Mark C. Frankel

Mark C. Frankel doesn’t just write comics—he builds worlds where the extraordinary collides with the mundane. As CEO and co-founder of Wayward Raven Media, Frankel has spent over a decade proving that indie comics can be both wildly entertaining and surprisingly thoughtful.

His comedic sensibilities shine brightest in Damn Heroes, a long-running weekly webcomic now celebrating over ten years and 500+ strips. The series follows Sebastian, an ordinary guy sentenced to community service in a utopian city populated entirely by superheroes—masterfully blending superhero satire with workplace comedy, turning what could be simple parody into something genuinely warm and funny.

Frankel’s mythology-infused storytelling takes center stage in Fraternaphobia: Give Strife A Chance, his collaboration with Alexander Sapountzis featured in We Suck at Comics: Volume 2. The story asks: what happens when the God of War wants a day off and hands the family business to his incompetent sons? Chaos ensues, naturally—but Frankel mines genuine comedy from the family dynamics of Greek mythology.

His work with Joshua L.A. Jones on Horsemen ventures into epic science fiction territory, following cybernetic warriors battling to preserve free will across the universe. The series showcases Frankel’s range, moving from comedic beats to genuine high-stakes drama.

Frankel also explores darker territory in The Ascendant, a dark fantasy about an escaped Duke of Hell trying to find redemption through chaos. Published by Wayward Raven Media, the comic flips classical mythology on its head—instead of demons tempting humans to sin, we follow a demon trying to do good.

Bleeding Cool’s Shawn Perry called Wayward Raven “one of the most successful small publishers” he’d ever encountered. Major Spoilers highlighted the publisher’s slate at New York Comic Con, noting Frankel and company “enjoy watching a new title take flight.”

Whether he’s pushing boundaries in anthologies or making readers laugh on Wednesday mornings with Damn Heroes, Mark C. Frankel continues to prove that indie comics are where the real creative freedom lives.