Given the chance, Bored Panda reached out to the artist with some new questions! When asked how he decides which ideas make it into his cartoons, Jim shared, "I keep semi-prioritized lists of ideas, which I reflect on and re-prioritize repeatedly. One good rule of thumb is that something needs to still be funny when considered over a period of time. It is a good sign when an idea is still funny when I look back at it the day after I wrote it down. Sometimes what I thought was funny yesterday I don't think is funny today. Other times an idea will float around for years until I finally decide I have to draw it just to get it out of my headspace. I also think about how difficult an idea is to realize, since I have limited time. Easier drawings go to the head of the line."
The comic artist is also working toward blending writing and cartoons into what he envisions as comedic mini-novels. Although he’s keeping most details under wraps, he hinted at what readers might expect: "I am not too far in this aspiration so I don't want to share any secrets. But I would ask people to imagine a Zucker Brothers film meeting Monty Python in the world of classic Hardy Boys, with some Wallace and Gromit thrown in. Everything in it would be fine for little kids all the way through adults."
For Jim, the process of distilling ideas into a single joke often leads to surprising results. He reflected on one such moment, saying, "Some of my favorite cartoons are the result of unexpected turns. To give an example, the cartoon with the teddy bear in the interview chair was designed for the caption, 'Tell me what else you would bring to the company, aside from your soft skills.' That's an OK cartoon. But at the last minute, when contemplating the final drawing, a much less predictable and much funnier caption popped into my head: 'Don't expect that I can get you a job here just because we used to sleep together.' So as in life in general, it is good to have a plan and follow the plan but also be open to good surprises."
As a self-described “ideas cartoonist,” Jim prioritizes humor over artistic perfection. He explained, "I am much more of an 'ideas' cartoonist than an 'art' cartoonist. I am personally much more impressed with a good idea and a good joke than I am with a good drawing, and I think that is true of people in general. I've had some cartoons that have bombed with my audience despite my being very self-impressed with the artwork. If it's not funny, most people don't care about a beautiful drawing (only other artists and cartoonists do). My drawing skills are fine, but the ideas I can come up with are what make my cartoons more unique. My goal with the artwork is to not make it so distractingly bad that it takes away from the joke."
For anyone looking to explore cartooning or humor as a creative outlet, the artist offered some encouraging advice: "Try it. Don't focus all-in on results, but enjoy the process, with all of its frustrations. Create what you find funny. If you think there is a certain something that is lacking in the public, or there is a topic or a type of humor you'd like to see, create it yourself. One good thing about cartooning and short humor is that you can create finished pieces with small amounts of disjointed time. Not everyone has 5 years to write a novel."
