Comic Lab

Marvel/Scholastic illustrator Asia Simone (Instagram, Twitter)shares her experience of illustrating a "Moon Girl & Devil Dinosaur" book, navigating the world of YA graphic novel publishing, and... surviving Brad's studio! Next, a listener asks... "Should I jump to Cara?"TODAY'S SHOWSpecial guest Asia SimoneShould I jump to Cara?San Diego Comic-Com 2024Breaking the 4th WallEDITOR'S NOTEDuring the show, Brad and Dave insisted that Jim Davis rarely breaks the Fourth Wall in "Garfield." They were demonstrably wrong.SUMMARYIn this conversation, Brad Guigar, Dave Kellett, and Asia Simone discuss various topics related to live streaming, collaboration, and Asia's career as an artist. They also touch on Asia's experience working on a Marvel Scholastic book. The conversation is filled with humorous moments and insights into the creative process. Asia Simone discusses her journey into the comic book industry, including how she got scouted for a job at Marvel and Scholastic. She emphasizes the importance of doing the work you want to do and constantly striving for improvement. Asia also talks about the challenges of meeting deadlines and the importance of craftsmanship. She shares her hopes and fears for the future, including the fear of losing momentum and the hope of networking and exploring new opportunities. Asia advises aspiring artists to start small and not put too much pressure on themselves to create big, epic projects.Next, Dave and Brad express their frustration with Instagram and their skepticism about the long-term success of Cara. They also caution against jumping on every new platform. In an update, they emphasize the importance of considering the cost and profitability of exhibiting at Comic-Con. In this part of the conversation, Dave and Brad discuss the potential drop in attendance at San Diego Comic-Con and the impact it may have on their sales. They also address a question from a Patreon backer about breaking the fourth wall in comics. Dave shares his perspective on breaking the fourth wall, mentioning that he is more willing to do it in his comic strip Sheldon compared to his other comic, Drive. Brad talks about his experience with breaking the fourth wall in his previous comic, Greystone Inn, and why he chooses not to do it in his current comics. They discuss the balance and considerations of using meta humor in comics.TAKEAWAYSIce cream trucks are a rare sight in Los Angeles, leading to envy from Dave towards Brad in Philadelphia.Asia Simone's art style is modern, western, animation-inspired, and often incorporates wacky facial expressions and poses.Asia Simone learned about paneling, bubbling, and story structure while interning with Brad Guigar.When giving a price for artwork, if the client is enthusiastic and quickly accepts, it may be an indication that the price is too low.Asia Simone landed a job with Marvel Scholastic through online postings and was given a test to illustrate a page from a Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur issue.Working on a Marvel Scholastic book required Asia Simone to adhere to a specific style and be on model throughout the project. Do the work you want to do and constantly strive for improvement.Meeting deadlines is important for building relationships in the industry.Start small, and don't put too much pressure on yourself to create big, epic projects.Collaboration and networking are key to success in the industry.Don't settle for 'good enough' - aim for excellence in your work.Stay motivated by constantly exploring new opportunities and projects.Be open to working with others and be willing to learn from them.Don't fear the future of the industry, but instead embrace the challenges and adapt to changes.Maintaining momentum is crucial for continued success.Focus on craftsmanship and delivering high-quality work.Take advantage of social media to promote your work and connect with others in the industry.The success of new social media platforms like Kara is uncertain, and it's important to consider the platform's longevity and reliability before investing time and effort into it.Instagram's performance in terms of promoting Kickstarters and Patreon campaigns has been disappointing for Dave, leading him to delete his posts and consider leaving the platform.Exhibiting at San Diego Comic-Con can be a costly investment, and it's important to have realistic expectations about profitability.It's advisable to start with regional comic conventions before considering exhibiting at larger events like Comic-Con.The absence of a Hollywood presence at Comic-Con in 2020 resulted in a more focused and profitable experience for Dave.It's important to be cautious about the potential degradation of platforms as they grow and attract venture capital.Consider the trade-offs between reliable platforms owned by large companies and newer platforms that may be more community-focused but less stable.Protecting artwork from AI scraping on social media platforms like Kara can be time-consuming and m

Substack is one of the few social-media newcomers that actually produces visible results. It delivers audience-building, reader retention, advanced messaging, intelligent analytics, savvy promotion, and discovery. Better yet, it has a user interface that's a joy to use. So why are so many cartoonists perplexed by it? Brad and Dave do a deep dive into this new platform and offer strategies for using it effectively.ON TODAY'S SHOWSubstack user guideHow much worldbuilding should you do when you start?SUMMARYDave and Brad enter into a discussion about Substack and audience building. Brad discusses his experience with Substack, the user interface, audience growth, and the potential for monetization. The conversation also covers the ethical considerations of moving email lists, the importance of owning the list, and the potential implications of platform control over content. Additionally, the discussion delves into the promotional aids and analytics provided by Substack, as well as the use of AI for transcription and promotional video creation. The conversation covers a detailed exploration of Substack and its features, including email network outreach, social media called Notes, restacking, and recommendations. The discussion also delves into the topic of monetization on Substack and its comparison to Patreon. The conversation provides valuable insights and considerations for creators looking to leverage Substack effectively.In this episode, Brad and Dave also discuss the updates on their Patreon memberships and the concept of world-building in comics. They share their perspectives on the balance between world-building and storytelling and the importance of curiosity and reading in becoming better writers. The conversation also touches on the idea of 'anti-social media' and humorously explores the concept of an anti-social media platform.TAKEAWAYSAccidentally locking his wife in a hotel room in Ireland, Dave shares a humorous anecdote that sets the stage for a conversation about Substack and audience building.Brad's experience with Substack highlights the user interface, audience growth, and the potential for monetization, providing valuable insights for creators.The ethical considerations of moving email lists and the importance of owning the list are discussed, shedding light on the implications of platform control over content.The promotional aids and analytics provided by Substack, as well as the use of AI for transcription and promotional video creation, offer valuable tools for creators to enhance their content and engagement. Substack offers two main features: email network outreach and social media called Notes, each serving different purposes for creators.Restacking and recommendations on Substack are important for audience engagement and community building.Monetization on Substack can be approached strategically, with considerations for the creator's primary platform and audience focus.The conversation provides valuable insights and considerations for creators looking to leverage Substack effectively. Balancing world building and storytelling is essential for creating engaging and coherent comic narratives.Curiosity and reading play a significant role in improving writing skills and understanding the nuances of storytelling.The concept of 'anti-social media' can be a humorous and thought-provoking topic for creators and readers alike. You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.

A new father asks if his baby will change how he writes. "Hey, Comics Dads, I'm worried," he says. "Hey, Worried, we're Comics Dads," we reply. And then Dave invites Brad to pull his finger. After they discuss the effects of parenthood on creativity, a friendly zinester writes in to take Brad to task over his dismissal of zines as "nutty."ON TODAY'S SHOWHow does fatherhood affect writing?UPDATE: Google's AI meltdownUPDATE: Zines are not "nutty"UPDATE: Dave may have been wrong about Patreon's free membership tier"Why is my audience so small?"CHAPTERS00:00 Parenthood and Writing: Impact and Misconceptions20:24 Navigating Parenthood: Challenges and Joys22:20 The Evolution of Humor: From Wit to Dad Jokes25:00 The Importance of Socializing for Personal Growth32:30 AI and Social Media: Implications for Users38:13 Navigating Social Media Privacy and Bulk Deletion40:27 The Impact of Government Action on Data Protection42:05 Reconsidering Patreon's Free Membership Tier52:22 The Value of Passionate Readership and Audience GrowthSUMMARYThe conversation covers the topic of parenthood and its impact on creativity and writing. It explores the fear of change in writing tone, the influence of life milestones on writing, and the misconceptions about parenthood. The discussion also delves into the broadening of horizons and empathy through parenthood, and the impact on character development in writing. The conversation covers various topics related to fatherhood, humor, and socializationThen the hosts deliver an update on the impact of AI on social media. The hosts share personal experiences and insights on these subjects, providing valuable perspectives for listeners. The conversation covers topics related to social media privacy, Patreon's free membership tier, and the growth of an audience for comics. It delves into the challenges of bulk deleting content on Instagram, the impact of government action on data protection, and the reconsideration of Patreon's free tier. The hosts also discuss the significance of passionate readership and the gradual growth of an audience.TAKEAWAYSParenthood can influence a writer's perspective and writing style, but it doesn't necessarily mean a shift to saccharine or toothless content.Life milestones, such as parenthood, bring about changes in a writer's approach and perspective, leading to a broader and more empathetic understanding of characters and storytelling.Misconceptions about parenthood, such as the fear of losing personal interests and creative pursuits, can be dispelled through a balanced approach to time management and a deeper appreciation for the human experience.Parenthood broadens a writer's horizons and empathy, allowing for a deeper understanding of character viewpoints and moral codes, ultimately enhancing the quality of writing and storytelling. The initial months of parenthood may be challenging, but the long-term benefits are rewarding.Humor evolves over time, and dad jokes are a natural expression of finding joy in everyday moments.Socializing is essential for maintaining wit and humor, and it contributes to personal growth.The impact of AI on social media platforms like Instagram raises concerns about privacy and user experience. Bulk deleting content on social media platforms can be challenging and time-consuming.Government action is crucial for protecting user data from exploitation by large tech companies.Reconsidering the value of Patreon's free membership tier can lead to a change in perspective and understanding of its potential benefits.Passionate readership is more valuable than audience size, and it can contribute to the gradual growth of an audience for comics and other creative content. You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.

After six weeks of working on their comic, a listener asks how soon they can expect to make a living doing this — and gets an earful from Brad and Dave. Plus, Brad and Dave share more of their picks for Reuben Award nominees.In this episode, Brad and Dave discuss the importance of having realistic expectations and enjoying the creative process when making comics. They share their own experiences of how long it took them to see financial success and build an audience. They caution against starting a Patreon too soon and making decisions based solely on trying to gain more backers. They emphasize the need to focus on the love of creating and the joy of storytelling rather than solely focusing on financial success. Overall, they encourage the listener to have patience and enjoy the journey of creating comics.Also, Brad and Dave explore the potential impact of AI on search engine optimization and the web ecosystem. Next, they discuss the importance of giving artists creative freedom when commissioning art. The conversation touches on the challenges of communication between commissioners and artists, as well as the spectrum of visual thinking. The hosts share personal anecdotes and insights, highlighting the need for clear communication and understanding between both parties involved in a commission.ON TODAY'S SHOWIt's Friday; am I famous yet?UPDATE: More Reuben picksUPDATE: Google’s new AI search is gonna kill a lotta websitesCommissioning original artTAKEAWAYSBuilding an audience and achieving financial success in comics takes time, often several years.Having realistic expectations and not solely focusing on financial goals is important.Enjoying the creative process and the love of storytelling is crucial for long-term success.Starting a Patreon too soon can lead to disappointment and creative compromises.Focus on improving your craft and building a small, dedicated audience before seeking financial support.Patience and perseverance are key in the journey of creating comics. When commissioning art, it's important to find a balance between providing enough detail and allowing the artist creative freedom.Clear communication is key in ensuring that both the commissioner and the artist are on the same page.Understanding the artist's style and approach is crucial when commissioning art.The impact of AI on search engine optimization and the web ecosystem is a topic of concern and uncertainty.The spectrum of visual thinking varies among individuals, and it's important to be aware of different perspectives and preferences. You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.

How much of your work would you consider "top tier?" Fifty percent? Twenty percent? And speaking of the top tier, Brad and Dave share a partial list of people they think should be nominated for a Reuben Award this year.In this episode, Brad and Dave discuss the ratio of their work that they consider to be top-tier. They also talk about the benefits of posting comics panel by panel. Next, they share their lists of cartoonists who should be considered for the golden Reuben Award. They also touch on the ethical dilemma of selling redrawn original art and the importance of original art in the collector's market.ON TODAY'S SHOWHow much work is "top tier"?Posting panels vs pagesWho would Brad & Dave pick for the Reuben Award?Redrawing pages to sell as originals?TAKEAWAYSPickleball is a fun and inclusive game that can be enjoyed by people of all ages.The ratio of top-tier work to average work varies for each cartoonist, but striving for improvement over time is important.Posting comics panel by panel is beneficial for mobile readers and helps capture new readers.The Reuben Award is a prestigious recognition in the cartooning industry. Nominations are based on the best work of the year.Sarah Anderson, the creator of Sarah's Scribbles, should be a strong contender for the Reuben Award due to her consistent and unique voice in the industry. The hosts discuss their top picks for cartoonists who should be considered for awardsThey mention Dana Simpson, Phoebe and Her Unicorn, Tauhid Bondia with Crabgrass, Asher Perlman, Darren Bell, Jonathan and Elizabeth from War & Peas, and several manga cartoonistsThey also touch on the ethical dilemma of selling redrawn original art and the importance of original art in the collector's marketCHAPTERS00:00:00 Introduction and Pickleball00:06:07 Striving for Improvement in Your Work00:28:49 Nominations for the Rubin Award00:32:38 Sarah Anderson: A Strong Contender for the Reuben Award00:34:25 Top Picks for Cartoonists Who Should Be Considered for Awards00:49:36 The Ethical Dilemma of Selling Redrawn Original Art You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.

We've all heard successful creators complain that younger hopefuls "just don't want to do the hard work." They disregard the complicated nature of achieving their status and dismiss aspiring novices on the basis of one single factor. Survivorship bias is undoubtedly a result of flawed reasoning. ...But is it bad advice?Brad and Dave discuss survivorship bias in the creative community and its impact on success. They acknowledge that survivorship bias exists but argue that it is not the sole determinant of success. They emphasize the importance of hard work, honing skills, and making adjustments based on feedback. They also discuss external factors that can impact a creative career, such as personal circumstances and societal biases. The hosts share their own experiences and offer advice for aspiring creators. In this part of the conversation, the hosts discuss the importance of perseverance and being consistent in order to achieve success in comics.Also, they also address the question of working below one's artistic skill level and offer advice on finding a style that balances speed and quality. The hosts then share their thoughts on the transition from traditional to digital art, including the benefits and drawbacks of each. Finally, they discuss the value of selling original art and the potential challenges of leaving a legacy through physical artwork.ON TODAY'S SHOWSurvival biasWorking below your artistic skill levelLeaving original art in favor of digitalCHAPTERS00:00:00Introduction: Dumpster Pools in Philadelphia00:05:37Chapter 1: Understanding Survivorship Bias00:13:06Chapter 2: The Importance of Hard Work and Skill Development00:22:52Chapter 4: Challenging Survivorship Bias and Acknowledging Others' Struggles00:26:57Chapter 5: Advice for Aspiring Creators: Listen, Learn, and Adapt00:31:03Perseverance and Consistency00:34:31Working Below Your Skill Level00:46:24Transition to Digital Art00:48:08Selling Original Art00:56:29Leaving a Legacy Through ArtworkTAKEAWAYSSurvivorship bias exists in the creative community, but it is not the only factor that determines success.Hard work, honing skills, and making adjustments based on feedback are crucial for success.External factors, such as personal circumstances and societal biases, can impact a creative career.It is important to be aware of survivorship bias and not dismiss the challenges faced by others.Listening to advice from experienced creators and being open to course corrections can increase the chances of success. Perseverance and consistency are key to achieving success in comics.Finding a balance between speed and quality is important when working below your artistic skill level.Transitioning from traditional to digital art offers benefits in terms of control and quality.Selling original art can be a way to generate income and share your work with others.Leaving a legacy through physical artwork may not always be practical or desired by loved ones. You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.

How did Brad and Dave know when they'd "made it"? ALSO: Now that you have a website with a blog... what do you write??Brad shares a heartwarming story about his dad's induction into the Michigan High School Bowling Hall of Fame. They discuss the concept of 'making it' as a cartoonist and the different definitions of success. They also address the challenges of rating one's comic in terms of age appropriateness and content warnings. In this part of the conversation, the hosts discuss how to handle sensitive content on websites and social media platforms. They mention using content warnings, marking sensitive posts, and utilizing tools provided by social media platforms. They also talk about the importance of considering the audience's age range and the different standards and gradations of content in various mediums. In the second part of the conversation, they discuss the use of blogs on websites and how they have evolved over time. They mention the historical use of blogs for SEO purposes and the shift towards social media for quick and easy sharing. They suggest using blogs to share a variety of content, including transcripts of comics, reposts of social media content, and updates on Patreon or other platforms. They emphasize the importance of not overthinking blog content and using the four C's: content, commercial, curation, and kindness.ON TODAY'S SHOW:When did we know we had "made it"?Content warnings and age ratingsWP Shortcodes PluginUPDATE: Alaska Comics CampWhat should I do with my blog?Jack Conte's SXSW speechCHAPTERS00:00:00 Introduction: Brad's Heartwarming Story00:07:29 The Definition of 'Making It' as a Cartoonist00:11:13 Navigating Age Appropriateness and Content Warnings in Comics00:44:30 The Evolution of Blogs00:49:27 Using Blogs to Share ContentTAKEAWAYSThe concept of 'making it' as a cartoonist is subjective and can vary from person to person.Financial stability is often key to feeling like you've 'made it' as a cartoonist.There is no universal standard for rating comics in terms of age appropriateness and content warnings.Considerations for rating your comic include societal norms, personal values, and the expectations of different platforms.Content warnings can be placed on the cover of your book, the top of your website, or your social media profile page. Consider using content warnings and marking sensitive social media posts to allow readers to view or avoid certain content.Take advantage of built-in tools on social media platforms to flag sensitive content and provide warnings.Be mindful of your audience's age range and consider the different standards and gradations of content in various mediums.Use blogs on websites to share a variety of content, including comic transcripts, reposts of social media content, and updates on Patreon or other platforms.Don't overthink blog content; use the four Cs: content, commercial, curation, and kindness. You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.

How do you know when you're giving your readers too many details? — or not enough? Where's the sweet spot between action and exposition? We're going deep on storycraft this week! PLUS: Zines, gutters, and distribution!THIS WEEK'S SHOWHow much story to writeShould you be doing a zine?GuttersBordersDistribution You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.

Having completed their Kickstarters, Dave and Brad review the promotional outreach that delivered the biggest results and make a shocking discovery. Traditionally, social media platforms were the biggest drivers of Kickstarter pledges. But in 2024 they barely made the top ten. That raises an important question: If we can't rely on social media to deliver a Kickstarter pledge — and if it's increasingly difficult to build an audience there — why are we using it?ON TODAY'S SHOWKickstarter post mortemSocial media is dead... now what? You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.

Is it possible to build traffic for your comic without building an audience? Also, an anonymous post on Reddit accuses Webtoons of using a predatory contract. ON TODAY'S SHOWBuilding traffic vs. building an audienceUPDATE: SDCC PanelsUPDATE: Dave's 500 for 50Is the Webtoons contract "predatory?" You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.

This week, we're talking to Dave Blazek, creator of "Loose Parts," a single-panel comic syndicated to more than 120 newspapers worldwide. Blazek is a three-time NCS Silver Reuben award winner and a danged delight. We'll discuss how he became an "accidental cartoonist" and his unique approach to writing humor. You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.

New Yorker cartoonist Jason Chatfield joins us to talk about cartooning for the venerable mag, working with a writing partner, doing stand-up at Dangerfield's comedy club, helming the 104-year-old Ginger Meggs syndicated comic, and much, much more!ON TODAY'S SHOWJason Chatfield on SubstackChatfield on creative collaborationsDoing standup at Dangerfield'sChatfield on building subscriptions on SubstackIs There Something In This? podcast You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.

We all have creative peaks and valleys. How can we maximize the good times and minimize the bad?ON TODAY'S SHOWCan you really maximize creativity?UPDATE: Dave's TikTok prediction may still come trueUPDATE: 3-part series on Kickstarter coming to Pro TipsFavorite comics from outside the US You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.

How important is rebranding after a series of unsuccessful ventures? Also, how does one get their comic translated into another language — and why?ON TODAY'S SHOWRebrandingTranslating a comicUPDATE: The importance of monthly Profit/Loss statementsUPDATE: Authors EquityPlanning for page turns You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.

It's our most useful, actionable, practical show yet! Stufffed with handy tips and constructive advice for cartoonists and comic creators!ON TODAY'S SHOWPen namesUPDATE: Dave's Kickstarter at picklesbook.com UPDATE: Patreon Welcome surveysHonorifics, acronyms, and abbreviations in word balloons. You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.

Dave has some thoughts on AI. And Brad hates to stretch. That's it. That's the show.ON TODAY'S SHOWArtificial Intelligence is going to force us to be more creativeHow important is it to rest?NOTE: The Kickstarter for Brad's new Evil Inc books ends this week! Time is running out! You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.

Scott Kurtz is on the show to talk about the release of his new book, "Table Titans Club." It's available at Target stores nationwide, along with Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and your local bookstore!ON TODAY'S SHOWReimagining the "Table Titans" webcomic as a middle-school graphic novelWorking with an editor for the first timePivoting from self-publishing to traditional publishingBook shows vs comic conventionsEarly accolades for the bookPersonal appearancesNOTE: The Kickstarter for Brad's new Evil Inc graphic novel is in full swing! You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.

Kickstarter delivers on Discovery in a big way. So would it be wise to use it to replace our failing social media platforms?ON TODAY'S SHOWUsing Kickstarter as social media?UPDATE: NCS Reuben Awards 2024UPDATE: Dave has "Still Got it!"Posting a parody on Webtoon to gain notorietyNOTE: The Kickstarter campaign for Brad's new Evil Inc book is in full swing! You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.

TikTok and Instagram reels are moving to the forefront of social media. Is it time to learn video/animation so you can promote your webcomic?ON THIS WEEK'S SHOW...Using animation to promoteUPDATE: Short Story ChallengeUPDATE: Eisner deadlineUPDATE: AI ArtA digital-exclusive eComic You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.

Every once in a while, someone asks if it's possible actually to make a living in comics. It's a fair question, and it deserves an honest answer.SPONSORED BY... ComicLab is brought to you this week by the book "How Comics Were Made, a Visual History from the Drawing Board to the Printed Page." Comics historian and ComicLab fan Glenn Fleishman has spent years researching the history of newspaper comic strip production and reproduction and is bringing his expertise to this printed work full of comics from Yellow Kid through Krazy Kat, Doonesbury, Peanuts, and, yes, Dave's own Drive! It will feature never-before-seen original drawings and printing artifacts, such as "flongs," the hilarious old-fashioned name for printing molds. The book draws from museum collections like the Billy Ireland Library and the Charles M Schulz Library, generous access to artists' own archives, and Glenn's personal collection. Glenn's taking the book to crowdfunding in February, using lessons drawn from this very podcast! You can read more about the book or sign up to get an alert when the campaign launches by going to howcomicsweremade.ink.ON THIS WEEK'S SHOW...Is it possible to make a living in comics?how to write a longform comicSize and DPI — preparing files for web and print You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.

A listener asks if they should write one big, successful comic or several mediocre ones. We have a bigger question: What makes you think you have a choice?! Also, it turns out the whole "Substack nazi" thing was yet another case of Platform Panic.SPONSORED BY... ComicLab is brought to you this week by the book "How Comics Were Made, a Visual History from the Drawing Board to the Printed Page." Comics historian and ComicLab fan Glenn Fleishman has spent years researching the history of newspaper comic strip production and reproduction and is bringing his expertise to this printed work full of comics from Yellow Kid through Krazy Kat, Doonesbury, Peanuts, and, yes, Dave's own Drive! It will feature never-before-seen original drawings and printing artifacts, such as "flongs," the hilarious old-fashioned name for printing molds. The book draws from museum collections like the Billy Ireland Library and the Charles M Schulz Library, generous access to artists' own archives, and Glenn's personal collection. Glenn's taking the book to crowdfunding in February, using lessons drawn from this very podcast! You can read more about the book or sign up to get an alert when the campaign launches by going to howcomicsweremade.ink.ON THIS WEEK'S SHOW...Which is better... one big success or multiple mediocre ones?UPDATE: Kindle Direct PublishingUPDATE: Patreon is fixing free membershipUPDATE: Substack didn't have such a big Nazi problem after allFighting AI with Nightshade (https://nightshade.cs.uchicago.edu/)Substack's Platform PanicFor more information on this topic, please check out these posts:freddiedeboer.substack.com/p/these-rules-about-platforming-nazisfreddiedeboer.substack.com/p/how-to-quit-substackMany of the people who were making the most noise on this issue are switching to Ghost. Check out Ghost's TOS — in which they've even highlighted their clause on refusing to moderate content! And, on top of that, the total number of nazi accounts that were found on Substack was only 5 or 6, none of them monetized, and collectively had fewer than 200 followers-- and most of them wound up being taken down by Substack anyway. You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.

BE ADVISED: We'll be discussing issues like death and dying in this episode. Dave turns fifty years old, and it has us talking about cartooning in the second half of one's life. And we're not the only ones asking existential questions. Our first question asker is worried that they're not going to have time to work on all of their ideas in one lifetime! Finally, we break down Wacom's troubling use of AI art in a promotional image!ON THIS WEEK'S SHOW...Dave turns 50 years oldToo many ideas for one lifetimeComicLab 500UPDATE: Wacom uses AI art in a promo You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.

We often advise that beginners write a few short stories to sharpen their comics-making skills before they tackle that 200-page epic that they're burning to produce! But how do you write a short story? Today's show offers an easy-to-follow, step-by-step guide! Use this blueprint to participate in the ComicLab Short Story Challenge! PLUS... if it's a benefit to list your comic on as many eStores as possible, why is it a bad idea to do the same with crowdfunding platforms?ON THIS WEEK'S SHOW...How to Write a Short StoryThe ComicLab Short Story ChallengeUsing pre-readersThe More the Merrier, part 1 —Multiple eStores?The More the Merrier, part 2 — Multiple subscription sites?THE COMICLAB SHORT STORY CHALLENGEWrite a comic between eight and 16 pages using the Story Circle as a guide. The Story Circle has eight steps: You / Need / Go / Search / Find / Take / Return / Change. There is more information on the Story Circle in the links below. You may spend up to two pages on each step. No more. Each written page must translate directly into a page of comics, so be sure to take that into account when you're writing! Your final comic must tell a complete story — no cliffhangers; no open-ended conclusions! It must have a beginning, a middle, and an end. When you're finished, post it in the #Imadethis channel on the ComicLab Discord server so we can all marvel at your prowess!Dan Harmon's Story CircleThe Story Circle / Batman BeginsThe Butso Method of WritingEditing a comicIs your idea too similar to someone else's idea?Got Writer's Block? You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.

As last year came to a close, it was becoming very clear that social media has been failing to deliver what we traditionally relied on it for — reaching our current readers and finding new ones. So this year Brad is trying out a new platform — Subsack. But that comes with a whole new learning curve — and more than a few ethical issues to wrestle with!SHOW NOTES: Two points of clarification. First, the question is raised whether a user can export an email list from Substack. This is, indeed a feature. Secondly, Dave asked Brad which of his social media platforms has the biggest user base. Brad's answer was Twitter, but upon further review, it's TikTok. That fact puts the ensuing discussion into a slightly different framework.ON THIS WEEK'S SHOW...SubstackSteamboat Willie in the public domain You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.

One of our most often-requested topics is "How do I start a webcomic?" We're going to give you some step-by-step instructions — updated for the new year! Plus... we always stress the importance of doing a good comic. That begs another question: "How do I know if my comic is good?"ON THIS WEEK'S SHOW...How to start a webcomic in 2024"How do I know if my comic is good?"UPDATE: Kindle Direct Publishing You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.

Veteran cartoonists Dave Kellett and Brad Guigar make some predictions and discuss their goals for the new year.2024 PredictionsBRAD: Twitter will crash in 2024DAVE: Social media will remain distributed over five or six platformsBRAD: Web users will begin to pivot away from social mediaDAVE: Patreon will move closer to an IPOBRAD: Kickstarter will remain #1 by continuing to avoid mentioning blockchainDAVE: SDCC will return to normal after an abnormal '23... and profits will plummet for creators2024 GoalsDAVE: Launch "Pickles" Kickstarter in Jan/Feb, launch "Drive 4" Kickstarter in summerBRAD: In Q1, Kickstart an Evil Inc book paired with an After Dark edition. Kickstart another book — WebcomicsHandbook, Evil Inc After Dark or collection of single-panel comics — in Q2/Q3DAVE: Prepare for a 5-15% sales drop at Comic-Con InternationalBRAD: Personal appearances, including SDCC and NCSDAVE: ComicLab Across AmericaBRAD: Use NON-social-media alternatives to drive Patreon.DAVE: Revisit KIndle Direct PublishingBRAD: Start prepping website for a post-Patreon futureDAVE: Build the ComicLab Patreon to 500 members You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.

Better late than never, Brad learns to share. On social media, that is. And, using what he learned after weeks of analysis, he has a challenge for you: Try — just try — to find something worth sharing on social media. ON TODAY'S SHOWSearching for an effective social media strategyA new social-media experiment — Try... just TRY to find a post worth sharingDave's experiment: Deleting people from the Free Membership tier. Please note: we do not, nor have we ever, endorsed this as something you should do.Patreon delays its IPO You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.

Veteran cartoonists Dave Kellett and Brad Guigar look back on their predictions for 2023. They nailed a few and failed a few!PREDICTION SCORECARDPatreon will slowly entice people away from the Founder's level -- WRONGTikTok will be banned in the US -- WRONGCSP will unveil amazing features / Webtoons publishing -- RIGHTWebtoons publishing -- RIGHTTwitter fade -- RIGHTDC Comics implosion -- RIGHTNo one will be using Mastodon (in large enough numbers to replace Twitter) -- RIGHTGPT 3.5 will be used for brainstorming and co-writing scripts using AI writing -- RIGHT?We'll see the first AI writing-art webcomic... and it will be good --WRONGCopyright law will catch up to AI art -- WRONGBlockchain is coming back -- WRONGOriginal art will become more valuable.What we DIDN'T predict!Patreon's switch to social mediaComic-Con loses its Hall H guests — and it was a big win for comics artistsNo replacement for Twitter... not BlueSky, not Threads (and definitely not Mastodon!) You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.

While we were at the National Cartoonists Society Rueben Awards Weekend, we stopped cartoonists and asked them one question: When you need to spark creativity — and nothing is happening — how do you find ideas? Today's show is a compilation of those responses. You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.

Patreon unveiled a free membership tier, and it's really throwing a monkey wrench into things.ON THIS WEEK'S SHOW...It's official. We hate Patreon's Free Membership TierUnderstanding Parody & Free UseDo Dave and Brad ever fight?!You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.

Dave brings in a new concept for the holidays — declaring organizational bankruptcy.ON THIS WEEK'S SHOW...Declaring organizational bankruptcyA scaled-back Kickstarter?UPDATE: MastodonPosting schedule?You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.

Referring to current events may give your comic an edge today, but it can also make your work harder for future generations to enjoy.ON THIS WEEK'S SHOW...Writing comics with a shelf lifeYouTube instead of Patreon?Amazon KDPUsing Patreon as an archiveYou get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.

A ComicLab listener would like his friends to give him feedback on his comic — and he wants them to subscribe to his Patreon to do it.ON THIS WEEK'S SHOW...A Patreon level for constructive feedbackDave at WorldCon?UPDATE: Clip Studio update... feeling kinda screwedWhat happens to your books after you dieWhat extras should go into a digital book?You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.

Is it wise to exploit parasocial relationships to get more Patreon backers?ON THIS WEEK'S SHOW...Drunk ComicLabParasocial relationships on PatreonAre ads making a comeback?After the Thanos Snap — would Brad and Dave do a podcast?You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.

Patreon has unveiled a massive update to its service, and we'll discuss the good, the bad, and the ugly.ON THIS WEEK'S SHOW...The GoodThe user experience has some significant improvementsCollectionseStore — Buy digital goods.Find Creators You Love — a somewhat improved attempt at discoverabilityMember Posts section is being sunsettedThe BadAnemic analytics. Graphtreon still beats Patreon's own data.Patreon's pivot to social media. I have lots of places to talk to my fans. Social media is where I go to make NEW fans. That means Discoverability. Where's that??Patreon Chat. It's a straight 50-50 split. Half of my patrons can't see/access the chat, and the other half don't care.Making a new post: BAD interface. Separates different parts of the process to different screens. It makes it super awkward to select tiers.The UglyThat logo is laughable. Whoever designed it belongs in the Witless Protection Program.You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.

Sure, making comics is fun, but do we ever do serious work, like painting, sculpting, or other classical art forms?ON THIS WEEK'S SHOW...Do we ever do "classical" work?If tenacity is #1, what's #2?UPDATE: Dave's booth cost for SDCC '24UPDATE: NCS networkingUPDATE: Alaska Comics CampWhich to work on... popular, fun Series A or almost-done Series B?Black guttersYou get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.

The Gannett newspaper chain, which includes USA Today and about 200 other daily newspapers, has selected 34 syndicated comics. Each of its newspapers will be limited to running comics from that list. Any comic that didn't make the list has been shut out of roughly 20% of the existing market. Not surprisingly, most of the 34 are legacy comics whose original creators are long since deceased. This is the end of syndicated comics.ON THIS WEEK'S SHOW...The Gannet 34 signals the death of syndicated comicsUPDATE: Mastodon Aint itWhy no ComicLab website?Relaunch a failed Kickstarter?You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.

We're thrilled to welcome Jamar Nicholas, creator of Leon The Extraordinary, to talk shop with us!ON THIS WEEK'S SHOW...Jamar NicholasUPDATE: NCS and Planks PrincipleUPDATE: Musk to take Twitter behind paywall?You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.

Dave and Brad return from the National Cartoonist Society Reuben Awards with stories, anecdotes, and reflections.ON THIS WEEK'S SHOW...What is the NCS?The Reuben Awards weekPhil Foglio wins the award for Best Online Longform ComicMeeting Mike Peters ("Mother Goose & Grim")Brunch with the NCS — "Ya wanna hear about MY heart attack?"Outgoing NCS president Jason ChatfieldNCS is reaching out to younger cartoonistsRegional chapters of NCSJamar Nicholas' "NCS Studio Chats" series on YouTubeThe original art auctionPublishing on Amazon / KDP: a phenomenal panel by Colin Shields, Vice President at Simon & Schuster, alongside Brent Bartram, Chief Strategy Officer of Andrews McMeel SyndicationEliminate "online" categories of the Reuben Awards?You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.

New Yorker cartoonist Jason Chatfield and "Sarah's Scribbles" cartoonist Sarah Andersen join Brad and Dave at the Farewell Brunch, closing out the National Cartoonist Society's Reuben Awards events.You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.

Is comics a young person's game? Pull up a (rocking) chair, and let's talk about it!ON THIS WEEK'S SHOW...Are you too old to start in comics?Battling procrastinationOne-and-done publishing strategy?The TinyView appEye problems due to comicsYou get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.

Which is more important for a cartoonist to learn — writing or drawing?ON THIS WEEK'S SHOW...Is it worth my time to learn how to draw AND how to write?UPDATE: Dropbox in declineUPDATE: Brad writes a "Tales from the Drive" storyUsing social media to direct traffic to websiteWorking 7 days a week to achieve work-life balanceYou get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.

Thanos snaps his fingers and erases Brad and Dave's careers. They have all their current knowledge, talents, and skills. But they don't have their titles, audiences, or archives. What, where, and how do they RESTART?ON THIS WEEK'S SHOW...Celebrating 300 episodes of ComicLab and 300 episodes of Pro Tips.The Thanos snapYou get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.

There's a definite benefit to making mistakes early in your career. They have a much lower impact than the ones that come later.ON THIS WEEK'S SHOW...Making small mistakes early so you can avoid big trauma laterRe-releasing old merchandiseVisual novelsLuck in social mediaYou get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.

Has manga overtaken American-style comics in the hearts and imaginations of readers? ON THIS WEEK'S SHOW...Did manga win comics?UPDATE: Threads usage declines — is this the end of the Social Media Age?Kickstarter reaffirms commitment to AI technologyYou get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.

Dave and Brad return from Comic-Con International in San Diego, and they have much to discuss!ON THIS WEEK'S SHOW...San Diego Comic-Con recapUPDATE: Do we need to reintroduce "free?"UPDATE: Musk rebrands Twitter to "X."Sticking with a failing project too longProcreate for printYou get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.

This week a ComicLab listener writes to thank us for talking him out of a mistake — and to say he'd like to get back to making it as soon as possible.ON THIS WEEK'S SHOW...Going back to making the same mistakePatreon for a short-term comicUPDATE: Patreon Free TrialUPDATE: Jerry Garcia — "Not everybody likes licorice, but people who like licorice... REALLY like licorice!" That's sage advice for niche publishing.Particular advice for small comic conventionsComing back after a break — restart the online comic or Kickstart a book with finished materialsDriveThruComicsCheck out the redesigned DriveThruComics here! Their team is looking for feedback as they work on the new layout and features, so pass along your thoughts using this Google Form.If you're interested in setting up a publisher account, here's some helpful information. They also have guides for creating and publishing digital and print-on-demand books!You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.

Today's show is sponsored by DriveThruComics.com! It's the first download comic shop — and we think it's the best!You should build a following on social media. You should launch a website. You should focus on the quality of your comic. How do you manage all of these "SHOULDs?!" ON THIS WEEK'S SHOW...Too many "SHOULDs"UPDATE: ComicLab LIVE at NCS Reuben Awards Weekend: Sept. 8, 11 a.m. Special guest Sarah Andersen (Sarah's Scribbles)What cartooning advice would an 18-year-old actually listen to?Losing the passion for NSFW comicsDriveThruComicsCheck out the redesigned DriveThruComics here! Their team is looking for feedback as they work on the new layout and features, so pass along your thoughts using this Google Form.If you're interested in setting up a publisher account, here's some helpful information. They also have guides for creating and publishing digital and print-on-demand books!You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.

Today's show is sponsored by DriveThruComics.com! It's the first download comic shop — and we think it's the best!Social media giant Meta launched Threads and acquired over 40,000 users within the first 24 hours. Will this be the death knell for Twitter? And if it is, will that be good news for comic creators?ON THIS WEEK'S SHOW...ThreadsFree Trials on PatreonTweetDeck is going to become subscription-onlyComicLab LIVE at NCS Reuben Awards Weekend: Sept. 8, 11 a.m. Special guest Sarah Andersen (Sarah's Scribbles)DriveThruComicsCheck out the redesigned DriveThruComics here! Their team is looking for feedback as they work on the new layout and features, so pass along your thoughts using this Google Form.If you're interested in setting up a publisher account, here's some helpful information. They also have guides for creating and publishing digital and print-on-demand books!You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.

Today's show is sponsored by DriveThruComics.com! It's the first download comic shop — and we think it's the best!With Marvel, Netflix, Sony, HBO, and Universal pulling out of Hall H, what will San Diego Comic-Con be like? Some say that removing the Hollywood sightings and signings will allow the attendees to return their focus to the comics creators the show was initially founded to celebrate. Others fear a floor full of angry fans who spent hundreds on a show that isn't there.ON THIS WEEK'S SHOW...With Marvel, Netflix, Sony, HBO and Universal pulling out of Hall H, what will SDCC be like?UPDATE: Mastodon still ain't itUPDATE: BlueSkyUPDATE: Patreon video extended to Founder's levelDriveThruComicsCheck out the redesigned DriveThruComics here! Their team is looking for feedback as they work on the new layout and features, so pass along your thoughts using this Google Form.If you're interested in setting up a publisher account, here's some helpful information. They also have guides for creating and publishing digital and print-on-demand books!You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.