I Create Single-Panel Comics About Absurd Situations, And Here Are My 20 Best Works

Hi folks, my name is Steven Garza. I’m a professional standup comedian and joke teller. I’m always looking for new ways to communicate my jokes. Cartooning sort of evolved slowly for me. It was an idea I tinkered with over the years but never gave it any attention. Finally, after years of procrastination, I decided to give it a try. The only problem was I didn’t know how to draw. 7 years ago, I walked into Blick’s to purchase a drawing pad and pencils. When I sat at home and began to put pencil to paper, the realization sunk in that this cartoon thing wasn’t going to be an easy road. Eventually, after a few years of practicing out of “How To” books and countless pages of crumpled-up paper, I began posting them online. Surprisingly to me, I had some positive feedback.Fret Buzzed is a comic strip with two personalities. On one hand, the four-panel strip follows a storyline of two middle-aged failed musicians desperately trying to hold on to their dream while balancing adult life. Fret Buzzed single-panel gags are a different story. I use these for any off-the-wall ideas I have that work better as non sequiturs. Although, sometimes the two overlap. You can see the characters from my four-panel strip make appearances in my single-panels. I like to look at it as Easter eggs for those familiar with my work. Readers who are familiar with the characters get to see them in absurd situations outside the story line.More info:InstagramThis post may includeaffiliate links.

Fret Buzzed is a comic strip with two personalities. On one hand, the four-panel strip follows a storyline of two middle-aged failed musicians desperately trying to hold on to their dream while balancing adult life. Fret Buzzed single-panel gags are a different story. I use these for any off-the-wall ideas I have that work better as non sequiturs. Although, sometimes the two overlap. You can see the characters from my four-panel strip make appearances in my single-panels. I like to look at it as Easter eggs for those familiar with my work. Readers who are familiar with the characters get to see them in absurd situations outside the story line.

More info:Instagram

This post may includeaffiliate links.

New Hunting Tactics

I’m Batman

Evolution

Character design and development takes more time than any other step in my process but is also one of the most rewarding. I’m still growing as an illustrator, so designing each character and applying proper proportions can be time-consuming. It’s a lot of trial and error, along with experimenting in different poses. I’m always growing and each cartoon gets a little easier.

Ol’ Wally

Rain

I’m always finding new themes and genres that interest me. One month I may really find cavemen interesting, the next, alligators. Once I tap the well of jokes and drain it for everything funny I can think of, I move on to the next theme. Now that I’ve compiled quite a few gags I often revisit a theme and combine it with a new one. I use this as a way to generate more ideas.

Punching Bag Bite

Truth Hurts

Migration

Wrong Part Of Town

My creative process is relatively simple. I tend to work digitally because it helps speed up the process for me. I use the app Procreate with my iPad Pro for all sketching, inking, coloring, and lettering. Once I have come up with an idea I roughly sketch out the scene and blocking for the characters. I take time in deciding which angle works best for the gag. Once I have everything sketched and visualized, I ink the outlines. Next I color the image and lastly add the lettering and speech bubble.

Gnarly

Innovative Idea

Dishes

Flight Of The Bumblebee

This Guy

Ingrate

Privacy

Freezy

Talkative Gator