42 Hilarious Comics Referencing Our Culture, Literature And Art, By John Atkinson (New Pics)

Atkinson didn’t set out to be a cartoonist right away. He studied fine art at university and first tried his hand at painting before moving into graphic design. Cartooning came later, almost by accident. “When my children were very young, I would doodle with them and they got a really big kick out of it,” he once explained. “I guess the cartooning grew out of that.”

Over time, he refined his style into something distinct—clean lines, strong composition, and just the right amount of writing to deliver the punchline. “There’s a lot of writing involved,” he said. “And by ‘a lot’ I mean streamlining the writing so that it’s minimal yet still conveys the idea in a succinct and funny way.” His goal is to make the humor sharp, but also easy to understand.

The humor itself comes from a wide range of influences. Atkinson has often mentioned being inspired by British comedies such as Blackadder and Monty Python, as well as classic cartoonists like Charles Schultz and Gary Larson. But in the end, his cartoons are more about the idea than recurring characters. “My work isn’t character-driven,” he explained. “The concept dictates the drawing or the characters for a particular gag.”

Despite his success, Atkinson admits the work isn’t always easy. Coming up with fresh ideas week after week can be a challenge, and so can the business side of being an artist. “Perhaps the greatest and most consistent [challenge] is having to continually create new content,” he said. Still, what keeps him motivated is the reaction from readers. “When I hear that in some small way I’ve brightened someone’s day or simply made them smile, I think that’s the most rewarding thing.”