Bored Panda reached out to Alex Krokus to learn more about his comics. The artist began by telling us about his early fascination with this art form and how it evolved over the years.
“I started drawing comics when I was a kid. I got my first copy of a Calvin & Hobbes book at a school book fair, and I became obsessed with the comic strip medium. When I was in art school, I was led to believe that cartooning was an illegitimate medium, so I stopped drawing comics. After graduating, I entered the animation industry through an internship and rediscovered my love of cartoons and with that, drawing comics.”
In Alex’s comics, the protagonist has taken the shape of a raccoon. We were curious to know what impacted his choice of portraying himself as this animal. Alex shared: “Shortly after graduating, I started living in a 13-person collective house. One day, I brought a bunch of dumpster bagels home to stock our freezer with, and one of my housemates affectionately called me a 'squirrely little raccoon'. It stuck, and I shortly drew myself as a raccoon and all of my other housemates as animals afterward. Those early comics are on my Tumblr, if you dig back far enough. That house was also the inspiration for my short-lived Webtoon, 420 Fake Street.”
Every creative process brings forth a unique set of challenges that artists have to face. Alex revealed the biggest obstacle he has encountered in the creative business.
“Burnout can get to me sometimes. Alongside comics, I'm always making short films, pitching shows, and putting together book proposals. Rejection can be discouraging after you've put a lot of yourself into something you were hoping to get off the ground. That's something I love about self-publishing webcomics. If you have an idea, you can just put it out there. You don't need any money or someone giving you the green light before you can make it happen. It can go from a concept to an audience with little intervention.”
Alex’s comics resonate with a wide audience. We were curious to know what kind of reactions or connections he hopes readers will have when they engage with his work. Alex wrote: “Some people reach out to me and say that a comic I recently posted lifted them out of a bad mood. That's the greatest feeling. First and foremost, I draw and post these comics for my own joy, and for them to enrich the lives of other people is a pretty sweet bonus. It's especially sweet when I look at the comments and readers are discussing the work and riffing with each other.”
And lastly, Alex added: “Follow me on my social media channels to keep up with my comics and animation work! My recent comic collection, Loudest & Smartest, is available through my publisher, Silver Sprocket. I also have my debut graphic novel, My Father's Ghost, slated for a 2025 release through Chronicle Books.”
