Inside the Kingdom with Nate Fakes: The Surreal Spark Behind Break of Day

This week on Inside the Kingdom I got to hang out with Nate Fakes, the mind behind Break of Day. If you’ve ever seen a cartoon about a crime scene where the victim is a TV remote or two cell phones getting a little too close for comfort, then you’ve already experienced the wonderfully weird world Nate has built.

Nate’s journey is just as fun as his comics. He sold his very first cartoon back in fifth grade for five bucks and said that was the moment he realized you could actually make money drawing pictures. From there, he kept at it through college, where Break of Day first appeared in the student paper at Wright State University. After a stint interning at MAD Magazine, he revived the strip in 2011 online. And in 2023, he made the jump to Comics Kingdom, where Break of Day now runs in about 80 newspapers. Not bad for a guy who once built barbed wire fences in Kansas while figuring things out.

What I love about Nate’s work is how relatable it is. He takes everyday moments and twists them into something surreal and funny. He has a soft spot for inanimate objects and gives them personalities most of us never thought about. He brings in cats, the Grim Reaper, and the occasional pun to keep things fresh. His process is simple: a notebook, a pen, and a lot of revisiting ideas until the joke really clicks.

We also talked about how he connects with fans. If you’re ever near Palm Springs you might catch him live sketching at Village Fest, drawing people’s pets and sharing prints. And he is now part of the National Cartoonists Society community, swapping stories and inspiration with some of the legends he grew up reading.

For me, Break of Day fits right into the Comics Kingdom family. It sits comfortably alongside icons like Blondie and Family Circus while still bringing something completely new to the table.

If you’re already a fan, you’ll love hearing Nate talk about his inspirations and daily routine. And if you’re new to his work, this is a perfect place to start.

Check out the full episode of Inside the Kingdom on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts. And of course, head over to Comics Kingdom to catch Break of Day every morning.

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