The Disfunctional Friends: Meet Dark Mortimer!
The Disfunctional Friends is an incredibly fun webcomic series imagined and produced by Michael Mortimer.
Both designer and writer on the series, Michael mixes many genres, to better reveal contours of existence.
Do not miss any episode of this amazing weekly webcomic show!
Hi Michael, welcome on Art Of Webcomics!
– Where do you come from?
The Otherside of Darkness, which is somewhere in Fresno, California.
– How old are you? ( tell it or not !)
Honestly I don’t keep up with my age since i don’t look or feel order, yet my sprit is ancient.
– Influences?
Jim Davis, Classic Cartoons, Horror movies, Wrestling, Batman TAS, & Anime.
– Art school or not?
Well i did attend to ITT-Tech a decade ago.(Nope, still don’t feel old HA) but most of my drawing style started way back when i was in middle school.
– Favorite digital art software?
Autodesk Sketchbook.
– Your working method?
After i finished a comic i start to think up the next scene or comic in my head, How the characters would react to certain moments, what color the background would be. The shading for each of them so that they slightly pop out more. Usually i can hand drawn the comics on paper within a day. but ever since i started to work most of the week, i invest into buying a laptop & bring that with me (along with my Wacom tablet inside my bag of tricks) to work. So the process can take a week or mostly within 48 hours on a weekend. So my working method is chaotic.
- – What your webcomic is about, in a symbolic way, the hidden sense ?
The Disfunctional Friends is a series of talking animals & a few humans living a somewhat of a normal life that goes into madness. one moment they would be working at the Cat’s Cafe, then the next they are fighting some monstrous or strange oddity that no other human has seen before, then back to their “Normal” lives of managing a Cats Cafe, Stealing from the rich, running a newspaper stand, playing with puppets or watching horror movies . - – Tell us more about your main character, the hero(s) !
Where do I begin?
Scooter the Cat, He’s a house cat that owns & operates the Cats Cafe (Along with his step brother Artie), Scooter is the leader of this group of Disfunctional Friends. He seems to be claim, until someone does something stupid that makes him mad to the point he bring out his Trick Hammer.
Artie the Cat, Seems to be crazy just by him wearing a straitjacket from the Nine Lives Asylum, He’s surprisingly more claim then Scooter is. Not only that But Artie is actually quite good at designing & breaking out of traps. Also the end of his sleeves are not attached.
Phil the Penguin, This English penguin always tries to come up with a plan to steal from the rich while managing his social media app Brawler. & if he’s ever corner by an enemy, He’s has a Smaller Penguin with an RPG underneath his top hat.
Jim the Penguin, From the great white north called Canada, Jim helps out his cousin Phil on heists. wither it being a 2 man crew or more, Jim will always have your back.
Bob the Polar Bear, Once was a circus performering bear, Bob runaway from a Russian Circus after the Peanut Cannon Ball incident of 07. Now living in the States with his new family of friends, Bob found his true calling in life, baking Polar Blueberry Muffins at the Cats Cafe & Wrestling.
Winston the Mute Dog, A Blue Labrador, Winston never develop to speak anything other then saying “Hi”. But that never stop him from not only being the watchdog of the Cats Cafe, but he can still communicate with his sign along with a Bark & Say toy device.
The Invisible Man, The owner of the Invisible Eye, The Invisible Man is never seen without his hat, (which is odd knowing that his is invisible). A recovering alcoholic. He enjoys drinking Orange juice that he squeezes with his own hands.
Steve the Scarecrow, The mad scientist & demolition expert, Steve is a 6 foot crow wearing ripped up steampunk clothes & enjoys taking things apart & putting them back together?.even if he tries to add some TNT to his inventions.
Dahlia the Lady in Black. The host of Midnight Nightmares, This lady in black with a smile from ear to ear is an expert of the supernatural. Dahlia enjoys watching her collection of horror movies (Good & Bad) while drinking eggnog. She also seems to be invincible & can pop her bones out of place. & it’s not sure if she really is wearing make up or not.
Claire Violetwood, She’s a 10 year old witch that lives in a tiny home in the dark forest by herself playing with her toy puppets. While not at home she’s working as a cashier & security at the Cats Cafe even if she accidently grows a tree inside the building. By the way , just from reading this you can tell they fall into the anti hero category.
“Sometimes, It’s Hell to get into Heaven”. –
- – How do you see your future?
Still creating on this series long after my last breath. but in the meantime i want to make a living from this. i really enjoy creating this world & telling the story of The Disfunctional Friends. - – Your next goal ?
I really want to get this series published into books. & perhaps a fun video game & or animated series
- – Advices for beginners?
Just continue to draw, look around you & see what would make a great character or story. Never stop creating a world in your head. Even if someone told you that it’s not good or it’s not what they are looking for, as long as you enjoy it & someone else enjoys your art. - – Your technical secret trick?
Taking breaks, Listening to music or the tv, & imagining what my characters are doing. - – Favorite quote?
“Sometimes, It’s Hell to get into Heaven”. -Undertaker to Shawn Michaels, Royal Rumble 09.
A bunch of thanks to Michael Mortimer!
Read THE DISFUNCTIONAL FRIENDS
The Disfunctional Friends 
