This episode of ComicLab is sponsored by Wacom ! On this week's show, the ComicLab guys discuss the importance of allowing a failing Kickstarter to come to its natural end. But first, Dave learns the saga of Jim Hanks. Listener questions... Should you "save" a failing Kickstarter? How do you convert Patreon followers into backers? Should you use Myers-Briggs personality tests to help define characters Should you do Charge Upfront on Patreon? Drawing smoother lines with shaky hands Special Offer!...
Nov 21, 2019•1 hr 1 min•Ep 99•Transcript available on Metacast This episode of ComicLab is sponsored by Wacom ! On this week's show, the ComicLab guys are joined by MAD magazine's Tom Richmond to talk about caricature. They talk about... The ubiquitous theme-park caricature The International Society of Caricature Artists convention Tom's technique for capturing a face "That doesn't look like me!" Where do beginners go wrong? Has the homogenization of Hollywood hurt caricature? How to improve your caricatures Listener questions... When your imagination excee...
Nov 14, 2019•1 hr 7 min•Ep 98•Transcript available on Metacast This episode of ComicLab is sponsored by Wacom ! In this week's show, the ComicLab guys ponder George R.R. Martin's assertion that writers are either garderers or architects. Also, they talk about commissions. What are some best practices and how can you avoid common mistakes? Then a question-asker asks how much time Dave and Brad spend trying to get their comics reviewed by comics journalists and websites. Next, can a sale or discount actually act as a dis -incentive for sales? And finally, how...
Nov 07, 2019•1 hr 12 min•Ep 97•Transcript available on Metacast This episode of ComicLab is sponsored by Wacom ! In this week's show, the ComicLab guys discuss pandering. Is it pandering to create comics that your readers are more likely to respond to? Then, a listener asks if Dave's aware that Clip Studio Paint doesn't have a CMYK mode? And does it matter? Finally, Dave receives a tweet from one of his readers explaining why he couldn't possibly become one if Dave's Patreon backers, touching off an epic rant on fan behavior. BUT FIRST... Dave tells Brad abo...
Oct 31, 2019•1 hr 1 min•Ep 96•Transcript available on Metacast This episode of ComicLab is sponsored by Wacom ! In this week's show, the ComicLab guys discuss "The Webcomics Business Model." What is it, anyway?? Also, social media has evolved, but many independent creators haven't kept up. And finally, should an aspiring cartoonist go to art school? BUT FIRST... Brad's son asks the Big Question: "Why is Brad talking to his wife as if she's Dave Kellett?" QUESTIONS ASKED... What is THE Webcomics Business Model? Social media has evolved. Have you? What has 40...
Oct 24, 2019•1 hr 6 min•Ep 95•Transcript available on Metacast Welcome to ComicLab: The podcast about making comics, and making a living from comics! If you loved Webcomics Weekly, you're gonna love this show: It's half shop-talk, half how-to, and half friendship. WE SQUEEZED IN THREE HALVES. It's tips and tricks and all the joys of cartooning as a pro. So pull up your drawing chair, put on some headphones, and join us while you draw! You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon $2 Early access to episodes $5 Submit a question...
Oct 22, 2019•3 min•Transcript available on Metacast This episode of ComicLab is sponsored by Wacom ! In this week's show, the ComicLab guys discuss Kickstarter's decision to fire workers who tried to unionize. Also on today's show, the USPS has decided to remain in the Global Postal Union much to the relief of small-businesspersons everywhere, and a question-asker wants to know how far Dave and Brad write in advance. Next, eBook-publishing is hot, but are Amazon and ComiXology delivering for independent creators? Then how do you maintain satisfac...
Oct 17, 2019•1 hr 14 min•Ep 94•Transcript available on Metacast This episode of ComicLab is sponsored by Wacom ! In this week's show, the ComicLab guys discuss how big a comic's cast of characters should be. Also on the show: Improving your comic by varying the line weight. Then a question asker asks if Brad would ever do a non-superhero comic, and finally Dave shares why he thinks bookstore signings are a waste of time. BUT FIRST... Brad's kids gift the Kellett children with thirty pounds of LEGOs. ComicLab enamel pins Each pin is available for $10 apiece. ...
Oct 10, 2019•1 hr 15 min•Ep 93•Transcript available on Metacast This episode of ComicLab is sponsored by Wacom ! In this week's show, the ComicLab guys discuss analysis from paralysis! How do you stop overthinking a project?! Also, in this show, an update on Brad's assistant, how to boost your confidence, and UNhelpful questions. Along the way, a listener asks for help with motivation and the guys discuss the perception that The Far Side is returning as a webcomic. BUT FIRST... Did you know that Edgar Allan Poe only earned $9 for writing The Raven ? ... and ...
Oct 03, 2019•1 hr 11 min•Ep 92•Transcript available on Metacast This episode of ComicLab is sponsored by Wacom ! In this week's show, after Dave Kellett shares an update on his ongoing Kickstarter , the ComicLab guys share their plans for the next one year, three years, and five years. BUT FIRST... Dave marvels over an elephant's ability to take a leak. You get great rewards when you support ComicLab $2 Early access to episodes $5 Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast $10 Record an audio question for possible us...
Sep 26, 2019•1 hr 24 min•Ep 91•Transcript available on Metacast This episode of ComicLab is sponsored by Wacom ! In this week's show, the ComicLab guys discuss how converting to a digital workflow on Cintiqs improved their time management. Also, how do you balance storytelling tension in a longform comic? Next, the guys talk best practices in newsletters. Later, should you hire a proofreader? Dave Kellett shares an update on his ongoing Kickstarter, and finally, what are the must-have features for a book project? BUT FIRST... Ensure killed my pappy. QUESTION...
Sep 19, 2019•1 hr 15 min•Ep 90•Transcript available on Metacast This episode of ComicLab is sponsored by Wacom ! In this week's show, the guys discuss all of the lessons Dave learned on his trip to Disneyland from cool-hunting pins to branding emotions. Then a question-asker asks about the best way to transition social-media accounts. Next, Dave talks about launching his new Kickstarter. And finally, the guys talk about the "Good Ol' Days" of Webcomics and what they'd like to bring back. BUT FIRST... Brad explains to his college students why everyo...
Sep 12, 2019•1 hr 7 min•Ep 89•Transcript available on Metacast This episode of ComicLab is sponsored by Wacom ! In this week's show, the guys discuss tips and strategies to improve your humor writing. Then, a question-asker asks if it's OK to re-use backgrounds. Next, it's advice on doing a comic convention when you have a speech impediment. Also, when will self-publishing become acceptable in other media such as kids' lit, sci-fi, novels, etc.? And finally, Brad explains romance novels to Dave. But first... Brad's wife came home to find a dog asleep on the...
Sep 05, 2019•1 hr 11 min•Ep 88•Transcript available on Metacast This episode of ComicLab is sponsored by Wacom ! In this week's show, a listener asks if they guys carry around sketchbooks in their everyday lives. Also, the guys talk about their First Time experiences with offset print runs, that is. Then, a question asker asks how they built a sustainable comics career without becoming burnt out. Next, what pitfalls do Dave and Brad see in the next five-to-ten years? BUT FIRST... Valium has turned Dave's dog into a member of Dr. Teeth's Electric Mayhem QUEST...
Aug 29, 2019•1 hr 17 min•Ep 87•Transcript available on Metacast This episode of ComicLab is sponsored by Wacom ! In this week's show, the guys talk about the long paths they took to become full-time cartoonists. Then, they look at the importance of livestreaming, and share some tips on doing that well. Next, a question-asker asks what Dave and Brad want to be remembered for. Finally, a cartoonist writes to say that they are their own worst booth barnacle! How can they stop doing that? BUT FIRST... Remember that lady who showed up to San Diego Comic Con INSIS...
Aug 22, 2019•1 hr 3 min•Ep 86•Transcript available on Metacast Today's show is sponsored by Wacom ! Cartoonists Brad Guigar and Dave Kellett are talkin' comics. The guys talk about how their drawing styles evolved, and then detail what a typical day in their studios looks like. Next, they talk about strategies for deconstructing a comic in order to learn from it. After that, a question-asker asks if there are times the guys wish they could go back in time to fix things in their comics. Finally, it may seem that promoting a short-form, humor-based comic stri...
Aug 15, 2019•1 hr 5 min•Ep 85•Transcript available on Metacast This episoide of ComicLab is sponsored by Wacom ! Now that Dave Kellett is settled in from his trip to San Diego for Comic Con International, so it's time for Brad Guigar and him to get down to answering some listener questions! Page numbering After receiving a polite rebuttal to his original dismissal of page numbering, Brad reverses course on the topic Why MAD magazine folded (it had nothing to do with its content) AT&T's WarnerMedia pulled its Rooster Teeth booth at SDCC and what that may...
Aug 08, 2019•1 hr 6 min•Ep 84•Transcript available on Metacast This episoide of ComicLab is sponsored by Wacom ! Dave Kellett has returned from San Diego, after spending a week exhibiting at Comic Con International, and he brought stories and analysis with him. In today's show: Dave and Brad remember the first time they used a Wacom Cintiq Did Dave turn a profit? Was the show worth the expense? Hollywood parties vs comic con parties Getting booth barnacled by people who should know better! ComicLab listeners who visited the booth Dave walked the show floor ...
Aug 01, 2019•1 hr 1 min•Ep 83•Transcript available on Metacast Cartoonists Dave Kellett and Brad Guigar are talking shop! A listener asks: if social-media delivers only a 1% engagement, what hope does one have in building an audience? Also in today's show: The best way to host a comics-making workshop for kids. Books on Brad and Dave's bookshelf Why did Dave move his comic from site to site for so long? BUT FIRST, Brad is living a home-owner's nightmare. You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon $2 Early access to episodes ...
Jul 25, 2019•1 hr 15 min•Ep 82•Transcript available on Metacast Webcomics veterans Dave Kellett and Brad Guigar are talking comics! This week, they discuss... Increasing engagement on social media An improved hashtag strategy for Instagram When and how to ask for help Which comes first in writing story, character or setting? What gratification do you get from comics? ...But first, Dave's gearing up for Comic Con International at Booth 1228! Great rewards when you support ComicLab $2 support the show $5 submit a question for possible use on the show AND get t...
Jul 18, 2019•1 hr 8 min•Ep 81•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Dave and Brad talk to Dylan Meconis about her new book, Queen of the Sea! Also... Brad has some repairs done to his house, and it goes poorly. The case for traditional publishing children's books Dave's upcoming appearance at Comic Con International Working with an editor Listener asks "I lost my day job. How do I generate excitement over working on my comic?" How to "kill your darlings" What's your favorite part about making comics? Great rewards when you su...
Jul 11, 2019•1 hr 4 min•Ep 80•Transcript available on Metacast Webcomics pros Dave Kellett and Brad Guigar are talkin' comics! In this episode, a question-asker asks if you can spur creativity by changing the layout of your studio. NEXT, the guys take a moment to talk about their fathers and the influence their dads have had on their creative lives. FINALLY, is it possible to make comics more accessible for people with visual impairment? BUT FIRST, Dave takes his family to an indoor water park or as he calls it "a cathedral to e. coli bacteria" SH...
Jul 04, 2019•1 hr 21 min•Ep 79•Transcript available on Metacast Webcomics pros Dave Kellett and Brad Guigar are talking comics! In this episode, they talk about Arrival Fallacy, and how it lures creators into a treadmill of despair! THEN a Patreon backer asks how Brad "NSFW" Guigar could possibly be disturbed by Public Displays of Affection! FINALLY, they discuss the Shonen Jump approach could it work for webcomics? BUT FIRST, Brad's son points out that two of his father's popular aphorisms are in direct conflict with one another! SHOW NOTES "...
Jun 27, 2019•1 hr 16 min•Ep 78•Transcript available on Metacast What's in a name? A lot -- as Dave can tell you. He shares the troubles he experienced by naming his strip after a character who has since faded into the background. Also in today's show... Ziggy Zippy Should you re-draw old comics? How should you introduce a new style to your readership? Do splash pages work on the Web? The guilt of not creating Great rewards when you support ComicLab $2 support the show $5 submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast $10...
Jun 20, 2019•1 hr 11 min•Ep 77•Transcript available on Metacast LIVE! (on tape) from Huntington Beach, it's a special episode of ComicLab recorded during NCSFest. Brad and Dave talk about webcomics publishing becoming more centralized and much more! 04:55 Webcomics publishing started as centralized, become de-centralized, and is getting centralized again 08:13 "Vanity Press is the new Publishing, and Publishing is the new Vanity Press" Jake Parker 20:00 Optimism over the future of comics 30:47 Working with assistants 34:50 Getting the vapors 36:30 ...
Jun 13, 2019•1 hr 9 min•Ep 76•Transcript available on Metacast With Brad visiting Dave in Los Angeles to attend NCSFest, the guys take the opportunity to record a rare show originating from the same ZIP code. The guys talk about how webcomics which started in centralized cells like Keenspot has come full circle, and is becoming more centralized again. Next, Dave talks about what her learned from his recent Kickstarter campaign. Finally, the guys take from questions from $5 Patreon backers including: Should a first-time Kickstarter campaign focus only on har...
Jun 06, 2019•1 hr 5 min•Ep 75•Transcript available on Metacast David Malki, of Wondermark fame, joins us for an in-depth discussion of writing and all things webcomic! 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 ....
May 30, 2019•1 hr 23 min•Ep 74•Transcript available on Metacast This week on ComicLab, Brad and Dave discuss... When doing a Kickstarter for a product that hasn't been started yet, what should the visuals be? Would you still do a comic even if nobody was reading it? Longform story advice The best posting schedule Leveraging readers from your old project to your new one. But first, Dave discover's Brad's first comic strip. "Googar." You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon $2 Early access to episodes $5 Submit a qu...
May 22, 2019•1 hr 4 min•Ep 73•Transcript available on Metacast Dave Kellett attended Comics Camp , an event hosted by Alaska Robotics , and he's back filled to the brim with joy and enthusiasm from this annual retreat/comic convention. You can get on an e-mailing list for [ next year's event here ](http://). He shares stories from the week, including: Ursaphobic Stan Lee Classes taught by fellow cartoonists The importance of play in revitalizing an adult's creativity Anonymously sharing income sources Dissatisfaction and Imposter Syndrome occur at all level...
May 15, 2019•1 hr 15 min•Ep 72•Transcript available on Metacast This week, Chris Hallbeck joins us to talk Instagram strategy. He was one of the first cartoonists to see the potentia l in the social media platform, and his comics Maximumble and Pepple & Wren are pure delights. BUT FIRST, Brad shares the story of how much it hurt when he fell out of heaven. 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-...
May 08, 2019•1 hr 24 min•Ep 71•Transcript available on Metacast 
