Comic Lab

Latest Episodes:

PatreCon Nov 29, 2018

Show notes

Cartoonists Dave Kellett and Brad Guigar are talking shop! Brad flew out to Los Angeles to attend PatreCon with his podcastin' pal Dave. Today, they talk about what they thought of the conference in general, what they learned, and most importantly how their approach to Patreon is going to change in the immediate future. BUT FIRST... Brad took delivery of the print run of his new book, and everything went wrong.

Show notes

00:00 — Brad took delivery of his new book, and everything went wrong
12:48 — Flying Spirit Airlines
19:53 — PatreCon… first impressions
24:10 — PatreCon… good food!
28:38 — SimpleCast has ComicLab considering changing podcast hosts
29:55 — Eyeing the Reddit/Patreon
integration
30:44 — The ComicLab Discord server is bustling with
activity
31:49 — Backerkit is pushing physical rewards… hard. Good
luck with that.
34:43 — PatreCon’s Main Stage… inspirational vs
pragmatic
41:03 — Brad’s major complaint… too many people on stage
with no skin in the game
45:08 — Dave’s note-taking is pretty amazing
48:14 — The biggest A-ha! moments of the conference
54:16 — Re-connecting with old friends
55:40 — The Patreon 3-Month Itch is a
concept you NEED to be aware of
58:27 — Three ways to expand your
Patreon
59:20 — Dave’s to-do list… THIRTY actionable items from PatreCon

Great rewards when you support ComicLab

$2 — support the show

$5 — submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast

$10 — record an audio question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast

$50 — Sponsor the show! We’ll read a brief promo for your comic/product and read it twice during the show AND you get the exclusive ProTips podcast

Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the editor of Webcomics.com

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!

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.

Special Guest Alex Heberling Nov 22, 2018

Show notes

Cartoonists Dave Kellett and Brad Guigar are joined by the wonderful Alex Heberling to talk shop! They talk about handling discouragement and burn-out, staying motivated, and taking time for self-care. Then Alex shares the harrowing story of the trepidatious phone call Brad made when he approached her to work on Evil Inc After Dark. BUT FIRST… Brad questions his own judgement when get gets into a Twitter fight over typography.

Show notes

00:00 — Brad gets into a Twitter fight over typography
07:44 — Introducing Alex Heberling
10:43 — Dave is color blind
14:12 — Handling discouragement
17:19 — The beauty of a quiet readership
23:23 — How to keep motivated
31:03 — Handling burn-out
42:57 — The creative cocoon
44:00 — How to find a good therapist
46:17 — Promoting a new comic with a “Coming Soon” announcement
55:49 — Alex talks about the trepidatious phone call Brad made when he approached her to work on Evil Inc After Dark

Great rewards when you support ComicLab

$2 — support the show

$5 — submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast

$10 — record an audio question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast

$50 — Sponsor the show! We’ll read a brief promo for your comic/product and read it twice during the show AND you get the exclusive ProTips podcast

Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the editor of Webcomics.com

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!

Are you a webcomics hustler? Nov 15, 2018

Show notes

Cartoonists Dave Kellett and Brad Guigar are talking shop! When a Patreon backer asks for tips on hustling and networking, Brad gets uncomfortable. Then, the guys struggle to make sense of demographic data. And finally, they help a fellow cartoonist navigate book distribution.

BUT FIRST, Dave asks... if you could see one statistic floating over people's heads, what would it be?

Show notes

13:17 — Game show themes for fun and profit
15:27 — Brad thought Graham Chapman did the Monty Python animations — not Terry Gilliam. He is a dunce.
17:12 — Tips on hustling and networking
34:37 — Understanding demographic information
52:34 — Navigating book distribution

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!

What level of Patreon support denotes success? Nov 08, 2018

Show notes

Cartoonists Dave Kellett and Brad Guigar are talking shop! This week, they’re talking about avoiding boredom, and they take a deep dive on grappling with self-doubt. THEN they talk about how they adapt their writing processes to address those issues. NEXT, they talk about the dangers of sharing your self-doubt on social media. AND finally, a crucial question for today’s independent creators: What level of Patreon support denotes success?

Show notes

00:00 — The “hi-five retweet”
06:10 — Since you have long-running series, how do you stay interested and not get bored nor riddled with self-doubt?
07:45 — Talking about Brad’s writing process
15:56 — Give yourself the option to switch comics
17:17 — Self doubt
20:12 — Don’t share your self-doubt on social media
24:23 — What level of Patreon support denotes success?

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!

Special guest Ngozi Ukazu Nov 01, 2018

Show notes

Webcomics weirdos Dave Kellett and Brad Guigar are talking comics with Ngozi Ukazu, creator of “Check, Please.” She talks sports comics, art school, self-publishing, and a wide range of creative challenges. BUT FIRST, Raina Telgemeier’s new book, “Guts,” receives a million-book print order, and we’re stoked!

Show notes

00:00 — Raina Telgemeier’s new book, “Guts,” receives a million-book print order
02:34 — Introducing Ngozi Ukazu, creator of “Check, Please.”
03:12 — The comics scene in Austin, Texas
04:48 — The Philadelphia Flyer’s new mascot, Gritty
06:42 — Ngozi’s love of hockey — and sports, in general
10:46 — Sports manga
17:58 — The “Check, Please” website has a design worth swiping.
25:19 — The creative backstory to “Check, Please.”
28:10 — The “Check, Please” book is the highest-funded webcomic project on Kickstarter, and here’s the story behind his that happened
34:56 — Ngozi threads the needle between indie publishing and traditional publishing
37:17 — Getting an MFA at SCAD (with an undergraduate degree at Yale)
41:00 — Ngozi’s early days of self-publishing
43:10 — Being a writer first
43:59 — The best superhero comic: “My Hero Academia”
49:21 — A common thread among successful creators — they’re voracious readers
51:34 — Ngozi’s newest project — a comic about playing softball team from an art school
52:21 — Sports comics
53:32 — Sources for instruction on the topic of character development
58:26 — Building a world-building wiki
01:04:00 — How to stay organized

Great rewards when you support ComicLab

$2 — support the show

$5 — submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast

$10 — record an audio question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast

$50 — Sponsor the show! We’ll read a brief promo for your comic/product and read it twice during the show AND you get the exclusive ProTips podcast

Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the editor of Webcomics.com

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!

“Muaauughhh, the French… champagne…” Oct 25, 2018

Show notes

Webcomics weirdos Dave Kellett and Brad Guigar are talking comics! When a Patreon backer hits the viral jackpot, they wonder if it wasn’t fool’s gold. This turns into a discussion of smart online marketing, how publishing religious content is like posting NSFW comics, and one overarching theme — social media isn’t about generating Buzz so much as it’s about building Community. Then, the boys talk about getting a publisher excited about comics, and finally, those sentimental things we hold onto that we should probably let go.

BUT FIRST, “Muaauughhh, the French… champagne…”

Show notes

00:00 — Orson Welles stumbles through a Paul Mason wine commercial blitzed off his keister.
09:48 — It’s illegal to run a raffle on Patreon… unless you do it this way.
18:10 — Going viral… is it “fool’s gold”?
22:40 — If your promotion isn’t clickable, it’s useless
24:46 — Frequent/Consistent/Significant still plays a role in today’s webcomics publishing
28:19 — Posting cartoons about divisive topics will have significant consequences
29:35 — Publishers of religious-themed content should pay close attention to how successful publishers of NSFW content operate. The two require a very similar approach
32:23 — Niche publishing
35:37 — Generating BUZZ on social media vs cultivating COMMUNITY
43:43 — Buying advertising is too much money for not enough return
44:28 — Being a guest on a podcast/YouTube channel… is it good promotion?
46:36 — Webcomics growth is usually slow growth
47:31 — How do you go about getting a publisher excited about comics if they're not typically known for it?
56:46 — What are the things you should probably sacrifice practically speaking, but you're just not ready to part with, because they remind you of good times of why you love being a cartoonist?
01:07:54 — When you’re introduced to a cartoonist who is apparently a big deal...but you’ve never heard of them

Great rewards when you support ComicLab

$2 — support the show

$5 — submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast

$10 — record an audio question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast

$50 — Sponsor the show! We’ll read a brief promo for your comic/product and read it twice during the show AND you get the exclusive ProTips podcast

Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the editor of Webcomics.com

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!

Special Guest Jake Parker discusses Inktober Oct 18, 2018

Show notes

Webcomics watchmen Dave Kellett and Brad Guigar are talking Inktober with Jake Parker, the founder of Inktober. They discuss Inktober, how it started, and where it’s going.

BUT FIRST, Dave’s niece sums up his fashion sense with brutal accuracy.

Show notes

00:00 — Dave’s fashion sense is “Costco New Balance shoes and a single-color polo.”
03:06 — Introducing Jake Parker, founder of Inktober
03:38 — A look inside the Inktober inbox
07:26 — What is Inktober?
10:22 — Inktober is one of many, many equally-good art-related challenges this month
24:14 — Is digital art allowed in Inktober?
28:16 — The psychology of Inktober
29:37 — Now that Dave’s Kickstarter is over, the gang talks about what they’ve done that has worked well on Kickstarter — and what hasn’t worked so well.
48:42 — Brad has officially convinced Dave to try Backerkit!
49:36 — How far do you take a pencil sketch before you start inking?
59:59 — Jake has talked to his podcast co-hosts about having Brad as a guest on their show. That talk, evidently, went very, very bad.

Great rewards when you support ComicLab

$2 — support the show

$5 — submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast

$10 — record an audio question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast

$50 — Sponsor the show! We’ll read a brief promo for your comic/product and read it twice during the show AND you get the exclusive ProTips podcast

Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the editor of Webcomics.com

Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive.

Jake Parker’s websites are MrJakeParker and Inktober.

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!

Special guest Lex Fajardo, Senior Editor, Charles Schulz Studio Oct 11, 2018

Show notes

Webcomics wranglers Dave Kellett and Brad Guigar are talking shop with Lex Fajardo. He's an Eisner Award winner, Senior Editor of Charles Schulz Studios, and the creator of his own comic series Kid Beowulf. When he asks if Patreon is right for him, he gets an earful... and a top-down restructuring of his entire approach (whether he wanted it or not)!

BUT FIRST, Brad refuses to give that lady at SmartCuts his phone number.

Show notes

00:00 — Brad refuses to give SmartCuts his phone number
04:40 — Introducing Lex Fajardo, Eisner Award winner, Senior Editor of Charles Schulz Studios, and cartoonist of Kid Beowulf.
10:33 — When a cartoonist's day job is... cartooning
30:13 — "Is Patreon right for me?"
01:05:28 — Should you redraw old comics if your new stuff is significantly better?
01:13:30 — The joys of a two-week buffer
01:14:46 — Longform: Don't post pages... post significant plot chunks

Great rewards when you support ComicLab

$2 — support the show

$5 — submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast

$10 — record an audio question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast

$50 — Sponsor the show! We’ll read a brief promo for your comic/product and read it twice during the show AND you get the exclusive ProTips podcast

Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the editor of Webcomics.com

Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive.

Lex Fajardo's comic is Kid Beowulf.

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!

Special guest Kazu Kibuishi Oct 04, 2018

Show notes

Webcomics workhorses Dave Kellett and Brad Guigar are talking shop with Kazu Kibuishi on the eve of the release of the eighth book in his graphic-novel series, _"Amulet." _The New York Times Best-Selling graphic novelist talks about the early crisis that redefined his career.

BUT FIRST, Kazu Kibuishi enjoys a tasty, tasty croissant.

Show notes

00:00 — "What am I — the Queen??"
xx:18 — Introducing Kazu Kibuishi
03:24 — Leading a team of artists on a single project
08:15 — Is it energizing working in a studio environment?
10:00 — Promoting a book through social media and travel
16:30 — The early "failure" that redefined Kazu's career
28:25 — Persistence sometimes includes stepping away
31:28 — Planning an epic-length comic / Kazu's process
38:00 — How to approach a publisher / the importance of having an agent
44:30 — How much impact ro reader comments and feedback have on your writing?
50:43 — What skills have you developed that time has rendered useless, and do you wish you could have that time back?
57:49 — What is the best part of your day / least favorite part?

Great rewards when you support ComicLab

$2 — support the show

$5 — submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast

$10 — record an audio question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast

$50 — Sponsor the show! We’ll read a brief promo for your comic/product and read it twice during the show AND you get the exclusive ProTips podcast

Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the editor of Webcomics.com

Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive.

Kazu Kibuishi's eight _"Amulet" _book is available right now!

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!

Generating Buzz on Twitter Sep 27, 2018

Show notes

Webcomics warriors Dave Kellett and Brad Guigar are talking shop! They discuss why you should be encouraging people to follow your Kickstarter campaign — and how it translates into big money in the last 72 hours of your marketing push. THEN, a thoughtful Patreon backer asks how they can support the web cartoonist in their life. NEXT, a backer asks for strategies for building buzz on Twitter (short of a flame war). ALSO, the guys give advice on knowing which parts of your webcomics business you should outsource. And FINALLY, a patron asks why there has been so little innovation in webcomics.

BUT FIRST, Dave Kellett was his high school’s prom king, and Brad wants every last detail.

Show notes

00:00 — Dave Kellett: Prom King
05:58 — Roll the timpani for the DriveKickstarter.com update!
10:36 — Brad Guigar: Prom Loser
13:36 — Following a Kickstarter campaign
20:30 — How can you support the web cartoonist in your life?
28:22 — Best strategies for building buzz on Twitter
35:55 — How do you guys make the decision on what to ‘contract out’?
50:00 — Why has there been so little innovation in webcomics?

More on Twitter buzz
Since recording this episode, Brad has had some additional thoughts on generating buzz on Twitter. We plan to circle around to this topic again on the show, but in the meantime, those of you who subscribe to Webcomics.com can read about it right now.

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