Harold’s Origins

I’ve been drawing Harold regularly since early 2015. It’s strange to think that it’s only been a couple of years—it feels like he’s been living in my head for way longer than that.

The image below is the first picture I ever drew of Harold (and the Monster, though I think he changed way more). This image popped into my head while I was out running, and I went straight home and put it on paper. I remember it really clearly, because it was one of the rare occasions when I managed to draw exactly what I had seen in my head. (This happens pretty regularly now, which is gratifying. I guess spending an hour or more on art every day for a year makes a difference!)

The first Harold drawing, from the spring of 2015.

A lot of the current incarnation of Harold is there in the first sketch—Monster, bunny, kitchen appliance, check—though it would all go through numerous designs and redesigns between then and when I started drawing this comic in June 2017.

Here are some sketches I did as Harold continued to develop (and well before I knew his story).

Note that coffee was always a part of Harold’s character. This is something he and I have in common.

At the time, I was frustrated that I couldn’t get Harold to look like he did in that early image. Eventually I decided that I liked this more expressive version of the character better anyway.

Harold, again with coffee. Actually, the original opening of the story was a multi-panel montage of a sleepy Harold making a French press of coffee. So...I may have a problem.

Getting a little closer to the final Harold. Regarding his feet: I eventually decided that only Harold’s head would be rabbit.

To be clear, Harold’s not me. 

There are some semi-autobiographical notes in there, for sure:

I worked for several years as a barista, and still sometimes think how nice it would be to run a coffee shop. In that way, Harold is sort of an alternate-universe version of myself.

I have been known to overreact to things, much like Harold, though I think you’ll find that his temper outdoes mine by a fair bit.

My wife’s nickname for me is “Bunny,” stemming from an occasion when I didn’t hear her calling “Honey?”, but responded immediately to “Bunny?”

For the record, Harold’s name isn’t a (deliberate) pun. I actually didn’t notice the Hare-old thing until someone pointed it out to me, which is both embarrassing and shocking, if you know my love of bad puns. Harold is named for Harold Crick, Will Ferrell’s character in Stranger Than Fiction. I adore the film, and saw a connection between the two characters, both of whom struggle to understand the completely bizarre situation in which they find themselves. If you haven’t seen it, go do that immediately—it’s great.

Anyway, that’s where Harold came from—a random flash of inspiration, followed by about two years of working to make sense of it. I’m thrilled to finally share Harold’s story with you, and I hope you’ll keep coming back for more!

If you have questions, or suggestions for future blog posts, leave them in the comments below, and I’ll get to them as soon as I can.

Thanks for reading!

Ok, here’s one last early Harold sketch. I rejected this design because it looks way too much like one of the Tiny Toons characters.