Zach told Bored Panda in an earlier interview that he started Extra Fabulous Comics as a “last-ditch effort to find fulfillment” because he was in a very dark place at the time. He detailed how he went to college for something unrelated and abandoned the field right after graduating. Zach added that he was also in an unhealthy long-term relationship working under an abusive manager at an “awful” grocery store at that point, too.
“One day I tried to think back to when I last felt ‘fulfilled,’ and it dawned on me that I was happiest when I was making my friends laugh with my drawings. Somehow, through years of schooling, that revelation escaped me. Had I thought of it earlier, I'd have started the comics years before I did,” the artist said.
Better late than never! Though it took Zach a long time to realize he’s great at drawing comics, we’re glad that he eventually found his calling. Now, he entertains his nearly-400k Facebook fans and 95k Twitter followers with his frequent posts.
“I enjoy boiling things down and dissecting topics to the point where they're unrecognizable," Zach said. "I don't really have much to say definitively, I just prefer to get people to smile and think and come to their own conclusions. Depression is perhaps the most enduring topic in my comics since it's something that's always on my mind."
The artist pointed out that he tries not to tell people what to think and wants his fans to come up with their own conclusions about things. His end goal? Making something that everyone can enjoy.
“It is important to take breaks from the never-ending news stream, and I think there is honor in providing a place where people can lower their defenses,” he talked about how he’s making the internet a more wholesome, relaxed, and honest place.
“That isn't to say I haven't made statements before, but I do often regret them afterward. Divisiveness has become the norm. I don't want to fuel the extremism and hatred perpetuated by so many voices on both sides. I do have very strong beliefs, I just don't believe I have the intelligence required to spew them into the masses,” he explained why he prefers not to outright state his opinions.
Zach believes that part of why some people enjoy his comics so much is because humor helps human beings deal with the pain in their lives. “Most if not all of my comics come from that place. I've been very fortunate to have been able to connect with people in this way over the years."
