Bored Panda reached out to Dennis again to ask him more questions about his work. We wanted to know which elements he finds most effective in creating humor in his cartoons. Here’s what we discovered: “Starting with a compelling message is key. I try and point out an issue or subject from a perspective people may not have thought of, and find the funny there. There’s always something funny.”
The cartoonist continued: “I like to deliver it in a way that makes the reader think about what the situation was that led to the interaction happening in the cartoon. Puzzled faces and goofy expressions also help the reader connect with the characters. I like to keep the cartoons simple, including only the elements that add to the message.”
Asked how his style has evolved over the years, Dennis said: “I come from a print background where in the early days, color was expensive. So I have a large body of work in black and white. I’ve tried to introduce color carefully, only where it adds to the message (red for MAGA, Orange for Donald Trump, blue and yellow for Ukraine, etc.).”
Goris added: “Also, adapting to the ‘small screen’ has been a big influence. Making an image (with words) that has impact on a phone screen has its challenges.”
Since Dennis’ cartoons often feature sensitive topics that can polarize society, we wanted to find out if he has faced criticism or backlash for the content he creates. We learned that: “Absolutely. When you’re making political and social commentary, the trolls and haters (and bots) will find you. And they’ll reply vocally. I rarely engage in the discussions, and will block people if it gets to extreme rudeness or name-calling.”
Lastly, Goris shared with us some of the most rewarding aspects of being a comic artist: “It’s a huge creative outlet. Having a forum to comment daily on injustice and hypocrisy is a satisfying privilege. And it’s fun.”
