Life in Progress
Life in Progress is a Filipino comic strip by Julius Villanueva, published daily in the Manila Bulletin. It is non-linear and semi-autobiographical, set in a surreal world with aliens, dinosaurs, and pop culture. It follows Zeke and his friends as they deal with college life, love, escapism, and rejection.
It started in 2003 in the newspaper’s comic section. The stories were later collected into books: the first in 2007 (Psicom Publishing); Geek Machine Telemetry in 2008; Tales of Minor Awesomeness in 2010; and the newest collection, Chronicles from the Discomfort Zone.
The strip uses a gag-a-day format, but it often refers back to past events (for example, Zeke being turned down by Joan). Time moves forward with the college setting, showing exams and semester breaks. Some collections share a common theme, such as philosophical ideas or a certain time period. The main themes are college life, love, escapism, and rejection. Zeke is involved in all of them, though his friends and family also appear.
Humor often comes from pop culture references. Sometimes these appear as imaginary moments (Franchie becoming the Masked Spider); other times pop icons seem to become real in Zeke’s world (like when he talks to God). Because the characters treat these as real, it can be confusing.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 20:35 (CET).