Mochi, the high-maintenance pug, continues his adventures, but this time, he’s not the only child anymore. Now, he shares the spotlight with his siblings, two dogs named Huey and Duey, as well as Gemma’s actual kids, Yellow and Purple.
However, making this shift for the comic artist was challenging, as she wrote: “I certainly lost many followers in the transition. I understand it though, many people are here for Mochi and are not interested in anyone else. I get that in real life too, which is a bit more shocking.” But for us, the more the merrier!
So, if you’ve been a fan, recently became one, or this is the first time seeing Gemma’s work, we are glad you joined! Let’s hop to the post and see what their family has been up to.
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Bored Panda reached out to Gemma to learn what changed since her last post. The artist shared: “I have released two books, ‘Living with Mochi,’ which are also available in Spanish as ‘Mi vida con Mochi’ and ‘Mochi's Pugpyhood.’ The first one is a compilation of my favorite comics plus some new ones. The second one is all exclusive stories of Mochi’s first year of life and pretty much the story of how he got his big personality and attitude in life.
I am also making new merchandise, including calendars, that I release every year, and this fall, we’re finally releasing our long-awaited Mochi plushie!!!
“We also have a Patreon account. That’s where the magic happens! Our patrons not only get monthly goodies and first dibs on everything but are also part of the creative process, giving their opinions [on] everything we do. We also do meet-ups from time to time!
“Our family also has grown, adding two human girls who often appear in the comic now.”
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Gemma Gene shared whether her comics are inspired by real life. “Yes, they are mostly real-life-inspired. I just observe and write down every little anecdote I think could work as a comic. Once in a while, sometimes people post a comment that catches my attention, and I make it into a comic, too.”
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In regards to the challenges, the artist explained which part of comic making is the most difficult.
“Keeping up with social media. The pace at which social media requires you to produce content and that content having to adapt to every new feature or platform is very exhausting. I recently decided to give up trying to feed the algorithm. I just want to make good stories and hope it will reach someone who will appreciate them.
“Now the challenging part is really making good stories. I started doing very quick comic strips, which I believe worked great, specifically at the beginning. Now, I am interested in telling longer stories. I am working on getting better graphically and in storytelling,” wrote Gemma.
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Gemma also name-dropped some of the artists who had the biggest influence on her art style.
“So many. I can’t even say my style is defined yet, and it keeps changing, hopefully evolving, and it still needs so much evolving to do… I look up to many great artists like Cassandra Calin, Sarah Andersen, Adam Ellis, Meg Adams, and Liz Climo, amongst many others.
“I grew up watching The Simpsons and reading Mafalda, Tintin, and Garfield, and I always loved all things Sanrio. I think these, as diverse as they are, had a massive impact on my work.”
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As Gemma already mentioned in the beginning, the transition from Mochi-focused comics to family comics wasn’t easy. “Not everyone likes kids (just as not everyone likes dogs), so I get it. The thing is the comic is really about my life and my personal vision of my family. It just happens that Mochi is a very big part of that. My family looks very different from what it was when the comic started, and the comic has reflected that. Losing followers is just part of the growing pains, unfortunately.”
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Lastly, Gemma added: “I have a lot of things planned for our comic. I am looking to make more merchandise. I want to make great quality, ultra cute-centered products [of] Mochi. We have been doing some trials, and the plushie will be the first big release. I couldn’t be more excited.
“I am also working on some kids’ books, some about Mochi and some [have] totally new characters that I am very excited about. I am also working on a long graphic novel that is still in its early stages. And last but not least, I am working on a short animated movie. It is a project I am very excited about, and I am disappointed at the same time because I’ve never done anything like it. So there is a lot going on and very little time. But I am very excited and hopeful.
“I would like to say thanks to all the people who have stayed with us through the years and who feel like they are part of the family and also to the new people who discovered us. A special thanks to our patrons who make our comic possible and also help us so much with everything, even with life struggles! And thank you to you guys at Bored Panda for your support. It means a lot!!”
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