & comedian
Industry Reviews
"The Poet has a sense of humor about thinking hard and feeling deeply while not apologizing for such outrageous behavior. It's refreshing."
- Hal Hartley, film director
"Serene, existential, and self aware, Todd Webb's The Poet is a humorous and ultimately helpful respite from... everything."
- Adam J. Kurtz, author of Things Are What You Make of Them: Life Advice for Creatives
"These gently funny comics give a glimpse of a poet making his way in the world, accompanied by a somewhat skeptical bird. The two in combination strike a happy balance between dreaminess and the corporeal world, so that what emerges is an overall sense of love for poetry and its makers - the kind of love that's intimate enough to make space for poking fun. (It also makes space for a talking bench, which is an inarguably good thing.)"
- Heather Christle, poet and author of What is Amazing and The Crying Book
"Todd Webb has figured out what poetry was missing all these years - PICTURES!"
- Derek Drymon, creative director of SpongeBob Squarepants & executive producer of Adventure Time
"I have been a joy-filled fan of Todd's work on The Poet for as long as I can remember. -What's that? How the heck should I know?! Now pipe down so I can finish writing thi- Oh, poop, where was I...?"
- Kevin Pollak, actor & comedian
"The Poet knows that small miracles abound if you look at everything as if seeing it for the first time, which is how I feel every time I turn the page in this new collection of funny, sad, strange and beautiful observations on art, life, friendship and snowmen."
- Will McRobb, co-creator, The Adventures of Pete & Pete
