As The Beat continues its coverage of MoCCA Fest 2025, we’re thrilled to spotlight a true industry legend and master satirist—R. Sikoryak. For over 30 years, Sikoryak has brought his sharp wit and distinct style to comics, collaborating with icons like Art Spiegelman and publishing comic panels in The New Yorker, Drawn & Quarterly, and beyond. His work has even appeared on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.
When he’s not creating, he’s inspiring the next generation of artists as a teacher at Parsons. At MoCCA ’25, he will sell his latest comic, Whaling Sketches, alongside Cadaver Chronicles #3, the latest in Kriota Willberg’s graphic memoir series (who’s tabling next to him).
While Sikoryak’s body of work spans a wide range of artistic styles and themes, many fans still remember The Unquotable Trump from back in 2017—a 48-page treasury annual comic satirizing… well, you know who.
You can check out these pages along with our interview below. Support comics! Embrace satire!
CHRISTIAN ANGELES: You’re sort of a legend already in comics, but can you tell the audience who you are for those unfamiliar with your work?
R. SIKORYAK: I’m R. Sikoryak, and I adapt famous (and infamous) texts into comics, and I’m tabling with Kriota Willberg, whose comics focus on graphic medicine.
I’ve had a very diverse freelance career. My illustrations and comics have appeared on the cover of The New Yorker, as well as in Nickelodeon Magazine, MAD, Esquire, Fortune, and other publications. Plus, I’ve done some illustrations for episodes of The Daily Show. Over the past 15 years, I’ve worked on a number of animation projects with Augenblick Studios, including their current PBS kids show City Island.
I’ve also recently illustrated three comic book stories written by Tom Hanks for his novel The Making of Another Motion Picture Masterpiece, which was a fantastic experience.
I’ve also taught at Parsons in the Illustration department for 20 years, where students are making very eclectic works. Not just comics and animation, but also paintings, toys, games, and more. It’s inspiring to see how young artists are reacting to the world and making their own way in this wildly changing landscape for the arts. I continue to host Carousel, my long-running comics performance series, which has featured nearly 300 artists since I started producing the shows in 1997. We’ve performed in theaters and galleries around NYC, as well as at comics and book festivals across the US and Canada.
I don’t have a lot of original things to say about art as a means of expression, but comics are a great outlet for one’s personal feelings and perspectives, and they’re way more direct than other mediated experiences.
Also, I’ve published four books with Drawn & Quarterly since 2009. Each one is distinct in its format and theme, but there’s some consistency in my point of view. I’m currently working on my next book, which will adapt the Declaration of Independence and other American documents into a comic of over 100 different styles. Additionally, I create black and white mini comics based on poetry and other found texts that sometimes grow into graphic novels. For instance, I adapted the iTunes Terms and Conditions into a comic as a side project, and it was eventually published as a full-color book.
ANGELES: Alright, next, what are you promoting and selling at the table this year?
SIKORYAK: Our latest mini comics are my Whaling Sketches (historical images inspired by Moby Dick) and Kriota’s graphic memoir, Cadaver Chronicles # 3. Plus, we’ll have our many other books and zines.
For the past 15-20 years, I’ve drawn most of my comics digitally, using Photoshop and a Cinque drawing display. It certainly speeds up the process and allows for easier revisions, but I realized I was literally losing touch with traditional forms of art making. So last March, I decided to do one drawing on paper every day for at least 15 minutes. I started with drawings inspired by Moby Dick, based on old whaling imagery and illustrations of the novel. I collected those into a 56-page zine, called Whaling Sketches, and I was very pleased at the response. It’s quite different from my other work. It’s much more raw and impressionistic.
Since Kriota Willberg and I have been together, we’ve collaborated on many different art projects (including for theater and film). When she began making comics about 15 years ago, we started tabling at comics festivals all over the US. It’s been really fun; it’s another side of the comics process.
ANGELES: That looks really good! Alright, having been to these for years what are you most excited to see and/or are doing at this year’s MoCCA fest?
SIKORYAK: Kriota and I are both moderating panels with fantastic guests. Kriota is moderating “Drawing Bodies” with Chloé Wary & Lale Westvind on Saturday at 3 pm. I’ll be hosting one of my Carousel comics readings with Caroline Cash, Bim Eriksson, Olivia Fields, John Vasquez Mejias, and Katie Skelly on Sunday at 3 pm.
Doing my Carousel show at a festival is always exciting, because it lets me bring in not only local talent but also visiting artists. In the case, half of the show are people I’ve worked with before (who I’m happy to have back) and the other half are folks I’m excited to see for the first time. What always keeps me engaged about comics readings is that each artist brings a different approach to their presentation. Sometimes they’ll introduce different elements, like props or music, other times it’s just a matter of experiencing the person with their artwork, which can be a revelation. I’ve always loved live performance, and this is an exciting hybrid. Also, as someone who spends a lot of their time alone. It’s thrilling to get the response of a live audience to your work. To hear audible laughs or gasps when you’re presenting is just the best.
Kriota is moderating “Drawing Bodies” with Chloé Wary & Lale Westvind on Saturday at 3 pm. Kriota teaches art and anatomy, and this panel will feature diverse perspectives on and representations of physicality.
She likes to moderate panels because it gives her an opportunity to read books by authors, meet them, and engage in deep discussions.
ANGELES: How deep! Speaking of engaging, what’s is it about MoCCA Fest do you think that makes it special?
SIKORYAK: I think it’s seeing the NY community (makers and fans) and connecting with visiting artists. I have attended just about every MoCCA fest since the beginning, in the early 2000s, when it was back at the Puck Building.
Sometimes I’d go to sign books, moderate panels, or just browse the floor. I really love connecting with other artists. Once Kriota and I both began creating mini comics, we started tabling at shows as well, which is a new experience for me. That was probably around 2012, We’re prolific enough that we have some new material every year, so it works out.
I’ve done Carousel at MoCCA multiple times in the last 20 years and it’s always a highlight. I think it’s good to put yourself out into the world, and I get a lot of energy from being in front of an audience. Also, comics fans are very enthusiastic and engaged. To see the evolution of comics over the past 20+ years has been pretty wild. The medium, the outlets, and the business have all come a long way.
ANGELES: And finally, and most importantly, why do you think indie comics are so important right now?
SIKORYAK: There’s so much talk about free speech today, and indie comics are one of the most accessible, inexpensive forms of expression around.
Comics creators often look at comics as a means of self-expression and representation. And of course, there’s a lot of comics throughout history that emphasize social commentary, satirize current events, and encourage political action. Regardless of your interests, it’s relatively easy to do by yourself (or with a friend).
There’s no oversight or editorial interference in mini-comics! And, obviously, social media can have a huge reach, but algorithms and other issues can squelch interactivity.
If you can draw a comic strip and print it out, you can hand it out personally and get an immediate response. It’s about the most intimate and personal experience.
https://www.instagram.com/rsikoryak/
R. Sikoryak will be at MoCCA ‘25 selling his latest works at table 122. If you’d like to attend New York’s MoCCA Fest 2025 click here.
For more of our coverage of MoCCA 2025 click here.
