Petal to the Metal: The Rosebuds Anniversary Special

Every once in a while we get to do an episode of Inside the Kingdom that feels a little like a reunion. This was one of those.

In our latest episode, I sat down again with cartoonist Deon “Supr Dee” Parson to celebrate the anniversary of Rosebuds on Comics Kingdom and the fan-favorite holiday known as MariaDay. If you’ve been following the strip, you already know why readers love it. It’s funny. It’s chaotic in the best way. And at its core, it’s about family.

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Rosebuds began back in 2020 as an independent comic. Since then it has grown into a daily syndicated strip with King Features and has found readers in newspapers and online around the world. Watching that growth happen in real time has been one of the most rewarding parts of working in comics today.

During the conversation, Dee talked about where the heart of the strip really comes from. For him, everything he creates is built around one central theme: love. In Rosebuds, that love shows up in the messy, hilarious, sometimes emotional relationships between sisters Rosa, Maria, and Maricela.

Each sister brings something different to the story. Rosa carries a quiet strength and a complicated past. Maria is the chaos engine who thinks she’s the star of the show. Maricela brings the sweetness, along with the occasional bit of mischief. Watching those personalities bounce off each other is where the magic happens.

We also talked about the big milestone that changed everything for the strip: going daily. That move opened the door for longer story arcs, deeper character moments, and more room for the sisters to breathe. And judging by the reaction from readers, the appetite for more Rosebuds is definitely there.

Of course, this episode was also about MariaDay. For Dee, the day has become a way to celebrate the evolution of the comic and the community that supports it. Each year marks another chapter in the strip’s journey, from its early webcomic days to where it stands now.

And if you’re wondering about this year’s MariaDay strip, Dee hinted that it’s something special. Let’s just say longtime readers might want to pay close attention.

One thing is clear after this conversation. Rosebuds continues to grow because it connects with people. The jokes land, the characters feel real, and underneath it all there’s a lot of heart.

If you haven’t checked in with Rosa, Maria, and Maricela lately, now’s a good time to start.

You can read Rosebuds every day right here on Comics Kingdom.