This is a spoiler-free Decades of (in)Experience review. 

Sometimes a piece of art speaks to you because the themes and motifs are relatable. Other times the physical aesthetic is moving.Sometimes it is a lot more blatant. The artist seems to know you personally.The work cuts past the artistic boundaries and looks you directly in the eye.The effects can range from slightly uncomfortable to extremely enlightening.

Decades of (in)Experience is created by Alex Schumacher. It is a web comic published by Antix Press. The story is released one page at a time on a monthly to biweekly basis. The story is about to enter its fourth year of production.

Luke is a depressed and struggling creator attempting to successfully navigate his 30s. He is forced to work soul-crushing middle management jobs while trying to start a career in comics. People often say that your 20s are for self-discovery. While that may be true, your 30s are for putting what you discovered into practice.

The invincibility of youth begins to fade. You are forced to take a harder look at your choices. What were once bad habits are now crippling vices. Your dreams and passions can feel like an endless grind of mediocrity.The hip and cool concepts of the present slip further and further out of reach.

We get to watch Luke go through these trials. It can be extremely difficult to walk through life when you view yourself by your flaws.We have all be there, or at least I have.

Reading Decade of (in)Experience was more therapeutic than I was expecting. For those of you who don’t know me, I am twenty-nine years old and trying to find my path in life. I am being held in a middle-management job by my skyscraper of student loan debt. I want nothing more than to have a career writing for you all, and that is why I work so hard to bring you new articles every week. Needless to say, I see a lot of myself in Luke.

Schumacher’s writing is poetic. Every line packs a punch.The dry wit paired with brutal introspection leave Like with a personality of optimistic hopelessness. I know this is oxymoronic, but cognitive dissonance will do that to a person. The potency of these feelings is a testament to Schumacher’s writing style.

The power of the writing may only be outweighed by the comic’s artwork. Schumacher’s art is awesome. Decades of (in)Experience is in black and white. The pages are filled with clean lines. I really love the depth that the inking gives to the artwork. Every panel clearly displays what is happening. Schumacher’s style seems to take influence from underground artists in the 60s and 70s, as well as modern alternative artists. 

One of my favorite aspects of Decades of (in)Experience is  the use of otherworldly character. These characters are used to personify portions of Luke’s personality. For example, Luke’s depression and suicidal thoughts are represented by an alcoholic grim reaper.

Decades of (in)Experience instantly made its way into my list of favorite web comics. I recommend this to anyone who likes introspective slice-of-life stories. However, this work will be entertaining to anyone who loves great art and excellent writing. 

This is my first journey into the work of Alex Schumacher and Antix Press. I hope to read and review more of their work in the future.

You can support Alex through Patreon. 

Alex can be found on Twitter and Instagram, and his official website. 

Decades of (in)Experience can be read through the archives at Antix Press.  

Be sure to check out my interview with Alex Schumacher. 

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