I am Dave, one of the creators of Cyanide & Happiness. I am also a north Irish native who had an online petition secure me a US visa. AMA.

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You're why we keep making them! Thanks!

Aren't you scared of writer's block?

All the time

So what happens when you get a writer's block?

He gets deported.

Todd's got it.

Also, proof this is me: www.twitter.com/daveexplosm

Would you really hand deliver some Cy&H merchandise for $1000?

Yup, we would.

Wanna get drinks later?

perhaps! Sad you missed out on last night

can I come?

Yes!

Love Cy & H.

Why couldn't you get a visa?

The visa I was petitioning for is an O1B visa, which is generally reserved for geniuses. Not suggesting that I'm a genius at all, but I was advised by a bunch of people that this is the visa I should be applying for doing the work I do in the US. However, the immigration folk didn't think C&H was 'worthy' of the visa until we sent them a printout of an online petition with 150k+ signings. They approved my visa within three days of it being sent. So, thanks internet!

What's it like waking up in the morning knowing that you're the only person in the history of the internet affected by an online petition?

Absolutely nuts

Did you really think they'd give you an O1B visa? Or did you really think the internet would rally for a petition for the visa if they won't give you one?

Nope, didn't think the internet would rally to my side at all, but as it turns out the world is full of cool people and it helped me out! I was dubious about the O1B from the start, but I got it!

A lot of those signatures came from reddit. There was a big drive here to import you.

Only because domestic Dave is so flat and tasteless...

Scary's got the right idea. I love you guys.

Just don't go getting fat and selling out now that you're one of us.

I've put on 30lbs in the last 5 months

What requirements are needed to apply for an O-1B visa? To qualify for an O-1B visa, the alien shall provide documentary evidence that shows his/her accomplishment as an artist:

Receiving an Oscar, Emmy or Grammy Awards.
Playing a leading role in performances.
Receiving critical acclaim and recognition.
Commanding a high salary.

Wow

I think the critical acclaim thing was filled out. Isn't it insane that I'd need to provide an oscar or emmy?

Have y'all thought about making "depressing comic week" a bi-annual thing? I always get a kick out of those and it saddens me it's only once a year....as depraved as it sounds

Glad you like them! Nope, not bi-annual, although I do want to make more...

what do you think is the most popular comic online?

Hate to be an anus, but probably us. Or XKCD. Or Penny Arcade. So, probably not us.

Have you met their creators?

Yep! They're all swell folk. The creators of both comics helped me out a ton with my visa.

Who's idea was the Kurt Cobain comic? It was HILARIOUS. It also subtley supported the Cobain murder theroy. Kudos.

My idea. Thanks, bud.

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http://lakewooddogpark.org/resources/images/happyDog.jpg

what influences your humor? specific artists, comedians, maybe a malignant tumor pressing on a specific part of your brain causing terrifying yet hilarious hallucinations perhaps?

Probably a dark streak of cynicism and bitterness from getting my ass kicked too much in school. Also, I'm an only child, so I spent the former half of my life entertaining myself most of the time. Endless internal monologue with yourself makes you pretty weird, I'd imagine. I like to think I'm normal now.

Has being the creator of Cyanide & Happiness ever gotten you laid?

Well...

What do you think the future of Cyanide & Happiness is?

Perhaps television? Any execs out there wanna give us a show?

I'd really watch this. There is a gap there. Cleavland McFamily Dad is just one bad episode after the other these days.

Cleveland McFamily Dad is possibly the greatest thing I've ever read

Where do you get your "inspiration" (if you can even call it that) for your comics?

Anything and everything. Talking to friends, taking a big walk- whatever. Even something as simple as looking at an object and trying to apply it to a strange situation. One of my most popular comics was conceived from looking at a highlighter pen.

Which comic was that? Also hi from your homeland of Ireland :D

http://www.explosm.net/comics/2083/ also, craic?

Can you explain this 'craic' business? You've said it to a couple people who've said they're from NI. I Googled it and read the wiki entry, but the explanation was very nebulous and I can't figure out how it fits into this context.

It's short for "whats the craic?" It's our way of saying "hows it going?"

Is C & H your chief source of income?

Yep!

Just here to say thanks for this.

So thanks.

No probs.

After a party, a friend and I read every single comic we could get to before passing out.

Thank you for that.

Thanks!

Fellow Nor'n Irelander here! Do u feel better recognised/appreciated for your fame in the USA than you did at home?

Has there been any weird cultural adjustments for you? When I was living in the States I sometimes felt that most US folk didn't really get the NI dark sense of humour... do you find that your humour gets a different reception in person?

We do tend not to talk about our achievements in NI - What's it like telling people what you do?

Also, do you miss home or do you prefer the US? Is there anything you miss from here in particular?

Craic? Yes, I can completely affiliate with what you're talking about. I was trying to explain the NI dark sense of humour yesterday- it's just impossible to articulate. I have this in-joke with my friends here about how much I hate high-fiving- they just don't understand why I'd think it's a lame show of bro comradery. Really, I don't mind high-fiving, but it's not something you'd do in NI. You'd be classified as a tool.

I do miss home! I have a wee photo of Ballintoy on my wall and I look at it wistfully whenever I get the chance. I think half the appeal of Irish culture is the fact that we love pining for the homeland, so it's given a special tint to all those trad folk ballads we know.

Yeh I know exactly what you mean... all my US friends would do the 'hollah!' and 'hey girlfriend!' stuff and I would just shake my head... they did NOT get why I didn't think it was awesome!

Deff the appeal of home is always the pull of the Emerald Isle! Any time I've flown home I've always got a window seat to await our greenish/brownish fields (depending on the time of year) to appear and I get all wistful and happy! I'm a Belfast Girl, so as soon as I see a Harp ad, I know I'm home!!

So do you think you'll stay in the States for good? Do you get anything posted over from here? My crazy grannie use to freeze me potato bread and wrap it in a few layers of tin foil and post it - by the time it arrived it was ready for frying! (Just a wee tip if you need it! because let's face it, there is no breakfast, like the Ulster Fry!)

I miss a decent pint of Harp! The stuff here is awful. I do want to move back to Belfast eventually, but for now I'm just riding the wave and enjoying the US. Also I could use a fry bigtime. The bacon is weird here, and the first thing I do when I get home is have a massive Ulster Fry. It's magic.

Have you gained any inspiration for any of your comics from reddit?

F7u12 is ruining my creativity process. It's too funny. All I can think of now when coming up with ideas are rage comics.

will you draw us comics based on our comments for our amusement? we'll give you karmaaa

Alas not, but I do have a strange taste for karma, just as any other Redditor does. Give me upvotes!

Who was your real life inspiration for the Purple Headed Eyeball Stabber?

My dad

You are awesome!

Weird question but, how old are you?

Thanks! Too old. 26 :(

are there any comics they get pulled from the site for whatever reasons? if so, what are some of those reasons.

Nope! There's one that was blurred out years ago, but I can't even remember why. It certainly wasn't because it was too 'racy'

Get in Norn Iron.

yeeeeeooooooooooooo

Besides your own, which member of the C&H crew do you think makes the best comics?

Not Matt

What is your opinion of the upsurge of violence in the North these days?

It's all shite, and it's sad for me to see. I love Belfast and the fact that the city is going through a major period of regeneration, so it's sad to see that a tiny minority still want to give north Ireland/Northern Ireland a horrible reputation. It's a beautiful place and it's sad that it's tainted by these arseholes.

How far in advance do you have some of your comics done before they are put on the site?

We're pretty tardy, to be honest. If we're really good and organised, we'll have a bunch queued and ready to go a couple of days prior to them going live, but most of the time we'll make one the night before it goes up. It's just how we roll, and it's organic in it's own way.

What's the meaning behind the titles "Explosm" and "Cyanide & Happiness"?

Explosm was the name of a sound file Rob had. Isn't that lame? Cyanide & Happiness takes it's name from a comic of Kris's- it's a quote.

Whose stick figures do you admire most?

Gotta say I'm a big fan of Rob Lewis.

Has anyone actually ordered the "worldwide personal delivery" ?

Are you guys actually serious about it or was it placed in the store as a joke option?

Not yet. Also we're serious.

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Have you ever done a nod to reddit in one of your C&H comics? Will you?

I put a Me Gusta in a comic once for fun. I got a lot of shit for it, but so what. I love f7u12.

Do you guys compare among yourselves who makes the best comics based on the amount of Facebook 'likes'?

Yes! We are but slaves to the facebook like. It can ruin or make our day. Anything above 2000 is fair game for me. 4000+ is good.

'bout ye?

One thing I miss about home is that noone in Dallas goes "YEEEEOOOOOOOOOOOO" when a glass smashes at a pub

1. What are your favorite C&H comics?
2. What are the best C&H shorts?
3. What are your favorite webcomics besides C&H?

1.) Mine. 2.) My favourite is Waiting For The Bus 3.) I love Buni http://www.bunicomic.com

Which specific comic is your favorite though? I know - they say that asking for a favorite comic is like asking for a favorite child. I've got two kids, so I absolutely know you have a favorite comic and a comic you wish had never happened...

http://www.explosm.net/comics/840/

How do magnets work?

Ask ICP

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I like the first! Really nerdy-ass bit of trivia, the first DCW comic I made where a dad suggests getting his son "that new games console" was the same day the Wii was released in the US.

What caused you to get into making webcomics?

Luck, and a love of creating stuff. It was an outlet for creativity whilst studying in university, and it just happened to take off.

[deleted]

Computing Science at University Of Ulster Coleraine

What's the difference between computing science and computer science?

None, they're both shite

What things do you work at when you practice? Is just doing the comic enough?

We deal with a lot of the business side of it too, I like the DIY ethic we have. We're currently running our own merchandise, so we devote a lot of time to thinking of cool shirt designs and whatnot. Besides the daily comic, we're also constantly working on stuff like books and animated stuff. Alas, we haven't been doing a lot of shorts lately, but we're coming back to 'em. I've got some stuff I think you'll really like.

I signed that petition. What are the odds that I'm on some kind of goverment whatchlist now?

They probably think you're funding the RA. Watch out.

How is it even possible to get the ideas for these comics every day? Do you just sit around the whole day thinking about comic ideas?

I don't personally devote time to thinking of ideas- I like to think they come organically, through doing things as opposed to having an algorithm for humour in my mind. I really dunno how they keep coming, we just talk a load of crap and funny stuff seems to come out occasionally!

What's your brain-food for making them comics?

Being annoyed at my ex.

What are your personal favorite webcomics?

Buni! http://www.bunicomic.com. I also love Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal

Who/what inspires you? What influences your work?

Sometimes something as simple as having a good day. Having a bad day works, too. It's hard to answer this, it's a very broad question!