Inside the Kingdom

This week on Inside the Kingdom , we’re joined by John Kovaleski, creator of Daddy Daze . John talks about the real-life inspiration behind Paul and Angus, the humor of modern parenting, the role of co-parenting in the strip, and how one little word, “Ba,” became one of the most expressive voices in comics. It’s a funny and thoughtful conversation about fatherhood, family, and finding comic strip...

This week on Inside the Kingdom, we sit down with cartoonist Mike Smith, the longtime editorial cartoonist for the Las Vegas Sun and the creator of Gearhead Gertie on Comics Kingdom. Mike has spent decades turning politics, culture, and daily absurdity into sharp, readable cartoons. But alongside his editorial work, he’s also built a very different kind of comic world through Gertie, a NASCAR-obse...

For Father’s Day, Inside the Kingdom gathers a few King Features editors for a relaxed roundtable about dads, father figures, family strips, and the comic characters who have shaped the way we think about family life. From classic newspaper dads to the everyday chaos of parenting, mentoring, grandparenting, and trying your best in three or four panels, this conversation looks at what comics have a...

Comics Kingdom has a Discord now. This episode walks through why we built it, what’s inside, and how readers can join the conversation. Join here: discord.gg/appQys6v2z

What happens when a Viking ends up in a modern workplace? Stephen Webster joins Inside the Kingdom to talk about The Saga of Brann Bjornson, a strip that blends fantasy, family life, and office culture into something that feels strangely real. Stephen’s path to comics isn’t typical. He grew up in Iowa, moved to Russia, studied art in the Arctic, worked in gaming, and eventually built a world where...

One cartoonist. Three daily comic strips. More than 40 years without missing a beat. Bill Holbrook joins Inside the Kingdom to talk about building and sustaining On the Fastrack, Safe Havens, and Kevin and Kell — all at the same time. From early days meeting Charles Schulz, to launching one of the first webcomics in 1995, to evolving a daycare strip into full-on sci-fi, Bill’s career doesn’t follo...

Cartoonist Vaughan Tomlinson joins Inside the Kingdom to talk about Oddly Enough , his understated, offbeat strip that finds humor in the everyday. We explore his approach to comic timing, visual storytelling, and the art of saying more with less. It’s a thoughtful look at how the smallest moments can land the biggest laughs. Part of the Comics Kingdom network, where comics are the history of happ...

Comics Kingdom heads to MoCCA Arts Fest, one of the most important events in independent cartooning. Host Alex Garcia sits down with Maritsa Patrinos and Isabella Bannerman to talk about indie comics, creative freedom, and how those worlds connect to syndicated strips and larger platforms. From zines and sketchbooks to the Sunday funnies, this episode explores where comics start, how they grow, an...

Today on Inside the Kingdom, we’re celebrating the anniversary of Rosebuds on Comics Kingdom and talking all things MAR14DAY. Created by cartoonist Deon “Supr Dee” Parson, Rosebuds follows sisters Rosa, Maria, and Maricela Gonzalez as they navigate family life with humor, heart, and just the right amount of sibling chaos. The strip launched independently in 2020 and was later picked up by King Fea...

Once upon a time, a cartoonist put the Three Little Pigs in the suburbs and never looked back. This week on Inside the Kingdom, we sit down with Francis Bonnet — the creator, writer, and illustrator behind Suburban Fairy Tales — to talk about 20+ years of fairy tale humor, landing at King Features Syndicate, his new book Set Sail to Fail, and what it really takes to keep a comic strip going for tw...

This week on Inside the Kingdom , we’re joined by Victor Van Acker , creator of Dumplings — a funny, family-friendly strip about Dani , her lovable pup Benny , and the friends (and frenemies) who make everyday life feel like a full-on adventure. We talk about: Finding comedy in school days, friendships, and kid-sized “big deals” Building a cast that includes Dani, Benny, and a memorable crew of fr...

What makes toddler life so funny, and so familiar This week on Inside the Kingdom , we sit down with George Gant , creator of Beware of Toddler , the weekly Sunday comic on ComicsKingdom.com . The strip follows a stay at home dad trying to survive daily life with his wild two year old daughter, and somehow finding laughter in the mess. George shares how the comic started, how he finds the joke in...

Step into Hootin’ Holler with us! This week on Inside the Kingdom , we’re joined by John R. Rose , the cartoonist carrying forward the legendary comic strip Barney Google & Snuffy Smith — one of the longest-running strips in American history. We talk about: The strip’s 100+ year legacy The evolution from Barney to Snuffy Life and humor in Hootin’ Holler John’s creative process and daily cartoo...

What makes a comic quietly brilliant? In this episode of Inside the Kingdom , we sit down with Hilary Price , the award-winning creator of Rhymes With Orange . Since 1995, Hilary’s strip has captured the humor of everyday life with sharp observation, warmth, and wit. We talk about the origins of the comic, finding confidence in subtle humor, the creative process behind a long-running strip, and Hi...

Step into the surreal, sideways, wonderfully weird universe of Bizarro ! In this episode of Inside the Kingdom , we sit down with Wayno , the brilliant cartoonist carrying the daily strip forward. We dig into: The origins of Bizarro and its iconic hidden symbols How Dan and Wayno built a creative partnership What it means to maintain a legacy comic in a digital era Blondie’s 95-year milestone — an...

In this episode of Inside the Kingdom , we sit down with the award-winning cartoonist behind Legalization Nation , the groundbreaking comic strip that investigates the real-world cannabis industry, policy failures, misinformation, and the human stories buried underneath it all. We talk about: The rise of comics journalism What inspired Legalization Nation How Box reports, researches, and draws eac...

It’s Thanksgiving week — and what better time to celebrate one of America’s most iconic families? In this special Inside the Kingdom episode, we sit down with Dianne Erwin and Dana Young Coston to talk all things Blondie — now celebrating 95 incredible years in newspapers and online. From Dagwood’s legendary sandwiches to Blondie’s timeless humor, this episode is a feast of nostalgia and new begin...

What does “success” look like when you’re still figuring it out? Today we hang with Luca Debus, creator of Wannabe—a slice-of-life strip following three roommates (McKenzie, Andy, and Margot) as they chase big dreams and survive the small stuff. We talk origin stories, Schulz’s influence from Luca’s book Funny Things, writing kind comedy, and how daily strips thrive on platforms like Comics Kingdo...

Meet John Hambrock , creator of The Brilliant Mind of Edison Lee —the daily & Sunday comic about a ten-year-old inventor whose experiments collide with family life, a grumpy grandpa, and a very helpful lab rat named Joules . We talk origin stories, writing science gags, collaborating with Anne Morse Hambrock (the strip’s colorist and contributing writer), and the craft behind a great punchline...

On this episode we sit down with cartoonist Ellen Liebenthal — creator of the brand-new single-panel comic strip Mostly Gravy (weekly Mondays & Saturdays via Comics Kingdom) — to explore how she mines everyday absurdity for one-frame laughs, how her illustration and design background informs her cartooning, and what makes a single panel hit. 🎨 What you’ll hear about: • Ellen’s cartooning jour...

Join us in this episode of Inside the Kingdom as we travel to a far-off planet and dive into the wild, bizarre, and hilarious universe of Goomer , created by Ricardo Martínez & Nacho “Nacho” Moreno. We’ll explore how this Earthling ended up among aliens, what makes the characters (like Elma, Op, and the many strange creatures around them) tick, and why Goomer ’s return to Comics Kingdom in 202...

For more than three decades, Between Friends has given readers three women to laugh with, cry with, and grow alongside. Creator Sandra Bell-Lundy joins Inside the Kingdom to reflect on 35 years of friendship, storytelling, and the evolving world of comics. Sandra talks about how Between Friends began with a flashing answering machine light and a call from King Features’ Jay Kennedy, the lessons sh...

Join us on this episode of Inside the Kingdom as we explore Amber Waves , the comic strip by David Phipps that brings to life the joys, struggles, and everyday magic of growing up on a farm. We chat about Gerald, his animal friends, and how rural family life shapes the stories in a way that’s both nostalgic and new. What you'll hear in this episode: The origin story of Amber Waves — how it began,...

In this episode of Inside the Kingdom, we sit down with Alex Segura (novelist, comics writer, industry veteran) to talk about Phantom 2040: A New Shadow — the bold reinvention of The Phantom launching exclusively on Comics Kingdom. We explore:How the modern Phantom was reimagined for a future worldThe challenges and opportunities of a vertical webcomic formatBalancing legacy elements and fresh ide...

Two talking alley cats. One bustling bagel shop. Endless city misadventures. 🥯🐾 Cartoonist TYLER DEWHIRST joins Inside the Kingdom to talk about creating NIBBLES & SCRATCH—how he found the duo’s voice, mixing warmth with bite, and building a city where nobody blinks at talking cats. READ THE STRIP: https://comicskingdom.com/nibbles-scratch FOLLOW TYLER: Website: https://www.tylerdewhirstart....