Basic Instructions (comics) - Content and Format

Content and Format

Each comic purports to provide instructions on a "how to" topic seemingly taken from everyday life, such as "How to Lie for Recreational Purposes" or "How to Win at Monopoly Without Losing a Friend", and then deals with the subject in a frequently perverse or unexpected manner. The characters in the comic are Scott Meyer himself and representations of the people he interacts with on a daily basis, such as his wife, his boss, and his best friend. The author has stated in interviews that many of the characters are based on real people.

Each comic contains four panels in a grid, and each panel typically contains instructions as well as the standard comic drawings. The author has said that he aims to include a joke in each panel. The unusual format has made it difficult for the author to publish it in standard print syndication, despite an attempt by Scott Adams of Dilbert to help Meyer reformat the cartoon for wider distribution. Meyer felt that the format required by newspaper would not permit him to use his personal brand of humor and story development which requires the four-panel, narrated layout..