The Perry Bible Fellowship by Nicholas Gurewitch has impacted many webcomic artists in one way or another. Nicholas is unquestionably one of the best painters and most stylistically diverse among the authors of wacky short comics. As far back as he can remember, he has been creating visual stories. Nicholas’ inventive process, which has sustained The Perry Bible Fellowship for 15 years, presents reality in an absurd way.
Check out these hilarious, unique, dark perspective comics that will make you fall in love with them.
The clarity of obscurity
He started publishing the Perry Bible Fellowship in his undergraduate newspaper in 2001 after a short spell as a journalist for the same paper. The Jubilee and Spelling have been his most well-liked PBF comics online, though that may just be because they’re brand-new. It used to be “Atlantis” and “Nice Shirt” (Unicorn Power).
He calls his own brand “the clarity of obscurity.” To create the comics, he employs numerous different techniques. The recurring strategies are ink and paper, though it wouldn’t make sense to mention them all, he believes.
A Signature Style
The Perry Bible Fellowship (PBF) is renowned for its unexpected twists. Nicholas Gurewitch’s unique storytelling often leads readers down one path before surprising them with a humorous or dark turn.
This signature style has become a hallmark of PBF, attracting fans who appreciate the blend of whimsy and wit, often laced with a touch of macabre. It’s a creative approach that keeps readers on their toes, eagerly anticipating the next unexpected twist.
A Trophy Shelf
PBF has been honored with several awards, including an Eisner Award. These accolades reflect the quality and originality of Gurewitch’s work.
The recognition from industry experts and peers adds to the webtoon’s prestige, making it a must-read for anyone interested in innovative comics. The awards are a testament to Gurewitch’s talent and the unique appeal of PBF, solidifying its place among the best in the field.
Changing Visuals
The Perry Bible Fellowship has undergone significant artistic evolution since its inception. Gurewitch’s art style has shifted, experimenting with various techniques and aesthetics.
This evolution keeps the webtoon fresh and engaging, allowing readers to witness the artist’s growth and creative exploration. The changes in style reflect Gurewitch’s commitment to artistic innovation and his willingness to push boundaries.
Teamwork and Talent
Gurewitch has occasionally collaborated with other talented artists to create specific strips. These collaborations infuse new energy and perspectives into PBF.
The result is a rich and diverse collection of comics that resonates with a wide audience, showcasing the synergy between different creative minds. Collaborations like these add depth and variety to PBF, enhancing its appeal.
Laughter in Shadows
PBF is known for its dark humor, which often explores taboo or uncomfortable subjects. Gurewitch’s ability to find humor in the shadows is both thought-provoking and entertaining.
This edgy approach sets PBF apart from other webtoons, offering readers a unique and daring comedic experience. It’s a style that challenges conventions and invites readers to think differently about humor.
From Web to Print
The Perry Bible Fellowship’s popularity led to the release of print collections. Fans can now enjoy Gurewitch’s work in physical form, a testament to the webtoon’s success.
The print editions have allowed PBF to reach new audiences and solidify its place in the world of comics. These collections are a celebration of PBF’s impact and a way for fans to connect with the work in a tangible way.
A Pause in Production
Gurewitch took a hiatus from creating new PBF strips, leaving fans eagerly awaiting his return. This break allowed the artist to explore other creative avenues and recharge.
The anticipation built during this period added to the excitement when new strips were finally released, proving that absence indeed makes the heart grow fonder. The hiatus also sparked curiosity and speculation, keeping fans engaged even during the break.
A Lasting Impact
The Perry Bible Fellowship has had a significant influence on modern webcomics. Gurewitch’s unique storytelling and artistic style have inspired a new generation of artists.
This lasting impact underscores PBF’s importance in the comic world, shaping the way stories are told and art is created. The influence of PBF can be seen in various contemporary works, reflecting its enduring legacy.
Worldwide Appreciation
PBF’s appeal extends across the globe, with fans from various countries enjoying Gurewitch’s work. The universal themes and humor transcend cultural barriers, making it a truly international webtoon.
This global fanbase adds to PBF’s success, showcasing the power of art to connect people regardless of geography. It’s a testament to the universal appeal of Gurewitch’s creativity and humor.
A Vibrant Palette
Color plays a vital role in PBF, with Gurewitch using a vibrant palette to convey emotions and themes. The strategic use of color enhances the storytelling, adding depth and visual appeal.
This artistic choice demonstrates Gurewitch’s mastery of the medium, using every tool at his disposal to create engaging content. The colors in PBF are not just decorative; they are integral to the storytelling, adding layers of meaning and emotion.
A Spectrum of Subjects
The Perry Bible Fellowship explores a wide variety of themes, from existential questions to everyday life. Gurewitch’s ability to tackle diverse subjects keeps the webtoon fresh and engaging.
This variety ensures that PBF appeals to a broad audience, offering something for everyone. Whether it’s a profound philosophical inquiry or a simple everyday observation, PBF’s thematic diversity is one of its strengths.
A Loyal Following
Gurewitch’s connection with his fans is a vital part of PBF’s success. The artist’s engagement with readers through social media and events fosters a loyal following.
This connection creates a community around the webtoon, enhancing the reading experience and building a dedicated fanbase. It’s a relationship that goes beyond the page, creating a sense of camaraderie and shared appreciation for the art.
Exclusive Collectibles
PBF has released limited merchandise, including prints and apparel. These exclusive items allow fans to own a piece of their favorite webtoon and support the artist.
The limited nature of these collectibles adds to their allure, making them sought-after treasures for PBF enthusiasts. Owning these items is like having a piece of PBF history, a tangible connection to the world Gurewitch has created.
Special Cameos
Occasionally, PBF features guest appearances from other well-known characters or celebrities. These special cameos add an extra layer of excitement and novelty to the strips.
These unexpected guest spots delight fans and create memorable moments within the PBF universe. Whether it’s a famous face or a beloved fictional character, these cameos add a touch of magic to the already enchanting world of PBF.
Learning Through Laughter
While primarily entertaining, PBF also offers educational value. Gurewitch’s exploration of philosophical themes and societal commentary provides food for thought.
This blend of humor and insight encourages readers to think critically, making PBF more than just a source of entertainment. It’s a webtoon that educates as it entertains, offering readers a chance to reflect on deeper issues.
Beyond the Webtoon
PBF’s success has led to adaptations in other media, including animations. These adaptations allow fans to experience Gurewitch’s work in new ways. The expansion into different formats demonstrates the versatility of PBF and its potential to entertain across various platforms.
It’s a thrilling development for fans, offering new ways to engage with the beloved characters and stories of The Perry Bible Fellowship.
An Evergreen Classic
The Perry Bible Fellowship’s timeless appeal ensures that it continues to resonate with readers, regardless of age or background. Gurewitch’s masterful storytelling and art create a webtoon that stands the test of time.
This evergreen quality ensures that PBF will remain a beloved classic enjoyed by generations to come. Its universal themes and innovative approach make it a timeless treasure in comics.
Collaborative spirit
He dedicated the book to 3 people he worked with although he wrote it all himself. He sees himself as a very collaborative person. His first ever comic was, in fact, a collaboration with Dan Wrights. It was a mix and intermingling of two different comics: A Hue Life and Franken Worm Digger.
They started separately and slowly began to intermingle until they were one single comic. He says this experience inspired the Perry Bible Fellowship a lot. As for the strips, he says that you count on the story to be finished, to be complete, and that is usually laugh-inducing in the case of Perry Bible. These are dramatic comics.
Perfectionist artist
Nicholas believes that he can feel it in the vibrations when someone doesn’t like or laugh at a comic joke. When he sees the particular way they didn’t laugh, he would know what to change to make it work for them. He also works very hard on a joke for a long time until it is right.
This is why the weebook comic took a while to finish; he spent an entire summer working in it when he was at Syracuse. Nicholas is a perfectionist because he wants his jokes to be well though and he takes it personally if you don’t like them, as a personal failure.
Taking breaks
Gurewitch thinks the best creative process is when you work on your project, but then take a break. He also is of the opinion that if you have friends that you trust to take a look at your work, do so, because they bring in a fresh perspective.
He has taken breaks from PPF, because of this and also because he is working on other things. His partners and him are trying to get Cartoon Network interested in his new project. He has been in LA for a week pitching TV shows to networks. His humor opens a lot of doors to him but it also closes them.
TV shows
He is of the thought that it spoils an artist to have complete creative control in TV endeavors. Nevertheless, he assures he must be a bit tough to work with in that regard, because when he undertakes something he wants to control the actors as he would a character that he is drawing.
However, he has learned a lot since then on how to generate performances and to work with people. To him, working alone on his comics is not as exciting as working with people. He wants to write these shows and also direct them, since he is a film major.
Filmmaking
Gurewitch really wants to make movies. He admits that what is stopping him is courage, and also he would need a little bit of money. He would like to be a very good director for when it comes the time. He likes Pixar, he thinks they are the most responsible filmmakers on the planet, since they tell complete stories, and the type of character transformations and reveal of truth are among the finest in the market.
He has worked on possible TV show projects over the years, but at the end of the day they are said to be too weird. He has hope that TV will be able to embrace the weirdness at some point.
The Trial of Colonel Sweeto and Other Stories
About the book The Trial of Colonel Sweeto and Other Stories, he spent a lot of time doing the cover and the first interior pages. He put a lot of detail into it. He named the book after one particular comic character because it was very fun to draw. He scanned and colored all the comics himself.
However, Hasbro took offense to the candyland theme and sent him a cease and desist letter. Nicholas and his team were compelled to take all the books off the shelves. A few of the books sold are being sold on eBay, because it has now become a collector’s item.
Second book
Nicholas prefers books rather than online as a method to enjoy a comic. Seeing it on a page is nicer to him. His second book was the Perry Bible Fellowship Almanack. it came with a red bookmark, so you can highlight your favorite comic and it can look like a bible.
At the end of the book, he added rejected comics and gave explanations as to why. He does have a number of comics he published but he ended up regretting and others that did not make the cut for the deleted material bonus. Some of those comics were misogynistic according to some people.
Trails of Tarnation
Nicholas loves acting and has participated in an episode of Trails of Tarnation. He has also done stand-up once in Syracuse, but he made the mistake of only doing one joke at the beginning and thinking he could wing the rest of it, but it went poorly. He also has done improv.
Trails of Tarnation is a web series he does with Derek Wallborne, also a SY grad. Not only is it a web series, it is also a movie. They are going to shoot all these standalone parts and then put them together. He is shooting it on film and then putting it up on the internet. Although it looks random, there is a substantial plot that binds these three parts together.
Out-of-the-box artistic
PBF has been described as a traitorous candy bar, a rebellious electric socket, and a woodshop teacher with a long backstory about his missing hand. It is one of the most innovative and creative artistic ventures ever hitting the internet.
These three are just a small selection of the many things Nicholas has done over time. He is the webcomic we recommend you follow regularly. Every time a new comic is published, we feel excited about the masterpiece he has created.
Mystery of the world
“I think I’m most inspired when I can share the confusion I feel about the world,” Gurewitch says. “I think that’s my base emotion. Confusion. So if there’s a way I can make other people feel confused by posing questions or pointing to the mystery of the world, that’s great … It comes down to having fun.”
“If I feel like trying something new, I usually do. Drawing in different styles is just like dressing up or making an impression. You just feel out what’s funny.”
Never been published
Dark Horse will release a unique Almanack collection featuring Nicholas’s comics to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of PBF. The book contains all his work and scrapped panels that have never been published on the main website.
“There’s only a couple of comics in the book I’m ashamed of,” said the artist. “A lot of the comics have been shared so many times over the years, there’s a risk it will have a dusty museum vibe. But this edition also has a lot of comics that have never seen the light of day, so I’m expecting to feel brand new kinds of shame.”
Plenty of options
There are over 250 pages in the Dark Horse-published Almanack. This gives you plenty of options for your favorite comics. It’s not easy to provide preferential treatment to their creators.
“It’s tempting to like the ones that no one else likes. Or under-appreciated ones,” he said. “I guess I’ll mention Bip, the painting Orangutan. He stars in a comic where his art show is negatively reviewed in a magazine, and he freaks out. It’s an unpopular comic, but those that appreciate it tend to notice the feces he’s thrown about in the background of the last frame.”
Changing styles
Before the blue fairy appears and transforms it into reality, nearly every comic spends a considerable amount of time as a sketch. The creation of Commander-Crisp took the longest, mostly because the character was painted and then given a dying computer’s final color adjustments. He had to wait several minutes between clicks.
He responds to the question of whether the chosen styles in a particular comic correspond to the themes it explores by saying, “I wouldn’t theorize on this matter. It’s different for every comic. More importantly, changing styles just gives me something to occupy my time with.”
Idealism colliding realism
His greatest inspirations are a bit hard to say. He sometimes perceives his work as representing the clash between his mother’s realism and his father’s romanticism. Or, he sees the idealism of his mom colliding with the realism of his dad. Numerous artists have given him the idea of the “actual” slamming into the “ideal.”
Most likely, Gary Larson is to blame for persuading him that a substantial quantity of actual backstory can be encapsulated in a single ludicrous image. The best at condensing a lengthy backstory (or a profound idea) into a concise panel or thought right before your eyes were Bill Watterson.
Unexpected ways
When he’s working on a comic, he collaborates with a lot of people, anyone nearby—whether it be family members, housemates, or roommates—as well as friends via email. He’s open to hearing other people’s ideas, especially if he senses that the partner can recognize his humorous weaknesses.
He would run everything by three of his friends as if it were an assembly line. Through that process, a lot of concepts are shot down, altered in unexpected ways, and then reborn as completely new ideas. He believes that some of the essential work is done when working with other people.
His opinion on advices
“Advice which is generic in nature- ascribed by one person to another – is not nearly so important as the advice you fashion for yourself out of necessity – based on an intimate knowledge of what makes you tick. Not sure where I heard that, but I feel in agreement with it.
If you can cultivate the addictions inside you to work for you, then you gotta notice that. If you can notice it, you gotta double it. Triple it. Quadruple it until good things happen”, Gurewitch said when asked about the best piece of advice he ever got.
Subtle yet terrible punchlines
The Perry Bible Fellowship Almanack’s 10th-anniversary edition, one of the web’s most cherished webcomics, is back with a new foreword from Michael Cera, previously unpublished comics and sketches, and strips that have been formatted to read like they would on a phone screen.
The book by Nicholas Gurewitch, a stunning compilation of each PBF comic released between 2004 and 2007, is a warm, sentimental look back at the “golden period of the internet.” The book perfectly combines hand-drawn elegance with subtle yet terrible punchlines that expose a heartbreaking truth about the world in order to capture the beauty of PBF.
His newest projects
Since PBF, Gurewitch has switched his attention to film and television. He also created a book on Kickstarter in honor of Edward Gorey called Notes on a Case of Melancholia, Or: A Little Death.
Due to the laborious process of creating each page from individual scratchboards, the book and commissions promised to backers as rewards were postponed by a number of years. Why it took so long is well-explained in the documentary Notes on a Case of Nicholas Gurewitch.
The Kickstarter
Gurewitch said he enjoyed working on the Kickstarter and agreed to participate because he liked the tactile nature of the process, but he believes it was too much work. It had 48 pages, but he made around 200 slates.
“I think Kickstarter to me was like a genie lamp. You get to make a wish, and your wish gets granted. But with such power comes complications. I found myself not burdened by the weight of expectations but adjusting to expectations as they came about. And so I think I ended up in a scenario where I didn’t have a proper relationship with time”, he said.
What he would have done different
He said about this: “One thing that’s probably missing from my life, ever since I’ve stopped doing the comic weekly, is deadlines. I sort of swore off deadlines because they seemed so hazardous to health. But in many ways, they’re helpful to mental health because you can be done with something. There’s so much power in the Kickstarter scenario because there’s so much trust, money, and time. If I were to do it again, I would just have to have some kind of stronger relationship with those things”.
He said he tried to make himself feel a little better by thinking about George R.R. Martin. “It sounds like time and expectation have crept into his process. I think it can be a confounding thing when you have that much power. Maybe creativity works in a way that relies on being powerless rather than being powerful”.
Conditions for publishing
Gurewitch had a terrific time creating the 30 original drawings he was required to produce for his Kickstarter. Dark Horse agreed to publish this book and the Almanack under the condition that they publish another PBF collection before the year is up, one that will be the same size but contains new content because the author finds it entertaining.
He has persuaded them to print the books on paper from the Forest Stewardship Council. Additionally, he promised to design the book and create the InDesign files, both of which require a lot of labor but are enjoyable for him.
The reason for the 10th anniversary edition
He said about the reason for publishing a 10th-anniversary edition: “It’s one of those things, like, I think they publish a new Harry Potter book every other year, but they need to do a new cover for it. It’s one of those money grabs.
But it had been 10 years since the Almanack came out, so it was as good a reason as any to republish it. I don’t know if the comics are still as good as they were because humor changes over the years”.
Content and format
Many comics in the Almanack are from 2004 to 2008 but also there are some from 2001 to 2004, which are his college comics, but he didn’t put them online until 2004. As far as the internet’s concerned, these are the 2004 to 2008 comics. But he’d been doing them in college for quite some time as a newspaper comic.
There was a French edition of the Almanack, and he liked the way it looked, so he formatted it so that readers could view it on the phone. Because most phones scroll up and down, it’s advantageous to position them this way.
His new path
Gurewitch claims he’s been hesitant to pursue film and television. He has worked on a lot of unproduced TV episodes, but taking that step has allowed him to change the comic from its original style.
Many of them already exist as scripts, and occasionally they get to the point where they have basic storyboards or animatics. However, he’s eager to work more in the production sector shortly because he believes that’s how his ideas should most likely develop.
Why TV has not happened yet
Many PBF comics rely heavily on really minute, subtle elements. And sometimes, it’s difficult for him to manage the specifics when he’s scripting. Therefore, he wants to work with the details a little further in the future. He believes that he develops a new TV show concept every two years.
Networks also seem to be realizing that the concept is maybe a little too strange at the exact same rate. Although they are all animated, he would be willing to perform any live-action role that he would perform in a cartoon.
A project that didn’t see the light
It would likely simply require a bit more effort. Some of them have less of a connection to PBF. He believes that this is yet another one of his issues since, occasionally, the thought will just be completely absurd. The Umbilicals was one of the concepts that gained some popularity with Cartoon Network.
These fetuses inside their mothers’ uteruses were the ones who, in a way, drove them like mechs using the umbilical cord. Moms would therefore be the mechs. He believes it to be a really bad idea.
Better this way
“We basically just had a theme song, and an intro figured out for what would either be short-form or half-hour. But I’m kind of glad it never got produced because I don’t know how you sustain that for a whole half hour, despite the fact that we had written out scripts that claimed to do it.
I don’t know if that was sustainable. In retrospect, it’s kind of embarrassing”, he said about The Umbilicals project. And he added: “Sometimes I can’t tell the difference between what’s funny and what’s funny because you made it”.
His social media presence
He joined Instagram not too long ago because he hadn’t had a smartphone until 2017. About this, he said: “I suppose I’m coming around to the idea that it’s really financially savvy to be able to connect with people through social media. But I do miss the days when you could have visitors to your website.
The way you’d have visitors is like back in the olden days when someone would knock on the door and say, “Can I come in and enjoy what you have?” I take pride in the fact that I have a website that people can visit”.
Instagram artists he likes
In some ways, he enjoys the direction that webcomics are headed. He particularly likes the comics by Nathan Pyle and Alex Norris. They share a lot of colors in common. He believes he appreciates the shift toward a kinder, sweeter, and more honest creation. Perhaps it is the path that they are all taking since life is becoming scarier.
He believes that if he can just manage to look respectable, or in this case, pretty, he can say a lot of things. He thinks he can say something a little more brutal if he makes a comic incredibly pretty.
About starting something new
Gurewitch said about coming away from something he’s done for a long time in favor of starting something new that he’d love to start low on the ladder. “There’s a part of me that wants to endure something a little bit more difficult. I’ve always wanted to be a waiter. I just need a new experience.
And I think I definitely am excited about climbing down from the ladder and approaching an audience — maybe even anonymously — but approaching an audience from a fresh angle”.
About people who don’t think they can dedicate to art
Gurewitch asserts that people always have time at the end of the day in response to the question of whether he may have the luxury to start something new if sales of the book, comic strips, and other products can help them sustain themselves financially.
“I’m never certain how I feel about people who complain about not having time after their day job. If you really want to do something you’ll do it at night…I don’t want to step on anyone’s toes, but I just know if you’ve really got something to say, you’ll find a way to say it, eventually”.
Giving advices
In terms of advice, he suggests forcing their lives to take a creative route if they want to try to discover their passion. And he doesn’t mean it in the sense that it is required; rather, he says that they need to likely put themselves in a situation where they are compelled to speak up.
Instead of making work an act of labor, make it an act of relief. They should constantly be willing to consider the possibility that they shouldn’t be expressing themselves creatively if there is nothing to express.
From agony to ecstasy
“But the human psyche can only undergo so many challenges before it starts to do something really interesting that other people can enjoy. I think I’m a firm believer that if you go through enough agony, you’ll be able to provide enough ecstasy. I love it when people challenge themselves and reflect on that, and then make art from that.
There’s no shortage of brilliance to be had from reflecting upon life experience, and there’s no shortage of life experience to be had from failing. It’s a win-win situation, really. If you need more life experience, just hop in!”, Gurewitch said.
What his peers say of his work
The artist quotes top artists praising his work on the Perry Bible Fellowship’s official Facebook page. He shares what other cartoonists had to say about his body of work.
“Gurewitch jams three panels full of brilliant concepts and dark, twisted comedy so tightly that they almost burst. One of the all-time funniest comic strips is The Perry Bible Fellowship.” R. Bolling (Tom the Dancing Bug).
“He’s the finest new cartoonist since Bill Watterson, and I’ve been reading him since his first comic in The Guardian. Paper was created for this purpose. Now give him your cash.” — Mark Millar (The Ultimate X-Men).
Criticism
Speaking of criticism, over the years, The Perry Bible Fellowship has drawn fire for its dark humor. Gurewitch stated in an interview with ComicMix in 2008: “It’s ironic how a work’s intention may be obscured, but since people are reacting to something, they have the right to adopt any viewpoint they choose.
However, I do find it amusing that many people believe a comic is just over the top and hasn’t been thought through since I personally can see something I’ve been thinking about in the cartoon, or something on my mind, or one of my friends’ thoughts, every time I appreciate one of my comics. The comics always seem to me to be more profoundly important than they initially appear to be.”
Where it all began
“[The Almanack’s] got many dozens of comics that can’t be found online,” continued Gurewitch. “In some cases, gags have been too crude or offensive or simply haven’t aged well. I’ve included my best reasons for why certain comics didn’t make the cut while I was making them for newspapers.”
The Daily Orange student newspaper at Syracuse University was the first to publish the strip. It spread to The Guardian and Maxim, as well as other outlets. The mysterious name “Perry Bible Fellowship” is more complicated than you might think.
The Daily Orange
The first time he worked on a comic was in college. In an interview on Jeff Rubin’s podcast, he told Jeff that he published comics on the Daily Orange. The Independent student newspaper, The Daily Orange, sometimes known as The D.O., is published in Syracuse, New York. Throughout the academic year at Syracuse University, it is free and published every day.
However, it was Jeff Rubin, the first person outside the Daily Orange, that published his comic. Jeff says that it was because the work was very good, and it went beyond his peers creativity and content.
Named after a church
“Gosh, that it’s an in-joke that has far overstayed its welcome,” admitted Nicholas. “My buddy Albert recommended that because we didn’t have a name for the obscene scribble, we submitted it to The Daily Orange when I started the comic.”
“It’s the name of a church he connected to in the northernmost area of Maine. I’ve heard that the church has since changed its name.”
A theory of comedy
Although we can all agree the comics are very funny, Gurewitch does not describe his work as such. He says he does not believe in comedy. He has the theory that there is a drama that makes you laugh and drama that makes you cry. There is a way something is presented that makes it funny or serious.
He also does not like jokey jokes or easy comedy; he likes jokes in the middle of something super dramatic. The example he gives is finding gags in Schindler’s list. Gurewitch values more a gag that takes you by surprise than an easy joke.
Will PBF be back?
Sometimes Nicholas uploads a comic strip to the Perry Bible Fellowship, and fans think it is coming back. However, that is not the case, according to him, because he doesn’t think it is going to be back and on a regular upload schedule. He says he uploads when he and Jordan get an idea that it’s too short for a film but good enough for a cartoon.
They work on it a lot and produce many drafts and comics, but only the little story makes it. Nevertheless, there is still a lot of traffic on the website; people still read the old Perry bible fellowship. It never goes out of style.
The next era
So, what can we anticipate from the next era of Perry Bible Fellowship content?
“All I can promise is that I will do my best to try new things. Expand. Or at least delude me into thinking I’m trying new things. Yeah, that sounds right,” concluded Gurewitch.