Bench 37 is both a webcomic created, drawn, and updated by Dustin Sanders and the website that hosts the comic.

Beginnings

The comic was started in early 2001, based on a real-life AIM conversation between the two real-life individuals the comic's characters are based on. Despite the lack of a regular update schedule (comic uploads can take as long as a year or be as short as two comics in a single day), Dustin's fledgling and barely adequate HTML, drawing, computer, and art skills, the comic has a small but loyal following.

Primary Characters

===Shorty=== - The short, energetic half of the main duo, Shorty tends to behave erratically, spouting non-sequitors, bad puns, and generally (mis)behaving in a manner that combines ADHD, Manic Depression, and the sin of Sloth all in one package. When the comic began, he had hair created with the "spray-can" tool in MSpaint. As the comic grew, his hair became a layered style of dreadlocks.
Shorty has been known to spout a temper but is generally laid-back and rolls with the punches. He has one mortal enemy, a mutated tumbleweed brought to sentience when Shorty accidently attacked Ethiopia with a nuclear missile. Much of the comics humor is based on Shorty's apparent lack of intelligence, although he does have moments of startling clarity.
Although Shorty is based on Dustin, the similarities are mostly in their appearance and humor stylings.

Notable Achievements

*First person to ever be appointed to Congress without being voted into office.

*Managed to launch Nuclear Missiles at Ethiopia twice without rebuttal or legal action.

*Caught Rabies from a frog.

*Apparently immortal.

=Michael=== - Cynical, tall, dark, handsome, and a master of every single martial arts form ever invented, Michael is as serious and scheming as Shorty is inattentive. Michael considers himself a criminal mastermind, and has devised several plans for world domination which were carried out to varying degrees of success. Michael dresses in black shirt, grey pants, and a dark black overcoat and occasionally sports dark sunglasses to round out his style, which he has named "bad-ass."
Micheal tends to overreact to situations in humorous ways, such as threatening death to random people when his favored movie failed to win an Emmy Award. He is also fond of weapons, notably his broadsword. Despite his constant posturing, Michael has proven himself an extraordinarily adept theif on at least one occasion when he stole the Pope's hat. Shortly afterwards, the Italian police tracked him down and he maneuvered Shorty into taking the blame for the crime.

Notable Achievements

*Stole the Pope's hat, right out from under the noses of "four different gun-weilding peacekeeping organizations."

*Capable of shooting lasers from his eyes.

*Plays the Didgeridoo.

*possesses diety-like abilities including elemnetal control and limited control over portals and space-time.

*Superb at manipulating people.

== Minor and Recurring Characters

Black Mage - The popular 8-bit theatre character has made several appearances on Bench 37, without the permission of 8-bit creater Brian Clevinger. Usually his cameos involve Shorty and Dustin being Hadokened. It is unlikely Mr. Clevinger even knows of this unauthorized use of his character despite several attempts by Dustin to notify him.

The Tumbleweed - This sentient, mutant tumbleweed was inadvertently created when a nuclear missile exploded over Ethiopia. The tumbleweed inexplicably knew who was responsible for its creation and tracked shorty halfway around the world to deliver a vengeance blow. Over time, the tumbleweed has been shown to be only one of many, all of which have developed carnivorous tendencies and wings.

Glarg - Another of the mutations created when Shorty nuked Ethiopia, Glarg is a purple, lumpy, two-story-tall beast who carries a massive club and terrorizes the citizens of Ethiopia. Glarg seems to have limited intelligence and is fond of yelling "Glarg smash!" Glarg has also travelled far to exact vengeance on Shorty.

The Ninja Leprachauns - This pair of bloodthirsty little men patrol the world, looking for individuals who fail to wear green on St. Patricks day and dispatch them immediately and efficiently with a variety of St. Patrick's day-themed weapons such as shamrock throwing stars.

The Raptors - Although never seen in the comic strip, the Raptors are mentioned by Shorty and Michael on numerous occasions, usually as the arch-enemy of Ninjas and a way to keep them busy. Michael also encountered the raptors during his own tenure as a super-ninja theif. Rather than fight the Raptors for all eternity, Michael chose to return to the quiet life of a civilian.