10 Best YouTube Channels For Comics Fans

Over its almost 16 years of existence, YouTube has managed to provide a platform for creators to connect with viewers with incredibly diverse, niche interests. Unsurprisingly, there are many channels dedicated to discussing comics, and although they take different approaches, the best have found a way to connect to comics fans.

However, because there are so many channels on YouTube devoted to discussing the medium, these ones might get lost in the crowd. Anyone who is into comics and wants to explore that love, even more, might find these channels right up their alley.

Strip Panel Naked

Strip Panel Naked is a channel run by Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou (who goes by “Hass”) which goes in-depth into how a certain comic book shows off a technique, style, or aspect of the comic-making process, such as lettering or panel layout.

Viewers can tell immediately that Hass knows what he’s talking about, and it’s unsurprising that he’s had experience working as a letterer, writer, and editor of the Eisner-winning PanelxPanel magazine. SPN currently posts about once every other month, but each video is well worth the wait.

Comic Tropes

Ever been able to tell that a work was drawn by a certain artist or written by a certain writer? Some call it style, but for Chris Piers, they’re all tropes. The episodes on his channel, Comic Tropes, take between 10 and 30 minutes to talk about a certain creator’s work, an interesting aspect of comics history, or a specific comic-book story.

Chris is also someone with experience in the industry, having done illustration work himself, and who has interviewed creators like Todd McFarlane and Robert Kirkman on his channel (the latter of whom is a longtime friend of his). For a fan’s view of comics, Piers is a top choice.

Matt Draper

With superhero action films dominating the box office, it’s no wonder that Matt Draper’s self-named YouTube channel focuses so heavily on the topic. Although not solely focused on comics (he also likes to review movies and the occasional video game), it is a major one, and Draper makes captivating essays about the characters and books which have inspired the big superhero franchises of today.

Draper’s style is easy to access, allowing even the occasional comics reader to follow along, even if they’re completely unfamiliar with the storyline in question. There’s definitely something for every kind of comics fan over here.

Comic Drake

Presenting a more relaxed, conversational mood is Comic Drake (Drake McWhorter), who makes viewers feel at home by appearing on screen in a standing newsroom format, but with a coffee cup in hand and a comfortable, laidback delivery.

As the name suggests, Drake focuses on comics and comic-book-inspired media, incorporating discussion of comics and adaptations of comic book characters in movies or TV in a way that makes it easy for both new and longtime comics readers to hop into a video at any time. Come for the content, stay for the friendly atmosphere.

Cartoonist Kayfabe

While a comic-centric channel doesn’t have to be run by a comics creator to be worth watching, it’s always a plus to have an inside view, and that’s what Cartoonist Kayfabe provides. Co-hosted by comics creators Ed Piskor and Jim Rugg, the channel posts analysis videos and interviews, with an impressive average of three to four videos per week.

A great place to start is their breakdown of Watchmen — a great graphic novel for comics beginners and newcomers — over the course of 12 videos, culminating in a long interview with Watchmen artist, Dave Gibbons. Piskor and Rugg are clearly both fans and experts, and it’s about as inside-baseball as one can get.

Owen Likes Comics

The name says it all: Owen definitely likes ’em. On Owen Likes Comics, he talks about comic-book movies when they come out, but in the time between, he delves into the pages of comics stories themselves, like Grant Morrison’s Arkham Asylum or J. M. DeMatteis’ Kraven’s Last Hunt, the latter being one of the darkest Spider-Man stories.

Even when it’s a video clearly made because of a new release, like his take on Matt Fraction and David Aja’s Hawkeye to coincide with the series, the videos feel like they belong right alongside everything else, and don’t become dated by the passage of time.

The Omnibus Collector

The Omnibus Collector (real name Ryley) announces his primary focus in his channel name: collecting. An “omnibus” is a collection of a series of works, and in comics, this is a big trade paperback. Although viewers don’t need to have an interest in comic collecting to enjoy his content, this is the focus he takes with his work and how he presents it to viewers.

If collecting is up a viewer’s alley, his channel is a perfect fit. If, instead, a viewer is more interested in reading the comics, Ryley has plenty to offer, as well. He also sets manga as a focus on his channel, making him a great choice for fans of that style too.

Comicstorian

Ever read a Marvel, DC, or Image book and wanted to have a voice to go along with it? Look no further than Comicstorian. The creators of the channel take a trade paperback or issue, give it a plot synopsis, and then present that synopsis back to readers through narration.

Comicstorian makes comics more accessible to new readers of a particular character, team, or title. Viewers are encouraged to go to a local comic-book retailer to buy the issues themselves if they find any interest in them from what’s provided. In doing so, the channel becomes an indispensable resource for readers who want to get a preview of what they’re considering buying.

Comics Explained

If you’ve got questions, he’s got answers. According to the About page, Comics Explained has been reading comics for more than 25 years and is here for new and returning fans of the medium. If you want to know more about the characters in an upcoming show, he’s got you covered, like with his in-depth look at Ethan Hawke’s Arthur Harrow, one of Moon Knight’s most powerful villains.

As he promises, though, he’s got plenty to share when it comes to comics knowledge, and his more than 2,000 videos bear that promise completely. There is nowhere better on YouTube to get comic knowledge than here.

NerdSync

Scott Niswander has been talking comics to his viewers since 2013 at NerdSync. Originally started as a place to talk about comics and a hub for all things nerdy, in 2019, Niswander shifted the focus of the channel to longer-form videos anywhere from 40 minutes to above an hour.

His back catalog of videos alone is worth a watch, but with his channel reinvention, NerdSync has become a place to take the medium of comics, as well as its impact on pop culture through the movies and TV shows that the comics inspire. Nerds everywhere, welcome!

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