This time, we were curious to find out more about Mohit’s personal favorite dark humor works, whether in comics or other mediums. The artist shared with us: “I know earlier I was more of a dark humour artist but over time I guess I have learnt to be a little mindful and use lighter humour as my voice in comics. My humour can still be dark sometimes but not so much as before. But I still love @sirjoancornella and @explosmofficial content. There are two dark humour superhero movies that hit me hard for some reason. First one is ‘Super’ (2010) and the second one is ‘Kickass’ (2010).”
When asked about any criticism or backlash he has faced for the content of his comics, Srivastava answered: “Yeah, quite a few times. As a human, you can only know so much about the different cultures of the world. So sometimes, my comics can be concerning for others and I am happy that people hit back with their views on such comics. My way of dealing with it is to simply understand and respect others’ views and moving on with a mental note that I am not to make similar mistakes again. Sometimes, people are just offensive for no reason and for those I don’t pay much attention. I truly think if you are just kind, patient and respectful, haters convert into admirers.”
We were also curious to know what, in the artist’s opinion, makes humor an effective medium for storytelling. The author of the SpaceboyCantLOL series told us: “I think to make someone smile is in itself a superpower. Humour makes people forget their worries, even if it is for a second and that, I believe, is not only the need of the 21st century but also a small service to the world. Humour makes you take your guard down and communicate back. Humour is an excellent way to break ice and begin conversations. If you want to sell something, I’d say use humour to warm up to your client/customer first, let them get comfortable and then bring in the business. I have been helping corporates integrate funny comics in their official presentations and pitches, and I have received great feedback for those. Humour just makes things easy, builds connections and creates doorways to new opportunities.”
Lastly, when asked about common mistakes artists should avoid to create a good comic, Srivastava said: “In my opinion, there are no bad comics. Any comic, anywhere, is the best comic that it could have been. I don’t see making comics as a competition, a race or a tournament where you can perform anything less than the best of yourself. If you feel called to making comics, just do it for your own happiness. If others can laugh at it too, that’s added bonus. I don’t think I am qualified enough to speak to mistakes that other comic artists might have made. I can only speak on my own learnings. One big learning is that I shouldn’t try to overexplain the joke just to make it more accessible to the diverse crowd. It’s fine if it doesn’t work for some people. Another learning is that burning myself out to maintain the social media algorithm is not worth it. Comic is art and I feel it should have no restrictions, mandates or rules around it. Just exploring your own voice in your own specific style at your own pace is the best way to approach it.”
