Comic Lab

Latest Episodes:

How to get started in comics, 2024 edition Jan 18, 2024

Show notes

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...

How to start a webcomic in 2024
"How do I know if my comic is good?"
UPDATE: Kindle Direct Publishing

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 exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.

If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!

Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.

Predictions and goals for 2024 Jan 11, 2024

Show notes

Veteran cartoonists Dave Kellett and Brad Guigar make some predictions and discuss their goals for the new year.

2024 Predictions

BRAD: Twitter will crash in 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
BRAD: Kickstarter will remain #1 by continuing to avoid mentioning blockchain
DAVE: SDCC will return to normal after an abnormal '23... and profits will plummet for creators

2024 Goals

DAVE: Launch "Pickles" Kickstarter in Jan/Feb, launch "Drive 4" Kickstarter in summer
BRAD: In Q1, Kickstart an Evil Inc book paired with an After Dark edition. Kickstart another book — WebcomicsHandbook, Evil Inc After Dark or collection of single-panel comics — in Q2/Q3
DAVE: Prepare for a 5-15% sales drop at Comic-Con International
BRAD: Personal appearances, including SDCC and NCS
DAVE: ComicLab Across America
BRAD: Use NON-social-media alternatives to drive Patreon.
DAVE: Revisit KIndle Direct Publishing
BRAD: Start prepping website for a post-Patreon future
DAVE: Build the ComicLab Patreon to 500 members

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 exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.

If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!

Brad learns to share Jan 04, 2024

Show notes

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 — just try — to find something worth sharing on social media.

ON TODAY'S SHOW

Searching for an effective social media strategy
A new social-media experiment — Try... just TRY to find a post worth sharing
Dave's experiment: Deleting people from the Free Membership tier. Please note: we do not, nor have we ever, endorsed this as something you should do.
Patreon delays its IPO

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 exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.

If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!

2023 — The Year in Review Dec 28, 2023

Show notes

Veteran cartoonists Dave Kellett and Brad Guigar look back on their predictions for 2023. They nailed a few and failed a few!

PREDICTION SCORECARD

Patreon will slowly entice people away from the Founder's level -- WRONG
TikTok will be banned in the US -- WRONG
CSP will unveil amazing features / Webtoons publishing -- RIGHT
Webtoons publishing -- RIGHT
Twitter fade -- RIGHT
DC Comics implosion -- RIGHT
No one will be using Mastodon (in large enough numbers to replace Twitter) -- RIGHT
GPT 3.5 will be used for brainstorming and co-writing scripts using AI writing -- RIGHT?
We'll see the first AI writing-art webcomic... and it will be good --WRONG
Copyright law will catch up to AI art -- WRONG
Blockchain is coming back -- WRONG
Original art will become more valuable.

What we DIDN'T predict!

Patreon's switch to social media
Comic-Con loses its Hall H guests — and it was a big win for comics artists
No replacement for Twitter... not BlueSky, not Threads (and definitely not Mastodon!)

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 exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.

If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!

Where do you get ideas? Recorded live at the NCS Rueben Weekend Dec 21, 2023

Show notes

While we were at the National Cartoonists Society Rueben Awards Weekend, we stopped cartoonists and asked them one question: When you need to spark creativity — and nothing is happening — how do you find ideas? Today's show is a compilation of those responses.

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 exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.

If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!

We hate Patreon's Free Membership Tier Dec 14, 2023

Show notes

Patreon unveiled a free membership tier, and it's really throwing a monkey wrench into things.

ON THIS WEEK'S SHOW...

It's official. We hate Patreon's Free Membership Tier
Understanding Parody & Free Use
Do Dave and Brad ever fight?!

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 exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.

Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive.

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 exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.

If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!

Declaring organizational bankrupcy Dec 07, 2023

Show notes

Dave brings in a new concept for the holidays — declaring organizational bankruptcy.

ON THIS WEEK'S SHOW...

Declaring organizational bankruptcy
A scaled-back Kickstarter?
UPDATE: Mastodon
Posting schedule?

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 exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.

Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive.

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 exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.

If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!

Does your comic have an expiration date? Nov 30, 2023

Show notes

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...

Writing comics with a shelf life
YouTube instead of Patreon?
Amazon KDP
Using Patreon as an archive

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 exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.

Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive.

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 exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.

If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!

"Critique my work for only a dollar!" Nov 23, 2023

Show notes

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...

A Patreon level for constructive feedback
Dave at WorldCon?
UPDATE: Clip Studio update... feeling kinda screwed
What happens to your books after you die
What extras should go into a digital book?

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 exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.

Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive.

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 exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.

If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!

Parasocial parables Nov 16, 2023

Show notes

Is it wise to exploit parasocial relationships to get more Patreon backers?

ON THIS WEEK'S SHOW...

Drunk ComicLab
Parasocial relationships on Patreon
Are ads making a comeback?
After the Thanos Snap — would Brad and Dave do a podcast?

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 exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.

Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive.

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 exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.

If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!

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