My name is Desmond Reed… and I’m a cartoonist. 

While I love immersing myself in the world of a full-blown graphic novel, there is something truly special about a well-done mini-comic. When someone is able to move me while limited to however many pages a staple can comfortably hold together, I’m genuinely impressed. Existing as the cartoonist equivalent of a band releasing a single, I often come home from comic events with a handful of mini-comics by artists I want to learn more about, and I’m almost never disappointed. And so… straight from my humble bookshelf… let us shine a spotlight on three mini-comics and artists who I feel deserve a little attention! 

God Hates Me drawn by J.T. Yost (Birdcage Bottom Books)

The role of religion in a family dynamic has always been fascinating to me, especially over the past few years. Many religions expect or even require parents to raise their children in the same faith… but that’s kind of dodgy, right? For a church to use the power imbalance between parent and child to ensure there ain’t any empty pews come Sunday? Even worse, what if mom or dad’s sales pitch doesn’t take? Does that mean the parent is a failure? That the kid is a lemon? Could it destroy the family altogether?

Originally released as part of the anthology American Cult (published by Silver Sprocket and edited by Robyn Chapman), God Hates Me tells the true story of a girl named Lauren, whose family joins the Westboro Baptist Church. An emotionally affecting journey spanning only 24 pages and utilizing a limited Risograph color palette, God Hates Me embodies everything I love about mini-comics. Six stapled-together pieces of printer paper were somehow able to transport me into a harrowing nightmare… and I STILL haven’t recovered!

I believe a big part of what makes this comic work is the cartooning of J.T. Yost. The founder of my alma mater, Birdcage Bottom Books, there is an innocence and sweetness in J.T. ‘s style that has always drawn me to his art, and here it serves as a perfect trojan horse for the sadness and horror in Lauren’s story. In lesser hands, seeing Lauren’s dad utilize public humiliation and physical abuse in an effort to keep Lauren in line could be a little too much for some readers. However, the juxtaposition of the energetic, colorful, expressive scenes and the content of the story make for an entertaining, palatable, and thought-provoking experience. Just fantastic storytelling! 

Instagram @yost_posts

Everything That Ever Happened & True Life Experiences by Natasha Sharpe (Self-published)

I might be cheating here, as these are two mini-comics made by the same person, but they flow so well together that I decided to include them both. I have been obsessed with Natasha’s art since stumbling upon her table at MICE a few years ago, and I was overjoyed to finally pick up some physical copies of her comics all this time later. Right off the bat, I find Natasha’s writing and cartooning style to be completely original. It’s clear to me that these minis were born of a singular vision. Containing masterfully assembled black-and-white compositions and a unique sense of humor, these comics feel like they materialized directly from Natasha’s brain. They contain a level of authenticity for which every artist should strive. 

But what are these comics about? Well, they feature a little bit of everything. The format of both minis are the same – daydreams, memories, and events presented in a train of thought narrative. Bouncing around past, present, and fantasy, Natasha pairs quirky insights, observations, and ideas with cartooning that feels so alive that I fear the characters may very well find a way to break through their four-panel page layouts and wreak havoc throughout our world! 

If I haven’t already made it clear, I am a big fan of Natasha’s work, and I believe she is someone everybody should know about. It makes me mad when people don’t… perhaps even furious! 

Instagram @natasharpie3

My Day At The Zoo By Sacha Jones (Paper Rocket Minicomics, Robyn Chapman)

I first met Sacha last year at MoCCA and we later traded mini-comics at SPX… and boy am I glad I did. This is actually how I’ve acquired a lot of my mini-comics, through trades and giveaways, and it’s another reason why I love them – they have the ability to serve the utilitarian purpose of a business card or event flyer, giving them a disposable or underrated quality, which, of course, adds to my excitement when I get a good one. I’m happy to report that My Day At The Zoo is a GREAT one. My Day At The Zoo brilliantly reflects on trust, distrust, and innocence from the point of view of a five-year-old child named Alex. After Alex wanders away from their mom at the zoo, they are found by one of their mom’s adult students, Karim. Karim and Alex have fun at the zoo while they try to find Alex’s mom, but are interrupted when police officers approach the pair and cuff Karim, believing he is trying to kidnap Alex.

Drawn in the accessible style of a children’s book, I think what I like most about My Day At The Zoo is that it stays true to the perspective of a five-year-old, so the ultimate takeaway of this event is left somewhat ambiguous. What Alex just experienced appears to be too advanced for someone their age to fully comprehend, and so the reader is left to arrive at their own conclusions. Karim was just being a good citizen… right? The police were just doing their job… right? The heavy police presence at the school is just to keep everyone safe… right? It’s a great example of “show don’t tell,” and I’m looking forward to reading more from Sacha! 

Instagram @realcoolfriend

Finally, (and shamelessly) if you’d like to check out my work, my Instagram is below. My debut graphic novel The Cola Pop Creemees: Opening Act was published by Birdcage Bottom Books in April 2023, and my own mini-comics of note include Lefty (Birdcage Bottom Books) and Memories (Self-published).

Instagram @desmondtreed