About
Michael D. Kennedy is a British author and cartoonist of comics, graphic novels, cartoons and illustrations. His work ranges from surreal autofiction to historical fiction that explores themes of social tension, racial identity and introspection.
His work navigates these themes by drawing together oral storytelling and polyvocal structures, with a dynamic drawing style reminiscent of classic British comics, woodcut prints, and copper plate etchings.
Michael lives and works in Birmingham, U.K.
Books and comics
His graphic novel Milk White Steed, published by Drawn & Quarterly in 2025 presents a new vision of Caribbean folklore, historical fiction, political comics and classic genres – mapping new territory in Black British comics writing and art. The book and the story Red Snapper in the Rea have been nominated for an Eisner award, an Ignatz award, the LA Times Book prize and a Ringo award. The book made the Guardian’s Best Graphic Novels of 2025 list.
His comics work presents stories that carry the complexity of literary fiction and the graphic immediacy of visual storytelling in what the Comics Beat describes as “stunning comics poetry”.
Cartooning
Where Michael’s graphic novel work looks to the past, his comics strips and cartoons use antiquated formats and tools to present new lenses contemporary life. Utilising the direct nature of the cartoons, his strips range from postmodern satires of systemic oppression inspired by the Beano, to humorous cartoons about masculinity in the vein of Punch.
His cartoons and comic strips have been published by McSweeney’s Quarterly, Vice, Believer and through the comics small press.
Illustration
As an Illustrator, Michael creates drawings about history, politics and culture relating to the legacies of the transatlantic slave trade and wider oppression. When readers may assume deep complexity and emotional heaviness, he applies his comics making methods and turns that depth into a single engaging image.
Collaborators include New Yorker, New York Times and Atlantic.
Latest Book
Milk White Steed collects ten comics focused on migration and transformation, combining the storytelling of folktales with classic comics genres.