How important is kerning and leading when using a comic superhero font for speech bubbles?

Kerning (adjusting the space between individual letters) and leading (adjusting the space between lines of text) are *crucial* for readability within speech bubbles. Tight kerning can make text feel cramped, while excessive kerning can make it look disjointed. Proper leading ensures lines of text don't overlap and are easy to follow. Manual adjustment is often necessary, as automatic settings rarely work perfectly for comic lettering.