Artist Created A Wholesome Comic Series Featuring Situations In Kids’ Lives (50 Pics)

Some artists don’t settle for a single success and continue to seek new outlets for their talent.Tom Torois no different. You might remember him from our last post where we featured some of his single-panel cartoons. Today, we’re thrilled to present you with Tom’s adorable comic series, ‘Home Free.’ This series is quite different from his other works, featuring heartwarming situations in the lives of kids, particularly the main character, Milo Szabo, who discovers the world together with his friends—both human and animal—adding even more cuteness to the series.We wanted to learn more about this wholesome series directly from its creator. That’s why we reached out to Tom, who kindly answered our questions. First, the artist shared the inspiration behind ‘Home Free’: “The genesis of ‘Home Free’ began during the pandemic. We were holed up at home with our 5-year-old boy, desperate for ways to entertain ourselves without becoming totally addicted to screens, so I dug up my old collections of Calvin and Hobbes comics. Over the next year, we probably read them from beginning to end a dozen times. It was pure joy. Experiencing the comic anew through the eyes of my kid, while discovering a deeper appreciation for it from a parental vantage point, was revelatory. I had always wanted to create a comic strip, but this rekindled my desire to give it a shot, and I was very lucky to find a creative partner in Andrews McMeel to develop the concept of what would become ‘Home Free.’”More info:Instagram|gocomics.com|patreon.com|EtsyThis post may includeaffiliate links.

We wanted to learn more about this wholesome series directly from its creator. That’s why we reached out to Tom, who kindly answered our questions. First, the artist shared the inspiration behind ‘Home Free’: “The genesis of ‘Home Free’ began during the pandemic. We were holed up at home with our 5-year-old boy, desperate for ways to entertain ourselves without becoming totally addicted to screens, so I dug up my old collections of Calvin and Hobbes comics. Over the next year, we probably read them from beginning to end a dozen times. It was pure joy. Experiencing the comic anew through the eyes of my kid, while discovering a deeper appreciation for it from a parental vantage point, was revelatory. I had always wanted to create a comic strip, but this rekindled my desire to give it a shot, and I was very lucky to find a creative partner in Andrews McMeel to develop the concept of what would become ‘Home Free.’”

More info:Instagram|gocomics.com|patreon.com|Etsy

This post may includeaffiliate links.

Home Free, When DIY Becomes A Family Adventure

Then, the cartoonist shared some insights into the recurring themes in his series: “The major theme is facing hardship but overcoming it as a family. The Szabos, my resourceful but often ridiculous heroes, face an uncertain future when their home renovation goes completely awry. This sense of precarity, of existing in a constant state of flux, but somehow summoning the spirit to persevere, is at the heart of the comic. We live in an age of deep economic anxiety. I’m a millennial: the first generation of Americans in recent memory to have a worse financial forecast than our parents. Housing in particular is unaffordable, or at best a crushing burden. In Home Free, I try to tap into these recognizable anxieties, while hopefully offering some comic relief.”

Home Free, When DIY Becomes A Family Adventure

We were curious about the artist’s approach to character design. Toro told us: “‘Home Free’ gave me the wonderful opportunity to grow artistically. I wanted to experiment with a looser style for the comic, something kinetic and bold, since it involves hectic situations in a tumultuous context. Demolition; destruction; reconstruction; messiness; adventure. I wanted to give myself permission to make mistakes, to spill some ink, to draw crooked lines, to ditch my tendency for perfectionism and replace it with an embrace of error. I wanted everything to feel a bit like a work in progress: these characters are in the midst of finding out who they really are, as their home is collapsing around them but also being sporadically rebuilt. I wanted that aura of experimentation, risk, and freedom, to imbue the characters and their world.”

Home Free, When DIY Becomes A Family Adventure