Meet Elizabeth and Jonathan of the ‘War and Peas’ comic strip
I spoke with Elizabeth Pich and Jonathan Kunz, creators of War and Peas the comic strip. Pich and Kunz, sounds like a comedy act. War and Peas is 13 years old this year.
TOM: You were one of the first cartoons/comic strips on the web — what gave you the idea to start posting on line rather than trying to get syndicated or printing a comic book?
E&J: We’re millennials. We grew up with the AOL starter CD, when the internet was still something new, shiny, and wonderful. For us, it was a natural way of connecting with friends and readers. Also, we were apprehensive about gatekeepers of the industry rejecting us at such an early stage. So we decided to have some fun the first couple of years.
TOM: How did you come up with the idea and the concept? Were there other concepts you started first and this one just clicked? Where did the name War and Peas come from?
E&J: Starting out, we just published funny doodles without any direction. Then our doodles transitioned naturally towards comics and then 4-panel-comics. We didn’t have any particular role models but we saw other artists like Sarah Andersen, The Oatmeal and Poorly Drawn Lines going in the same direction and that gave us a sense of connection. We picked the name because Jonathan is the great-great-great-great-nephew of Tolstoy (born out of wedlock, so he has brought shame to his bloodline).
TOM: What is Slutty Witch’s name?
E&J: Her name is really cool, but we’re not at liberty to tell it to anyone. Sorry.
TOM: Do you work digitally or with pen and paper?
E&J: Both! We have physical sketchbooks but work digitally on the webcomics. Pen and Paper is our most beloved medium. Every pen shop knows owner in Europe knows us by name. From time to time, we offer originals, but rarely.
TOM: Does one of you come up with the ideas and the other one draw them up them?
FOR THE WHOLE ARTICLE, VISIT MY SUBSTACK SITE. IT’S FREE TO READ HERE: 10withtom.substack.com/p/meet-elizabeth-and-jonathan-of-war
