Mokena resident Dan Dougherty illustrated “A Million YES’s,” an all-ages picture book written by DJ Corchin about how saying yes to new experiences can shape a person’s life.
Released Sept. 1, 2025, the book follows Corchin and Dougherty’s earlier collaboration, “A Thousand NO’s,” continuing a conversation about the choices people make and how those decisions influence their lives.
Dougherty knows a thing or two about trying new things. An artist, writer and musician, he has built a career spanning comic strips, graphic novels, children’s books and music. In his 23 years in the publishing industry, he has published more than 100 books and worked with publishers including Sourcebooks, Tribune Media Company, Simon & Schuster and Image Comics.
His work on “A Million YES’s” carries a message he believes is especially important for young people learning to navigate the world around them.
“I think Yes is a funny thing,” Dougherty said. “When you’re younger, yes means trying new things and I definitely encourage that to build a more well rounded and experienced individual.”
Being open to new experiences can help young people discover interests, develop confidence and learn more about themselves. But Dougherty also recognizes that growing up means learning to make thoughtful choices about which opportunities to pursue.
“But with age and experience comes the ability to be more selective about saying yes, and that lesson is equally valuable,” he said. “I enjoy a well thought out No just as much as a well thought out Yes.”
His creative career has taken him in many directions.
Perhaps his best-known work is Beardo, a comic strip that began in newspapers and has since found a following online and through a collection of seven volumes. Another volume is expected in the coming months.
What started as a way for Dougherty to poke fun at himself eventually became something readers could relate to in their own lives.
“Beardo started as a way to make fun of myself and not take myself too seriously,” he said.
The strip has evolved over the years, with Dougherty drawing more inspiration from his family and experiences as a father. He now publishes new installments through Patreon, where he can interact directly with readers.
“Nowadays I do new strips on Patreon where I can interact more meaningfully with my fanbase, and the inspiration for the strips comes less from me and more from my kids and my role as their Dad,” he said.
That ability to find inspiration in everyday life carries into his work for younger readers. In addition to illustrating “A Million YES’s” and “A Thousand NO’s,” Dougherty illustrated “Do You Speak Fish,” another children’s book written by Corchin and released in September 2025.
His work also reaches readers who enjoy darker stories. Dougherty created the supernatural thriller “Touching Evil” and has contributed to horror comics such as Hack/Slash and Svengoolie. Across these projects, he has developed a reputation for moving comfortably between genres and bringing other writers’ ideas to life through his artwork.
A graduate of the University of Illinois Chicago, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in fine arts, Dougherty balances his publishing work with teaching. He is an adjunct professor at Saint Xavier University, where he teaches Graphic Novel, Drawing 1, Portfolio, Illustration and Visual Communications.
In the classroom, his experience as a working artist gives him a practical perspective on the creative process and the many paths available to students interested in the arts.
Creativity doesn’t stop with drawing and writing, either. Music has been part of Dougherty’s life for most of his career. He has served as the primary songwriter, vocalist and guitarist for several bands, contributing to about 10 full-length albums.
He plays in Retromance, which is recording its first full-length album. The band plans to release a single soon, with an album expected in 2027, and is booking performances throughout the Chicago area for next year.
Dougherty also performs tribute sets honoring musicians he admires. At the annual Halloween event at Chicago Street Pub in Joliet, he has taken on the music of David Bowie, Prince and The Cure.
Dougherty sees music, writing and illustration as closely connected. When one project stalls, he often turns to another to keep his creativity moving.
“I think my relationship with music and art and writing is that I always have to be doing one of them at any given moment,” he said. “It keeps me mentally in the game so to speak, and helps me avoid getting stuck or having that dreaded Writer’s Block.”
Sometimes a change of pace is all it takes to get an idea flowing again. He might pick up his guitar when he can’t finish a comic strip or draw on his iPad when song lyrics aren’t coming together. He also makes time to step away from creative work and recharge.
That habit matches the message of “A Million YES’s”: Trying something new can lead somewhere unexpected, even if the outcome isn’t always what a person imagined.
Dougherty has plenty of new projects ahead. Along with the next Beardo volume, he is illustrating a second graphic novel in the “Drumsticks of Doom” series, written by Jon Westhoff. He also plans to announce a new comic series in 2027 and has several children’s books in development.
His message to young readers: Be willing to try, embrace the experiences that help you grow and remember that knowing when to say no is just as valuable as knowing when to say yes.
