Making Comics

This week, we talk about settling into a new process for comic pages (2:45), understanding creative limitations and when to outsource (9:20), color flatting issues (15:45), inking your first page (19:50), and the cloud-gathering phase for a story (30:00) before we share our 2026 creative goals (38:00).

It's part two of the 2025 Year-end Episode! As is tradition, we welcome Gary Hodges (D vs M) to discuss the second part of our year-end favorites including dark horse / pleasant surprise (1:15), purchase of the year (7:30), comic of the year (24:50), comic artist of the year (37:40), and comic writer of the year (52:30).

It's the 2025 Year-end Episode! As is tradition, we welcome Gary Hodges (D vs M) to discuss part one of our year-end favorites including favorite beer (3:00), YouTube show (10:30), TV Show of the year (37:00), movie of the year (44:00), and many more.

It's the 2025 Holiday Episode! As is tradition, we welcome Gary Hodges (Dinosaurs vs. Marsbots) and discuss nice - our proudest achievement for the year (5:00) and naughty - our greatest learning for the year (28:10), before we present a "fresh for '25" holiday hot take extravaganza (42:30)!

This week, we recap our creative retreat and discuss focused inking for three pages (3:50), keeping your curiosity through the learning process (13:40), the unspoken language of comics (20:00), drawing versus writing when it comes to thinking (33:00), and things to think about when you thumbnail (40:30), before we revisit talking heads pages (51:40).

This week, we talk about the crucial mid-campaign work for a Kickstarter (6:00), staying locked-in through the pencils stage (15:10), conveying facial emotion (20:20), and commission pieces and the learning curve (28:10), before a discussion on style (44:00).

This week, we talk about separating story from art direction on your pages (7:00), doing your own reference photos (16:00), reflecting on your book when it gets delivered (24:15), working past your minimum output goals (27:30), knowing when to stop for the moment on a story (33:10), and getting completed comic pages back from the artist (40:10) before this week's topic: finishing your first co...

This week, we talk about being on the creator side of a Kickstarter launch (6:00), finding those pockets of time in the day be creative (10:30), how to convey story time without burning your story's real estate (17:15), and field notes from Fresno Comic Expo (27:00) before this week's topic: things to consider while drawing (33:15).

This week, we discuss and example of a life experience going directly into a story (5:30), how to address high panel counts for comic pages (14:15), using reference in drawing versus learning structure (25:50), and returning to an aging commission (38:50) before this week's topic: what to think about while writing and scripting (42:30).

It's the five year anniversary! This episode, we review our productivity over the five year duration of the podcast (6:00), the importance of feedback in creative growth (15:45), getting different perspectives (26:20), and so much more on craft and how we as creators evolve. Crack open your favorite beverage and celebrate with us!

This week, we talk about getting to an intimidating page (5:20) and still enjoying it, how experience creates in-writing awareness (11:10), comic script revisions (18:50), turnarounds and a drill for figure drawing (24:00), and this week's topic in the "making your first comic" series - the right amount of work to put in your character before you start scripting (37:30).

This week, we talk about dialing into a feature / detail (3:30), a Kickstarter launch delay and the reasoning (11:15), flatting pages once they're complete (18:05), returning to a daily writing routine (25:40), deciding to go with a pop culture reference (37:30), and getting your first feedback on drawing (41:00) before Part Two of the "Making your First Comic" series: world-building...

This week, we talk about more of the "office" work you have to do to make books (6:00), making pages off of a partial comic script (15:45), drawing your first page (19:00), reviewing your work to make sure every panel is essential (27:35), planning out future comics and conventions (43:00), then talk about our main topic: the idea and story structure for your first comic (49:15).

This week, we talk about reworking story pages (4:00), keeping a journal and scene scouting (10:20), knowing when the script you left in a drawer needs an update, and making revisions (17:05), figuring out the scene structure for a story (21:10), getting public feedback on cover layouts (29:00), what a professional is (48:00), and finding variant covers in your archives (54:30).

This week, we talk about the work behind "mini-documentary" pieces that tie to a Kickstarter campaign (3:20), year two of a local convention (12:15), wrapping up work before a trip (26:30) and the creativity on that trip, setting as a character (35:00), and putting the finishing touches on Kickstarter rewards (44:40).

This week, we discuss the momentum that builds through page work (4:15), the necessary work in building a publisher's reach (12:10), building an art print portfolio (20:20), putting care into the promotion for a book (34:30), preparing for a convention (42:00), and getting inspiration from your reading (47:30).

This week, we discuss problem-solving in lettering (7:30), the more involved comic pages (24:00), planning out the buildup to a Kickstarter (32:20), creating more art for a convention (42:00),

This week, we talk about productive page work (4:05), unpacking a visual style (8:30), the right time to send a story off to readers (11:20), the benefits of adding new skills to your skillset (20:45), the initial stages of setting up a Kickstarter (30:40), tabling at a one-day show (35:30), and finding what you like in a story that aged nine months (46:15).

This week, we welcome Cory Kerr ( Rage of Enlightenment ) to discuss a bunch of things, including a new Bay Area convention (6:00), being a comic vendor at a non-comic show (18:00), a rollercoaster "fan at the show" story (22:00), bringing themes to your work (40:30), studying comics to make comics (45:40), and the ideas that created Rage of Enlightenment (56:40).

This week, we talk about a fun side project (4:25), inhabiting a character's point of view (9:20), further PDF assembly hijinks (16:45), and convention prep (29:00) before our main topic: endings (37:40).

This week, we talk about the genesis of a new artistic journey (3:20), constructing a final PDF of a trade paperback (21:50), when fellow creators spot your story flaws (31:30), and making good on a (personally) important art page (42:00).

It's a seven person, live-in-the-studio roundtable! This week, we welcome creators Scott Serkland ( Young and the Dead ), Cory Kerr ( Rage of Enlightenment ), Gary Hodges ( Dinosaurs vs Marsbots ), Jim Lujan ( The Unicornians ) and Josh Kemble ( Jacob's Apartment, Two Stories ) to recap a creative retreat and discuss an inspirational 'proof of concept' piece (3:40), the nonlinear w...

This week, we discuss re-lettering (3:40), the road to improvement in your work (21:00), client work and business branding (35:00), exploring a new technology for productivity (39:10), and rethinking your story's framework (49:20).

This week, we recap our San Diego Comic Con weekends, starting with commission work and how the process streamlined (3:15), when your SDCC is meetings and panels (14:30), and selling at a table for a few hours (21:30) before we discuss the nuances of starred out profanity (31:00) and the value of thinking differently (43:00).

This week, we recap the G-Fest convention (4:00), benchmarking your Kickstarter against previous ones (16:30), getting clarity on a future project (30:20), finalizing a new cover design (42:40), and this week's main topic: staying in love with a long-term project (46:40).