Substacks about comics! Part 2
A round-up of indie comics-related newsletters, to the best of our knowledge
As promised, here’s Part 2 of the compendium of indie comics-related Substack newsletters. If you missed it, here’s Part 1—which is a list of indie-comics newsletters.
I (Cara) classified comics-related substacks into 5 categories:
comics substacks, where images > words (check out part 1 for those!)
substacks that function like comics anthologies
substacks about making comics
substacks about comics (reviews, interviews, etc.)
and substacks that aren’t strictly comics—by cartoonists
Substacks that function like comics anthologies
- is a constantly revolving carousel of comics from a wide variety of creators. Reading it helps me appreciate the vastness of the comics universe.
Substacks about making comics
From the amazing Sequential Artists Workshop (SAW) community comes the helpful How to make a graphic novel. Check it out if you too want to make some comics. Comics are for everyone!
- makes Creating Comics which is a newsletter about creativity and productivity in making comics. Her videos about being in the process are thought-provoking and useful for sustaining an art practice.
- creates The Habit of Art which is a warm and delightful newsletter about what it sounds—the practice of making art. Read Kelcey’s interview with Autobiographix here.
- talks about the comics-making process and I enjoy how she analyzes comics “ingredients” on Learning Comics & Graphic Novels.
And, if you’d like a very friendly beginning way to draw,
offers Draw Together—a low stakes way to start a drawing practice.- describes comics he hopes other people will make at Cartoons I can't draw which I think is hilarious.
- offers drawing lessons and prompts and thoughtful musings about making comics, as well as reviews of comics he’s reading on
- writes , musings on the drawing/writing process and being in the creative process.
Substacks about comics (meta!)
- & are responsible for Autobiographix. Nora and Amaris share reviews of comics and interviews with cartoonists.
- was recently launched by Molly Kate Young. She reviews comics on the substack. I look forward to seeing how their substack unfolds.
On Serio Comics,
reviews noteworthy pieces of graphic literature.- writes about the creative process and the comics industry.
Substacks that are more than comics—by cartoonists
- writes You are doing a good enough job, which always contains wise calming words that are soft things.
- writes Closet Dispatch, which is about what we wear—fashion in the least pretentious, most approachable way, with lovely illustrations of key wardrobe pieces. It’s fashion for us regular people! Read Teresa’s interview with Autobiographix here.
- writes Mirk Work (I can’t with the cuteness of that rhyme), which is about a great mix of comics, stuff they love, and what they’re reading—and stuff you might care about, too. Read Mirk’s interview with Autobiographix here.
- writes and draws Zoe Sees which is a collection of words and images. Newsletters include travelogues and relateable comic ramblings about the creative process.
- tells stories with words and pictures at For the fun of it. There are some thoughtful posts about art practice.
- ’s Art Oasis is about the process. I like her poetry-ish comics. They remind me to breathe.
- recently launched Cara Bean Comics, which shares updates about her comics, including her new book.
William ChendrawsZeno's Arrowwhere he is serializing a graphic novel, and posts art and musings.
- write about being human and joy and healing on .
- creates —comics that feature pandas and some chat about political satire.
- creates which features comics—I’m a fan of the mindfulness superhero with meditation cat—and comics-making wisdom.
If I’ve missed someone—let us know! We’re happy to add more. And, If you have a favorite post from one of the newsletters mentioned above, please share it in the comments!
Next week, I (Cara) will be sharing comics pondering how to balance life and a book contract. If you’re new here you might wonder why I’m curious about shame, why this newsletter is called Soft Things, and who the heck I am, anyway. For more comics and creative process-processing, check out Instagram: @cara_gormally