Bored Panda reached out to Mesut Kaya to ask some questions about his most recent comics. First, we wanted to find out more details about the characters featured in the series. The artist told us: “The couple in my comics is based on my wife and me. I draw them smaller than other characters cause it’s fun to come up with ways to make them interact with the ‘regular’ world. I’m not interested in drawing a version of myself that’s more accurate. That’s what cameras and mirrors are for. But I spent more time on drawing my wife, cause I love her and I want her to like her little avatar.”
Next, we asked Kaya about the particularly challenging or rewarding experience in his journey as a comic artist and the lessons he gained from it. We found out: “The simpler ideas turn out to be the most popular, which is cool, but sometimes I have ideas that are a bit harder to get. People then comment ‘I don’t get it’ which is fine and expected, but some really try and comment things like ‘Oh, took me a minute, but now I get it!’ which makes me super happy. There are also those moments where people will comment ‘Oh, I get it but it’s still bad’ which cracks me up, but teaches me to respect my readers’ time. The extra effort should be worth it.”
We were wondering if beyond digital platforms, the artist has explored or considered showcasing his work in physical formats, such as print publications or exhibitions. Kaya shared with us: “I thought about kickstarting a book, with some behind the scenes pages and a bunch of exclusive comics I never posted before, but there are other things I want to accomplish first. I appreciate all the readers, but it’s hard to build a community, so I don’t know how many would want a book. But I’ll figure it out.”
Lastly, we were curious about the advice Mesut would give to emerging cartoonists who aspire to establish themselves in the world of digital comics and humor. The artist said: “I think you shouldn’t chase an audience. Let them find you and stay because of your unique voice. Don’t copy others (too much) and live life so you have material for fun stories. Also, don’t be afraid to fail. And don’t spend too much time on a single idea/joke. Go wild.”
