Episode description

Attending this year's National Cartoonists Society conference and Reuben Awards has changed Dave's bucket list. He wants one of those danged trophies! (And so does Brad.) Also, after Dave looks at the analytics from his recent Kickstarter, he decides to leave Twitter and Instagram once and for all.

On Today's Show

• UPDATE: ComicLab stingers
• Dave's new Bucket List
• UPDATE: Dave's Kickstarter convinces him to leave both Twitter and Instagram
• UPDATE: Patreon's Autopilot
• Too many different comics?
• Pen name for a teacher?
•  Taking a break to build up your buffer
• Made with Human Intelligence icons
• Artificial Intelligence

Summary

In this episode, Brad and Dave discuss their bucket list goals for their comics careers and the importance of leaving a legacy. Dave reveals his desire to win the Reuben Award and an Eisner, sell a book with high sales, and be invited to Angoulême or Japan as a guest. They also discuss the effectiveness of social media platforms for promoting their work. In the next half hour of the conversation, the hosts discuss Patreon's new Autopilot feature, which sends discounts to selected free members who seem likely to upgrade. They also talk about the importance of picking a lane and building a brand as a cartoonist and the benefits of using a pen name when transitioning to a new career. The hosts advise against switching between different comic genres and styles, as it can make it challenging to build an audience. They also recommend removing old comics that didn't gain traction and focusing on creating high-quality, well-branded work. The conversation explores using AI in creative work and the implications of labeling work as 'not made with AI.' The hosts discuss using pen names and the creative freedom it allows. They also touch on the challenges of typography on curved surfaces and the potential hypocrisy of artists when it comes to AI. They discuss AI's short-term and long-term impact on the creative industry.

Takeaways

• Technical difficulties can be frustrating, but finding solutions and recording is essential.
• Having goals and aspirations in your comics career, such as winning awards or achieving high book sales, can provide motivation and a sense of accomplishment.
• Creators often desire to leave a legacy, which can be achieved through awards, book sales, and recognition from peers.
• Different social media platforms have varying levels of effectiveness for promoting comics, and it's crucial to find the ones that work best for you.
• Sharing your goals and aspirations with others can help hold you accountable and provide support and encouragement.
• Patreon's Autopilot feature sends discounts to free members who are likely to upgrade, improving the free-to-paid membership upgrade rate.
• Picking a lane and building a brand is vital for cartoonists to attract and retain an audience.
• Using a pen name can be beneficial when transitioning to a new career, such as becoming a public school teacher.
• Switching between different comic genres and styles can make it challenging to build an audience.
• Taking down old comics that didn't gain traction and focusing on creating high-quality, well-branded work can help build momentum and attract readers. Using a pen name can provide creative freedom and allow exploring different themes and styles.
• Typography on curved surfaces can be challenging and requires advanced skills.
• Artists may have hypocritical views on AI, being against its use in certain areas but accepting it in others.
• The short-term impact of AI in the creative industry may involve a crash-and-burn scenario due to wasted VC money, but in the long term, AI is here to stay.
• The ethical sourcing of AI is an essential consideration for its acceptance in creative work.

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Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive.