Pie is a comic created by John McNamee, featuring wry humor that will leave you laughing hard. The artist started drawing Pie Comics when he was still in college and continues to do so until now. He’s also a writer for The Onion, a satirical news organization.
“I used to try to think of a joke and then start drawing it, but I found that my comics were too predictable that way. So instead, I just started drawing a character doing something and see if I could get them to end up in a joke. My number 1 comedic inspiration is the Simpsons. My knowledge of seasons 2-9 is like… weird. I would also reread Calvin & Hobbes comics all summer long. As for webcomics, I really love Poorly Drawn Lines. He’s very good at pacing out a joke,” McNamee told Bored Panda.
Pie Comics has been a full time pursuit throughout his career as a cartoonist but he also do other stuff like working at Cartoon Network. “Now I’m writing at Cartoon Network, so I don’t update as often,” he said. “My Patreon works OK for me, but it’s really my fault it doesn’t work better. Engagement has never been a strength of mine. I also have done work for Mad Magazine and the New Yorker. I guess if I’d have any advice, it would be to cobble together multiple revenue streams. You never know when one might take a hit, and that will help protect you from instability.”
McNamee prefers to keep it old school for creating his drawings. “I draw on bristol board with blue pencil, then I go over it in and 05 Micron,” he shared. “I lay out my borders and guidelines with a ruler, but then I ink them freehand. I think the wobbily line makes the drawings more accessible and reminds you that a human being made them.”
