Ben Zaehringer, the mastermind behind Berkeley Mews, characterizes his comic series as dark humor unveiling the less innocent side of all things considered pure and wholesome. In his words, it “transforms fairy tales, Disney movies, and childhood memories into amusing yet nightmarish scenarios.”
Zaehringer refined his artistic abilities through high school and local community college art classes, delving into life drawing and basic anatomy. Reflecting on this period, he recalls, “We were even taught to draw cars, the bane of every cartoonist. I’m grateful I tackled them early.” Presently, he employs these skills to craft his creations, and the reception has been noteworthy – Berkeley Mews boasts over 190k followers on Instagram and Facebook, with a steadily increasing count.
Artistry runs in Zaehringer’s family, inspired by his mom’s cousin, Steve Moore, a cartoonist. His early comics took a whimsical spin on newspaper strips like FoxTrot and Peanuts.
Thinking back on his early years, Zaehringer warmly remembers daily collaborations with his friend, Kevin Garvey, crafting comic books after school. Their process involved folding two sheets of paper and infusing them with humor – Zaehringer’s focused on Pokemon and Dragon Ball Z parodies, while Garvey conjured up epic, super-funny space operas. He underscores, “If you’re an aspiring cartoonist, make a friend who draws comics (or make your friends draw comics).”
Berkeley Mews revolves around the theme of disappointment, exploring elements like God, Santa, love, death, childhood, and 90s pop culture. Zaehringer strives for timeless relevance, riffing on enduring themes such as Disney movies that undergo remakes every decade.
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