To learn more about the people behind 'Soggy Panels' and how their comics come to life, Bored Panda reached out to the creators. We wanted to know where they find inspiration, how they develop their ideas, and whether the joke or the drawing comes first.
As it turns out, coming up with ideas is probably the hardest part. The creators told us that they usually need to step away from distractions and simply let their imaginations wander. “Usually, we have to just sit somewhere quiet with no distractions and play out random scenarios in our minds until something makes you chuckle,” they explained.
When it comes to creating the comics themselves, the process can be quite different between the two artists. One of them prefers to have the joke figured out before putting pencil to paper, while the other sometimes starts drawing and waits to see where the idea takes him. “It definitely depends. For me, I have to come up with the joke first before I draw anything, but my partner will sometimes just start drawing and see if a joke finds him.”
The two creators also work both separately and together, sketching out their own ideas while occasionally coming up with a gag collaboratively. Once they settle on a comic idea, one of them handles the inking. “By having one person do the inking, we feel it gives the comics a somewhat consistent look, although it still changes,” they told Bored Panda.
We were also curious whether they had a favorite comic from the series. One creator chose the comic pinned at the top of the 'Soggy Panels page,' explaining that he enjoys the weird, absurdist humor of 'The Far Side' as well as the wholesome but strange humor of 'PantsPants.' He feels that the comic combines elements of both while still remaining original and new.
His partner had a different favorite: the 'Edward Baby Hands' comic. The reason was simple: “Because it’s cute. I tend to like the ones that are silly. And I like when the comic makes the viewer imagine a larger world outside of the comic for a second.”
With such different approaches to coming up with ideas and a shared love of unexpected humor, it’s easy to see why the comics can take so many different directions. And judging by their answers, you never quite know what the 'Soggy Panels' duo might come up with next.
