The creator of ‘Me, The Family Pet?’ shared more about the inspiration behind her work: “Most of my inspiration for the jokes comes from my cat, Buddah, and from the experiences of other pet owners—friends, family, and the comic’s followers. I’m also a fan of parody, so my comics often reference "human pet" tropes, like Fantastic Planet or the recent phenomenon Alien Stage, especially since Me, the Family Pet? takes a much more wholesome spin. For storytelling and world-building, I draw inspiration from creators like Hayao Miyazaki. The planet Gwan is filled with beautiful, unique landscapes and fantastical creatures, influenced by visually stunning films like Spirited Away.”
When asked what initially inspired her to start making comics, Jejo kindly responded: “I started making comics to bring my childhood imagination to life. The idea for ‘Me, the Family Pet?’ came when I was nine, during an (unfair) detention, of all things. The assignment was to write an essay about aliens, and since I loved writing and drawing, my mom encouraged me to “go all out” and be truly imaginative. I wondered, What if aliens treated humans the way we treat our pets? Inspired by my dog, Pepper, I wrote and illustrated a short book, introducing Sally, the pet human, and her alien family. That spark stayed with me, and years later, when I met my husband’s cat, Buddah, I was inspired to revisit the concept. In 2020, during the pandemic, I began writing comics about Sally the pet human in a Garfield-style format, and over time, the story evolved into an epic sci-fi adventure, with plenty of laughs to boot!”
Next, we were curious about which other artists from the worlds of comics and comedy the creator of the series admires and draws inspiration from. She shared: “There are so many! I’ve always adored Chuck Jones, especially for his ability to make me laugh with a single expression. I also admire Sarah Andersen (Sarah’s Scribbles) for her relatable, slice-of-life humor and her ability to connect with such a broad audience. Garfield and Calvin and Hobbes are huge inspirations, particularly in terms of their use of sarcasm, comedic timing, and dry wit.”
The series' author also shared that her recent comics were created in collaboration with another artist she wanted to acknowledge: Daniel Blake, who contributed by working on the clean-up of the strips created by Jejo.
Finally, the creator of Me, The Family Pet? shared more about her personal favorite comics from the series: “One of my favorites is the strip where Sally—the feisty orphan—first meets Europa, her shy alien ‘sister.’ It’s a perfect blend of humor and heart, with Sally being skeptical of her new family, while Europa is thrilled to finally have a ‘human sister.’ It really captures their dynamic: Sally’s tough exterior and Europa’s earnest, wide-eyed love. Another favorite is a later story arc where Sally and Europa have to work together after being accidentally catapulted into outer space! After saving themselves, they realize they bring out the best in each other and become the closest of friends.”
