Mike Salva is a Nashville-based animator, director, and writer who knows how to turn everyday life into funny, sometimes strange, moments. His animated shorts and series, like Tank Talk and Pound Dogs, mix humor with surreal and satirical twists that keep audiences entertained.
Salva also creates comics, which let him quickly capture ideas that pop up in daily life. He describes them as a way to explore “all my neuroses—social anxiety, irritation about daily annoyances, death, and elaborate worries about things that will probably never happen (but haunt me anyway),” turning personal anxieties into laughs readers can relate to.
More info: Instagram | Facebook | x.com
#1
Image credits: mikesalva
Salva finds inspiration for his comics in the small, everyday moments of life. He says, “Ideas don’t appear when I’m actively hunting them down; they ambush me during everyday life.” Whether it’s a funny observation while doing chores or a fleeting thought while running errands, he tries to capture it immediately before it disappears. Comics let him act on these ideas right away, unlike animation, which can take months to complete.
#2
Image credits: mikesalva
#3
Image credits: mikesalva
Many of Salva’s comics explore personal anxieties and awkward social moments. He describes them as a way to process “all my neuroses—social anxiety, irritation about daily annoyances, death, and elaborate worries about things that will probably never happen (but haunt me anyway).” Through humor, he turns these worries into something relatable that connects with readers.
#4
Image credits: mikesalva
#5
Image credits: mikesalva
While both comics and animation allow him to tell stories, Salva enjoys the unique opportunities each medium provides. He explains, “Comics let me cr*p out one little quickie idea that happens to strike me as funny, without a massive time investment. Animation…gives me space to unfold a dopey little story that hopefully keeps people entertained for a few minutes.” Comics are fast and immediate, while animation offers a longer, more detailed narrative experience.
#6
Image credits: mikesalva
#7
Image credits: mikesalva
Salva’s creative process happens in the small pockets of time he can find during daily life. He says, “My process begins with those moments when my wife isn’t asking me to switch the laundry and my kids aren’t demanding I do something they should definitely be handling on their own by now—that’s prime comic-creating time.” Even in these brief windows, he’s able to turn fleeting thoughts into fully-formed comic ideas, proving that creativity often strikes in the most ordinary moments.
#8
Image credits: mikesalva
#9
Image credits: mikesalva
#10
Image credits: mikesalva
#11
Image credits: mikesalva
#12
Image credits: mikesalva
#13
Image credits: mikesalva
#14
Image credits: mikesalva
#15
Image credits: mikesalva
#16
Image credits: mikesalva
#17
Image credits: mikesalva
#18
Image credits: mikesalva
#19
Image credits: mikesalva
#20
Image credits: mikesalva
#21
Image credits: mikesalva
#22
Image credits: mikesalva
#23
Image credits: mikesalva
#24
Image credits: mikesalva
#25
Image credits: mikesalva
#26
Image credits: mikesalva
#27
Image credits: mikesalva
#28
Image credits: mikesalva
#29
Image credits: mikesalva
#30
Image credits: mikesalva