“Dandro proves his ability to emulate any comic, from Krazy Kat to Popeye to Calvin; his insertions of a young Travis into the panels are especially engaging—and delightfully, conspicuously aspirational… Teens on the cusp of the leaving home for college will find plenty of resonating adventures here.”
“A charming and sincere comic book love letter to Hundred Acre Wood and its inhabitants. Every page is a playfully experimental delight!”
“Travis Dandro has elevated the graphic memoir form. [King of King Court] captures the complexity of the abusive scene — the troubling dissonance that someone can make you laugh and feel loved, and also be a source of terror and pain, a waking manifestation of nightmare.”
“This is a powerful debut, skilfully drawn, cleverly told and as raw as a wasp sting.”
Meet Travis Dandro
Travis Dandro is the award-winning creator of the graphic novels King of King Court, Hummingbird Heart, and a reimagining of Winnie-the-Pooh, published by Drawn & Quarterly. His work explores themes of childhood, dysfunctional family dynamics, friendship, and loss—brought to life with a sketchy, loose, and evocative style that resonates with emotional depth and humor.
Travis discovered his passion for comics at an early age, publishing his first comic strip, Twerp, in his local newspaper when he was just 12 years old. This early achievement laid the foundation for a career defined by deeply personal storytelling and critical acclaim. His debut graphic memoir, King of King Court, earned the prestigious Lynd Ward Prize and praise for its raw, empathetic exploration of family relationships. This success paved the way for his follow-up, Hummingbird Heart, which continued to build on his reputation as a master of narrative and emotional resonance.
In 2024, Travis brought his lifelong admiration for A.A. Milne’s Winnie-the-Pooh to a new generation of readers with a faithful graphic novel adaptation. Praised as a “splendid homage to Milne and Ernest Shepard,” his work has been celebrated for introducing the classic to young readers without the Disneyfication of other versions. He is currently at work on its sequel, The House at Pooh Corner, from his small cabin in Maine.
Drawing from personal experiences, Travis creates graphic novels that are as universal as they are intimate, connecting readers through stories of family, identity, and resilience.