How Cyanide And Happiness Is Making Dark And Serious Societal Issues Seem Lighter

By Stephen M

The webcomic Cyanide and Happiness is living to its aim of making people smile while addressing dark and surreal topics. The creators churn out new content each day with consistency and dedication to keep their followers always coming. The fan comics have no taste boundaries and addresses subjects like violence, law, relationship, and even religion. They address the topics in humorous ways with graphic stick figures, making them light and easy to relate to. As such, followers can enjoy the issues the thought-provoking graphics are portraying.

The beginning of C&H

source: cyanideandhappiness /Instagram

Between 1999 and 2000, Matt Melvin and Rob DenBleyker collaborated on making stick figure death movies. It was during this period that Dave McElfatrick joined the team. Kris Wilson also became an active member of the team and came up with the style currently used by Cyanide and Happiness. All they sort to do is make people laugh while addressing some dark social issues.

source: cyanideandhappiness /Instagram

In 2005, the four came together to form Cyanide and Happiness (C&H) after starting Explosm. On January 26, 2005, its first graphic stick figure contents appeared on explosm.net. The following year, they started posting animation shorts. C&H also has an Instagram page cyanideandhappiness, where followers are treated to graphic stick figure webcomics. Matt left the team in 2014. Several other contributors help the team with graphic content and animations.

source: cyanideandhappiness /Instagram

With consistent work and dedication, the webcomic has daily new posts. They do this to keep their viewership high and followers always returning for more. There is never a dull moment on the Instagram page and website. Wilson and DenBleyker say they are influenced by the webcomic The Perry Bible Fellowship and newspaper comic The Far Side. If that’s the source of their inspiration, no wonder they are putting out some great funny stuff.

A columnist with Telegraph in 2009 said C&H is one of the top ten best webcomics. They also have in their feathers a Streamy Award.