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 SHOW How does fatherhood affect writing? UPDATE: Google's AI meltdown UPDATE: Zines are not "nutty" UPDATE: Dave may have been wrong about Patreon'...
Jun 20, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Ep 340•Transcript available on Metacast 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...
Jun 13, 2024•1 hr•Ep 338•Transcript available on Metacast 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 ...
Jun 06, 2024•1 hr 10 min•Ep 339•Transcript available on Metacast 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 dete...
May 30, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Ep 337•Transcript available on Metacast 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 hand...
May 23, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Ep 336•Transcript available on Metacast 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 SHOW How much story to write Should you be doing a zine? Gutters Borders Distribution 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 p...
May 16, 2024•1 hr 15 min•Ep 335•Transcript available on Metacast 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 SHOW Kickstarter post mortem...
May 09, 2024•1 hr 10 min•Ep 334•Transcript available on Metacast 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 SHOW Building traffic vs. building an audience UPDATE: SDCC Panels UPDATE: Dave's 500 for 50 Is 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 $...
May 02, 2024•1 hr 12 min•Ep 333•Transcript available on Metacast 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 podca...
Apr 25, 2024•1 hr 14 min•Ep 332•Transcript available on Metacast 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 SHOW Jason Chatfield on Substack Chatfield on creative collaborations Doing standup at Dangerfield's Chatfield on building subscriptions on Substack Is There Something In This? podcast You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Commun...
Apr 18, 2024•1 hr 18 min•Ep 331•Transcript available on Metacast We all have creative peaks and valleys. How can we maximize the good times and minimize the bad? ON TODAY'S SHOW Can you really maximize creativity? UPDATE: Dave's TikTok prediction may still come true UPDATE: 3-part series on Kickstarter coming to Pro Tips Favorite 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 ...
Apr 11, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Ep 330•Transcript available on Metacast 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 SHOW Rebranding Translating a comic UPDATE: The importance of monthly Profit/Loss statements UPDATE: Authors Equity Planning 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-ti...
Apr 04, 2024•1 hr 13 min•Ep 329•Transcript available on Metacast It's our most useful, actionable, practical show yet! Stufffed with handy tips and constructive advice for cartoonists and comic creators! ON TODAY'S SHOW Pen names UPDATE: Dave's Kickstarter at picklesbook.com UPDATE: Patreon Welcome surveys Honorifics, 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 $...
Mar 28, 2024•1 hr 6 min•Ep 328•Transcript available on Metacast Dave has some thoughts on AI. And Brad hates to stretch. That's it. That's the show. ON TODAY'S SHOW Artificial Intelligence is going to force us to be more creative How 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. B...
Mar 21, 2024•56 min•Ep 327•Transcript available on Metacast 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 SHOW Reimagining the "Table Titans" webcomic as a middle-school graphic novel Working with an editor for the first time Pivoting from self-publishing to traditional publishing Book shows vs comic conventions Early accolades for the book Personal appearances NOTE: The Kickstarter for Brad'...
Mar 14, 2024•1 hr•Ep 326•Transcript available on Metacast 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 SHOW Using Kickstarter as social media? UPDATE: NCS Reuben Awards 2024 UPDATE: Dave has "Still Got it!" Posting a parody on Webtoon to gain notoriety NOTE: 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 possibl...
Mar 07, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Ep 325•Transcript available on Metacast 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 promote UPDATE: Short Story Challenge UPDATE: Eisner deadline UPDATE: AI Art A 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 reward...
Feb 29, 2024•1 hr 9 min•Ep 324•Transcript available on Metacast 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 co...
Feb 22, 2024•56 min•Ep 323•Transcript available on Metacast 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...
Feb 15, 2024•1 hr 7 min•Ep 322•Transcript available on Metacast 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 old Too many ideas for ...
Feb 08, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Ep 321•Transcript available on Metacast 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... ...
Feb 01, 2024•56 min•Ep 320•Transcript available on Metacast 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 ...
Jan 25, 2024•1 hr 14 min•Ep 319•Transcript available on Metacast 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 ...
Jan 18, 2024•1 hr 6 min•Ep 318•Transcript available on Metacast Veteran cartoonists Dave Kellett and Brad Guigar make some predictions and discuss their goals for the new year. 2024 Predictions BRAD: Twitter will crash in 2024 DAVE: Social media will remain distributed over five or six platforms BRAD: Web users will begin to pivot away from social media DAVE: Patreon will move closer to an IPO BRAD: Kickstarter will remain #1 by continuing to avoid mentioning blockchain DAVE: SDCC will return to normal after an abnormal '23... and profits will plummet for cr...
Jan 11, 2024•1 hr 16 min•Ep 317•Transcript available on Metacast 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 SHOW Searching for an effective social media strategy A new social-media experiment Try... just TRY to find a post worth sharing Dave's experiment: Deleting people from the Free Membership tier. Please note: we do not, nor have we ever , endorsed this as something you should...
Jan 04, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Ep 316•Transcript available on Metacast Veteran cartoonists Dave Kellett and Brad Guigar look back on their predictions for 2023. They nailed a few and failed a few! PREDICTION SCORECARD Patreon will slowly entice people away from the Founder's level -- WRONG TikTok will be banned in the US -- WRONG CSP will unveil amazing features / Webtoons publishing -- RIGHT Webtoons publishing -- RIGHT Twitter fade -- RIGHT DC Comics implosion -- RIGHT No one will be using Mastodon (in large enough numbers to replace Twitter) -- RIGHT GPT 3.5 wil...
Dec 28, 2023•1 hr 4 min•Ep 315•Transcript available on Metacast 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. Brad Guigar is the creator o...
Dec 21, 2023•43 min•Ep 314•Transcript available on Metacast 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 Tier Understanding Parody & Free Use Do 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 ...
Dec 14, 2023•1 hr 12 min•Ep 313•Transcript available on Metacast Dave brings in a new concept for the holidays declaring organizational bankruptcy. ON THIS WEEK'S SHOW... Declaring organizational bankruptcy A scaled-back Kickstarter? UPDATE: Mastodon Posting 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 ...
Dec 07, 2023•57 min•Ep 312•Transcript available on Metacast 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 life YouTube instead of Patreon? Amazon KDP Using Patreon as an archive 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...
Nov 30, 2023•1 hr 2 min•Ep 311•Transcript available on Metacast 
