Comic Lab

Latest Episodes:

How to Beat Writer's Block Sep 30, 2021

Show notes

Today's show is brought to you by Wacom — makers of the powerful, professional, portable Wacom One! After Brad shared his debilitating bout with Writer's Block in episode 191, he shares how he overcame it, and started creating again. Also, the guys discuss what the shipping crisis could mean for small business this holiday season.

Questions asked and topics covered...

Writers Block — how to overcome it
The shipping crisis and holiday shopping
What exactly is "Small Press" — and how does one qualify?
Search “cartoonist” in the the New York Times and you'll get mostly obituaries. Why aren't we newsworthy?!
When should a reader step in?

Today is a great time to bump up your ComicLab membership to the $10 tier! Patreon backers at that level will get exclusive access to livestream recording sessions — as well as an archive of previous livestreams!

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.
$10 — Gain access to the ComicLab livestreamed recording sessions (including an archive of past livestreams), plus $5-tier rewards

Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the editor of Webcomics.com Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive.

Listen to ComicLab on...

ComicLab is hosted on Simplecast, helping podcasters since 2013. with industry-leading publishing, distribution, and sharing tools.

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.

Will Substack change comics? Sep 23, 2021

Show notes

Today's show is brought to you by Wacom — makers of the powerful, professional, portable Wacom One! This week, we're discussing the recent exodus of top talent from corporate comics to Substack, a subscription-based email-newsletter platform.

Questions asked and topics covered...

What is Substack?Substack is an online platform that provides publishing, payment, analytics, and design infrastructure to support subscription newsletters. It allows writers to send digital newsletters directly to subscribers.
Creators are given a payment for their first year — between $3k and about $150k. After that, the creators take the standard deal, which is based on the number of subscribers they've earned, minus fees from Substack, credit-card companies, etc.
What's in this for Substack? Buying users. They currently have around 500,000. Patreon has 6 million.
Will this be a turning point for the creators? We'll know in about 366 days — after the advance runs out and they're left with only their subscribers.
What does this say about Marvel/DC? If things were going well with corporate comics, then a start-up like Substack would never be able to lure top talent away.
Is this good for readers? We'll know in 366 days.
What does this mean for webcomics? Very little. It's a variation on a theme that many of us have been applying for over 20 years.
Is this a good time for Substack creators to abandon social media? No. If anything, this is the time to double down.
What about some other creators that Substack has signed who embrace hateful messages?

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.
$10 — Gain access to the ComicLab livestreamed recording sessions (including an archive of past livestreams), plus $5-tier rewards

Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the editor of Webcomics.com Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive.

Listen to ComicLab on...

ComicLab is hosted on Simplecast, helping podcasters since 2013. with industry-leading publishing, distribution, and sharing tools.

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!

Kickstarter — What's working and what's not Sep 16, 2021

Show notes

Today's show is brought to you by Wacom — makers of the powerful, professional, portable Wacom One! This week, we've devoted the entire show to Kickstarter — what's working, what's not, and how you can improve your campaign!

Questions asked and topics covered...

Kickstarter is the most tangible, real-world, evidence-based way to show how impossibly HARD it is to reach people, even with a focused message
Kickstarter Self-loathing vs “people not hearing about it”
Traceable Kickstarter links
Managing Kickstarter money
Kickstarter post-mortem
Kicktraq is almost always hyper-optimistic... here's a better way to project earnings
Instagram's is nearly useless
Is TikTok going to be better?

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.
$10 — Gain access to the ComicLab livestreamed recording sessions (including an archive of past livestreams), plus $5-tier rewards

Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the editor of Webcomics.com Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive.

Listen to ComicLab on...

ComicLab is hosted on Simplecast, helping podcasters since 2013. with industry-leading publishing, distribution, and sharing tools.

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!

Beginnings and Endings Sep 09, 2021

Show notes

Today's show is brought to you by Wacom — makers of the powerful, professional, portable Wacom One! This week, we're talking about posting your very first comic, and later we'll talk about how to write a good ending.

Questions asked and topics covered...

Making that first post
Matt Forbeck (@mforbeck) explains why his gaming company will discontinue shipping to the EU
Q3 Estimated tax payments are due on the 15th
We found a Writers Room in the wild...
How to write a good ending

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.
$10 — Gain access to the ComicLab livestreamed recording sessions (including an archive of past livestreams), plus $5-tier rewards

Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the editor of Webcomics.com Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive.

Listen to ComicLab on...

ComicLab is hosted on Simplecast, helping podcasters since 2013. with industry-leading publishing, distribution, and sharing tools.

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!

Email newsletter management Sep 02, 2021

Show notes

Today's show is brought to you by Wacom — makers of the powerful, professional, portable Wacom One! This week, we're talking about building your email newsletter.

Questions asked and topics covered...

E-mail newsletter management
Ending your comic and starting something new

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.
$10 — Gain access to the ComicLab livestreamed recording sessions (including an archive of past livestreams), plus $5-tier rewards

Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the editor of Webcomics.com Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive.

Listen to ComicLab on...

ComicLab is hosted on Simplecast, helping podcasters since 2013. with industry-leading publishing, distribution, and sharing tools.

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!

The ideal career path for comics Aug 26, 2021

Show notes

Today's show is brought to you by Wacom — makers of the powerful, professional, portable Wacom One! This week, we're talking about the ideal career path for comics

Questions asked and topics covered...

Kickstarter strategy of "fun" Stretch Goals
Ideal comics career path
"Pro-am status"
Is "do a good comics" really all there is?

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.
$10 — Gain access to the ComicLab livestreamed recording sessions (including an archive of past livestreams), plus $5-tier rewards

Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the editor of Webcomics.com Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive.

Listen to ComicLab on...

ComicLab is hosted on Simplecast, helping podcasters since 2013. with industry-leading publishing, distribution, and sharing tools.

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!

Juggling multiple projects Aug 19, 2021

Show notes

Today's show is brought to you by Wacom — makers of the powerful, professional, portable Wacom One! This week, we're talking about juggling multiple projects.

Questions asked and topics covered...

Juggling two projects
Sound effects
Patreon solves VAT dilemma for its creators
Running out of Patreon rewards

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.
$10 — Gain access to the ComicLab livestreamed recording sessions (including an archive of past livestreams), plus $5-tier rewards

Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the editor of Webcomics.com Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive.

Listen to ComicLab on...

ComicLab is hosted on Simplecast, helping podcasters since 2013. with industry-leading publishing, distribution, and sharing tools.

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!

Exhibiting at your first comic con Aug 12, 2021

Show notes

Today's show is brought to you by Wacom — makers of the powerful, professional, portable Wacom One! This week, we're devoting a special hour-and-a-half episode to advice for exhibiting at comic conventions!

Questions asked and topics covered...

Exhibiting at your first comic con
Hidden costs you need to be aware of
Why Dave does comic conventions
What Dave won't do at shows
Hot Nerd Summer — how to safely do comic cons
Four strategies if you're going to exhibit

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.
$10 — Gain access to the ComicLab livestreamed recording sessions (including an archive of past livestreams), plus $5-tier rewards

Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the editor of Webcomics.com Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive.

Listen to ComicLab on...

ComicLab is hosted on Simplecast, helping podcasters since 2013. with industry-leading publishing, distribution, and sharing tools.

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!

Finding your voice as a writer Aug 05, 2021

Show notes

Today's show is brought to you by Wacom — makers of the powerful, professional, portable Wacom One! This week, Dave shares his strategy for meeting his Kickstarter goal in the opening days — and juicing the algorithm — by using Patreon!

Questions asked and topics covered...

Reaching a Kickstarter goal in the opening days — using Patreon
Finding your voice as a writer
Schulz Museum
What if comic cons never came back
TikTok
Lettering for Web vs print

Today is a great time to bump up your ComicLab membership to the $10 tier! Patreon backers at that level will get exclusive access to livestream recording sessions — and an archive of previous livestreams!

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.
$10 — Gain access to the ComicLab livestreamed recording sessions (including an archive of past livestreams), plus $5-tier rewards

Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the editor of Webcomics.com Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive.

Listen to ComicLab on...

ComicLab is hosted on Simplecast, helping podcasters since 2013. with industry-leading publishing, distribution, and sharing tools.

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!

Pride and Joy Jul 29, 2021

Show notes

Today's show is brought to you by Wacom — makers of the powerful, professional, portable Wacom One! Are you self-conscious about self-promotion? Brad has a suggestion: Talk about your Pride or talk about your Joy. It's a bulletproof marketing technique!

Questions asked and topics covered...

Pride & Joy
The history of Dave's sci-fi comic, Drive
Paywalling the archive — pros and cons

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.
$10 — Gain access to the ComicLab livestreamed recording sessions, plus $5-tier rewards

Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the editor of Webcomics.com Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive.

Listen to ComicLab on...

ComicLab is hosted on Simplecast, helping podcasters since 2013. with industry-leading publishing, distribution, and sharing tools.

You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon