Comic books often reflect the changing values of a society, unless they are based in the past. I am not a fan of political satire, because it is often built on disrespect and sarcasm. I feel it’s better to do something about an injustice than just get cross about it. My personal preference is to feature evergreen humour about people and families, jobs and schools. Such things will never go out of date, and everyone can relate to them.
My future plans are to increase my presence on social media, Medium.com and radio. I also plan to explore the concept of being an online comedian.
My advice to newcomers is this: consider what makes your work different to that of other people. Be yourself, as you are unique. Create a clear brand and choose your colours strategically. There’s no point being impatient in this business. Unless a post goes viral overnight, it will take time to grow a social media following; there are strategies that will need to be employed here.
English people enjoy cartoons in their own language, so it’s mainly English and American cartoonists that are favoured. The biggest challenge for cartoonists globally is the popularity of social media. If people can see jokes for free every day, they are less inclined to pay for books. Cartoonists therefore need to diversify in order to create multiple incomes. These can come through blogging or selling mugs and shirts containing printed cartoons.
Anyone wanting to generate a social media following or make a living will need to do lots of research online. A consultation with a marketing company could also pay dividends. The internet has opened up huge opportunities for people: they can publish without a publisher, and influence thousands through social media. Why not have a go yourself? It’s going to be fun!
