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The Nature Of Cats: Artist Purrfectly Describes What Having A Cat Is Like In His 40 New Comics
Interview With Artist
It’s been a mystery for centuries, an unsolved jigsaw that's been keeping generations busy, trying to find out… What hides in a cat's mind? Why are they made this way? How can they act like sneaky creatures while being the most affectionate and adorable at the same time?
The question of a real cat's nature is purrfectly shown in the single-panel comics by the British illustrator Anthony Smith. His series 'Learn To Speak Cat' depicts cats and the lives they get to live by their own rules. If you missed our previous post featuring earlier works by this artist, make sure to check it out.
Scroll down to see the best comics from the series and to find out more about its author by reading our interview.
More info: gocomics.com | Facebook | Instagram | anthonysmithillustration.com
This post may include affiliate links.
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Bored Panda reached out to Anthony Smith and asked some questions regarding his work. First, we wanted to know what influenced the artist’s unique style in creating comics. Anthony shared with us: “I grew up in the UK and at the time there were a variety of comics and publications that inspired me. I actually mainly loved Marvel Comics at the time and would purchase all the UK weekly reprints published by Marvel UK.
Ironically one of those early paid assignments was at Marvel UK, but rather than drawing superheroes they wanted me to draw puzzle pages for their comics aimed at younger readers, which was great at the time. (I was a mere 16 years old!)”
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LizzieBoredom 2 years ago
If cats couldn't figure out how to get down from trees, the trees would be full of cat skeletons.
Bouche and Audi and Shyla, Oh My! 2 years ago
Just because we can doesn't mean we should pass up a purrfect opportunity to inconvenience a bunch of soft can-openers. It's their job to meet our every whim! And if it takes a ladder, a fireperson,, and a big truck, so much the better.
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Asked how he comes up with ideas for new comic strips, Smith answered: “I still read a lot of comics as well as other literature, and like everyone, I think I just absorb concepts and ideas which pop out in another form later on.
I'm also inspired by real life or events, especially when doing work for the likes of Private Eye which is a satirical and current affairs news magazine published in the UK.”
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Stephanie Goadsby 2 years ago
Straight out of the X-Files! Love it! All it needs is a smoking mouse getting the hell out of dodge before the rebels take out the flamethrowers.
Bouche and Audi and Shyla, Oh My! 2 years ago
Don't tell the mousie toys all our secrets. It's difficult to trick people who are so small and have twitchy little tails and *POUNCE*
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Bouche and Audi and Shyla, Oh My! 2 years ago
Awwwww, what a nice cat to let the soft can-opener share.
Bill Potts 2 years ago
We had three cats on a queen size bed with us and a dog that slept on the floor. You haven't lived until you've experienced a cat fight on the bed at 3a.m. with a barking dog!!
We were curious how Anthony’s style or approach evolved over the course of his career, and we found out: “I think it's been less about my style evolving and more about developing new styles for various jobs. I think you need flexibility these days.”
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Liam Clark Copeland 2 years ago
In duck, that sounds like this: QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK
Load More Replies... Bouche and Audi and Shyla, Oh My! 2 years ago
Perfectly damning, one might say.
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Lastly, we were wondering if Anthony could give any advice to aspiring comic artists looking to break into the industry. Smith said: “That's tricky because opportunities in the local press and small publishing houses aren't what they used to be and that's how I started.
On the flip side, there are now so many opportunities to showcase work on online platforms, so I think if I were starting out again, I'd concentrate on building a presence online.”
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TheDarkestRaven 2 years ago
I mean, it’s not that bad, yknow? You can fly, and see THINGS. ALL THE THINGS.
Bouche and Audi and Shyla, Oh My! 2 years ago
Audi will be pouncing everybody! Oh wait. He already does.
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Bouche and Audi and Shyla, Oh My! 2 years ago
I'm innocent! So is Audi. He's busy murdering the yarn he's not supposed to get into. The soft can-opener put it in a box inside a drawer, like that's going to stop a cat!
TheDarkestRaven 2 years ago
If anything, the box should lure you in more. I mean.. I thought that was obvious. That’s why I stay away from them.
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LakotaWolf (she/her) 2 years ago
“I’m my own best friend!” That is my lifelong favorite movie.
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Bouche and Audi and Shyla, Oh My! 2 years ago
Comparing dogs to us? Really? I mean, they make decent beds, if they're not wiggly. Have you ever had one drink from your water fountain, though? What a MESS! And they drool. And don't tell me how they spoil the soft can-openers! Licking them, jumping on them, smiling all the time? How needy can you get?
TheDarkestRaven 2 years ago (edited)
Yes, but they sometimes let me and my brethren perch on them. Decent perches they are. I’d have to agree with you on that one.
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Bouche and Audi and Shyla, Oh My! 2 years ago
Yes! Suck up the dog before he eats your kibble!
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The Original Bruno 2 years ago
My son got from his gramma a fishing line with weighted feathers on the end of the line. Great for exercising the cats. They jump and twist and fly through the air as he bounces the line away from them. But he calls it "catfishing."
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Cats are cute 2 years ago
The pet heist is a good book according to my little cousin
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Antonio Picado 2 years ago
Yea sure, go and eat a big shark that might eat you, gr8 idea, wait till the cops figure out.
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Heather Nicole 2 years ago
forget that it's the short fat ugly sneaky one with bad hair in the relationship, the fact that it's orange was all I needed to assume it was a he 🙃
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Bouche and Audi and Shyla, Oh My! 2 years ago
Uh oh. One kitten was pouncing. He's in the corner. Audi would just pounce the corner.
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Danish Susanne 2 years ago
But surely it is a good idea to start painting the most important bit first.
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LakotaWolf (she/her) 2 years ago
For a little while, when she was first diagnosed with kidney failure, I fed my old gray girl Wintressia raw food. I remember the place I bought from offered “ground whole mouse” in one-pound chubs. I kept it frozen in between meals, so theoretically that could be “mice cream” XD
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Bouche and Audi and Shyla, Oh My! 2 years ago
I pulled my collar off, and my soft can-opener can't find it. Audi's still dressed, though.
BookFanatic 2 years ago
Drop it on her face. That's what we (Snafu n Fubar) did to ours. She got it caught in her hair and scared herself. Silly human.
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Bill Swallow 2 years ago
"It is now an Ex-Parrot. Bereft of life, it sings no more. It has shuffled off this mortal coil and joined the Choir Invisible!"
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Bill Swallow 2 years ago
Remember those old Warner Bros. Cartoons, with neurotic Claude Cat and the little yappy dog that would send him claws-first into the ceiling with the sudden surprise bark attacks?
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Bouche and Audi and Shyla, Oh My! 2 years ago
Best scratching post ever. Real blood. Would use again.
Tabitha 2 years ago
5 Stars. If I could give it more, I would. Recommend to everyone.
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Bouche and Audi and Shyla, Oh My! 2 years ago
The struggle is real. What's worse, though, is when you're explaining to your soft can-opener what's what, and they meow something nonsensical, like water shelf. We just roll our eyes and carry on.
Howling-hyena174 2 years ago
Preach. Hoomans are stupidly stupidly stupid
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Ambry Petersen 2 years ago
Nope you forgot to shed. You must shred and shed for complete decor
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Bouche and Audi and Shyla, Oh My! 2 years ago
All the mousie toys in the world, and he goes after a stick. Typical dog.
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Bouche and Audi and Shyla, Oh My! 2 years ago
He'll get there. He's just performing the magic that allows us to fits.
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Bouche and Audi and Shyla, Oh My! 2 years ago
Mog? My soft can-opener said she would have spelled Tac.
LakotaWolf (she/her) 2 years ago
But it’s “mog” from “moggie”, another word for Generic Kitty of No Pedigreed Breed! <3 all my cats have been moggies :3
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Bouche and Audi and Shyla, Oh My! 2 years ago
Audi wants to go out. What a silly kitten. I tried to raise him right!
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Bouche and Audi and Shyla, Oh My! 2 years ago
You shall have a new bag of treats for Christmas, and a new bed to ignore.
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Bouche and Audi and Shyla, Oh My! 2 years ago
The bird probably thought that the balloons were eggs.
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What do you think ?
The Original Bruno 2 years ago
"Hilarious cattoons that will change the way you look at the world."
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The Original Bruno 2 years ago
"Hilarious cattoons that will change the way you look at the world."
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