I’m Reza Farazmand, cartoonist and NY Times bestselling author of Poorly Drawn Lines (which started as a webcomic). AMA!

[u/PoorlyDrawnReza]

Hi, I’m Reza Farazmand. I make a webcomic called Poorly Drawn Lines, which you may have seen here on Reddit, or around other parts of the Internet. I also just released my first book, a collection of comics and short essays titled Poorly Drawn Lines: Good Ideas and Amazing Stories. The book became a New York Times Bestseller last month. Now I’m here on Reddit to chat, which is great because I’m on this site all the time anyway.

I’ll be around answering questions from 4pm EST – 6ish pm EST. AMA!

Proof of my existence

Edit: I'm here now answering questions. Let's do this! I'll be starting at the top and working my way down, so upvote any questions you like.

Edit 2: Thanks for the questions, everyone. This was really cool. I got to answer most of you, but I'll try to swing by again tomorrow and answer some more. Thanks! Goodbye!

[u/[deleted]]

[u/PoorlyDrawnReza → u/[deleted]]

Thanks, that's really nice to hear!

1. A combination of Ernesto and Kevin, mixed with some of Small Cat's reckless unpredictability.

2. I try to follow the South Park model of writing, so I'm usually doing these comics within a week or so of posting them.

3. Reza is in fact my real name.

4. I would generally call it absurdist humor. I think for me the inspiration came from early Nickelodeon shows (which were certifiably weird in a lot of cases), and from reading cartoonists like Jhonen Vasquez and authors like Kurt Vonnegut. You can find absurdism/surrealism a lot of places now, even in mainstream media with shows like Parks and Recreation and 30 Rock.

5. I do all my own marketing stuff, except for the book marketing (which my publisher helped with) and no I don't hate it. I get to interact with my fans on Facebook and Reddit, like right now. I really love that experience. I've been drawing PDL for about seven years, and have been at it full time for three years now. At some point I guess people started reading the comic.

[u/[deleted] → u/PoorlyDrawnReza]

[u/TheJiminator]

Hi Reza!

I love your work, and was wondering where you got your inspiration for Kevin and Ernesto? They're my favourite characters!

[u/PoorlyDrawnReza → u/TheJiminator]

I started with Ernesto, and then it just felt right that he should have a sidekick. It's the "comedic duo/bromance" dynamic. The interaction between them is hugely influenced by how my best friends and I talk to each other. Lots of sarcasm and shit-talking, but there is some serious bro-ship beneath the surface.

[u/MyNameIsAdam_AMA]

What comics are the basis of your inspiration?

[u/funsai_destroy]

Which comic is your personal favorite? I look forward to new comics every week!

[u/PoorlyDrawnReza → u/funsai_destroy]

Thanks! The Case of the Package of the Bees is an all-time favorite of mine, followed closely by Bird on a Plane.

[u/Captain_Auburn_Beard → u/PoorlyDrawnReza]

package of bees was genius! i love it

[u/nikiverse]

How do you feel about people just sharing your work without crediting and sourcing it? Is that a common thing that artists just have to deal with these days?

[u/[deleted]]

Hi, Reza! I really like your work and I'm so glad you're doing an AMA. Just wanted to thank you for your simple yet smart humor that can draw a smile out of my gloomiest moods.

And to ask you some questions, of course:

1. What do you do for a living?

2. Are you doing some other creative work, besides PDL?

3. Where do you get the inspiration for PDL?

4. Which other comics do you like and would recommend checking out?

5. Do you have a dog, and how cool is he?

Bye!!

[u/PoorlyDrawnReza → u/[deleted]]

Thank you!

1. Poorly Drawn Lines is my full time job.

2. Right now I'm mostly focused on PDL, but I also draw a weekly comic on Line Webtoon called Trash Bird.

3. Coffee is a major source of inspiration.

4. There are so many great comics active that I would feel bad leaving someone off the list. But a few of my all-time favorites are Achewood, Perry Bible Fellowship, Hark! a Vagrant, and Creased Comics.

5. I don't have a dog, but if I did I would probably look to adopt a cool one.

[u/Xamier → u/PoorlyDrawnReza]

Google image results for Trash Bird are horrifying

[u/[deleted]]

Your new book includes comics as well as some really funny short stories. How do you know if a joke should be a comic or a story? And do you see yourself doing more of those stories in the future?

[u/PoorlyDrawnReza → u/[deleted]]

That's a great question, and it really just came down to which concepts felt like they could be expanded into a story. I pretty much separated my comic-writing and story-writing into separate time periods, though, so there usually wasn't a lot of overlap in ideas.

I definitely see myself writing more. I'd love to do a book of short stories in the future.

[u/britishpoodle → u/PoorlyDrawnReza]

Please, please, please write a book of short stories!!!!!

[u/SometimesPostsThings]

Do your friends/family have a favourite webcomic issue of yours?

[u/PoorlyDrawnReza → u/SometimesPostsThings]

People usually have favorite characters more than specific comics (like Ernesto or Small Cat), but the comic where the cat takes off its mask is pretty popular among my friends.

[u/oogaboogacaveman]

I just wanted to say thank you for tiny hippo, you're a national treasure

[u/PoorlyDrawnReza → u/oogaboogacaveman]

You're welcome! I feel treasured.

[u/adeadhead]

You mention you're on reddit all the time anyway, which subreddits do you frequent?

[u/PoorlyDrawnReza → u/adeadhead]

Some of my favorites: r/retrofuturism r/motorcycles r/truefilm r/design r/askhistorians and lately r/fallout because that new game is crazy

[u/adeadhead → u/PoorlyDrawnReza]

I'm just waiting on a fallout 4 mod that puts r/retrofuturism posters into the game. They'd fit so perfectly.

[u/Funking_Wholesome]

What's your writing process like?

[u/fsotto]

Hey hey! I should say that I really love your comics. But I need a answer:

Where is Troboto?

[u/the_lake]

So did the cat ever pay rent?

[u/jtayok]

Wanted to tell you I was really drunk and busted out your book with a friend of mine. We haven't laughed like that for a super long time and it was awesome.

Can't decide if my favorite character is the cat (he's looking at me weird)... Ernesto or the squirrels! I was curious who your favorite character is?

Edit: they were squirrels :(

[u/mrdotk]

Please be honest, your character Kevin is inspired in me right? because I'm the human equivalent of that bird and we also share a name.

[u/[deleted]]

[u/pryme]

How long were you drawing Poorly Drawn Lines before you were able to turn it into your career? I'm a struggling webcomic artist and I'd love to one day make drawing and writing silly comics my full time job. P.S. My wife just gave me your book for my birthday on Monday. I love it.

[u/[deleted]]

Hey Reza !! Why do you not prefer posting your comics directly on Facebook instead of sharing a link to your website?

[u/Soul_Shot]

Hi Reza, thank you for doing this AMA! I absolutely love your comics, especially this one

My question is why don't you have a "First/Last" button on your website so that I can more easily binge?

[u/thepotbot]

1. You're hella dope.

2. What do you think of other comics, like Channelate or The Loading Artist?

3. What tools would I need to start drawing my own comics?

[u/MrsSquarepants]

First, thanks for doing the AMA!

Second, my question, are you into graphic novels? If so, which would you recommend?

[u/IsHARI]

Hey Reza. Was the Gun Baby comic based on actual events? Were you actually raised in a sword family? I wish I were, but my parents were always fresh fruit people.

[u/thefunkygibbon]

Brilliant stuff! Love your comics, I've got a bunch of your artwork still waiting for me to find frames which fit them!

Anyway, was interested to know what sort of comedy you enjoy, which comedians/tv shows/movies get you chuckling?

keep up the great work!

[u/alejomsc]

Who is your favorite character? And why is it Ernesto?

[u/JimKB]

Congratulations on the book! Laughter is the best medicine. After heroin and a few others.

Now I realize I haven't asked a question. Have !?