The comics in Mef Ajulo’s “Third Servings” series drop you straight into the messy overlap that will be relatable to anyone who’s been involved in a family-run business, where patience runs thin, love stays constant, and chaos is always one customer away. Set largely inside a struggling family restaurant, the comic hits that sweet spot of painfully ordinary with the kind of everyday drama that doesn’t look dramatic until you’ve lived it.
At the center are siblings who bicker, tease, and occasionally do the bare minimum… but still show up when it matters. Helping out at their dad’s restaurant isn’t glamorous. The customers are exhausting, the money is tight, and the place is forever on the brink. Underneath the sarcasm and eye-rolls, though, there’s a steady loyalty holding it all together, and that emotional undercurrent is what gives the humor its bite.
Ajulo’s jokes naturally emerge from character dynamics and uncomfortable situations, while maintaining clean and expressive visuals.
Let us know in the comments which comic you liked or related to the most, and, of course, you can check out both of Ajulo’s comic series, “Third Servings” and “Matt,” on his Instagram page.
More info: Instagram
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Our team reached out to him to learn more about what drives his work. When asked about where his love for the art form comes from, he revealed: “I’ve been reading comics ever since my early childhood. I grew up reading all kinds of classic comic strips like Peanuts, Calvin and Hobbes, The Boondocks, and Big Nate. Big Nate was always my favorite.”
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And that early obsession didn’t stay on the page for long, either. “It was around the age of 10 that I decided to try creating my own comics, and I never looked back after that.”
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The premise of “Third Servings” wasn’t something that appeared overnight. Ajulo explains that the idea had been forming for years through an earlier strip. “Third Servings is a concept that’s been a long time in the making. From 2020 to mid-2025, I drew a comic strip called Matt, which was also about three siblings and their everyday lives. After working on it for five years, it became clear to me that the premise needed an extra punch.”
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Ajulo also explained where his style comes from: “A lot of my inspiration comes from workplace sitcoms like Parks and Recreation, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Kim’s Convenience, and Superstore.”
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And while “Third Servings” isn’t a memoir, Ajulo has had enough firsthand experience to know what makes the setting tick. “I also worked in food service for a few months. I hated it, but happiness doesn’t usually make for good comedy.”
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His process is one that will be immediately relatable to any artist: “If I’m being honest, a lot of the time I just sit in front of an empty Google Doc and try to think of funny things for the characters to do or say. I type out a rough script with the dialogue for a comic and then refine it.”
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“The hardest part, as you’d probably expect, is coming up with good punchlines.” Ajulo doesn’t settle quickly, either. “I can be a bit of a perfectionist, so I usually come up with three or four different punchlines for a comic and then narrow it down to one later.”
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As for where “Third Servings” is headed next, Ajulo isn’t trying to force it into a rigid plan: “It’s hard to say how I see Third Servings evolving in the future, because I’m mostly making it up as I go and focusing on having fun with the creative process. Going forward, I’ll simply keep trying to make Third Servings the best comic it can be.”
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