Comic Lab

Latest Episodes:

Comics awards, pen names and warm-up sketches May 03, 2018

Show notes

The Eisner Award nominations were announced, and there's a lot to talk about! Then it's on to questions from our Patreon backers. In a social-media landscape that favors branding the creators themselves over their creations, it it OK to have a pen name? And what's the best approach to warm-up sketches?

BUT FIRST... Brad hit a monster pothole on a winding Philadelphia thoroughfare, rupturing the tire, forcing him to pull over on a road with no shoulder and wait for AAA Roadside Assistance for over an hour as cars swerved around the curve, narrowly missing collision after collision.

And it was his in-laws' car.

Show notes

0:00 — Brad hits a pothole in his in-laws' car
10:56 — There are now 5½ hours of ProTips!
13:02 — Dave's recording in his closet. And getting no respect.
13:51 — mini-review — the Orbi mesh wifi system
15:13 — Drunk ComicLab is coming!
17:35 — Brad does a podcast and gets interrupted repeatedly.
18:47 — Eisner Award nominations
33:33 — The Hugo Awards
35:41 — Warm-up sketches
38:00 — Doing pencilling/sketches in multiple layers
47:50 — Are pen names poison on social media?

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.

Handling negative comments and clingy fans Apr 26, 2018

Show notes

Dave and Brad field some tough questions about the best ways to handle negative comments and clingy fans. They also discuss using Instagram stories for comics promotion and strategies for writing longform comics

But first, following up on last week's fascination with the "B.C." comic strip, Brad tells Dave about how the Flintstones used to do in-show smoking commercials.

Show notes

3:24 — "The Flintstones" did smoking commercials
6:19 — Brad gets a bicycle, and that touches off some memories
13:39 — Audio Question: What about Instagram Stories for promoting comics?
22:15 — Building a webcomics career is a little like building "drip sandcastles."
26:47 — Handling negative comments
41:37 — Strategies for writing longform comics
45:42— Writing yourself into a corner. On purpose.
56:47 — How to deal with clingy fans

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!

Hashing out hashtags, online gag comics and update schedules Apr 19, 2018

Show notes

Dave Kellett and Brad Guigar answer a wide variety of questions submitted by Patreon backers, such as: Are gag comics sustainable on the Web? We'll ask Dave, who has been doing a gag comic for 20 years. Also... How can I use hashtags more effectively? How many updates do I need to build a readership? How can I keep up my energy at conventions?

And... Doctor, does this Winkerbean look Funky to you?

But first, Dave has moved into his new house, and his high-speed internet connection... isn't.

Show notes

8:00 — Are gag comics sustainable on the Web?
26:11 — Using hashtags more effectively
39:14 — What is the minimum update schedule required to build an audience
52:05 —Keeping up your energy at comic conventions

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!

Listener Questions — I can't finish a comic once it's started! Apr 12, 2018

Show notes

Brad and Dave tackle listener questions! First, a high-school art teacher asks why they can't seem to finish a project once it's started. And then, the guys list some Dos and Don'ts for people who are planning to launch their first Patreon campaign.

BUT FIRST... When Brad makes a post on Facebook, and the responses drive him up the wall, Dave realizes that he's dealing with a split personality. 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!

Ryan North talks about writing, ideas, creativity, and zinc Apr 05, 2018

Show notes

Dave and Brad welcome Ryan North, two-time Eisner Award winner, creator of Dinosaur Comics and writer for Marvel Comics' Squirrel Girl. We discuss his upcoming book, How to Invent Everything and his successful Shakespearean choose-your-own-adventure To Be or Not To Be. Along the way, we go deep on several topics involving writing — getting ideas, subconscious plagiarism, self-plagiarism, rejecting unoriginal ideas, creativity as a compulsion, juggling multiple projects, exorcising ideas, and much much more. BUT FIRST — Brad explains how zinc is more precious than gold for your good health. Show notes

9:13 — How did Ryan first get into writing for comics?
12:37 — Rejecting an idea if it's not completely original
16:30 — Creativity as a compulsion
18:08 — Getting the idea for "To Be or Not To Be"
19:10— Capturing ideas
24:14 — Writing Squirrel Girl fro Marvel Comics
30:06 — The "minced oath"
31:51 — Avoiding subconscious plagiarism
38:34 — Juggling multiple projects and how to decide which ideas get used in which projects
41:57 — "Exorcising" ideas
43:13 — Self-plagiarization on social media
45:47 — Ideas are easy. Execution is hard.

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!

Danielle Corsetto talks about Patreon, quitting Facebook, and ending a comic Mar 29, 2018

Show notes

We're joined by webcomics OG Danielle Corsetto. She shares her unique perspective on Patreon, and she has some advice for last week's question about choosing the best comic convention — TCAF! Her strategy to implement Kickstarter in the process is one you'll want to hear. Plus, Dave Kellett asks if he should delete his Facebook account. And, finally both Danielle and Brad Guigar discuss ending a long-running webcomic.

BUT FIRST... Dave and his wife book a hotel room for an anniversary celebration, and when the front desk sends up complimentary wine and chocolate-dipped strawberries, it gives him an idea — one that involves his ComicLab co-host!

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!

Kickstarter advice that really worked! Plus Backerkit, social media repetitiveness and more Mar 23, 2018

Show notes

Whew! We covered a LOT of ground with this episode. First, one of our $10 backers sent in a fantastic audio question about longform comics and the continuous scroll presentation on the Web. Is it better than conventional previous-next navigation-button presentation? And that touches off a whirlwind of topics, including, but not limited to...

Kickstarter — Dave's tips REALLY WORK WELL!
Backerkit — Brad tries to get Dave on the pro-Backerkit team, but he's not having it
Dave's hair
Calls to action — followers have to hear a call to action an average of seven times before they act, therefore...
Social-media repetitiveness isn't as bad as you think it is, especially if you're using...
The Three Cs of Social Media
THEN... a Patreon backer asks, "if you could go to only one comic convention, which one would it be?" And that touches off a discussion of best conventions for international creators, the NCS's new policy of allowing members free table space at several conventions. the new 'Ringo Awards and the seeming demise of the Harvey Awards.

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!

Patreon rewards that work, writer's block and comics awards Mar 15, 2018

Show notes

Brad Guigar went to the Patreon On Tour / NYC conference, and he brought back tons of useful advice from the crowdfunding giant. Learn how to get more backers and make more money. Then, he and co-host Dave Kellett move on to tackle writer's block! What can you do to kickstart creativity? They share some useable strategies that apply to several situations. Finally — which awards are most valuable for the average webcartoonist? Is it the Eisners? The Harveys? The NCS Division Awards? The Ignatz?

BUT FIRST — Brad's wife wants him to lose weight, and the reason why has Dave in a full-on blush.

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!

Comic Con Strategy: Commissions, Merchandise, and Publishing Mar 10, 2018

Show notes

Dave returns from Emerald City Comicon with stories from the show. Was the show a success? What did he learn from tabling with Jake Parker? What did Jake learn from him? Will Dave go next year? And how does Jake keep his hair so lustrous and full of body?

Then, it's on to questions from out Patreon backers:

My graphic novel is based on an 1897 book, using the original, characterful old language exclusively for the text. I'm not adding or changing a single word in the story, but will need a glossary in my intro… although I wondered also about using footnote.
What have you found is the optimal time/s of day (and which days) to post updates to maximize visibility (US time) on social media platforms?

BUT FIRST — What is "noodlin'" and why is Brad thinking about doing it in Alabama?!

Drunk ComicLab

We're past the halfway mark in under a week! Go rate ComicLab on iTunes right now to make this happen!

Patreon

Great rewards when you support ComicLab

$2 — support the show, get early access to new shows

$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!

Rethinking longform comics Mar 01, 2018

Show notes

This week, as Dave Kellett preps for this weekend's Emerald City Comic Con, he asks co-host Brad Guigar if this should be the last time he exhibits at the show. Then, Dave and Brad discuss some new approaches to webcomic site design — particularly in regards to longform comics.

BUT FIRST... What is "Drunk ComicLab" and how can you make it happen? If we get 100 ratings on iTunes, Dave and I will be cracking open bottles of Pino Noir and Laphroiag (respectively) and recording a special bonus show.

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