If you scroll through Kitty Moon’s Instagram feed, you will discover that the artist has created various series of comics so far. We were wondering if there are any recurring themes or motifs characteristic to their creative work. The illustrator told us: “The themes and motifs are a bit random. Usually focused on the problem du jour.”
“I think I consistently bring up the ideas of love and acceptance of self. I think this desire is something that is universal. One of the most popular comic characters I created was Wolfie and Turkey, and it focuses on this theme. Oftentimes when I create characters, it takes time to develop them and imagine how they would live in the world I've created for them.”
Asked to tell us more about the characters featured in their series, the creator of ‘Nurse Katz’ answered: “The characters are based off of real people (including myself). I think it makes the characters more relatable, realistic, and funny (to think this is someone). I like cats (they are so mischievous) and model some of the cat characters after my first beloved cat, named ‘Spot’.”
The artist shared with us how they come up with ideas for the new strips: “I started making comics when I went back to school to pursue nursing as a second degree (had a BFA). Initially, it was a way for me to cope with the stress of school and when I started working as a nurse it became a form of therapy.
The comics were a direct translation of my experiences both at work and in my personal life. It helped me deal with the constant suffering, death, and dying at work. Especially during the Covid pandemic when I was working in an ICU in NYC. I love comics because they are so immediate and accessible."
Kitty Moon shared with us some of their influences in the world of comics: “One of my favorite comic writers is the Perry Bible.”
The artist continued: “Though underrated, I think comics can be a powerful medium to hone in on a particular issue and present it in a different light. I also love manga for this reason. One of my favorite artists is Osamu Tezuka, the father of manga. He is known for Astro Boy and other great works but one of my favorites of his is Buddha. He is the master of story-telling and also interjecting light humor. I actually used his comics as a reference for some of the action scenes and compositions in my comics (though not as masterfully... lol).”
Finally, Kitty Moon said: “Also, my dad is pretty funny, so I credit him for passing that trait down to me (though I am funnier).”
