Comic artist Ernest Ng continues his (mis)adventures with his ‘bros’ in his latest book, writes Sulyn Chong
Nerf guns are laid haphazardly around the room and a miniature golf set occupies the space normally reserved for a coffee table. On the tops of cupboards are iconic comic figurines as well as paraphernalia that’ll come in handy during video shoots.
Several large computer monitors hog table tops in the mid-sized office space. Making my way to the sofa and trying to avoid stepping on nerf bullets, I peek at the name card in my hand. #MacamYes (Looks like it) it reads.
“Please excuse the mess,” says Ernest Ng Thye Sern, creator of popular web-comic Bro, Don’t Like That La, Bro, and passes me a copy of his latest book, My Bad Bromance, as well as an extended version of his first book, Here Comes The Bros.
In the latest instalment, we see more shenanigans from the five bros (Jon, Shamus, Jamus, Daryl and Ernest) as they go through life together in a house they share during their university days. It also continues the story of Ernest who, in the first book, meets sweet Candice at a party and gets her number by luck.
“The second book explores more about relationships, like how relationships can be strained and how it can be saved. There’s more depth, emotionally but it also has my usual blend of crass humour,” confides Ng.
FIRST SKETCH
The artist-cum-author says he has been sketching and drawing comic strips since he was 5. His first drawing, he recalls, was of cartoon dog Scooby Doo.
That was more than 20 years ago and it was probably at that point that his mother, a nurse, and his father, a doctor, had an inkling that their son wouldn’t end up in their professions.
Says Ng: “Come to think of it, I believe my mum threw the drawing away after I showed it to her. But I drew the exact same 12 frames again and showed it to her again. That’s when she knew I was unstoppable,” he confesses.
His love for drawing comic strips, he says, goes hand-in-hand with his love for reading comics and watching Saturday morning cartoons.
“I like all comics but my current favourite is the anime One Punch Man, a satire on superhero comics that’s not to be taken seriously,” he shares. “I’ve always preferred comics that are easier to digest and have uncomplicated storylines. That’s why I honestly don’t quite like Marvel or DC although I do love the characters!” His favourites are Batman and Ironman.
It isn’t hard to see why his works of art result in such easy to read six-frame, laugh-out-loud bliss which he uploads on his website, dontlikethatbro.blogspot.my. Says Ng: “Web comics are like junk food where you can read just one strip and forget about it. You don’t really need to invest in their character. That’s how I draw my ‘bros’.”
Discerning comic fans will be able to recognise where Ng’s inspiration comes from. Look closely and you’ll see touches of Craig McCracken, best known for creating the animated series, The Powerpuff Girls. Recognisable thick black lines and bright colours have since then become a trademark. “I try to emulate it in my comics but I also try not to copy it entirely or too much. But if you look closely, there are some similarities,” he admits, chuckling.
BEGINNING OF ‘BROS’
“There were so many stories of my bros that I wanted to blog about, but I felt like writing it. Then, Shamus gave me the idea to draw the five of us,” Ng explains. He then sketched the five bros and ever since then, that first sketch has become the significant banner for the series.
“After sketching the boys, I uploaded it on Facebook and everyone was like ‘Wah! Very nice!’ but I was embarrassed by it because I thought it looked really bad,” he recalls.
However, that didn’t stop him and soon he was colouring his sketches. Before he knew it, he’d moved on to detailing the bro’s shenanigans.
“About five per cent of the stuff is made up. If I said 100 per cent is true, it’ll make my bros unhappy. I like to leave people guessing which bits are actually true and which aren’t. I guess that’s the magic of the comics,” he says.
Are the characters truly how they are?
“They’re like that!” replies Ng, chuckling. “It’s funny because each of them has his own set of characteristics. For example, one is lazy, another eats a lot, and another is the dumb one. We’ve also got one who’s a pervert. Everyone has that outstanding stereotype in them which makes the characters work and those are their real names.”
When Keropok Comics approached Ng back in mid-2013 to publish a book, he didn’t hesitate. “I guess it’s a big dream of every comic artist to have a book published. I try to portray the memories that we have as best friends. It’s a great way to immortalise them.”
NOT AN EASY ART FORM
Out of the many stories he has drawn, which does he consider the funniest, I ask Ng.
He grins before replying: “I’d say the one where my friend poo’ed in his pants while driving! That was the story that inspired me to begin this whole crazy series and made me feel like I just had to write about this!”
Nevertheless, drawing comics isn’t plain sailing. Shares Ng: “You have to be persistent and not give up easily. Drawings comics isn’t really an art form that many people respect, especially in Malaysia. People think it’s easy to do and create, but there are many processes involved. It’s hard to know what people want and you need lots of practice. I’ve been drawing since I was 5. And with those years of experience, if I don’t make it look easy, then I’m doing something wrong.”
At the end of the day, there’s a lot of hard work that goes behind every frame churned out by Ng and his fellow comic artists. There’s real effort behind every line and colour, coupled with sheer tenacity to produce something that’s often viewed as “junk food”.
Concludes Ng: “The easiest way to bypass all the hate is to do it to please yourself. Find a balance and believe in what you do.”