Eric told us how it all began:
"I have been making comics for over two decades, publishing in student newspapers or submitting to syndicates throughout the years. But I would say I’ve only been a digital cartoonist — posting on social media or various comic websites — for ten years, since August 2015. I make two comics primarily: Something About Celeste, and to a lesser extent, the spin-off Paige and Her Psyche."
When describing his work, he pointed out the contrast between the two series:
"Something About Celeste is about a naive, slightly dumb young woman who manages to say the most inappropriate things. She’s been described as 'both innocent and incredibly dirty at the same time.' Paige and Her Psyche, on the other hand, is about a woman prone to depression who has conversations with her conscience — a more introspective comic that offers a contrast to the sophomoric humor of Celeste."
On where ideas come from, Eric explained that inspiration can strike in a few different ways. "Sometimes I get ideas from humorous memes I find online. I’ll reword the text to fit a four-panel story and then illustrate it. Even though many memes are unsigned, I usually include them with my comic and credit the meme creator as best I can. But most of the time, my ideas come from conversations with friends. Our chats often go off the rails and take ridiculous turns — later I revisit those moments and think about how to turn them into comics."
Of course, creating comics comes with its own challenges. Eric admitted that finding the time to illustrate and polish each piece is the hardest part, since he balances this work with a day job.
"The most challenging part is definitely illustrating and coloring the comic — especially finding the time, since I also work a day job. If I’m lucky, I can make one comic per week."
But even with those challenges, there’s a particular moment in the process that makes it all worth it.
"The part I enjoy the most is coming up with punchlines that truly surprise the reader. I love the moment when something unexpected lands — that’s always the most rewarding."
Finally, we asked what has kept him going after so many years in the comic world. His answer was simple but heartfelt. "What keeps me passionate after all these years is when regular readers start identifying with and sympathizing with my characters. More than just making jokes, I love creating characters that people genuinely enjoy spending time with online."
