DRAWS: Cartoonist Takes On Shark Week
YOU JAWS FANS are everywhere!
When The Daily came across some brilliant shark cartoons by artist Anju Sabu from south India, we had to get in touch and learn more.
TDJ: Tell us a little bit about yourself?
AS: My name is Anju Sabu and I’m from South India. I grew up in a small town in South India and while I always enjoyed drawing, I did the stereotypical Indian thing and studied engineering and then business. Haha. I worked for a few years before drawing sharks became a part of my life. I love reading, watching TV, spicy food, traveling and hanging out with my friends and family.
TDJ: Is there a lot of shark and Jaws fans in India?
AS: I think there are a few - children seem to love sharks more. I still get asked “But why sharks??” a lot.
TDJ: You've obviously got a huge love for sharks, what first got you into them?
AS: I probably started when I was around 7 or 8 - some of the things that got me hooked were: A book on sharks by Ron & Valerie Taylor that my dad has, watching shark documentaries with dad on Nat Geo, and of course "Jaws"
TDJ: Your shark cartoons are amazing, how long have you been doing them for?
AS: They started out as rough illustration for a personal blog I had in 2006. The first comic series I did of The Shark was in 2009, (although I had doodled what would become this character back when I was in school), so I suppose I’ve been drawing them for over a decade.
TDJ: How many do you think you have done in total?
AS: I have about 430 posts on my website and I’ve done a few extra for social media so I suppose I’ve done about 500 cartoons.
TDJ: How do you keep coming up with new ideas?
AS: Most of my comic series was inspired by real life - stories with friends or family. But as I started drawing more ABOUT sharks, I did start to study more about them from books and websites and try and find fun and humorous ways to tell the world something interesting about sharks. I’ve especially enjoyed drawing different types of sharks.
TDJ: Why did you decide to illustrate Shark Week show titles?
AS: I’d actually done this in 2016 (https://www.ohdakuwaqa.com/2016/06/shark-week-2016.html) and 2017 (https://www.ohdakuwaqa.com/2017/07/shark-week-2017.html) but skipped a few years for various reasons. I think I liked the crazy titles of the episodes - they sound spectacular and intriguing so they were almost begging to be drawn.
TDJ: Can you talk us through the titles you chose this year?
AS: I usually pick titles that either sound the most interesting or I get a particular idea for. Several of the titles are similar to previous’ years so I might skip those if I’ve already done them. This year, it was titles like “Jaws awakens” and “Sharkadelic summer” that first sparked my interest. Shark week doesn’t air in India the same time as the US but it’s nice to be a part of this conversation. So, even though I probably don’t get the full picture of the episode until I read some of the reviews, it’s fun to illustrate what the episode means to me.
TDJ: What reaction have they been getting?
AS: People seem to like it! I think the “Jaws awakens” was quite popular. Besides that one, my favourite ones are the “Land of lost sharks” and “Monster under the bridge”. They were the most detailed of the series but also made me laugh.
TDJ: When did you first see Jaws?
AS: I must have been about 7 or 8. Everyone around me presented it as a film that would scare us into never wanting to go to the bathroom again - I must’ve pretended to be scared to fit in but really, how would that shark fit in our bathrooms? Anyway, I do remember being fascinated by the movie and it made me want to watch anything with sharks in it.
TDJ: Have you got a favourite character?
AS: I’d say Hooper. I thought he was very brave to go in the shark cage and go diving and study sharks.
TDJ: What about moment or scene from the film?
AS: Anytime the theme played! I really liked the yellow barrel scene and that scene when we finally see the shark.
TDJ: Has any of your work paid homage to the film?
AS: This one with a play on the “We’re gonna need a bigger boat” line. https://www.ohdakuwaqa.com/2015/01/jaw-size-does-matter.html
TDJ: Have you any favourite cartoons you have done?
AS: Some of my personal favourites are:
“Cetaceans are show offs”
“13 reasons why (I love sharks)” series
Shark alphabet
Sharks are friends not food
TDJ: What's next, any upcoming projects or themes you'll be tackling next?
AS: I have a few lined up including a poetry+picture series, a few more comics and hopefully a by-request mix and match shark series.
TDJ: What is it you hope to achieve with your drawings?
AS: I really want to create better awareness about sharks and to change negative perceptions using art and humour. There are a lot more wonderful artists and sharktivists doing this these days and there is definitely a lot more interest in sharks. But people in places like India still need to learn more and find an appreciation for them. There is quite a bit of shark consumption and illegal fishing because people either don’t know or don’t care.
TDJ: Anything else you wanted to add?
AS: It’s always encouraging when people write and tell you that they liked a certain cartoon. I’d especially like to shout out to some of my supporters who encouraged me when I wasn’t even that good and asked me to draw cartoons for campaigns or personal projects. People like Phil Watson (Shaaark!), Fredrik Myhre (HHH), Congratulafins, Sharktopia, Alex Shuh, The Shark Trust, Project Aware, Ailerons and more. I couldn’t have done it without them. A special mention to the amazing Mark Dando who illustrated the “Sharks of the world” book - the most useful book on sharks I have. And of course, to “Jaws” and all who made it happen because while it was intended to cause fear, it actually caused a fascination that has lasted.
TDJ: How can people follow you, find out more about your work?
AS:
My website: www.ohdakuwaqa.com
Instagram: @ohdakuwaqa
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ohdakuwaqa
Twitter: @ohdakuwaqa
Anju with her shark toy collection
Interview by Dean Newman, Chief Writer The Daily Jaws
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