What's the relationship between comics and folk tales? Are cartoon characters and folkloric figures made of the same eternal shape-shifting goop? And what happens when they show up at different historical moments ... in the English Midlands, say?

Today's guest, Michael Kennedy, is the author of Milk White Steed, a grandly ambitious collection of comics that explores history and narrative genre with equal fervor, making it the perfect springboard to have a good ol' think on all these questions and more.

Thank you to Jason Butler, as always, for producing this episode.

Xylophone outro by Roman Muradov X Tana Oshima -- thx frens! (Our wholesome intro music lives to fight another day.)

Links

Michael Kennedy website

Michael Kennedy instagram

Milk White Steed at D+Q

Miami Review of Comics instagram

Drew's instagram

Drew's free patreon

Jason Butler's website

Jason Butler's instagram

It's Sammy Harkham Day at the Miami Review of Comics!

In this marathon episode, Sammy and I dive deep into long form vs. short form comic-making -- epic graphic novels, standalone one-pagers, and everything in between. 

We talk Kramers Ergot, Blood of the Virgin, and the past and future of Crickets! Will the next issue of Crickets be 48 one-pagers?! Listen to find out!

A few apologies:

First, despite my note early in the episode that we would be switching up the intro music, we have not, in fact, found or created a replacement track, so, despite Roman Muradov's best efforts to the contrary, we are all stuck with this "wholesome jingle" redolent of a "millennial retirement home" for at least one more month. It seems my millennial laziness has conquered my millennial fear of not pleasing all the people all the time (not to mention, of being twee). C'est la guerre!

I also royally fucked up my recounting of Steven Weissman's Obama gag. Obama does not say "Charlie Brown is Jewish"; he says "Charlie Brown is a Jew." Which makes all the difference in the world, of course. So much for being lodged in my mind!

OK, enough self-flagellation.

Thank you, Sammy, thank you, Jason!

Enjoy!

Links

Sammy's online shop

Sammy's instagram

Miami Review of Comics instagram

Drew's instagram

Drew's free patreon

Jason Butler's website

Jason Butler's instagram

Welcome to the Miami Review of Comics' Mailbag Extravaganza!

In this seventh episode of the show, producer Jason Butler joined me to read some listener mail and answer your most urgent concerns. Past guests also chimed in to reveal their answers to the question: "Has a drawing you made ever frightened you?"

In the back half we are joined by the wonderful Alex Laird for a chat about the way the indie comics landscape has changed in the last decade. And I shout out a few comics that were sent in to me. To those who were kind enough to send me PDFs of their comics -- I'm sorry, I'm a bad reader of digital comics. It's not you, it's me.

I mention at the end that Michael Kennedy will be our next guest, but unfortunately we had to reschedule! I'm hoping to have Michael on very soon, though. 

Keep your ears peeled for a very special xylophone solo!

Links

Alex Laird's website

Alex Laird's instagram

Miami Review of Comics instagram

Drew's instagram

Drew's (free) patreon

Jason Butler's website

Jason Butler's instagram

Saul Steinberg? Sure, he's the GOAT. But does Steinberg really mean anything to us in 2025? Even those of us who love him may find it hard to articulate what exactly he was up to.

Today, the Miami Review of Comics is joined by cartoonist, publisher, distributor & polemicist(!) Austin English to help unpack Steinberg's legacy. 

Our jumping-off point is Austin's forthcoming essay on All in Line, a New York Review reprint of Steinberg's debut book of drawings. From there we get into Steinberg's evolution from a clever illustrator to a world class artist, putting his work in conversation with gag cartoonists like Peter Arno and Gahan Wilson and painters like Philip Guston and the Chicago Imagists. George Herriman, too, joins the party. 

Had a ton of fun talking to Austin and learned a lot. Will link to his essay once it appears on TCJ.com!

Thanks as always to the show's wonderful producer Jason Butler.

Links

Austin's Saul Steinberg essay at TCJ

Domino Books

Austin's website

Austin's instagram

All In Line by Saul Steinberg

The Labyrinth by Saul Steinberg

Poor Richard by Philip Guston

Miami Review of Comics instagram

Drew's instagram

Drew's (free) patreon

Jason Butler's website

Jason Butler's instagram

How do you get your comics to the people? Distros and shows!

Neil Brideau knows distros and shows.

A founding member of the Chicago Alternative Comics Expo (CAKE) and the Chicago Zine Fest, as well as the owner and operator of Radiator Comics (a distro and publisher), Neil has built his life around helping cartoonists find readers and find one another.

He is also our guest today! The episode was extra special because Neil and I got to talk face-to-face here in Miami.

Topics include Quimby's Bookstore, Dylan Williams, having and not having collaborators, the Small Business Administration's SCORE program, wishing to clone oneself, and more. Neil also shares some practical advice to cartoonists trying to navigate the world of distros, as well as to folks dreaming of starting a distro or show of their own.

Thanks to Jason Butler for producing our program!

Links

Radiator Comics website

Radiator Comics instagram

Neil's website

Quimby's Bookstore

Small Business Administration SCORE

Miami Review of Comics instagram

Drew's instagram

Drew's (free) patreon

Jason Butler's website

Jason Butler's instagram

In the comics medium's ongoing quest for respectability, the 21st century has seen a proliferation of so-called literary comics: buttoned up, digestible, "realistic" -- comic strips cosplaying as New Yorker stories. 

Today's guest, Tana Oshima, explodes any ideas a reader might have about what a literary comic can or should look like. By day, Tana is an accomplished Japanese-to-Spanish literary translator, whose credits include books by Yu Miri, Hiroko Oyamada, Yuko Tsushima, and Nobel-prize winner Yasunari Kawabata. By night, she has produced (in English) a slew of playful, inventive comic books, a form that she considers her playground.

Join us as we discuss drawing vs. writing, the joys of bullshit literature, the mouths of Francis Bacon, our liberation from perfectionism, and much else. Hear me mangle some fairly simple Spanish phrases, and even read a few passages from Tana's work!

Links:

Tana's shop

Tana's instagram

Interviews with Francis Bacon

Today I Wrote Nothing by Daniil Kharms

Trout Fishing in America by Richard Brautigan

Miami Review of Comics instagram

Drew's instagram

Drew's (free) patreon

Jason Butler's website

Jason Butler's instagram

On the show's third episode, Jesse McManus joins the Miami Review of Comics to talk about his ongoing romance with The Two Kinds of Cartooning: yes, comics and animation. Join us as we explore Nicktoons and Robert Breer, onion cutting and Muybridging, impossible books, comic strip physics, working out one's own scam, and much more!

You can email the show at [email protected]

Thanks as always to our amazing producer Jason Butler!

Links:

Jesse's website

Jesse's instagram

Bouy Boy (Jesse's student film)

Nil's Pottery Lifechild (Jesse's student film)

A Man and His Dog Out for Air (Robert Breer film)

Miami Review of Comics instagram

Drew's instagram

Drew's (free) patreon

Jason Butler's website

Jason Butler's instagram

For decades, autobio has remained one of the most beloved and debated genres within indie comics. In our second episode, we explore the form with two of its greatest contemporary practitioners, Josh Bayer and MS Harkness. Viewing their newest books side by side — Josh’s Unended and M.S.’s Time Under Tension — beautifully illuminates the variety and potential of autobio cartooning TODAY. (Both books are also nominated for Ignatz awards in this year’s graphic novel category!)

We talk about long-form vs. short form, getting your cookies and flowers, having a particularly stupid time in your life, shit-talkin', and more! Plus: the emptying of the inaugural mailbag. 

Special thanks to the amazing Jason Butler for producing this episode!

Links:

Josh Bayer

MS Harkness

Jason Butler

Drew on Instagram

Drew on Patreon

In recent years, Instagram has emerged as a crucial platform for indie cartoonists to find their voices and build audiences. At the same time, Instagram is horrible and we all hate it.

In this inaugural episode, we dive deep into the world of Instagram comics with two of the most engaging voices in the indie comics community: Alex Graham and Cedar Van Tassel. Alex's "Dog Biscuits" and Cedar's "Appleguy" are shining examples of how complex, intelligent, and highly entertaining stories can thrive within Instagram's rigid confines and sometimes-toxic ecosystem.

Join us as we explore:

• The journey of bringing their work to Instagram!

Special thanks to the amazing Jason Butler for producing this episode!

Links:

Alex Graham's website 

Alex Graham on Instagram

Cedar Van Tassel's "Appleguy" on Instagram

God's Sod House by Cedar Van Tassel

Jason Butler's Website

Jason Butler's Instagram

Drew Lerman on Instagram

Drew Lerman's Patreon