Mike Kunkel on Herobear’s Return, Krypto & Scooby-Doo, and Shazam

Listen to this episode from Word Balloon Comics Podcast on Spotify. In this episode, I catch up with writer–artist Mike Kunkel, the Eisner Award–winning creator of Herobear and the Kid. Mike talks about the new volumes of Herobear from Papercutz, revisiting his beloved, hand-drawn world of childhood wonder, imagination, and heroism — and how he’s bringing fresh emotional depth and visual storytelling to the series.We also get into his Capstone Books work with Krypto the Superdog and Scooby-Doo, where Mike brings his trademark humor and warmth to stories for younger readers, combining classic mystery fun and superhero action with the same heart that defines his independent work. Finally, Mike shares insights from his run on Shazam! at DC Comics, discussing how he infused Billy Batson’s adventures with his signature animation-inspired energy and heartfelt optimism.