Drawing the Line: Dan Misdea on Humor, Hustle, and Toons by Dan

If you’ve ever scrolled past a single-panel comic that made you laugh out loud and immediately want to share it, there’s a good chance it came from Dan Misdea. This week on Inside the Kingdom, we had the pleasure of chatting with Dan, the cartoonist behind the smart, silly, and wonderfully offbeat strip Toons by Dan, which joined the Comics Kingdom lineup in 2024.

Dan’s work has appeared in The New Yorker, Air Mail, and Weekly Humorist, and he’s quickly made a name for himself with his clean drawing style and perfectly timed punchlines. In this episode, we go behind the scenes with Dan to explore how he crafts his jokes, what inspires his unique sense of humor, and the journey that brought him from doodling as a kid to becoming a syndicated cartoonist.

Some highlights from the conversation:

~ How Dan balances absurdity and relatability in his work

~ His favorite comics growing up (and which ones still influence him today)

~ What it’s really like to land a strip on Comics Kingdom

~ His process—from brainstorms and sketchbooks to final panels

Whether you’re a fellow cartoonist, a fan of visual humor, or just someone who appreciates a good laugh, this episode is packed with insight and inspiration.

~ Listen now: https://open.spotify.com/episode/14yTxLKxqatZ2QMP4pvN9L?si=lhma6EGnSm6ptF4cGCn0Rw

~ Follow Dan Misdea: https://danmisdea.com/

And don’t forget to subscribe to Inside the Kingdom for more conversations with the creators behind your favorite comics.

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