while at college in manchester dakin was drawing "abe" for his college magazine when he met paul gravett, who introduced him to the concept of self publishing comics in zine form and distributing them via the mail and gravett's fast fiction service. while initially dismissive he soon became interested, corresponding with eddie campbell and phil elliott amongst others. dakin has cited tove jansson's "moomin" strip cartoons and novels as an influence for "abe" and the optimistic melancholy present in his work.