In a further interview with Bored Panda, Josh opened up about his struggles and the lessons he learned from them.
“I'm still finding the balance. I first started making comics because I was feeling creatively unfulfilled and needed a project or a hobby or something productive to work on in my downtime. The tricky part is keeping it fun and natural and not feeling like I am obligated to create. It feels very good to make things, so I try to keep myself disciplined, but I am still guilty of taking it too far and becoming my own taskmaster which takes away from the joy I was seeking in the first place. I am starting to learn it is okay to take breaks, move slower, or do nothing rather than force something that isn't genuine.”
We also asked Josh to share an instance where a seemingly mundane, everyday situation sparked the creation of one of his most outlandish comic ideas.
“So the whole Ronson saga started a few years ago when I was working at a very miserable job with a very frustrating boss. This guy was so manic and such a workaholic, it was exhausting. Employees were like his prized possessions and without them, he was nothing. He needed to be surrounded by people working for him as much as possible. Hence, the comics quickly became about an unhinged boss who's obsessed with his number one employee, Ronson. He will do whatever it takes to have Ronson by his side, and if he can't have Ronson, he will stalk Ronson, or make his own Ronson, or become Ronson...you get the gist...right?” Josh explained more about the inspiration behind the Ronson series.
Josh’s artwork delves into surrealism while capturing relatable themes. We were wondering how the artist strikes a balance between the fantastical and the familiar in his storytelling.
“That's probably a result of the relationship between my inner child and actual adult self. I can get pretty bogged down sometimes, so my comics are usually grounded by common or relatable themes from everyday life. But then there's this restless inner child that just wants to laugh and watch the world explode into irreverent madness and that's usually where the fantastical absurdity comes into play. It's really just a coping mechanism to help me get through the day,” shared Josh.
As we mentioned before, Josh is a very creative person who also makes music, and writings, and also does voice acting besides cartooning, therefore, we wanted to know how each medium contributes uniquely to his creative journey.
“I like to think that each medium informs and influences each other while engaging different parts of my brain. Music and voice acting is very physical and 'in the moment,' whereas drawing or writing is much more mental and meticulous. I like being able to bounce between activities. It helps me to stay engaged and keeps things interesting. The goal is not to be the best at any one craft, but to find my voice using some combination of each...at least that is what I tell myself to justify not being very good at one particular thing,” explained Josh.
And lastly, Josh shared what he would like people to take away from his comics.
“Just the fact that anyone is taking away anything makes me happy. I truly try to keep my ego out of it and just make things that I would enjoy making. So honestly, if someone loves it, I'm thrilled. If they hate it, I'm delighted, and if they point out a spelling error, I'm devastated.”
