Some comics make you laugh, others make you think—and then there are those rare ones that do both while tugging on your heartstrings. Dave Contra’s Got Dreams? is one such story. Told across a series of simple yet emotionally charged panels, it captures the evolution of a person’s dreams from childhood to old age, with a constant silent observer—the Grim Reaper—reminding us of life’s finite nature.
Artist Introduction and Bio – Dave Contra
Dave Contra is a comic artist and illustrator known for blending humor, absurdity, and surprisingly deep emotional beats into his work. His style is minimal yet expressive—flat colors, bold outlines, and exaggerated expressions that make each panel pop. But beyond the visual simplicity lies a knack for storytelling that often hits harder than expected.
Contra’s comics often explore human flaws, existential dread, and the hilarity of everyday life. His characters may be silly or strange, but the situations they find themselves in are always rooted in something relatable. Whether he’s delivering a laugh-out-loud gag or a quiet, bittersweet reflection on growing older, Dave Contra’s work sticks with you long after you’ve scrolled past.
Artist Credit:
Comic by Dave Contra. All artwork and characters belong to the artist. See more of his work on Instagram.
Comic Story Breakdown – Panel by Panel
We open in a child’s bedroom. A young boy stands holding a toy X-Wing fighter, a Star Wars poster on the wall behind him. Death—hooded and skeletal—leans through the open window and asks, “You got big dreams, kid?” The boy grins and answers, “I sure do!” In this moment, the innocence of youth shines through—dreams are limitless, and life feels like it’s just beginning.
Years later, the boy is now a young man at a typewriter, a cigarette dangling from his mouth, papers scattered around him. Death sits beside him, still asking the same question: “Still got big dreams?” The man, confident and a bit world-weary, replies, “Bigger than ever!” The optimism is still there, but now it’s fueled by ambition and the hustle of early adulthood.
We move forward again. The man, now older and balding, sits in a bland office cubicle, typing at a computer. Death peeks over the divider and asks, “Still dreaming?” This time, the man’s reply is quieter: “Sigh Yes. Hanging in there.” The setting says it all—dreams aren’t gone, but they’ve been boxed in by the routine and responsibilities of middle age.
We move forward again. The man, now older and balding, sits in a bland office cubicle, typing at a computer. Death peeks over the divider and asks, “Still dreaming?” This time, the man’s reply is quieter: “Sigh Yes. Hanging in there.” The setting says it all—dreams aren’t gone, but they’ve been boxed in by the routine and responsibilities of middle age.
A silent beat. The old man stares at Death, wordless. The space between panels emphasizes the weight of the question.
Finally, the man says it: “No. No dreams left.” His face is tired, his voice resigned.
He continues, “To be honest, at this point I feel like this whole thing has just been a dream.” The close-up on his face reveals deep lines and a faraway look in his eyes, as if he’s speaking not just about his own life, but about life itself.
Death smirks slightly and says, “Now you’re talking.” It’s darkly humorous—only when the man fully accepts the fleeting nature of life does Death seem satisfied.
In the final moment, Death reaches out his hand. “C’mon, kid. It’s time to go.” The man accepts. But in the next image, we see something powerful—the man walking away hand-in-hand with Death, transformed back into his younger self, holding the toy X-Wing high in the air, returning to the child who once dreamed without limits.
The End:
Why This Comic Works
The genius of Got Dreams? lies in its simplicity. The art is straightforward, but the emotional arc is universal—every reader can see themselves somewhere in this journey.
Dave Contra uses repetition as a storytelling device: the same question (“Got dreams?”) asked at different life stages forces us to reflect on our own shifting ambitions. The Grim Reaper’s consistent presence is a reminder that time is always ticking, whether we’re flying high on dreams or just “hanging in there.”
And the ending? It’s bittersweet but oddly comforting. In death, the man’s youthful dreams return—not because they were fulfilled, but because they were always a part of him. It’s a full-circle moment that suggests our dreams never truly die; they just change form.
Final Thoughts
Got Dreams? is a perfect example of how comics can tackle deep subjects without losing accessibility. Dave Contra doesn’t need elaborate backgrounds or hyper-detailed art to tell a powerful story—just a few well-placed words, expressive characters, and a universal theme.
This isn’t just a comic about death. It’s a comic about life, about holding onto what matters, and about how the dreams we have at eight years old still live inside us, even if they look different at eighty.
