Comic Lab

Webcomics pros Dave Kellett and Brad Guigar look back over another year in webcomics and discuss what worked really well — and what didn't. BUT FIRST, Dave marvels over the British idiom, "hard cheese," and that leads to a discussion of British humor in general. Show notes 00:00 — "Hard cheese, old chap." 05:00 — 52 ComicLab episodes in 52 weeks — thanks to our Patreon backers! 08:00 — Dave and Brad disagree on buffers 11:45 — "Webcomics is constantly evolving... so we need to be constantly questioning" 14:40 — Adapting to mobile 16:45 — "Quitting comic conventions improved my webcomics business" 22:17 — Planning saved Dave from a potentially disastrous year 27:30 — Kickstarter planning 30:10 — Making better hiring decisions 36:16 — Crisis management for creators 44:10 — "Spanish Flea" and mutual admiration 47:00 — Bonjoro 53:00 — Sometimes social media should be a one-way communication 56:26 — The power of ComicLab LISTENERS has gone untouched! Great reward

Webcomics pros Dave Kellett and Brad Guigar discuss the Patreon Special Offer — and why comics artists should be using it — RIGHT NOW. Plus... running concurrent campaigns on Kickstarter and Indiegogo. Is it a little skeevy, or super skeevy? And then, the burning question for the ages... What's it like being the most handsome host of ComicLab? BUT FIRST, Brad finally wins the artificial-Christmas-tree argument at his house. And he's miserable about it. Show notes 00:00 — Brad's artificial Christmas tree woes 8:00 — The Patreon Special Offer... what it is, how to do it, and WHY you should be doing it NOW 45:10 — What's it like being the most handsome host of ComicLab? 50:07 — Running concurrent campaigns on Kickstarter and IndieGoGo 01:05:00 — What's your stance on offering cameos of people or their original characters as higher tier Kickstarter or one-time Patreon rewards? 01:13:10: — Brad has a new microphone, thanks to ComicLab's Patreon backers Great rewards when you support ComicLab $2 — support the sh

Cartoonists Dave Kellett and Brad Guigar are talking shop! Still reeling from an action-packed weekend at PatreCon, the guys are talking Patreon! For example — should you hide your Patreon numbers or display proudly how much you're earning? And what do you do when a backer expects more than you're offering? And how soon is too soon to launch your Patreon? Also — can a story-driven comic strip like "Bloom County" survive on the Web today? And the guys discuss which of their many projects have brought them the most joy. BUT FIRST, before they drill deep on Patreon, Dave's dentist does some drilling of his own — and gets an unexpected result! Show notes 00:00 — Dave's trip to the dentist 04:00 — Do public-facing $$$ numbers cause Patreon patrons to drop because "you don't need any more help"? 05:49 — The two approaches to Patreon — Exclusivity vs Support 10:30 — Dave insists that public-facing Patreon numbers should be hidden 17:40 — Making Dave blush is fun 19:17 — Can a story-driven comic

Cartoonists Dave Kellett and Brad Guigar are talking shop! Redbubble has killed off its support for print-on-demand calendars. Should you be doing the same? ALSO, how to prepare for a portfolio review. THEN, building a digital press kit and approaching comics-media outlets. FINALLY, when a cartoonist has 1.1 million Instagram followers and only about 400 Patreon backers, is something amiss? BUT FIRST, Brad builds a podcasting fort with a heavy blanket to combat the echo in his studio… and it works! Show notes • 00:00 — “Let’s go to Upright Citizen’s Brigade!” • 04:04 — Brad’s recording under a blanket • 08:35 — Dave’s healthy lifestyle • 10:33 — Redbubble kills print-on-demand calendars. Should you? • 15:50 — Producing 25 different desktop wallpapers / mobile backgrounds quickly • 18:29 — InDesign Calendar Wizard • 20:00 — Portfolio reviews • 29:25 — Press releases and comic-media outlets • 32:17 — How to make a digital press kit • 45:19 — A cartoonist who has 1.1 million Instagram followers… but only 387 Pat

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-t

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 f

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

 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?

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 d

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 consequ

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,

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 s

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 coul

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

Webcomics wannabes Dave Kellett and Brad Guigar are talking shop! The guys discuss the monthly Patreon dip — what it means and why you shouldn't freak out. THEN Dave talks about why he lays out his longform sci-fi comic the way he does. NEXT, Brad argues that reboots are good — and sometimes necessary, and he and Dave examine the best ways to go about it. FINALLY, Dave shares some helpful guidance for anyone who wants to branch into enamel pins. BUT FIRST, Brad has one more story from his trip to Michigan... the deer with a red tag an its ear, and a warm story in its heart. Show notes 00:00 — The red-tag deer 08:36 — "Why does my Patreon drop at the first of the month?" 18:78 — Why does Dave lay out "Drive" the way he does? 30:20 — Should you reboot your comic? 54:00 — A primer on creating enamel pins 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 po

Webcomics whackos Dave Kellett and Brad Guigar are talking shop! Brad took a four-week vacation from his comic this summer, and he says it’s the smartest thing he has ever done. THEN we take another swing at the topic of “Good content vs. Viral content.” Have we over simplified the discussion? NEXT, Dave and Brad note that they’ve been using Bonjoro app all summer long. Are they still as excited about it as they were when they started? And FINALLY, why do we hate thought balloons so much? Is it time to re-think our animosity? BUT FIRST, Dave’s DriveKickstarter.com funded in ONE DAY! He talks about the strategies he used to pull that off. Show notes 00:00 — Kickstarter panic 01:45 — The strategy that lead to DriveKickstarter.com funding in ONE DAY 11:20 — Brad took a four-week vacation from his comic, and it was the best decision ever 21:47 — Viral content vs Good content… redux 32:40 — Bonjoro… we’ve been using it all summer. Is it working? 51:20 — Bonjoro pro tip… why we wave 58:08 — Why do we hate thought

While Brad's son was at Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama, Dave called him in his hotel room to talk comics. Pantsless, Brad obliged. They discussed Dave's new Kickstarter at DriveKickstarter.com and the agony of Kickstarter panic. THEN Dave gets some intriguing advice on using one's own photo as a social-media avatar. NEXT, a patron asks about brainstorming from scratch. THEN another patron asks about the main sources of webcomics revenue and how it has changed over time — and which revenue sources should be the focus of beginner cartoonists. NEXT, Brad loses his ever-lovin' temper over NSFW creators bad-mouthing Patreon. THEN a patron asks whether we've switched comics with other creators for something fun to do. Brad's mood does not improve. BUT FIRST, what can make an anti-social grump like Brad come out of his hotel room to attend social hour? Here's a hint: It rhymes with bree fear. Show notes 00:00 — Dave's wife imagines his internal monologue as ♪♫♪ "do-dee-do-do-doooo." ♪ ♫♪ 02:13 — How Br

Webcomics wardens Dave Kellett and Brad Guigar are joined this week by “The Long Con” writer, Dylan Meconis. They discuss ways in which an artist can improve their critical eye. NEXT, a listener asks whether a creator should have one, central Patreon campaign — or should they split them among different projects? THEN, the trio brainstorms strategies to integrate new readers into an ongoing longford comic. FINALLY, Dave and Brad announce their plans to attend the Patreon convention, PatreCon, in November! BUT FIRST, when Brad takes his kids to the Huron County Fair, they learn a lot about rural life. Show notes 00:00 — During his trip to Michigan, Brad takes his boys to the Huron County Fair. (The Zipper) 06:23 — The FFA livestock auction 09:50 — Introducing special guest Dylan Meconis 12:00 — Brad’s looking forward to his Huntsville, Ala., work vacation 14:43 — Documentary about Osamu Tezuka (“Astroboy”) 17:07 — “How do I develop my critical eye?” 33:41 — Should you have one Patreon campaign or split them am

Webcomics wild things Dave Kellett and Brad Guigar are joined this week by lawyer-to-the-comics-stars, Katie Lane. She has some advice on attempting the elusive “working vacation.” THEN she discusses the legal questions that perennially haunt creative professionals, like how does one find a good lawyer? NEXT, she tackles work-for-hire contracts and right of first refusal. FINALLY, she shares some priceless advice… avoid one-size-fits-all legal advice. There’s no, one “right way” to do this. BUT FIRST, as Brad shares his plans for a road trip to Michigan to visit his family, Dave recalls the family trips of his youth. Show notes 00:00 — Brad preps for his road trip to Michigan to visit his family, and Dave remembers the family road trips of his youth 03:28 — The concept of the working vacation 06:13 — The search for Floyd Lake 09:12 — Introducing Katie Lane 12:10 — Katie makes her move to replace Brad when he, inevitably, gets lost. 12:22 — The elusive working vacation — is it possible? 17:52 — Brad’s briefca

  Webcomics warlocks Dave Kellett and Brad Guigar talkin’ shop! Dave Kellett has returned from his 20th appearance at Comic Con International in San Diego — and it was a huge success! He shares the strategies he used to beat the odds and make a profit at an incredibly demanding show. Plus... booth barnacles, Hollywood scouts and the religious pugs. Show notes 00:00 — Religious pugs and other oxymorons 02:34 — The new pedestrianized Comic-Con frontage 05:45 — Hard times in Hall H? — Marvel and Disney's reduced presence impacted foot traffic on the floor 11:51 — Dave's best Comic-Con ever 12:59 — The Webcomics section of the show has shrunk 15:25 — Small Press and Artist Alley 21:19 — Selling long-form vs selling short-form comics 29:24 — Flyer advice 32:33 — The Big Takeaway... the show is about the Experience for most people. It's not about buying your book. And (ironically) understanding that concept can help you improve sales. 37:58 — How can you offer an Experience? 50:38 — Using Instagram to increase con