Comic Lab

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 abo...

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 n...

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 sheldo...

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...

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 o...

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...

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...

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 C...

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 yo...

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 a...

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 "webco...

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 cart...

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 bui...

From YouTube’s new policy regarding Children’s 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 caree...

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...

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 Dav...

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 tha...

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 a...

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...

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 — wh...

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 Pat...

Today is the LAST DAY to sign up for our Special Offer at Patreon.com/ComicLab! And here’s a special sneak-peek of what you’ll get when you join: A Patreon-exclusive “Pro Tips” episode. When you join, you’ll 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...

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 chara...

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 Hollywoo...

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 a...