Doug Eberhardt

Doug Eberhardt is an artist and educator living in Western Pennsylvania. He enjoys drawing and creating prints, zines, and comics.

Doug’s work is visually inspired by science fiction, cartoons, nature, and a sense of nostalgia. He likes to draw silly expressions and use himself as a reference, which adds an underlying sense of humor to the work. Doug teaches zine and comic workshops a few times a year with a variety of age groups.

You can see more of Doug’s work at voidboy.art and https://www.instagram.com/voidboy.art/.

You can see his new comic work at StopWatch Gallery in Greensburg, PA, from Oct 18th to Nov 15th, 2025 with an opening reception on Oct 18th at 6 pm. Doug will also be at the Pittsburgh Zine Fair on Oct 19th, 2025.

Did you grow up reading comics?

I didn’t grow up reading comics. By the time I was old enough to start, I was already preoccupied with cartoons and video games. Zines were my entry into comics. I started making collaborative zines with my wife, Lauren, around 2013. Our zines at the time had illustrated elements, but I wouldn’t consider them comics.

In my late twenties, I attended the Small Press Expo in Bethesda, Maryland, which opened my eyes to comics. SPX is a comic book fair that features a lot of independent cartoonists with unique and non-traditional illustration styles. The event helped me realize comics can take a variety of shapes and can be about anything. These days, I create one or two short self-published comics a year. I have been collaborating with Grounded Printshop and Leadhead Screenprinting in Erie to access their risograph printer for my recent work.

Have you ever felt embarrassed or ashamed about reading comics?

I never felt ashamed of my love for comics, but I think that’s because I was a latecomer. I think I skipped the adolescent phase where I might have been embarrassed by them, although I can relate to this phase with my fandom of anime, sci-fi, and fantasy, which I concealed throughout high school. It’s gratifying to reach a point in life where we can reclaim our love for nerdy things and bring it back into our identity.

Do you have a favorite comic shop that you visit? Where is it? What makes it so great?

Doomed Planet Comics and Books is a fantastic shop in Pittsburgh, that sells a wide variety of wonderful comics. I also buy and trade a lot of comics at the Pittsburgh Zine Fair and the Pittsburgh Indie Expo. They are both awesome events that grow larger every year.

How do comics inspire or inform the work you make?

What I love about comics is storytelling. With multiple images, comics can walk you through a narrative and a world. When I make prints, I like to make a related series for the same reason. If I make a one-off print, I don’t feel like I’m giving the viewer enough context to understand the world, themes, and motifs. With my prints and comics, I want to tell a story that allows the viewer to live in a world of my creation.

Have you ever been afraid or worried about making artwork that references comics?  

There are times when I’ve worried that comics and cartoons aren’t viewed as important or serious works of art. As I’ve gotten older and experienced more beautiful and unique comics, I’m convinced that comics are significant and valuable art objects. I’ve read comics that have changed the way I think, filled me with emotions, and made me cry. Those are feelings any work of art should strive to convey.