Bored Panda got in touch with the creator of the DESIGN THINKING! Comic once more. We were interested in learning if there are any themes or characters in the comics that the artist prefers to work with, or that the audience likes the most. "Probably the main recurring theme people connect with is the frustration with how things can be at work, which is a pretty universal issue," they replied. "But I think the ones that feel the most satisfying for me are when I get to talk about my own deeper concerns I'm usually too afraid to admit to, and then see that resonate with other people too. It's nice to know I'm not the only one struggling with more personal problems."
Making comics can be lots of fun but it might come with its own set of challenges. For the artist of the DESIGN THINKING! Comic, the most difficult part is working in "what largely feels like a vacuum". The artist clarified that drawing comics and sharing them with the world can feel a bit lonely, as one might hope they will connect with people.
"The larger difficulties come in trying to find an audience when you're fighting multiple algorithms on different platforms all requiring different things to satisfy their timelines. What worked one week doesn't work the next and you start to wonder if people just don't like what you do anymore. My Imposter Syndrome has a field day with that one."
When we asked about other creators who have had a significant impact on their work, the artist replied, "Oh man, I need a long list." They told us that they liked Garfield and Peanuts, but when they were about 10 years old, Calvin and Hobbes and The Far Side totally changed the way they saw things. "They're still my favorite comic strips ever. Later in life, the likes of Tom Gauld, Stephen Collins and Nicholas Gurewitch's The Perry Bible Fellowship have been a huge influence on both my writing and artistic style."
"I've loved drawing comics from an early age, and I take a lot of pride and joy in watching something appear on the page. Even though it's me putting the effort in, when something does come out that looks and feels particularly good, it almost feels like magic.
I think what I'd like people to take away from this comic is just a joint communal feeling that we're all in this together, and lots of people out there are all struggling with the same problems. And laugh. If they laugh, that would be great."
