About
To learn more about The Bubble, check out articles in The Beach Reporter and Southbay Magazine.
Ian Freshman, 39, is a graphic designer, Manhattan Beach native and cartoonist with a knack for poking fun at some of the more humorous (and ridiculous) aspects of life in the South Bay. Ian posts his South Bay-inspired cartoons to The Bubble, an Instagram account he started late last year that has garnered a little over 2,000 followers. Ian recently took some time to chat with us about the origins of The Bubble, his favorite cartoonists and also his thoughts on the future of comic strips.
How did you come up with the idea for The Bubble?
Ian Freshman: It originated with my friends and me. I sent them some funny cartoons that I drew; one of my friends said that I needed to start posting them. People seem to like [my posts]. And it’s taken off from there. I’ve always done cartoons. I’ve always liked them, and The Bubble is a fun way for me to do cartoons without going through a publication.
We may have to make you reconsider and run with us. Do you have any favorite cartoon strips?
IF: I grew up reading “Garfield”—that was the gateway cartoon when I was really young, and I graduated from that to “Calvin and Hobbes.” That’s an ultimate favorite, same with “The Far Side.”
Local South Bay cartoonist and graphic artist Ian Freshman started his cartoon The Bubble on Instagram in 2014, and rapidly added some 2,000 followers. Based on life in the beach cities, the cartoonist is now planning an expansion—to Facebook.
The popular comic began with a group text he shares with some of his best friends since childhood.
“We call it ‘Hack Chat’ because we’re all a bunch of old hacks who grew up together in Manhattan Beach,” Freshman explained. “I was just trying to make them laugh with some funny cartoons, and they encouraged me to start a comic strip. My friend Eric actually opened the Instagram account and told me to start posting my ‘toons.”
