Today's show is brought to you by Wacom makers of the incredible Wacom One ! This week, Dave and Brad welcome the delightful Karla Pacheco , writer of Spider-Woman , Bettie Page and, of course, Inspector Pancakes . Special Offer Join us at the $5 tier by July 4! When you do, you (along with all of the other $5 backers) will get an exclusive invite to the Cocktails with ComicLab Zoom meet-up! Plus... FOUR eBooks from the co-hosts... How to Make Webcomics The Webcomics Handbook Evil Inc: Under New...
Jun 11, 2020•1 hr 7 min•Ep 129•Transcript available on Metacast Today's show is brought to you by Wacom makers of the incredible Wacom One ! This week, Dave and Brad ask as art schools move towards virtual learning is it worth the money? Special Offer Join us at the $5 tier by July 4! When you do, you (along with all of the other $5 backers) will get an exclusive invite to the Cocktails with ComicLab Zoom meet-up! Plus... FOUR eBooks from the co-hosts... How to Make Webcomics The Webcomics Handbook Evil Inc: Under New Management Drive Act One Questions asked...
Jun 04, 2020•1 hr 5 min•Ep 128•Transcript available on Metacast Today's show is brought to you by Wacom makers of the incredible Wacom One ! This week, Dave and Brad welcome the marvelous Cat Farris , illustrator of My Boyfriend is a Bear and the forthcoming Ghoul Next Door . Questions asked and topics covered... The Pulitzer Prize in Editorial Cartooning 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 $10 Record an audio ...
May 28, 2020•1 hr 18 min•Ep 127•Transcript available on Metacast Today's show is brought to you by Wacom makers of the incredible Wacom One ! This week, Dave and Brad talk about their most important creative partners their wives. Questions asked and topics covered... Let's talk about life partners Logo design Staying creative when life is tough 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 $10 Record an audio question for...
May 21, 2020•1 hr 11 min•Ep 126•Transcript available on Metacast Today's show is brought to you by Wacom makers of the incredible Wacom One ! Recently Webtoons spoiled a reveal in "Lore Olympus" that the creator, Rachel Smythe, had been building towards for years. Dave and Brad return to the topic they broached at the beginning of the year " Should you build your audience on Webtoons ?" Questions asked and topics covered... The problems with building an audience on Webtoons Midtown Comics and DC Comics step up to fill the void left by Diamond Comics Distribut...
May 14, 2020•1 hr 9 min•Ep 125•Transcript available on Metacast Today's show is brought to you by Wacom makers of the incredible Wacom One ! This week, Dave and Brad talk about the best Content Management System (CMS) for publishing webcomics. Toocheke is brand new, and Brad's a big fan. Questions asked and topics covered... Toocheke is a new CMS Brad endorses for publishing webcomics How to deal with an e-mail barnacle Doing business under a pen name What are the best tools for a beginner? Limited-edition ComicLab enamel pins are now available at newevilboo...
May 07, 2020•1 hr 15 min•Ep 124•Transcript available on Metacast Today's show is brought to you by Wacom makers of the incredible Wacom One ! This week, Dave and Brad drill down deep on a crucial topic in comics word balloons! Then Dave talks about his recent Kickstarter, and why it didn't fund. Questions asked and topics covered... Word balloons Why the Kickstarter for Story/Line didn't fund This is no time to back away from crowdfunding or digital merchandise How will publishers and comic shops going to fare in the global pandemic The real danger of losing ...
Apr 30, 2020•1 hr 15 min•Ep 123•Transcript available on Metacast Today's show is brought to you by Wacom makers of the incredible Wacom One ! This week, the ComicLab guys talk shop with Gale Galligan, creator of the bestselling Babysitter's Club graphic novels . See all of Gale's latest at Galesaur.com . Questions asked and topics covered... Getting ideas that don't fit in your own universe Mini-comics Vying for the YA graphic-novel market Limited-edition ComicLab enamel pins are now available at newevilbook.com and sheldonstore.com ! You get great rewards wh...
Apr 23, 2020•1 hr 7 min•Ep 122•Transcript available on Metacast Today's show is brought to you by Wacom makers of the incredible Wacom One ! Dave and Brad are devoting the entire show to topics related to the coronavirus pandemic. Having been self-employed for years, Dave and Brad share some advice to people who are working from home for the first time. Also, crowdfunding is proving to be surprisingly resilient so far, so this is no time to get sheepish about Patreon and Kickstarter. Dave talks about writing in moments of grief, and Brad shares some thoughts...
Apr 16, 2020•1 hr 24 min•Ep 121•Transcript available on Metacast Today's show is brought to you by Wacom makers of the incredible Wacom One ! This week, the ComicLab guys talk shop with Karl Kerschl of The Abominable Charles Christopher and Isola . Questions asked and topics covered... Unpredictible schedules How to sell original art Is it better to master one thing or be very good at several things? Limited-edition ComicLab enamel pins are now available at newevilbook.com and sheldonstore.com ! You get great rewards when you support ComicLab on Patreon $2 Ea...
Apr 09, 2020•1 hr 11 min•Ep 120•Transcript available on Metacast Todays show is brought to you by Wacom makers of the incredible Wacom One ! This week, the ComicLab guys talk shop with Lar deSouza of Least I Could Do and Looking For Group . Questions asked and topics covered... A new competitor for Patreon does the math add up? Dave's Kickstarter storylineshow.com eBooks Limited-edition ComicLab enamel pins are now available at newevilbook.com and sheldonstore.com ! You get great rewards when you support ComicLab on Patreon $2 Early access to episodes $5 Subm...
Apr 02, 2020•58 min•Ep 119•Transcript available on Metacast Todays show is brought to you by Wacom makers of the incredible Wacom One ! Collaborations are a great way to make comics. But what if your parter is in another time zone or another country? How can you sync your work? Also go-to panel compositions and tools for tracking script-writing. Questions asked and topics covered... Brad dreams about dating Rue McClanahan Dave and Brad are both headed for Alaska Robotics' Comics Camp in April Long-distance partnerships Go-to panel compositions Wacom One ...
Mar 26, 2020•57 min•Ep 117•Transcript available on Metacast Todays show is brought to you by Wacom makers of the incredible Wacom One ! Kickstarter has become the first major tech start-up to unionize. Plus, Brad and Dave have been invited to do a live podcast on the 50th anniversary of Peanuts at the Charles Schulz Museum! All that and e-newsletters, building your business and pacing longform stories. But first, after sharing the story of Sha Na na opening for Jimi Hendrix at Woodstock, Brad tells Dave the surprising story of how that decision was made....
Mar 19, 2020•1 hr 13 min•Ep 116•Transcript available on Metacast Show note: After we recorded this show, Emerald City Comicon announced they are cancelling the show originally scheduled to run March 12-15, 2020. Scroll down for more information. Todays show is brought to you by Wacom makers of the versatile Wacom One ! With fears of a coronavirus outbreak in Seattle causing scores of cancellations at this week's Emerald City Comicon, Dave Kellett reaches for his master's thesis on cartooning during WWII to discuss the role of comics in times of crisis. Questi...
Mar 12, 2020•58 min•Ep 118•Transcript available on Metacast Todays show is brought to you by Wacom makers of the incredible Wacom One ! Patreon has announced a new initiative called Patreon Capital that many have compared to predatory payday loans but is that accurate? Dave and Brad disagree. But first, Dave shares a story about getting mugged in L.A. shortly after moving there. Questions asked and topics covered... Patreon Capital Unboxing the Wacom One Limited-edition ComicLab enamel pins are now available at newevilbook.com and sheldonstore.com ! You ...
Mar 05, 2020•1 hr 10 min•Ep 115•Transcript available on Metacast This week, a Patreon backer asks, "Have you ever wanted to quit?" But first, Dave skips the Oscar Awards in favor of Starship Troopers. Questions asked and topics covered... Have you ever wanted to quit? Do you read your dialogue out loud as you're lettering? Is copy/paste social media a good idea? Privacy issues at Wacom Does Brad's multi-channel publishing sacrifice creativity? Limited-edition ComicLab enamel pins are now available at newevilbook.com and sheldonstore.com ! You get great reward...
Feb 27, 2020•1 hr 2 min•Ep 114•Transcript available on Metacast What are the top three comic strips of all time? Dave and Brad shre their lists and combine to share a list of overall best strips. But first, Dave's dog has a nemesis, and it's a cat that channels Paul Lynde. Questions asked and topics covered... What are the top three comic strips of all time? Is it possible to be "too niche"? If you're new to webcomics, what's the best way to start? Should you reboot after a year? Limited-edition ComicLab enamel pins are now available at newevilbook.com and s...
Feb 20, 2020•1 hr 7 min•Ep 113•Transcript available on Metacast How do you change gears on Patreon once your backers have gotten used to certain rewards? But first, did you know Sha-Na-Na opened for Jimi Hendrix at Woodstock? Questions asked and topics covered... Changing gears on Patreon What mistakes would you avoid if you started all over Offering limited-edition prints Preparing your business for an economic recession Limited-edition ComicLab enamel pins are now available at newevilbook.com and sheldonstore.com ! You get great rewards when you support Co...
Feb 13, 2020•1 hr 7 min•Ep 112•Transcript available on Metacast What's the best process for submitting your work to the Eisner Award committee? Dave and Brad get some great advice from Jackie Estrada, who has been in charge of the awards since 1990. But first, Brad's sons ask how they got their names... and the answers are revealing. Questions asked and topics covered... Eisner Award advice Intermittent updates An "About" page for your cast Applying the "webcomics business model" to other types of media Do you have to respond to every comment? Is RSS really ...
Feb 06, 2020•1 hr 11 min•Ep 111•Transcript available on Metacast How do you find a comics mentor? How could you become one? We talk about the importance of mentorships and how to get involved in one. But first, Dave and Brad are using FaceTime to communicate while they're recording the podcast... and it's just not working out. Questions asked and topics covered... Finding a mentor Bringing back inspiration Synchronizing comic time and real time How can a cartoonist limit their carbon footprint? How to introduce a character quickly and effectively Limited-edit...
Jan 30, 2020•1 hr 5 min•Ep 110•Transcript available on Metacast Webtoons is a popular platform for independent comics publishers. But with practically no options for reader outreach, is it worth the effort? But first, Dave shares his vacation waterslide adventure... and his lack of fandom for Freakazoid Questions asked and topics covered... The Far Side we called it Clip Studio Paint doesn't have OpenType support and that needs to change Should you be building your audience on Webtoons? Do you want to know why a reader left your comic? Obsessing over an audi...
Jan 23, 2020•1 hr 23 min•Ep 109•Transcript available on Metacast From YouTubes new policy regarding Childrens Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) to SmackJeeves' site-wide changes, the ComicLab guys realize that living by the platform can mean dying by the platform. Then they take delight in an ingenious plan to expose unscrupulous T-shirt vendors that use social-media comments to steal copyrighted illustrations. Next, Dave talks about how comics is a career you can build SAFELY. And, when a listener asks how to overcome their boredom over the drawing proce...
Jan 16, 2020•1 hr 25 min•Ep 108•Transcript available on Metacast This episode of ComicLab is sponsored by Wacom ! On this week's show, the ComicLab guys talk about buying advertising. Actually, the discussion centers more closely on where NOT to buy ads. Then they advise a writer who is on their third draft and struggling to get to a finished version. And finally, the guys discuss what comics do better than any other medium. But first, we can learn a lot about comics craft in watching "The Madalorian." Questions asked and topics covered... If you had $10k to ...
Jan 09, 2020•1 hr 16 min•Ep 106•Transcript available on Metacast The season finale of ComicLab is sponsored by Wacom ! To celebrate the new year, the ComicLab guys are taking a look back on some of their favorite moments from 2019. The Best Of ComicLab in 2019... Calvin & Hobbes audiobook Dave Kellett's So-So Art The Jigglr (feat. Kevin McShane) Dirty throttle body Dave's wedding cake Voltron Satanic pugs Drunk Orson Welles Brad's podcasting under a blanket Dave at the dentist Tipping Inspirational Ikea e-mails Country singers Smooth move Kisses These jerks e...
Jan 02, 2020•1 hr 24 min•Ep 107•Transcript available on Metacast This episode of ComicLab is sponsored by Wacom ! On this week's show, the ComicLab guys talk about hand lettering. How can someone beat the learning curve? Then, Dave pitches a superhero comic, while Brad pitches a space opera. And finally, when a listener share their mentors admonition to "learn the rules so you can break them," both Brad and Dave share all of the mistakes they made following that very advice. But first, while their house undergoes a full remodeling project, Brad and his family...
Dec 26, 2019•1 hr 8 min•Ep 105•Transcript available on Metacast This episode of ComicLab is sponsored by Wacom ! On this week's show, the ComicLab guys discuss the strategy behind creating a comic solely for the film rights. Is this really a good idea? But first, could Brad win in a fight with a hamster? Questions asked and topics covered... Creating comics for the film rights Scheduling time to get drunk Autobio comics... why are they so sad? Improving your autobiographical comic Comics consultations Limited-edition ComicLab enamel pins are now available at...
Dec 19, 2019•1 hr 6 min•Ep 104•Transcript available on Metacast This episode of ComicLab is sponsored by Wacom ! On this week's show, the ComicLab guys talk about hiring an editor. It's more than catching spelling errors. A good editor can help craft your story and improve your plot. But first, Dave remembers listening to Gloria's pregnancy meditation tapes during her first pregnancy. Questions asked and topics covered... What is the best way to ensure you do not inadvertently plagiarize other works? Please never use the word "doodling" How does an editor co...
Dec 12, 2019•1 hr 11 min•Ep 103•Transcript available on Metacast This episode of ComicLab is sponsored by Wacom ! On this week's show, the ComicLab guys discuss unexpected outcomes of webcomics success. Plus, Beth Reidmiller, the talented force behind the coloring of Sheldon and Drive, joins the guys to talk about collaboration and more! But first, writing tips for the sleep-deprived. NOTE: Dave's audio quality suffered a slight decline during this episode which was recorded during the same recording session as last week's show. We apologize for the momentary...
Dec 05, 2019•55 min•Ep 101•Transcript available on Metacast This episode of ComicLab is sponsored by Wacom ! On this week's show, the ComicLab guys discuss Patreon Assembly. Did it live up to the hype or have they missed an opportunity to foster creator growth? But first, how to navigate Thanksgiving and dairy farms as a professional cartoonist. Questions asked... Patreon Assembly replaced last year's PatreCon, and it wasn't an improvement Super Patreon Grant How do you pick up a new skill? Would you ever do a project just for fun? Special Offer! If you ...
Nov 28, 2019•1 hr 12 min•Ep 100•Transcript available on Metacast Today is the LAST DAY to sign up for our Special Offer at Patreon.com/ComicLab! And heres a special sneak-peek of what youll get when you join: A Patreon-exclusive Pro Tips episode. When you join, youll get over THIRTY FIVE HOURS of these episodes. You could drive from Miami to Los Angeles, and still have Pro Tips episodes left over! Special Offer... Remember: When you make your pledge before Thanksgiving, you'll get... "How To Make Webcomics" eBook (PDF) "The Webcomics Handbook" eBook (PDF) Pat...
Nov 27, 2019•27 min•Ep 102•Transcript available on Metacast 
