Inside the Kingdom

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 Kingdom and Webtoon.📚 Buy the 2024 collection Dumb by Choice (Feb 14–Dec 31, 2024) - https://www.lulu.com/shop/luca-debus/wannabe-dumb-by-choice/paperback/product-gj2eyq5.html?page=1&pageSize=4📰 Read Wannabe on Comics Kingdom - https://comicskingdom.com/wannabe📲 Follow Luca: Linktree - https://linktr.ee/luca.debusTimestamps: 0:00 cold open 1:00 intro 13:00 characters 21:00 craft 31:00 highlight strips 40:00 Q&A 49:00 outro.

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.

⏱ Chapters
0:00 Cold open
1:00 Intro
3:30 Origins
8:00 Building Edison’s world
16:00 Process & coloring
23:00 Reader favorites
29:00 Craft talk
33:00 What’s next
38:00 Outro

🎙️ Subscribe for more creator deep-dives from Inside the Kingdom.
📚 Read The Brilliant Mind of Edison Lee on Comics Kingdom and explore the book collections.
🏆 Fun fact: Edison Lee launched in 2006 and earned the NCS Silver Reuben for Best Newspaper Comic Strip (2021).

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 journey from doodles to published strips
• The concept and title behind Mostly Gravy
• How to spot, distill, and draw those tiny strange moments of modern life
• The workflow: idea → sketch → punchline → finished art
• How publishing twice a week shapes creative rhythm
• What she hopes readers feel when they see her work
• A sneak peek at what’s coming next for Mostly Gravy

👉 Read the comic: https://comicskingdom.com/mostly-gravy (new panels every Monday & Saturday)
👉 Follow Ellen Liebenthal: https://ellenliebenthal.com

If you enjoyed this conversation, please like, subscribe, and share. And if there’s another comic creator or strip you’d like us to feature, let us know in the comments or on Instagram / X @InsideTheKingdomPodcast.

Thanks for watching — stay curious, stay creative, and keep the laughter rolling.

#InsideTheKingdom #ComicsKingdom #MostlyGravy #EllenLiebenthal #CartoonistInterview #SinglePanelComics

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 2024 is a big deal.

In this episode we cover:
• Origins: how Goomer came to be
• Key characters & settings
• What makes the humor work — and sometimes not
• Recent developments and what’s ahead
• Fan questions & reflections

If you love comics, sci-fi absurdity, or just want a good laugh, this one’s for you. Don’t forget to hit Subscribe, leave a Comment with your favorite Goomer strip, and share with fellow comic lovers!

🎙️ Inside the Kingdom Podcast – where we talk everything King Features, comics, and beyond.

#Goomer #ComicsKingdom #RicardoMartinez #InsideTheKingdom

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 she learned from self-syndicating, and the joy—and pressure—of telling stories that matter.

From infertility and adoption to workplace sexism and social media, Sandra has always met life’s realities with humor and humanity. Hear how she builds her stories, balances heartfelt arcs with humor, and connects with readers who see themselves in Kimberly, Maeve, and Susan.

🗞️ Read Between Friends daily on ComicsKingdom.com
💬 Follow Sandra on Facebook and Substack

#BetweenFriends #ComicsKingdom #InsideTheKingdomPodcast #SandraBellLundy #KingFeatures #ComicStrips #WomenInComics

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, where it came from, and what makes its voice special.

• How animals are used as more than just background — as little commentators on human life.

• Reflections on rural childhood, authenticity, and why simplicity still resonates.

• What it means now that the strip is part of Comics Kingdom, and what’s ahead.

If you love comics, farm animals, or stories that feel like home, this one's for you.

Where to read Amber Waves: Comics Kingdom and in many local newspapers.

Don’t forget to like, comment, subscribe, and share with someone who appreciates comics.

—
Links & Credits:

• Creator: David Phipps

• Amber Waves on Comics Kingdom: [link]

• Follow us on [social media links]
  —
  Thanks for listening, and stay tuned for our next episode!

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 ideasCollaboration with art, story, and technologyAnd what’s next for this new chapter in The Phantom’s sagaIf you love comics, legacy characters, or storytelling risk-taking, this is for you.Resources & LinksRead Phantom 2040: A New Shadow on Comics Kingdomhttps://comicskingdom.com/phantom-2040-a-new-shadowFollow Alex Segura onInstagram https://www.instagram.com/alexsegurajr/?hl=enDon’t forget to subscribe, like, and hit the bell so you never miss an episode.#Phantom2040 #Phantom #AlexSegura #KingFeatures #ComicsKingdom #InsideTheKingdom

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.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tylerdewhart

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Cold open

00:15 Intro

01:30 Tyler’s backstory & influences

06:00 Why two talking cats (and a bagel shop alley)

12:30 Nibbles vs. Scratch: the duo dynamic

18:00 Humor with bite: theme & tone

23:30 Process & weekly cadence (Wed/Sun updates)

29:00 Strip spotlights: “New Year” and “Still Hungry” moments

32:30 Reader reactions & surprises

36:00 Lightning round + plugs

38:30 Outro

ABOUT THE SHOW

Inside the Kingdom spotlights the creators and series across Comics Kingdom.

#NibblesAndScratch #ComicsKingdom #InsideTheKingdom #TylerDewhirst #ComicStrips #Cartooning

March into comics history with us! In this special 75th anniversary episode of Inside the Kingdom, host Alex sits down with Brian Walker to celebrate Beetle Bailey.

From his debut in 1950 as a college slacker to his enlistment at Camp Swampy, Beetle Bailey has been dodging work and cracking readers up for generations. Brian shares stories about his father Mort Walker, the strip’s legacy, and what it means to reach 75 years in the funny pages.

📚 Key moments we cover:

• The early days of Beetle in 1950

• Beetle’s enlistment and shift to Army life in 1951

• Controversies, characters, and cultural influence

• How Brian and the Walker family continue the strip today

• What 75 years of Beetle Bailey means for comics history

Celebrate with us and salute one of the longest-running, most beloved comic strips ever!

👉 Subscribe to Inside the Kingdom for more conversations with legendary cartoonists and creators.

Terri Libenson joins Inside the Kingdom to unpack the diary-voice comedy of everyday life in The Pajama Diaries—why she let Jill, Rob, Amy, and Jess age in real time, how captions vs. word balloons change timing, and how that sensibility continues in her bestselling Emmie & Friends books.