Death and the Maiden comics prove the afterlife is a lot livelier than anyone promised. The Grim Reaper here is a grumpy, scythe-carrying homebody who just wants hot cocoa and a tragic book. His roommates have other plans: a cheerful stitched-up maiden, her deadpan friend, a curious blue alien, and a steady stream of pets who showed up early.
The strips, signed Van Santen, mix holiday chaos, pop culture, and gentle jokes about mortality with a warm, scratchy art style. Below are 20 favorites, from a dodo with a rocket to a support group for birds tired of being called bad omens. Dark themes, soft hearts, and plenty of laughs.
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1. The Ghost Who Ghosts Back
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Two friends agree the best part of being dead is no more dating apps, especially the fake profiles and the ghosting. Then a lightbulb goes on. One of them floats off to give a smooth-talking “Romeo” a very literal ghosting.
2. The Lip Filler Clinic
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The same woman leaves the Ducky Lips Beauty Clinic three times, and her lips get bigger each visit. The final panel finds her at Death’s table, explaining she suddenly couldn’t breathe. A sharp joke about chasing a look too far.
3. Nobody Puts Baby in a Corner
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The maiden takes a running start and insists her friend say the famous movie line. He points out it’s not even the right scene. He says it anyway, lifts her overhead, and she immediately wants to go again.
Alt text: Death and the Maiden comic of a man lifting the maiden overhead in a classic dance move
4. Christmas Is Written All Over Your Face
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Death settles in with hot cocoa, cream, and a tragic book, finally at peace. Then the maiden bursts in dressed as an elf, and the cocoa ends up all over him. He swears he hates Christmas, but the whipped-cream beard says otherwise.
5. Feeling the Christmas Spirit
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The maiden explains Christmas to the alien during a sled ride down a slope called Death Jump. Kindness, love, festive cheer. Then Death shows up with a sled full of explosives, and the alien learns what “high powers” really means.
6. Pets Against Fireworks
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A nervous pug, cat, and dog in matching PAF shirts hope the afterlife will finally spare them from New Year’s Eve noise. Then Death rolls in with a giant rocket, thrilled to show them some real fireworks. Their shaky faces say it all.
7. Reading Your Calendar
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Death spends his free time scrolling through people’s work calendars and laughing at their long-term plans. The maiden finds it creepy and leaves. Her friend sneaks in just as he spots a romantic trip to Rome in May.
8. The Dodo’s Revenge
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A short history lesson clears the dodo’s name: not dumb, just perfectly suited to an island with lots of food and no predators. Then the dodo, fully vindicated, straps on a rocket. The maiden happily gives him a light.
9. What World Leaders Really Need
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The alien can’t understand why powerful leaders spend so much energy destroying each other. Death thinks they’re just missing something. The answer turns out to be pets, and the final panel is full of stern-looking leaders cuddling puppies and bunnies.
10. True Love Around the Campfire
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Over roasted marshmallows, the alien explains that his mind-control gun doesn’t work on really small brains. That’s exactly why he finds them so attractive. His partner, a big gentle cow, pretends not to hear.
11. Mansplaining, Explained
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The alien confidently explains mansplaining to a woman who is just trying to read, and gets it completely wrong. She calmly gives the real definition. He asks if she’s glad he cleared it up, and she reaches for a sock with a very clear plan.
12. The Cat With Nine Lives
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A flattened cat arrives in the afterlife and says no worries, there are eight lives left. A dog laughs that it’s only a myth. Death checks his paperwork, confirms eight more to go, and the dog can’t believe the oldest trick in the book actually works.
13. Nothing Lasts Forever
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One friend moans that beauty, love, and life all fade. The other insists a good friendship lasts forever and hugs her tight. When the cheerful one finally leaves, the grump sits alone under the stars and a tiny heart pops up above her.
14. The 27 Club Is Real
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On a road trip, Death explains the 27 Club, the group of famous musicians who died at 27. He laughs off the idea that it’s an actual club. The last panel shows a cozy treehouse tea party with some very familiar faces.
15. Support Group for Misunderstood Birds
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A raven, a vulture, and a crow complain about always being linked to death and bad omens. Then a bat snaps that at least nobody blamed them for starting a pandemic. Death has to calm her down, and someone points out she isn’t even a bird.
16. Candy, Not Souls
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A witch opens her door on Halloween, excited to see the kids’ costumes. One loud “Boo!” later, she ends up in the afterlife lineup. Death groans that the kids were supposed to collect candy, not souls, and wonders why this feels so familiar.
17. Heartbreaks at the Beach
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Death, the maiden, and their cat are relaxing under a beach umbrella when a giant wave rolls in. Everyone gets tossed around underwater. Asked what that was, Death answers with a perfect pun on a surfing term.
18. Cheering Up a Sad Clown
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Death explains that all clowns are chronically sad. His friend knows exactly how to cheer one up and smacks a dripping sponge into his face. Death is pretty sure it was supposed to be a sponge cake, but she’s happy with the result.
19. Mission Completed
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With no pesky girl in sight, Death settles in for a quiet cup of hot chocolate. Then the maiden swings down from the ceiling dressed as an elf, shouting Merry Christmas. He ends up wearing his drink again, and she declares the mission a success.
20. Here, All the Trees Are Dead
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On a Christmas tree hunt, the maiden admits she always felt sad cutting down a living tree. Death has the perfect fix. He leads her to a snowy forest where every tree is already dead.
