Comic Lab

Today's show is brought to you by Wacom — makers of the incredible Wacom One ! To help ring in 2021, let's take one more look back at some of the moments that made us happy to be creating comics during a particularly challenging year. 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 e...

Today's show is brought to you by Wacom — makers of the incredible Wacom One ! This week, Brad and Dave have some thoughts about finding success in the new year. Questions asked and topics covered... How to be successful in 2021 Making conscious improvements on art How soon is too soon for print? Posting on the weekend? You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon $2 — Ear...

Today's show is brought to you by Wacom — makers of the incredible Wacom One ! This week, Brad and Dave talk about crafting names for the characters, places and objects in your comic. Questions asked and topics covered... Naming things "Do you ever get the urge to draw something else?" Squarespace adds an exclusive-content tier The difficulties in writing stories from personal experience Sci-fi wr...

Today's show is brought to you by Wacom — makers of the incredible Wacom One ! This week, Brad and Dave devote the entire show to one topic — Getting started. They have ten suggestions for anyone who wants to start publishing their own comic on the Web. Getting Started... Starting with the Right Attitude Don't Wait for the Right Time Update schedule: Consistent, Frequent, Significant Using Social...

Today's show is brought to you by Wacom — makers of the incredible Wacom One ! This week, Brad inaugurates a new segment called "And That's Why I Self-Publish!" Next: A site that scraped exclusive Patreon content bites the dust, and we learn from the experience. Questions asked and topics covered... And That's Why I Self-Publish Patreon content-scraper folds When to make s Patreon post public Repe...

Today's show is brought to you by Wacom — makers of the incredible Wacom One ! This week, the guys talk about blessings in disguise — moments when they didn't achieve a goal they greatly desired... and later found out that succeeding would have made their lives worse. Questions asked and topics covered... What thing did you really really want for your career, that didn’t happen...that only NOW do...

Today's show is brought to you by Wacom — makers of the incredible Wacom One ! This week, a ComicLab listener asks if it's better to write from anger or from love. Also: Is January a bad time to launch a new webcomic? Questions asked and topics covered... Which do you find more effective as a writer — comedy born from anger at something or comedy born from affection? Is January a bad time to launc...

Today's show is brought to you by Wacom — makers of the incredible Wacom One ! This week, a ComicLab listener writes in to inform Dave and Brad that neither of them "actually have a cartoonist's job." To put it lightly, the guys disagree. But first, Brad creates a socially distant candy chute for Halloween --  Questions asked and topics covered... Dave delivers a Zoom lecture to art students What...

Today's show is brought to you by Wacom — makers of the incredible Wacom One ! This week, a ComicLab listener who is just starting out in comics asks how they can build an audience on social media. Also: how do you cover the second print run after you sell out of the copies from the first run? Questions asked and topics covered... How can a beginner build a following on social media Dave complimen...

Today's show is brought to you by Wacom — makers of the incredible Wacom One ! This week, a ComicLab listener asks for the story behind Brad and Dave's friendship. Then the guys discuss whether it's OK to use photo reference. Questions asked and topics covered... What is the history of Brad and Dave's friendship? Is photo reference cheating? How do you manage multiple projects? How should you ackn...

Today's show is brought to you by Wacom — makers of the incredible Wacom One ! This week, a ComicLab listener asks Brad and Dave about their philosophies on mentoring and coaching other cartoonists. And another listener asks if Brad's advice makes it harder to succeed. Questions asked and topics covered... How to be a good mentor and coach Does Brad's advice make it harder to succeed? Is it possib...

Today's show is brought to you by Wacom — makers of the incredible Wacom One ! This week, we're thrilled to welcome our friend Keith Knight to the 'Lab. Keith's new TV series, based on his comics, is premiering on Hulu right now. We talk about "Woke," Keith's journey in comics, and the creative process of adapting comics for television. You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on...

Today's show is brought to you by Wacom — makers of the incredible Wacom One ! A ComicLab listener is trying to decide on a domain name for their comic, and Brad and Dave have some advice.  Then, Brad has an easy way to tell if your promotional outreach is actually spam. Questions asked and topics covered... Choosing a domain name "Am I a spammer?" Drawing/sketching for fun Time management You get...

Today's show is brought to you by Wacom — makers of the incredible Wacom One ! If your outreach is "Support me on Patreon," you're delivering a tone-deaf message. We're going to talk about getting more backer by adjusting your pitch. Plus, we have our first ComicLab nuptials! Questions asked and topics covered... Wedding bells! Don't say "Support me on Patreon" Pandemic update — how has your 2020...

Today's show is brought to you by Wacom — makers of the incredible Wacom One ! This week, Dave and Brad talk about the hurdles they've experienced as artists. And then, when a prominent arts educator advocates for the use of "Poor Man's Copyright," Brad's head nearly explodes. Questions asked and topics covered... Artisting hurdles Poor Man's Copyright What did Dave do at Mattel? Why don't we talk...

Today's show is brought to you by Wacom — makers of the incredible Wacom One ! This week, our friend Erika Moen joins us to talk about one of the most important topics we've ever covered on ComicLab — Mental health.  Coming soon from Erika Moen... Drawn to Sex Vol. 2: Our Bodies and Health. Have you ever wanted to learn exactly how pregnancy works? How about what to expect at your next doctor’s vi...

Today's show is brought to you by Wacom — makers of the incredible Wacom One ! As a follow-up to our conversation about writing a strong beginning to your story, we've discussed the benefits of beginning a story in media res. But action, action and more action isn't going to do the trick alone. So today we're talking about another aspect of a a strong opening — setting an emotional hook! Questions...

Today's show is brought to you by Wacom — makers of the incredible Wacom One ! This week, we're talking about using a joke that you didn't write. That topic leads into a discussion of the controversy  that exploded after Alphonso Dunn posted a video accusing Jake Parker of plagiarism. Questions asked and topics covered... Using  other people's writing in your comic The Inktober controversy — did J...

Today's show is brought to you by Wacom — makers of the incredible Wacom One ! Patreon has unveiled Annual Membership — should you promote it to your backers? Questions asked and topics covered... Catching up with Snares, a/k/a "Singapore Bob" USPS announces temporary price increases* Patreon Annual Membership Using sound effects well Avoiding politics? You get great rewards when you join the Comi...

Today's show is brought to you by Wacom — makers of the incredible Wacom One ! Brad and Dave talk about black-and-white comics — are they still viable in today's publishing landscape? Questions asked and topics covered... You are exactly where you need to be for the next step Do the recent AT&T layoffs indicate the end of DC Comics? Using the Sunday strip format to tell a short story Doing a Write...

Today's show is brought to you by Wacom — makers of the incredible Wacom One ! Brad and Dave talk about ways to find other cartoonists and comics creators in your local area. Questions asked and topics covered... Internal narration 'Return to Oz' cartoonists Finding one's local community What is the Message you're sending to your readers through your comic? Side stories make good Patreon exclusive...

Today's show is brought to you by Wacom — makers of the incredible Wacom One ! Brad and Dave talk about their experience running their first virtual comic convention! PLUS — Dave talks about his third Eisner Award nomination and his second self-administered haircut... both of which ended up in disappointment. Questions asked and topics covered... Dave's third Eisner Award nomination Studio Con rec...

Today's show is brought to you by Wacom — makers of the incredible Wacom One ! Brad and Dave talk about writing characters from outside your own personal experience. Empathy as a writing tool! Then, a listener says they're losing interest in their comic — can Dave and Brad help? Questions asked and topics covered... How do you write characters different from yourself? Losing interest in your comic...

Today's show is brought to you by Wacom — makers of the incredible Wacom One ! This week, Brad and Dave recall a guideline for reader retention from the early days of webcomics that's a relevant today as it was then — the 8-Pages Rule. Questions asked and topics covered... The return (?) of Gary Larson The 8-Pages Rule How many panels should an average page have? Removing the obstacles from drawin...

Today's show is brought to you by Wacom — makers of the incredible Wacom One ! This week, a Patreon backer asks how they can build their own Writers' Room. Questions asked and topics covered... Building you own Writers' Room Falling asleep at the drawing desk The importance of writing Calling it quits after ten years Paypal micropayments You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community o...