Editor’s Note: Matthew Chicoine interviewed Joe Burud, creator of Father Alvaro Comics, via phone on February 13th, 2026. Some of the questions/answers have been rearranged, edited, and paraphrased to provide the best reader experience without losing any integrity of the answers given.
🎨 On Origin & Calling
What first inspired you to create Father Alvaro Comics?
I have always enjoyed creating comics. When I was a kid my dad was really supportive in sending my comics to newspapers. In eighth grade I shadowed John Kavolic during career day. At the time he worked on the Wild Life comic strip for the Wisconsin State Journal. He later also did the artwork for the boardgame Munchkins.
I started Father Alvaro because I love the creative process. I wanted to explore my faith, my dad is a deacon. And I also wanted to take a break from the negativities of social media and create something positive.
When did you first realize that comics could be a way to explore Catholic life—not just entertain it?
Comics for me are almost like a diary. It’s a way for me to convey a point in a very precise way (three frames). Father Alvaro started out as something I would email my brother and my dad. It was a great way for me to reflect on the faith in a small way.
A few years later, I came across Joshua Masterson’s The Catholic Cartoonist and was inspired to share them with others.
Your bio mentions focusing on “the humor, beauty, and challenges of parish life in the Midwest.” Why parish life?
I grew up close to the Catholic parish and I was taught by nuns in grade school, for whom I had a great appreciation for. In fact, Sister Rose in Father Alvaro is a combination of a couple of the nuns that taught me.
While my dad didn’t become a deacon until his retirement, he was a big presence in my faith formation. He, personally, gave us catechism classes weekly, was extremely active in the parish, and made it a priority to seek beauty and reverence in the Mass. Serving at Mass with my brothers also had a great impact on my love for parish life and our Priests.
✍️ On Process & Craft
What does your creative process look like from idea to finished comic?
If I sit there and try to develop a comic it doesn’t come immediately. I keep notes on an app. I come up with a script of what each panel will include. From there, I’ll create a rough draft on a piece of paper, really just thumbnails to get a sense of layout and rhythm. Then I will sketch, ink, and color in Procreate on the iPad.
How do you balance humor with reverence—especially when touching on sensitive or distinctly Catholic themes?
I think that is always a tricky one and a good question. I have run ideas by others, including yourself at times, to ensure the joke is not taken in ways not intended. When you are coming at a joke from the right way it’s a good safeguard along with occasionally running it by others.
We as Catholics should also have a sense of humor. We don’t always have to be serious, it’s good to have some lightness. There’s too much negativity out there, we need more joy overall.
Are your characters based (loosely!) on real-life personalities you’ve encountered, or do they develop organically over time?
So Father Alvaro is a combination of a few different people. His looks are very much like my grandfather and as well as his humility. Sometimes he is the butt of jokes, which is much like me. Father Alvaro has the humility to laugh when things don’t go the way he intended. So, I would say he is a combination of my grandpa and a couple parish priests I had growing up (many of those priests were older).
Regarding the name Alvaro, I had heard the name before and it kind of stuck with me. I had spent some time in a Spanish youth group after I had traveled to Mexico (I studied there when I was 19 or 20) and learned Spanish, which also influenced his origins. The Hispanic references are not strong but are more subtle.
📰 On Influences & Style
I’ve noticed some subtle Peanuts-like energy in your work. Has Charles Schulz influenced you? What other comic artists or strips have shaped your style?
Yeah for sure, Charles Schultz has other similarities to me as well. I definitely read his Peanuts comics a lot. We both grew up in a similar area in Minnesota and both have Norwegian descent, which has an impact on humor. I loved the early Peanuts in the 1950s. Schultz would tackle issues like sadness, depression, and failure, which I was drawn to. He didn’t view himself as able to create beautiful paintings or had the writing talent to write novels. He had this great self-awareness to know that his skills could be used in comics. And I feel in a similar way how my skills are for comics. Comic strips are concise, work well with my short attention span, and give me the ability to write the story in a few frames.
Besides the Catholic Cartoonist and Schultz, Calvin and Hobbes really showed me what a comic strip could be. I still read those daily. I also enjoyed reading Hagar the Horrible, Mutts, and Far Side. For Catholic comics, I enjoy Tomics. And my friend George Taukus along with Christ Lewis from Baritus Catholic (not a cartoonist, but an amazing artist).
Some Catholic cartoonists occasionally “break the fourth wall.” Have you considered experimenting with that kind of self-aware humor in Father Alvaro Comics?
It’s not something I really want to do. I really like having the characters be a part of their own little world. The characters become real in my head, and I like to think they don’t know they’re in a comic strip. Their personalities become so real to me that they kind of “write themselves” at times.
⛪ On Faith & Evangelization
Comics are often overlooked as a serious storytelling medium.
Why do you think humor and illustration can be powerful tools for evangelization?
I think they definitely are tools for evangelization. Sometimes it is just a funny picture or lighthearted joke, while other times they can be something deep and poignant. I did a recent comic with Charlie Brown at a Spiritual Counseling booth, which I think opened it up to more than just Catholics and spoke to a new audience.
And I am going to tie back to Josh’s stuff, his comics are so warm-hearted. Sometimes in the flow of a joke he is subtly teaching you. His comics are appealing to both adults and children. Comics have a way to disarm you and draw you in with the visuals and humor.
💼 On Growth & The Future
Have you considered doing commissioned work—parish bulletins, Catholic publications, or custom pieces?
I have but I haven’t really pursued it. Not opposed to it, I would love for it to grow, but I am not looking at it for a monetary perspective. I would love for more people to see the comics.
I really miss the newspapers and would love to see it in one (those that are left), there’s something different about having a printed version to read versus having it on Instagram.
If you could collaborate with any Catholic writer, artist, or apostolate, who would it be?
Definitely as far as a cartoonist, The Catholic Cartoonist. I also like Bishop Barron’s Word on Fire and Joe Heschmeyer’s work on Catholic Answers.
Where’s the best place to find your work?
Follow me on Instagram and on The Simple Catholic in the Sunday Funnies feature.
About Joe
My name is Joe Burud and I live in Bentonville, Arkansas with my wife and 5 children. I currently work as a Product Designer but I’ve been drawing comic strips for as long as I can remember. A few years back I decided to combine my love for the Catholic Faith with my love for comics, and Father Alvaro was born. It’s been an excellent way for me to explore my Catholicism and share it with others, 3 to 4 frames at a time. Father Alvaro, is made up of many relatives and Priests I’ve known throughout the years, but he’s mostly he’s me. Just with a bigger nose and pointier head.
