Bored Panda had the chance to reconnect with Pedro to learn more about his creative process. The artist shared that he sees his comics as a blend of entertainment and something that carries a deeper message. "Pure 'soapbox' message comics don’t interest me, but I sometimes try to tap into something with some depth and substance. In my experience, however, direct messages are boring and don’t land as effectively as when they are hidden deep inside an interesting, entertaining presentation."
We asked Pedro if he remembered the first comic he ever created. "Yes, it’s the first one on my website, simply called 'PAC-MAN,' from 15 years ago," the artist replied. "Many elements of what would become my style were already in place: observations on real-life incidents, what-if scenarios, and the potential, surprising inner workings of stuff we take for granted. While from the very beginning, I set out to create comics that amused me first and foremost, it would take me still a few years to ensure the readers could be in on the joke, to convey my original message succinctly and with clarity. This is why many of my early comics, while creative and original, can often be confusing as to what point I was trying to make."
You might’ve noticed that some of Pedro’s comics vary in style, so we asked him how he decides on the visual approach for each one.
"Time is the biggest deciding factor. For longer comics, I often forego color, or else it would take me ages to finish them. Having said that, color sometimes is a must to convey tone and mood. I do alter the look a bit depending on the tone of the comic: realistic, simple, or highly stylized styles fit better with specific genres and can become distracting when used incorrectly. Back when I first started out I used to experiment with many styles, but it took over a week to finish each comic because it was a learning process full of trial and error. So I don’t do it as much lately, but if I have the time I do add some experimental flourishes here and there."
Pedro shared that the moment when an idea finally clicks in his head is the most fulfilling feeling. "Nothing can match that kind of exhilaration. It is sandwiched between the struggle of coming up with something out of nothing and the challenge of bringing it out into the world, of doing it any justice. But those few seconds, wow!"
For Pedro, the most rewarding part of being a comic artist is the ability to create something unique and, shortly after, have it bring laughter, thought, or even emotion to thousands of people. "Unlike with other mediums, it doesn’t take millions of dollars, large teams of people, and months or years of my life to bring my stories to the public. Comics are fantastic that way."
