Today we’d like to introduce you to Reza Farazmand.
Hi Reza, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’m Reza Farazmand and I write and draw a comic series called Poorly Drawn Lines. I started Poorly Drawn Lines while I was a freshman in college and have somehow kept it going ever since. I’ve been doing it full-time for almost ten years now.
The comic started as a hobby and as a way to practice comedy writing. Eventually, it got some traction on the internet and developed a pretty big fanbase. I decided to make a career out of it because that sounded more fun than working in an office, and because it let me exercise my creativity and comedy-writing skills, which are my favorite skills to exercise.
I’ve now published three comic collections and a graphic novel. I also wrote and produced an animated series based on my comics for FX in 2021 (also called Poorly Drawn Lines).
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I’ve had it smoother than most because I was actually able to make a career out of drawing comics and writing comedy. But it took a lot of time and work. There’s not a clear path to follow in order to become a professional cartoonist, so I had to figure out a lot of things by looking to other artists I admired and through trial and error. The biggest struggle initially was how to make money from putting my work on the internet for free. The means to do this are always changing as the internet and social media evolve, so it’s a learning process that never really ends.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I make comics in a style I’d call “absurd social satire.” It’s hard to quantify exactly what sets my work apart, but I know I’ve developed a unique voice through many years of practice. My comedy is typically dry and subtle with some surreal aspects. I like to write about social relationships and individual emotions. A lot of my comics feature a dialogue between friends, or a character monologuing about either grandiose delusions or deep insecurities.
I’m most proud of the ridiculous number of comics I’ve drawn through my career–it’s well over 2000 at this point. I’m also proud of the books I’ve published, and of the Poorly Drawn Lines animated series I wrote and produced for FX (which can be viewed on Hulu). The animated series was a big one because I’ve always wanted to take my work to the screen, and it’s something I’m aiming to do more of in the future.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/poorlydrawnlines/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/poorlydrawnlines
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/PDLComics
- Other: https://poorlydrawnstore.com/
