John McNamee is the artist behind Pie Comics, where everyday life is turned into laugh-out-loud moments. From his college newspaper strips to work for The New Yorker, MAD Magazine, and Cartoon Network, he has a knack for finding humor in the ordinary.
McNamee’s process is all about improvisation and play. He often starts drawing without a plan, letting the joke unfold naturally, and sometimes finds humor in the most unexpected places. McNamee’s comics are clever snapshots of absurdity that show how funny life can really be.
More info: Instagram | condenaststore.com | piecomic.tumblr.com | patreon.com
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What started as a daily comic strip for a college newspaper has evolved into cartoons featured in The New Yorker. McNamee reflected on his early journey: “When I graduated, nobody told me to stop.” He continued creating strips for ten years before submitting them, a dedication that helped shape his unique comedic voice. His comics often twist everyday subjects in unexpected ways, and he describes his work as “energetically deadpan. Like the moment before a pie hits you in the face. I'm always looking to have a little bit of the work done in the reader's imagination.”
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Nowadays, McNamee spends much of his time exploring art for himself. “I spend a lot of time just drawing and painting now. I was on the posting grind for a long time and now I'm just doing some exploration for me. Hopefully it will lead someplace interesting soon,” he said. Even with a busy schedule, including parenting and a day job, he keeps creativity a constant part of his life. “I have a toddler and a day job, so a lot of my day is that. But I'm always doodling, and sometimes something comes from that that I just have to finish. Then after I put my son to bed I draw it as fast as I can.”
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Like many cartoonists, McNamee doesn’t shy away from scrapping ideas that don’t work. “I've scrapped many comics. Usually, it's because I got too ambitious with it. Like it ends up turning into a 30 page thing,” he explained. This willingness to experiment and fail is part of what allows his humor to remain fresh and unpredictable, giving readers those little moments of surprise and delight.
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When asked about the biggest influences on his art and storytelling, McNamee shared a mix of classic and contemporary inspirations: “'The Amazing Life of Onion Jack' by Joel Priddy had a really big influence on me. Very simple and funny. I'm just going to drop a lot of other names though: Jason, Lewis Trondheim, The Simpsons, Charles Schultz, Simone Veil, George Herriman, Richard Thompson, Gary Larson. I'm gonna stop there.” These varied influences—from iconic comic strips to animated series—help explain the playful, clever, and absurd humor that has become his signature style.
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