The series is characterized by its unconventional, often surrealistic, style of humor. Brigham Young University professor Kerry Soper described it as "an anomaly" among other newspaper cartoons and "ComicsAlliance" wrote it was "surreal, random, and occasionally very dark". Larson was influenced by his family's "morbid" sense of humor. His older brother Dan, who would often play pranks on him that took advantage of his fears, was a particular influence. He also drew inspiration from personal experience, "Mad", and his favorite childhood book, "Mr. Bear Squash-You-All-Flat". Larson sought to mock human condition, often by placing animals in human positions. Fear is also recurring in the strip;