Comic Lab

Today's episode is sponsored by  Bonjoro  — an amazing app that enables you to quickly send personalized welcome and thank you videos to your readers, clients, patrons, or backers. This week,  Dave and Brad discuss the difference between Mirror Research and Market Research.Questions asked and topics covered...Dave discovers the "meet cute"Mirror Research vs Market ResearchClubhouseTexting social-media posts using Community.comWebcomics.com vs ComicLabPlotting a storyYou 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$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 podcastBrad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the editor of Webcomics.com Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive.Li

Today's episode is sponsored by  Bonjoro  — an amazing app that enables you to quickly send personalized welcome and thank you videos to your readers, clients, patrons, or backers. Dave and Brad share their favorite books about comics history, including:The Ten-Cent PlagueMarvel Comics — The Untold StorySlugfest: Inside the Epic, 50-Year Battle Between Marvel and DCComics, The Complete CollectionThe 100 Years of American Newspaper ComicsStripped documentary interviews75 Years at DC ComicsQuestions asked and topics covered...Great books on comics historyUnexpected joke sourcesProblems with NSFW comicsScheduling social mediaYou 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$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

We're thrilled to welcome our new sponsor, Bonjoro  — an amazing app that enables you to quickly send personalized welcome and thank you videos to your readers, clients, patrons, or backers. Dave and Brad discuss the difference between the Goal of an artist — and that artist's Job. The two aren't always the same, and resolving that conflict leads to better work.Questions asked and topics covered...Goal vs JobTake the time you need to do good comicsParenthood and creativityPodcastingBrad and Dave's Pet peeves in comicsFinding studio spaceYou 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$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 podcastBrad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the edi

Dave and Brad discuss the importance of "luck" in your creative career — and how you can increase the chances of that happening.Questions asked and topics covered...Dave Kellett gives advice on getting luckyWhen it's OK if your work changes over timeWhen it's not OK when your work changes over timeEisner submissions are due!The dangers of mixing friends and businessBrad and Dave talk about podcastsYou 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$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 podcastBrad 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...Apple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotifyPandoraStitc

Dave and Brad ask, "What's your motivation to create?" Are you doing this for the "right" reasons?Questions asked and topics covered...Creative motivationLine widthReleasing a book exclusively on Amazon?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$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 podcastBrad 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...Apple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotifyPandoraStitcherComicLab is hosted on Simplecast, helping podcasters since 2013. with industry-leading publishing, distribution, and sharing tools.

Dave and Brad  talk about the best advice they never wanted — those "truth hurts" moments that changed their careers.Questions asked and topics covered...Have you ever gotten advice  you didn't want to hear?How do you change specific aspects of your drawing style?Amazon AdvantageWhich syndicated cartoonist would have made a good webcartoonistShould you change the spelling of your name to increase social-media hits?Preparing a page/panel for different usesYou 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$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 podcastBrad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the editor of Webcomics.com Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive.Listen to Comi

This week, Dave and Brad  take several questions about self-publishing. From the best way to build an audience to handling overseas shipping — it's all about getting your work into print!Questions asked and topics covered...What's the best way to build an audience for a book release? Is there a way to circumvent the rising prices of international shipping?Color printing — is it worth the increased costs?Selling in multiple consecutive formatsThe best format to reach  pre-teensYou 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$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 podcastBrad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the editor of Webcomics.com Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon an

This week, Dave and Brad  talk about making plans in 2021. Will there be a return to conventions? Will Kickstarter remain reliable? How will global finances affect independent creators?Questions asked and topics covered...Assessing 2021 and planning for successWhat didn't we accomplish in 2020?Is "webcomic" an outdated word?How to change a Patreon without angering current backersSelling digital originals?Artist EditionsYou 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$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 podcastBrad 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...Apple PodcastsGoogle Podca

This week, a listener asks about origins the "paying it forward" nature of Brad and Dave. So they spend the first part of the show talking about their mentorship philosophies.Questions asked and topics covered...Paying it forwardIf you were to name a living cartoonist for the MacArthur Genius Grant, who would you name?Quality vs. speedWhat to work on improving firstYou 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$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 podcastBrad 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...Apple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotifyPandoraStitcherComicLab is hosted on Simpleca

This week, Brad and Dave discuss "slice of life" comics — and why using that term might not be the best promotional strategy.Questions asked and topics covered...Slice of Life comicsCreative page layout — and why to avoid itNSFW comics adviceHow to get into the mood for comicsYou 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$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 podcastBrad 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...Apple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotifyPandoraStitcherComicLab is hosted on Simplecast, helping podcasters since 2013. with industry-leading publishing, distribution, and shar

Today's show is brought to you by Wacom — makers of the incredible Wacom One! To help ring in 2021, let's take one more look back at some of the moments that made us happy to be creating comics during a particularly challenging year.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$10 — Record an audio question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcastBrad 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...Apple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotifyPandoraStitcherComicLab is hosted on Simplecast, helping podcasters since 2013. with industry-leading publishing, distribution, and sharing tools.

Today's show is brought to you by Wacom — makers of the incredible Wacom One! This week, Brad and Dave have some thoughts about finding success in the new year.Questions asked and topics covered...How to be successful in 2021Making conscious improvements on artHow soon is too soon for print?Posting on the weekend?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$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 podcastBrad 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...Apple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotifyPandoraStitcherComicLab is hosted on Simplecast, helping podcasters since 2013. with industry-lead

Today's show is brought to you by Wacom — makers of the incredible Wacom One! This week, Brad and Dave talk about crafting names for the characters, places and objects in your comic.Questions asked and topics covered...Naming things"Do you ever get the urge to draw something else?"Squarespace adds an exclusive-content tierThe difficulties in writing stories from personal experienceSci-fi writer Samuel Delany's advice on re-doing old workYou 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$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 podcastBrad 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...Apple Po

Today's show is brought to you by Wacom — makers of the incredible Wacom One! This week, Brad and Dave devote the entire show to one topic — Getting started. They have ten suggestions for anyone who wants to start publishing their own comic on the Web.Getting Started...Starting with the Right AttitudeDon't Wait for the Right TimeUpdate schedule: Consistent, Frequent, SignificantUsing Social Media WiselyAdvertising MerchandisingPrepare for SuccessStop Obsessing over Your  StatsLearn LetteringLove ItYou 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$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 podcastBrad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the editor of Webcomics.com Dave Kellett is the

Today's show is brought to you by Wacom — makers of the incredible Wacom One! This week, Brad inaugurates a new segment called "And That's Why I Self-Publish!" Next: A site that scraped exclusive Patreon content bites the dust, and we learn from the experience.Questions asked and topics covered...And That's Why I Self-PublishPatreon content-scraper foldsWhen to make s Patreon post publicRepetitive tasksYou 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$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 podcastBrad 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...Apple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotifyPandora

Today's show is brought to you by Wacom — makers of the incredible Wacom One! This week, the guys talk about blessings in disguise — moments when they didn't achieve a goal they greatly desired... and later found out that succeeding would have made their lives worse.Questions asked and topics covered...What thing did you really really want for your career, that didn’t happen...that only NOW do you see is a godsend that it didn’t happen?Stuck on the first C of social media — ContentBackgrounds — when to draw 'em. when to drop 'em, and how much detail to put into 'em"My humor-based, storyline-driven comic is getting too serious! Help!"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$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 th

Today's show is brought to you by Wacom — makers of the incredible Wacom One! This week, a ComicLab listener asks if it's better to write from anger or from love. Also: Is January a bad time to launch a new webcomic?Questions asked and topics covered...Which do you find more effective as a writer — comedy born from anger at something or comedy born from affection?Is January a bad time to launch a new webcomic?Finding a running gagCoping with "bad hands"Beginners should place less focus on social mediaBrexit will drastically change how you do international shipping starting January 1.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$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 podcastBra

Today's show is brought to you by Wacom — makers of the incredible Wacom One! This week, a ComicLab listener writes in to inform Dave and Brad that neither of them "actually have a cartoonist's job." To put it lightly, the guys disagree.But first, Brad creates a socially distant candy chute for Halloween -- Questions asked and topics covered...Dave delivers a Zoom lecture to art studentsWhat does it take to be considered a "cartoonist" in today's world?Should the drawing match the writing?A Clip Studio Paint boot camp in the ComicLab Discord sever"I hate Kickstarter extras!"Grad school or comics?"I think I quit my day job too soon."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$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

Today's show is brought to you by Wacom — makers of the incredible Wacom One! This week, a ComicLab listener who is just starting out in comics asks how they can build an audience on social media. Also: how do you cover the second print run after you sell out of the copies from the first run?Questions asked and topics covered...How can a beginner build a following on social mediaDave compliment's Brad on developing a secondary drawing styleCelebrity vs Fame — which is more likely for cartoonists?Funding the second book runWhich mainstream comics do Dave and Brad read?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$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 podcastBrad Guigar is the

Today's show is brought to you by Wacom — makers of the incredible Wacom One! This week, a ComicLab listener asks for the story behind Brad and Dave's friendship. Then the guys discuss whether it's OK to use photo reference.Questions asked and topics covered...What is the history of Brad and Dave's friendship?Is photo reference cheating?How do you manage multiple projects?How should you acknowledge a "big-name" follow on social media?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$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 podcastBrad 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...Apple Podca