A student sits in class, spacing out while clicking the top of his pen. It’s a methodical beat, a steady yet light Click. Click. Click. Black ink from an erasable pen meets white paper, interrupting the tapping of his pen, as lines form. This is the beginning of another comic.

His name is Vincent Ribeiro, a sophomore, and his passion is creating artful, funny comics that deal with “real life” and “breaking the fourth wall.”

Ribeiro started this hobby when he was bored in class, looking for something to do. With a thought of what if I just doodle a little bit?, he started to draw. It didn’t take much for him to choose what — he loves cats — and they were a great place to start. 

From there, his style continued to grow, taking on unique twists. He “looked at other art styles and tried to divert away from them” which has helped him to evolve his own style.

“Black lines, static color” — those aspects of art inspire him. “I like to have a comedic look to them. There is no shading, just one static color. I like bright, poppy colors, almost like an Easter egg.”

The cats stick out. Ribeiro says he will use dim colors like yellows and peaches. 

“It doesn’t make the cat stick out if I use a grey or dark background. I want cats to pop out so you can see what they do.”

Ribeiro sometimes uses “physical humor” along with wordplay. His plotlines focus on “straying from the norm.” He has comics about the navy, school, pizza, therapy, and a multitude of other topics. He says he has “rules” to ensure consistency. In terms of content, sexuality, propaganda, and politics are usually off limits. 

“I also don’t like to confuse children,” he said. The context is straightforward and avoids mature or unclear themes that may “warp the child’s perspective.” He keeps family members in mind when creating content: “Would I really want my baby cousins to watch adult themes presented in children’s media?” he asks.

Ribeiro “really likes that it doesn’t have to be within reality,” and uses this to his advantage. More than anything, he wants people to just “have a good laugh,” and enjoy the work he’s putting out into the world. He doesn’t expect, or want, anything big to happen with the comics, instead, he just wants to bring joy to people. 

When not creating comics, Ribeiro plays video games, plays with his pets, and does school work. His career goal is to become a game developer.