Introducing the Chimerical World of Chai and Mulligan, the Next level...

Graphic artist and cartoonist Francis Baytan, also know as Phranz, has created a webcomic that parodies the absurdity of our love of technology, our compulsion for consumption and the quirky traits that make dogs “man’s best friend.” “Chai and Mulligan!” is available to dog and comic lovers alike on their website, http://www.chaiandmulligan.com, or can be followed on Instagram (http://www.instagram.com/chaiandmulligan).

The comic strip brings to life two dogs who are the talk of the backyard. And talk they do! The strips star a Shiba Inu named Chai and an Australian Stumpy-tailed Cattle dog named Mulligan, both based on Phranz’s real life furry friends. The precocious pups live in the Las Vegas suburbs and keep boredom away by sharing insight into human lives and scanning social media.

Using his years of producing editorial and commercial photography for domestic and international clients, Phranz is now diving into the world of content creation through expressive comic art. He evokes a mid-century modern aesthetic with whimsical lines and offset coloring, allowing him to develop an original style that is distinctly his own.

“I’ve been thrilled by the extraordinary feedback that I have received about ‘Chai and Mulligan!’. I’m happy to see the humor come across to my audience, which helps spread joy in these frenetic times.”

An Unexpected Inspiration

A devoted owner to the two pups with larger-than life personalities, Phranz has been drawing his dogs digitally for years. In 2012, he decided to illustrate the dogs while using an app called Paper, a deceptively simple drawing program for the Apple iPad created by app developer Fiftythree, now part of WeTransfer. The tool became an overnight internet sensation, now boasting over 25 million users and a “iPad App of the Year” win from Apple. With plenty of art apps to choose from, Phranz attributes Paper for helping him develop his signature style and speed.

Over the years, the works remained in his personal collection, only to be let out surreptitiously for a brief cameo in a one-off greeting card to friends and family. From the incredible response he received after sending the card, Phranz knew he was sitting on a comedy goldmine and set off to create a body of work that celebrated his four-footed friends.

Prior to posting on Instagram, the artist created a book called “Chai and Mulligan! Unleashed” which is collection of three-panel comic strips and retrospective their origin story. The limited-first edition book is printed in full-color on a thick, matte paper. The cover, which features Chai and Mulligan, is constructed with a durable binding and protected by a laminated cover with an ultraviolet spot-gloss finish. The book is available through chaiandmulligan.com and has a retail value of $25.99.

For more information about Phranz’s work, visit the artist’s website at http://www.chaiandmulligan.com or check out new comics on the Chai and Mulligan! Instagram page.

To post a comment, you must register and login.