Insights

Bad Grandad thrives on friction. Give him a quiet afternoon, a sensible suggestion, or someone younger with energy to spare, and he will find a reason to…

Carrotty Kid first pulled on muddy boots in the pages of The Dandy, drawn by Andy Fanton. The strip gave readers a wide-eyed kid wrestling with goats,…

Colour in medieval fantasy comics does much more than decorate castles, dragons and enchanted forests. It guides attention, establishes mood and gives readers…

A successful comic strip pitch is a small publishing proposal, not simply a handful of funny drawings. An editor needs to see the idea, understand its…

A day job can make creative work feel like an after-hours obligation, squeezed between commuting, cooking and the relentless business of being an adult. Yet a…

A memorable sidekick can make a comic strip feel bigger than its central premise. They provide contrast, interrupt predictable plans, expose the hero’s…

A strong children’s strip works on two levels at once. Young readers follow the action, recognise the emotions and enjoy the visual jokes, while adults notice…

Boo’s world: the art of drawing spooky but not terrifying depends on balance. The best humour-horror cartoons create a shiver, then quickly replace it with a…

The medieval horse is a beast of burden, a mount, and a comedic prop all at once. Drawing one well enough that a reader recognises it as a horse, a warhorse, a…

A memorable villain does more than block the hero’s path. They make readers laugh, worry, groan, and turn the page to see what outrageous thing they will do…