Comic Lab
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328 episodes
It's our most useful, actionable, practical show yet! Stufffed with handy tips and constructive advice for cartoonists and comic creators! ON TODAY'S SHOW __ __ YOU GET GREAT REWARDS WHEN YOU JOIN THE COMICLAB COMMUNITY ON PATREON http://patreon.com/comiclab __ __ Brad Guigar is the creator of EVIL INC https://evil-inc.com/ and the author of The Webcomics Handbook https://bradguigar.substack.com/. Dave Kellett is the creator of SHELDON https://sheldoncomics.com/ and DRIVE https://drivecomic.com/.
Dave has some thoughts on AI. And Brad hates to stretch. That's it. That's the show. ON TODAY'S SHOW __ __ NOTE: The Kickstarter for Brad's new books ends this week! https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/guigar/evil-inc-power-couple?ref=4l7iy9 Time is running out! YOU GET GREAT REWARDS WHEN YOU JOIN THE COMICLAB COMMUNITY ON PATREON http://patreon.com/comiclab __ __ Brad Guigar is the creator of EVIL INC https://evil-inc.com/ and the author of The Webcomics Handbook https://bradguigar.substack.com/. Dave Kellett is the creator of SHELDON https://sheldoncomics.com/ and DRIVE https://drivecomic.com/.
Scott Kurtz is on the show to talk about the release of his new book, "Table Titans Club." It's available at Target stores nationwide https://www.target.com/p/table-titans-club-by-scott-kurtz/-/A-89755451?preselect=89317190#lnk=sametab, along with Amazon https://amzn.to/3uLXUwi, Barnes & Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/table-titans-club-scott-kurtz/1143604731?ean=9780823456819, and your local bookstore https://bookshop.org/p/books/table-titans-club-scott-kurtz/20138032?ean=9780823453160! ON TODAY'S SHOW __ __ NOTE: The Kickstarter for Brad's new Evil Inc graphic novel is in full swing! https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/guigar/evil-inc-power-couple?ref=4l7iy9 YOU GET GREAT REWARDS WHEN YOU JOIN THE COMICLAB COMMUNITY ON PATREON http://patreon.com/comiclab __ __ Brad Guigar is the creator of EVIL INC https://evil-inc.com/ and the author of The Webcomics Handbook https://bradguigar.substack.com/. Dave Kellett is the creator of SHELDON https://sheldoncomics.com/ and DRIVE https://drivecomic.com/.
Kickstarter delivers on Discovery in a big way. So would it be wise to use it to replace our failing social media platforms? ON TODAY'S SHOW __ __ YOU GET GREAT REWARDS WHEN YOU JOIN THE COMICLAB COMMUNITY ON PATREON http://patreon.com/comiclab __ __ Brad Guigar is the creator of EVIL INC https://evil-inc.com/ and the author of The Webcomics Handbook https://bradguigar.substack.com/. Dave Kellett is the creator of SHELDON https://sheldoncomics.com/ and DRIVE https://drivecomic.com/.
TikTok and Instagram reels are moving to the forefront of social media. Is it time to learn video/animation so you can promote your webcomic? ON THIS WEEK'S SHOW... __ __ YOU GET GREAT REWARDS WHEN YOU JOIN THE COMICLAB COMMUNITY ON PATREON http://patreon.com/comiclab __ __ Brad Guigar is the creator of EVIL INC https://evil-inc.com/ and the author of The Webcomics Handbook https://bradguigar.substack.com/. Dave Kellett is the creator of SHELDON https://sheldoncomics.com/ and DRIVE https://drivecomic.com/.
Every once in a while, someone asks if it's possible actually to make a living in comics. It's a fair question, and it deserves an honest answer. SPONSORED BY... ComicLab is brought to you this week by the book https://dashboard.simplecast.com/accounts/07117aed-1b7d-47f6-95f4-06c8421ef613/shows/1021f92e-2010-48c6-a30b-f4f9d36ede9b/episodes/3330c39c-c3df-49ed-a6ee-cedd84f19cfa/howcomicsweremade.inkComics historian and ComicLab fan Glenn Fleishman has spent years researching the history of newspaper comic strip production and reproduction and is bringing his expertise to this printed work full of comics from Yellow Kid through Krazy Kat, Doonesbury, Peanuts, and, yes, Dave's own ! It will feature never-before-seen original drawings and printing artifacts, such as "flongs," the hilarious old-fashioned name for printing molds. The book draws from museum collections like the Billy Ireland Library and the Charles M Schulz Library, generous access to artists' own archives, and Glenn's personal collection. Glenn's taking the book to crowdfunding in February, using lessons drawn from this very podcast! You can read more about the book or sign up to get an alert when the campaign launches by going to howcomicsweremade.ink. ON THIS WEEK'S SHOW... __ __ YOU GET GREAT REWARDS WHEN YOU JOIN THE COMICLAB COMMUNITY ON PATREON http://patreon.com/comiclab __ __ Brad Guigar is the creator of EVIL INC https://evil-inc.com/ and the author of The Webcomics Handbook https://bradguigar.substack.com/. Dave Kellett is the creator of SHELDON https://sheldoncomics.com/ and DRIVE https://drivecomic.com/.
A listener asks if they should write one big, successful comic or several mediocre ones. We have a bigger question: Also, it turns out the whole "Substack nazi" thing was yet another case of Platform Panic. SPONSORED BY... ComicLab is brought to you this week by the book /howcomicsweremade.inkComics historian and ComicLab fan Glenn Fleishman has spent years researching the history of newspaper comic strip production and reproduction and is bringing his expertise to this printed work full of comics from Yellow Kid through Krazy Kat, Doonesbury, Peanuts, and, yes, Dave's own Drive! It will feature never-before-seen original drawings and printing artifacts, such as "flongs," the hilarious old-fashioned name for printing molds. The book draws from museum collections like the Billy Ireland Library and the Charles M Schulz Library, generous access to artists' own archives, and Glenn's personal collection. Glenn's taking the book to crowdfunding in February, using lessons drawn from this very podcast! You can read more about the book or sign up to get an alert when the campaign launches by going to howcomicsweremade.ink. ON THIS WEEK'S SHOW... __ __ SUBSTACK'S PLATFORM PANIC For more information on this topic, please check out these posts: __ __ Many of the people who were making the most noise on this issue are switching to Ghost. Check out Ghost's TOS https://ghost.org/conduct/#:~:text=Note%3A%20Our%20code%20of%20conduct%20applies%20to%20participation%20in%20Ghost%20communities%20and%20events%20which%20are%20created%20and%20managed%20by%20us.%20We%20do%20not%20control%20or%20manage%20what%20people%20choose%20to%20publish%20on%20their%20own%20websites. — in which they've even their clause on refusing to moderate content! And, on top of that, the total number of nazi accounts that were found on Substack was only 5 or 6, none of them monetized, and collectively had fewer than 200 followers-- and most of them wound up being taken down by Substack anyway. YOU GET GREAT REWARDS WHEN YOU JOIN THE COMICLAB COMMUNITY ON PATREON http://patreon.com/comiclab __ __ Brad Guigar is the creator of EVIL INC https://evil-inc.com/ and the author of The Webcomics Handbook https://bradguigar.substack.com/. Dave Kellett is the creator of SHELDON https://sheldoncomics.com/ and DRIVE https://drivecomic.com/.
BE ADVISED: We'll be discussing issues like death and dying in this episode. Dave turns fifty years old, and it has us talking about cartooning in the second half of one's life. And we're not the only ones asking existential questions. Our first question asker is worried that they're not going to have time to work on all of their ideas in one lifetime! Finally, we break down Wacom's troubling use of AI art in a promotional image! ON THIS WEEK'S SHOW... __ __ YOU GET GREAT REWARDS WHEN YOU JOIN THE COMICLAB COMMUNITY ON PATREON http://patreon.com/comiclab __ __ Brad Guigar is the creator of EVIL INC https://evil-inc.com/ and the author of The Webcomics Handbook https://bradguigar.substack.com/. Dave Kellett is the creator of SHELDON https://sheldoncomics.com/ and DRIVE https://drivecomic.com/.
We often advise that beginners write a few short stories to sharpen their comics-making skills before they tackle that 200-page epic that they're burning to produce! But how do you write a short story? Today's show offers an easy-to-follow, step-by-step guide! Use this blueprint to participate in the COMICLAB SHORT STORY CHALLENGE! PLUS... if it's a benefit to list your comic on as many eStores as possible, why is it a bad idea to do the same with crowdfunding platforms? ON THIS WEEK'S SHOW... __ __ THE COMICLAB SHORT STORY CHALLENGE Write a comic between eight and 16 pages using the Story Circle as a guide. The Story Circle has eight steps: YOU / NEED / GO / SEARCH / FIND / TAKE / RETURN / CHANGE. There is more information on the Story Circle in the links below. You may spend up to two pages on each step. No more. Each written page must translate directly into a page of comics, so be sure to take that into account when you're writing! Your final comic must tell a complete story — no cliffhangers; no open-ended conclusions! It must have a beginning, a middle, and an end. When you're finished, post it in the #IMADETHIS channel on the ComicLab Discord server so we can all marvel at your prowess! __ __ YOU GET GREAT REWARDS WHEN YOU JOIN THE COMICLAB COMMUNITY ON PATREON http://patreon.com/comiclab __ __ Brad Guigar is the creator of EVIL INC https://evil-inc.com/ and the author of The Webcomics Handbook https://bradguigar.substack.com/. Dave Kellett is the creator of SHELDON https://sheldoncomics.com/ and DRIVE https://drivecomic.com/.
As last year came to a close, it was becoming very clear that social media has been failing to deliver what we traditionally relied on it for — reaching our current readers and finding new ones. So this year Brad is trying out a new platform — Subsack. But that comes with a whole new learning curve — and more than a few ethical issues to wrestle with! SHOW NOTES: Two points of clarification. First, the question is raised whether a user can export an email list from Substack. This is, indeed a feature https://support.substack.com/hc/en-us/articles/6314498343700-How-do-I-export-my-email-list-on-Substack-. Secondly, Dave asked Brad which of his social media platforms has the biggest user base. Brad's answer was Twitter https://twitter.com/guigar, but upon further review, it's TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@bradguigar. That fact puts the ensuing discussion into a slightly different framework. ON THIS WEEK'S SHOW... __ __ YOU GET GREAT REWARDS WHEN YOU JOIN THE COMICLAB COMMUNITY ON PATREON http://patreon.com/comiclab __ __ Brad Guigar is the creator of EVIL INC https://evil-inc.com/ and the author of The Webcomics Handbook https://bradguigar.substack.com/. Dave Kellett is the creator of SHELDON https://sheldoncomics.com/ and DRIVE https://drivecomic.com/.
One of our most often-requested topics is "How do I start a webcomic?" We're going to give you some step-by-step instructions — updated for the new year! Plus... we always stress the importance of doing a good comic. That begs another question: "How do I know if my comic is good?" ON THIS WEEK'S SHOW... __ __ YOU GET GREAT REWARDS WHEN YOU JOIN THE COMICLAB COMMUNITY ON PATREON http://patreon.com/comiclab __ __ Brad Guigar is the creator of EVIL INC https://evil-inc.com/ and the author of The Webcomics Handbook https://bradguigar.substack.com/. Dave Kellett is the creator of SHELDON https://sheldoncomics.com/ and DRIVE https://drivecomic.com/.
Veteran cartoonists Dave Kellett and Brad Guigar make some predictions and discuss their goals for the new year. 2024 PREDICTIONS __ __ 2024 GOALS __ __ YOU GET GREAT REWARDS WHEN YOU JOIN THE COMICLAB COMMUNITY ON PATREON http://patreon.com/comiclab __ __ Brad Guigar is the creator of EVIL INC https://evil-inc.com/ and the author of The Webcomics Handbook https://bradguigar.substack.com/. Dave Kellett is the creator of SHELDON https://sheldoncomics.com/ and DRIVE https://drivecomic.com/.
Better late than never, Brad learns to share. On social media, that is. And, using what he learned after weeks of analysis, he has a challenge for you: Try — — to find something worth sharing on social media. ON TODAY'S SHOW __ __ YOU GET GREAT REWARDS WHEN YOU JOIN THE COMICLAB COMMUNITY ON PATREON http://patreon.com/comiclab __ __ Brad Guigar is the creator of EVIL INC https://evil-inc.com/ and the author of The Webcomics Handbook https://amzn.to/3uXUXVm. Dave Kellett is the creator of SHELDON https://sheldoncomics.com/ and DRIVE https://drivecomic.com/.
Veteran cartoonists Dave Kellett and Brad Guigar look back on their predictions for 2023. They nailed a few and failed a few! PREDICTION SCORECARD __ __ WHAT WE DIDN'T PREDICT! __ __ YOU GET GREAT REWARDS WHEN YOU JOIN THE COMICLAB COMMUNITY ON PATREON http://patreon.com/comiclab __ __ Brad Guigar is the creator of EVIL INC https://evil-inc.com/ and the author of The Webcomics Handbook https://amzn.to/3uXUXVm. Dave Kellett is the creator of SHELDON https://sheldoncomics.com/ and DRIVE https://drivecomic.com/.
While we were at the National Cartoonists Society Rueben Awards Weekend, we stopped cartoonists and asked them one question: Today's show is a compilation of those responses. YOU GET GREAT REWARDS WHEN YOU JOIN THE COMICLAB COMMUNITY ON PATREON http://patreon.com/comiclab __ __ Brad Guigar is the creator of EVIL INC https://evil-inc.com/ and the author of The Webcomics Handbook https://amzn.to/3uXUXVm. Dave Kellett is the creator of SHELDON https://sheldoncomics.com/ and DRIVE https://drivecomic.com/.
Patreon unveiled a free membership tier, and it's really throwing a monkey wrench into things. ON THIS WEEK'S SHOW... __ __ YOU GET GREAT REWARDS WHEN YOU JOIN THE COMICLAB COMMUNITY ON PATREON http://patreon.com/comiclab __ __ Brad Guigar is the creator of EVIL INC https://evil-inc.com/ and the author of The Webcomics Handbook https://amzn.to/3uXUXVm. Dave Kellett is the creator of SHELDON https://sheldoncomics.com/ and DRIVE https://drivecomic.com/. YOU GET GREAT REWARDS WHEN YOU JOIN THE COMICLAB COMMUNITY ON PATREON http://patreon.com/comiclab __ __ Brad Guigar is the creator of EVIL INC https://evil-inc.com/ and the author of The Webcomics Handbook https://amzn.to/3uXUXVm. Dave Kellett is the creator of SHELDON https://sheldoncomics.com/ and DRIVE https://drivecomic.com/.
Dave brings in a new concept for the holidays — declaring organizational bankruptcy. ON THIS WEEK'S SHOW... __ __ YOU GET GREAT REWARDS WHEN YOU JOIN THE COMICLAB COMMUNITY ON PATREON http://patreon.com/comiclab __ __ Brad Guigar is the creator of EVIL INC https://evil-inc.com/ and the author of The Webcomics Handbook https://amzn.to/3uXUXVm. Dave Kellett is the creator of SHELDON https://sheldoncomics.com/ and DRIVE https://drivecomic.com/.
Referring to current events may give your comic an edge today, but it can also make your work harder for future generations to enjoy. ON THIS WEEK'S SHOW... __ __ YOU GET GREAT REWARDS WHEN YOU JOIN THE COMICLAB COMMUNITY ON PATREON http://patreon.com/comiclab __ __ Brad Guigar is the creator of EVIL INC https://evil-inc.com/ and the author of The Webcomics Handbook https://amzn.to/3uXUXVm. Dave Kellett is the creator of SHELDON https://sheldoncomics.com/ and DRIVE https://drivecomic.com/.
A ComicLab listener would like his friends to give him feedback on his comic — and he wants them to subscribe to his Patreon to do it. ON THIS WEEK'S SHOW... __ __ YOU GET GREAT REWARDS WHEN YOU JOIN THE COMICLAB COMMUNITY ON PATREON http://patreon.com/comiclab __ __ Brad Guigar is the creator of EVIL INC https://evil-inc.com/ and the author of The Webcomics Handbook https://amzn.to/3uXUXVm. Dave Kellett is the creator of SHELDON https://sheldoncomics.com/ and DRIVE https://drivecomic.com/.
Is it wise to exploit parasocial relationships to get more Patreon backers? ON THIS WEEK'S SHOW... __ __ YOU GET GREAT REWARDS WHEN YOU JOIN THE COMICLAB COMMUNITY ON PATREON http://patreon.com/comiclab __ __ Brad Guigar is the creator of EVIL INC https://evil-inc.com/ and the author of The Webcomics Handbook https://amzn.to/3uXUXVm. Dave Kellett is the creator of SHELDON https://sheldoncomics.com/ and DRIVE https://drivecomic.com/.
Patreon has unveiled a massive update to its service, and we'll discuss the good, the bad, and the ugly. ON THIS WEEK'S SHOW... The Good __ __ The Bad __ __ The Ugly __ __ YOU GET GREAT REWARDS WHEN YOU JOIN THE COMICLAB COMMUNITY ON PATREON http://patreon.com/comiclab __ __ Brad Guigar is the creator of EVIL INC https://evil-inc.com/ and the author of The Webcomics Handbook https://amzn.to/3uXUXVm. Dave Kellett is the creator of SHELDON https://sheldoncomics.com/ and DRIVE https://drivecomic.com/.
Sure, making comics is fun, but do we ever do serious work, like painting, sculpting, or other classical art forms? ON THIS WEEK'S SHOW... __ __ YOU GET GREAT REWARDS WHEN YOU JOIN THE COMICLAB COMMUNITY ON PATREON http://patreon.com/comiclab __ __ Brad Guigar is the creator of EVIL INC https://evil-inc.com/ and the author of The Webcomics Handbook https://amzn.to/3uXUXVm. Dave Kellett is the creator of SHELDON https://sheldoncomics.com/ and DRIVE https://drivecomic.com/.
The Gannett newspaper chain, which includes USA Today and about 200 other daily newspapers, has selected 34 syndicated comics. Each of its newspapers will be limited to running comics from that list. Any comic that didn't make the list has been shut out of roughly 20% of the existing market. Not surprisingly, most of the 34 are legacy comics whose original creators are long since deceased. This is the end of syndicated comics. ON THIS WEEK'S SHOW... __ __ YOU GET GREAT REWARDS WHEN YOU JOIN THE COMICLAB COMMUNITY ON PATREON http://patreon.com/comiclab __ __ Brad Guigar is the creator of EVIL INC https://evil-inc.com/ and the author of The Webcomics Handbook https://amzn.to/3uXUXVm. Dave Kellett is the creator of SHELDON https://sheldoncomics.com/ and DRIVE https://drivecomic.com/.
We're thrilled to welcome Jamar Nicholas https://jamarnicholas.weebly.com/, creator of Leon The Extraordinary https://amzn.to/3Q5SmnU, to talk shop with us! ON THIS WEEK'S SHOW... __ __ YOU GET GREAT REWARDS WHEN YOU JOIN THE COMICLAB COMMUNITY ON PATREON http://patreon.com/comiclab __ __ Brad Guigar is the creator of EVIL INC https://evil-inc.com/ and the author of The Webcomics Handbook https://amzn.to/3uXUXVm. Dave Kellett is the creator of SHELDON https://sheldoncomics.com/ and DRIVE https://drivecomic.com/.
Dave and Brad return from the National Cartoonist Society Reuben Awards with stories, anecdotes, and reflections. ON THIS WEEK'S SHOW... __ __ YOU GET GREAT REWARDS WHEN YOU JOIN THE COMICLAB COMMUNITY ON PATREON http://patreon.com/comiclab __ __ Brad Guigar is the creator of EVIL INC https://evil-inc.com/ and the author of The Webcomics Handbook https://amzn.to/3uXUXVm. Dave Kellett is the creator of SHELDON https://sheldoncomics.com/ and DRIVE https://drivecomic.com/.
cartoonist Jason Chatfield https://www.jasonchatfield.com/ and "Sarah's Scribbles https://sarahcandersen.com/" cartoonist Sarah Andersen join Brad and Dave at the Farewell Brunch, closing out the National Cartoonist Society's Reuben Awards events. YOU GET GREAT REWARDS WHEN YOU JOIN THE COMICLAB COMMUNITY ON PATREON http://patreon.com/comiclab __ __ Brad Guigar is the creator of EVIL INC https://evil-inc.com/ and the author of The Webcomics Handbook https://amzn.to/3uXUXVm. Dave Kellett is the creator of SHELDON https://sheldoncomics.com/ and DRIVE https://drivecomic.com/.
Is comics a young person's game? Pull up a (rocking) chair, and let's talk about it! ON THIS WEEK'S SHOW... __ __ YOU GET GREAT REWARDS WHEN YOU JOIN THE COMICLAB COMMUNITY ON PATREON http://patreon.com/comiclab __ __ Brad Guigar is the creator of EVIL INC https://evil-inc.com/ and the author of The Webcomics Handbook https://amzn.to/3uXUXVm. Dave Kellett is the creator of SHELDON https://sheldoncomics.com/ and DRIVE https://drivecomic.com/.
Which is more important for a cartoonist to learn — writing or drawing? ON THIS WEEK'S SHOW... __ __ YOU GET GREAT REWARDS WHEN YOU JOIN THE COMICLAB COMMUNITY ON PATREON http://patreon.com/comiclab __ __ Brad Guigar is the creator of EVIL INC https://evil-inc.com/ and the author of The Webcomics Handbook https://amzn.to/3uXUXVm. Dave Kellett is the creator of SHELDON https://sheldoncomics.com/ and DRIVE https://drivecomic.com/.
Thanos snaps his fingers and erases Brad and Dave's careers. They have all their current knowledge, talents, and skills. But they don't have their titles, audiences, or archives. What, where, and how do they RESTART? ON THIS WEEK'S SHOW... __ __ YOU GET GREAT REWARDS WHEN YOU JOIN THE COMICLAB COMMUNITY ON PATREON http://patreon.com/comiclab __ __ Brad Guigar is the creator of EVIL INC https://evil-inc.com/ and the author of The Webcomics Handbook https://amzn.to/3uXUXVm. Dave Kellett is the creator of SHELDON https://sheldoncomics.com/ and DRIVE https://drivecomic.com/.
There's a definite benefit to making mistakes early in your career. They have a much lower impact than the ones that come later. ON THIS WEEK'S SHOW... __ __ YOU GET GREAT REWARDS WHEN YOU JOIN THE COMICLAB COMMUNITY ON PATREON http://patreon.com/comiclab __ __ Brad Guigar is the creator of EVIL INC https://evil-inc.com/ and the author of The Webcomics Handbook https://amzn.to/3uXUXVm. Dave Kellett is the creator of SHELDON https://sheldoncomics.com/ and DRIVE https://drivecomic.com/.
