Comic strips originated in newspapers in the 19th century, they told stories of humor and adventure. Today in the age of mass media consumption, comic strips have made their way to the Internet.  Scrolling through the explore tab on Instagram and Twitter, some students have come across an account called @DependableComic.

Sophomore Abbas Akhtar started his account @DependableComic when he got a digital drawing tablet. Comics have been a lifelong love of his. With a main character that resembles himself, some of Akhtar’s comics share his personal experiences. The account is full of relatable comic strips filled with color and humor that are posted every Sunday..

“When I finish sketching and doing the line work,” Akhtar said. “I do the fun part, I color in objects and shade in the shadows.”

A drawing tablet lets Akhtar efficiently draw his comics because of adaptability of his tablet and pen that allow him to draw the way he desires. The layer tool is Akhtar’s favorite because he can draw objects on top of each other.

“My favorite part is watching my work come together,” Akhtar said. “I get a lot of satisfaction when I finish a comic and that makes me want to do another one.”

Akhtar read a lot of Garfield and Calvin and Hobbes when he was younger. In elementary and middle school, he drew one and two panel comics. Through classes like Graphic Design, Akhtar learned storyboarding and has developed a strategy for more complex comics that require more skill and planning.

“Abbas’s style is easy to read and comprehend,” Akhtar’s friend sophomore Duncan Chandler said. “It is relatable, funny and unique.”

A source of inspiration for Akhtar is the people that read his comics and enjoy it. Akhtar’s biggest fans include his supportive brother and mom along with his friends Bowie and on-line who give him suggestions and feedback on how to improve his work.

“I like using Instagram and Twitter to do share my work,” Akhtar said “it’s fun to live-stream  working on Twitch, my fans get to see me working in real time.”

Social media accounts @DependableComic on Instagram and Twitter allow Akhtar to share and promote his comics. Akhtar was surprised when he first found out how many people see his work on the Internet. He posts every Sunday because newspapers publish the most comics on Sundays.

“Abbas is extremely dedicated to his artwork,” graphic design teacher Gina Cottone said. “He has a lot of talent compared to other students.”

Akhtar’s style has developed since he started drawing comics. At the beginning his comics looked bubbly and curved, but with time his style is becoming more refined with natural edges and more realistic subjects.

Drawing comics was once something Akhtar did in his free time, but now he puts time a side to draw everyday to hone his craft and connect with his audience.

“I am most proud of my comics that are personal and have a funny story,” Akhtar said. “My favorite is My Betta Fish Story.”