Comic Lab

Start your webcomic using the latest platforms, monetization methods, and social media strategies. If you're launching a new comic in 2025, this episode has all the information you'll need to get it off the ground!  How to start a webcomic in 2025 Don’t try to “game” your readership. Write about what YOU like Building readership takes time and consistency. Creating for love is essential in the ear...

Cartoonists Brad Guigar, Dave Kellett and Kevin McShane are teaming up on a new show — The Wrong Way ! We'll teach you how to draw your favorite cartoon characters without getting sued over copyright theft! Along the way, we'll share tips, tell stories, and roast each other mercilessly. Pay attention and you might learn how to draw The Wrong Way! Today's Show Wrong way Clever vs funny Summary In t...

A ComicLab member complained about following too many people on Bluesky. It was too difficult for them to cultivate a feed that suited their interests! This brought up a topic that has Dave and Brad divided: Are you on social media for business or pleasure? Today's Show You're not on social media to read UPDATE: Spice Rack Comics webring (NSFW) — special thanks to Matt Sowers at RCSI Publishing UP...

As we begin a new year, cartoonists Dave Kellett and Brad Guigar make their predictions for 2025 and share their goals for the next twelve months. Predictions DAVE: Business planning anxiety BRAD: Because of Dave’s prediction, the winners will be people who help address that anxiety. (That’s us!) Be the distraction/escape people need; they won’t forget you.  DAVE: Bluesky at 50M by the end of the...

At the beginning of the year, Dave and Brad made a series of predictions and set some personal goals for the year. The year is over, and it's time to see how they fared. Predictions for 2024 BRAD: Twitter will crash in 2023 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 B...

A father is concerned that comics no longer reach kids, suggesting that video games are the better value measured by engagement time. What can we do to reverse this trend?  On today's show How can comics reach kids? UPDATE: Buffer (see addendum below) How can I avoid Trump's tariffs? (see other addendum below) Addendum One day after we recorded the drop that explained that Buffer did not support v...

Writing humor takes a lot of time and patience. We'll discuss ways to persevere. Summary In this episode, Brad Guigar and Dave Kellett share insights on the creative process of writing humor, emphasizing that humor can be both an inherited trait and a learned skill. The conversation highlights the necessity of trial and error in developing a comedic voice and the various factors influencing one's...

What happens when your story gets too big for you to handle? Are you the right person for the job? (And if not you, then who??) On Today's Show: In over your head UPDATE: It was FCS all along  Crossbar i technicality Advice to your older self Summary In this episode, the hosts discuss the challenges creators face, particularly when tackling complex themes such as systemic injustice in long-term co...

Does an aspiring comics artist/writer need a college degree? And, if so, which degree is best? Next, a listener asks why Brad publishes his weekly comics page in half-page increments. What schools do we recommend ? Why does Brad publish twice a week? Substack and Bluesky Summary In this episode of ComicLab, hosts Brad Guigar and Dave Kellett explore the importance of higher education for aspiring...

How do you explain to someone that you're a professional cartoonist? More importantly — should you even try?! Also, Dave and Brad share details about the software they use, and Brad extolls the virtues of a Patreon content exchange. On Today's Show... How do you explain to people that you're a professional cartoonist? What software is best for comics? Take a break this holiday Patreon content exch...

When comic creators try to market their comics, they often confuse what their comic is about with who it's for. Cartoonists Dave Kellett and Brad Guigar offer some guidance on making compelling promotions that work. In the show's second half, the boys have a devil of a time talking about angel investing. Summary In this episode, Brad Guigar and Dave Kellett explore how comic creators can broaden t...

When a listener asks about Kickstarter strategy, the ComicLab guys are divided! Dave favors the traditional webcomics approach. Build your audience by posting the comic online, then monetize that engagement with a Kickstarter. Brad likes this, but he could also see using Kickstarter's strengths in Discovery to build the audience through a series of smaller campaigns that lead to a big one. Summary...

After years of listening to Brad and Dave extoll the virtues of self-publishing, a ComicLab listener signed with a corporate publisher. Poor sales and paltry marketing left them dissatisfied, so of course, they wrote in with one burning question: Who should I sign with next? Also, should you ever explain a joke? Topics The first publisher was a disappointment... and we want to try it again illustr...

BlueSky is beginning to feel like Twitter did ten years ago! Engagement is up, conversations are happening, and follower counts are rising — with actual people! Is it too good to be true? Also, encouraging your readers to take a hand in writing your comic may be good community building... but is it good writing? On today's show UPDATE: Is BlueSky IT?  Collaborative storytelling — letting your read...

Cartoonists Dave and Brad share some thoughts with a young humor writer trying to find their Funny. Also: Is BlueSky pulling ahead in the social-media race? Today's show: Writing jokes faster UPDATE: Patreon opens recommendations for NSFW creators UPDATE: TikTok court case moves forward Putting social media into perspective Making drawing fun again Summary In this conversation, Brad Guigar and Dav...

Having wrapped up his 16th Kickstarter, cartoonist Dave Kellett shares some insights about setting realistic expectations, avoiding paid advertising, and the death of social media. Also: recent innovations by both Kickstarter and Patreon show considerable promise for the crowdfunding platforms. Summary In this conversation, the hosts discuss the emotional rollercoaster of running a Kickstarter cam...

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 convince...

In the final installment of a three-part series on the National Cartoonists Society  conference and Reuben Awards  celebration, cartoonists Dave Kellett and Brad Guigar sit down over a couple of tasty adult beverages and share stories and reflections on this year's event. You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon $2 —  Early access to episodes $5 — Submit a questio...

Dave Kellett and Brad Guigar take their podcast on the road, recording this episode live at the Comic-Con Museum in San Diego as part of the National Cartoonists Society conference and Reuben Awards celebration! They were joined on stage by Danesh Mohiuddin , Hilary B. Price , and Tauhid Bondia to discuss the pressing issues facing cartoonists in the years to come.  On today's show: How are you ad...

Dave Kellett and Brad Guigar take their podcast on the road, recording this episode live at the Comic-Con Museum in San Diego as part of the National Cartoonists Society conference and Reuben Awards celebration! They were joined on stage by Maria Scrivan , Hector Cantu , and Dana Simpson to discuss the pressing issues facing cartoonists in the years to come.  On today's show: How are you addressin...

Dave Kellett discusses the three phases of art. First, you're just trying to make it work. Then, you try to make it right. And after you've mastered those, you can begin to make it fast. On today's show: Make it work, make it right, make it fast UPDATE: Danielle Corsetto's lettering tips UPDATE: Substack Notes advice UPDATE: KDP and Global Comix Summary The hosts discuss the stages of artistic dev...

Apple has initiated a plan to take 30% of all transactions made through the Patreon iOS app. That has caused creators to panic, spreading misinformation and making poorly thought-out claims. Many people trying to explain the situation to their backers got their facts wrong, hurting their own revenue. Dave and Brad sit down and sort out the facts from the friction. On today's show: Dave's Comic-Con...

Brad and Dave discuss using rewards and add-ons in a Kickstarter campaign. Then, they tackle the problem of whether your dialogue should feature proper English or your character's "natural" speech. Today's show Kickstarter mistake — confusing rewards with add-ons Check out Dave's Kickstarter at Newdrivebook.com Should you write in proper English? UPDATE: Reuben Awards — two live ComicLab shows on...

As Brad Guigar travels to Bad Axe, Michigan, to spend a fun-filled week with his family, Kevin McShane steps in to talk comics with Dave Kellett.  In this conversation, David and Kevin discuss various topics related to comics, including their experiences with "Love Is" comics at their weddings, the potential future advancements in comic-making technology, and different marketing strategies for sha...

Show note: Unfortunately, we had some daunting technical difficulties during this recording session, so we had to switch to Zoom to record half of the show. As Dave Kellett recovers from a successful San Diego Comic-Con, Scott Kurtz steps in to help Brad talk about making a graphic novel. In the second half, the two spill some tea over early webcomic history.  THIS WEEK How to make a graphic novel...