What happens when a dad starts making comics for his kids… and that little project grows into an entire comic book community?

On this episode of Talkin' Comics Podcast, AJ sits down with Andy, a graphic designer and creative director from the UK who created The Beyond, a monthly subscription comic designed to bring stories, puzzles, creativity, and fun to kids.

Andy shares how his love of drawing began as a child, how characters like Diplodocus and Sea Lion eventually found their way into his comics, and how his experiences with the online comic community inspired him to build something bigger.

The Beyond brings together multiple creators, with writers and artists being paid for their work, while the comic reaches young readers through schools. Andy also explains how he's working to get comics into the hands of kids who might discover that reading can be fun when they find the right format.

Host: A.J. Reimann https://linktr.ee/Talkin_Comics_Podcast

Guest: Andy Goodridge @thebeyondcomic

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⏱️ Chapters

0:00 — Starting in comics as a hobby and community building

4:58 — Building The Beyond comic collective

10:23 — Stories, puzzles, and interactive comics

14:52 — Comics and helping kids become readers

19:28 — Diplodocus and Sea Lion

22:17 — Making zines and anthology comics

25:13 — Panel Pete and comics with a purpose

28:16 — Building a sustainable comic business

32:04 — Andy’s intuitive comics process

37:08 — Comic book favorites and dream team-ups

45:55 — Running, creativity, and staying driven

48:15 — Where to find Andy’s work

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