Comic Lab

Today's show is sponsored by Dreamhost! If you want to own and control your own work with a website, Dreamhost can help you get started.Phil Foglio joins us to discuss his long and storied career as an independent cartoonist! Best known for co-creating "Girl Genius"  with his wife Kaja, Phil talks about his breakout hit, "What's New with Phil and Dixie," his milestone NSFW series, "XXXenophile," developing the Gaslamp Fantasy genre, and the philosophies that have helped him navigate several decades as an independent comics creator.Fun Fact! Phil, Dave, and Brad are all nominated for the National Cartoonist Society's Silver Reuben Award for Best Online Longform Comic!ON THIS WEEK'S SHOW...Special Guest Phil FoglioComicLab LIVE at San Diego Comic ConUPDATE: Google DomainsYou 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.Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil

Today's show is sponsored by Dreamhost! If you want to own and control your own work, Dreamhost can help you get started.Patreon's WordPress plug-in enables you to host Patreon-exclusive content on your website. We'll talk about how you can use this to grow your membership. Also, we'll talk about #comicsbrokemeON THIS WEEK'S SHOW...Different ways to use the Patreon API#comicsbrokeme"My art style is "diverging!"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.Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive.

Let's talk about storytelling. What are some good ways to learn to do better storytelling?ON THIS WEEK'S SHOW...How to learn storytellingComicLab LIVE at Comic Con International in San Diego (SATURDAY 8 p.m.)UPDATE: BlueSkyNothing's happening on Discord!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.Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive.

Today's show is sponsored by Dreamhost! If you want to own and control your own work, Dreamhost can help you get started.We hear from a listener who took our advice and launched their own website. And now they have only one question: "What the heck am I supposed to DO with it??"ON THIS WEEK'S SHOW...Alaska Comics CampI've got a website... now what do I DO with it??Photoshop AIUsing 3D backgrounds in CSPYou 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.Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive.

Today's show is sponsored by Dreamhost! If you want to own and control your own work, Dreamhost can help you get started.It's bad enough if a reader makes an unkind comment toward you, but what do you do when readers attack each other? When it results in some of those readers leaving your community, it's a problem that demands attention! Also: Patreon is offering a new feature: Free Trials! And Brad and Dave disagree on whether you should implement it!ON THIS WEEK'S SHOW...When readers attack — each otherWhat comes first — lettering or drawings?Patreon Free TrialsNaming files for eComicsYou 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.Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive.

Today's show is sponsored by Dreamhost! If you want to own and control your own work, Dreamhost can help you get started.It happens at the beginning of every month — you lose a few Patreon backers. It can be demoralizing, so let's discuss ways to survive the churn! Also, how do you restart comics after a long hiatus?ON THIS WEEK'S SHOW...Surviving the churnRestarting after a long hiatusLearning to writeYou 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.Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive.

Today's show is sponsored by Dreamhost! If you want to own and control your own work, Dreamhost can help you get started.We often get asked by our listeners, "How can I increase my audience?" Well, in this episode, we've got you covered! We'll give you some great tips on how to grow your readership. Plus, we'll be discussing some fundamental rules of typography.ON THIS WEEK'S SHOW...How to build an audienceUPDATE: IDW layoffsUPDATE: Incorporating Patreon into a websiteLiving in a PROTOPIAN worldTypography rules of thumbYou 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.Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive.

A listener asks if OnlyFans could be a Patreon alternative. Also, how do you know it's the right time to launch a Kickstarter?ON THIS WEEK'S SHOW...Could OnlyFans be a Patreon alternative?Is this a good time for a Kickstarter?UPDATE: New Yorker cartoonistTaking a break from cartooningYou 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.Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive.

Today's show is sponsored by Dreamhost! If you want to own and control your own work, Dreamhost can help you get started.A listener is planning to exhibit at a comic con — and their five-year-old wants to sell their own comic there, too! Should children be encouraged to sell their crayon-crafted cartoon books at conventions? Also, we discuss the difference between thumbnailing and penciling.ON THIS WEEK'S SHOW...Five-year-old tabling at a conTwitter BlueUPDATE: thumbnails vs. pencilsUPDATE: Selling only four books through a publisherHow to hurt your characters... and whyYou 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.Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive.

A ComicLab listener asks for advice on publishing two versions of the same book — one rated PG-13, and another rated R. Sounds an awful lot like what Brad does. So why is he so against it?!ON THIS WEEK'S SHOW...Two versions of the same bookUPDATE: New York Times portfolio reviewUPDATE: Brad's birthday presentHow many hours spent drawing?Building narrative tensionHiring an assistant after an injuryYou 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.Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive.

Let's talk "comics" — literally. A comic could be a single piece or an entire book. It could be a single panel or a series of panels. And although the word implies humor, many comics aren't supposed to be funny at all! Isn't there a better word for this thing we do?!ON THIS WEEK'S SHOW...The word "comic"Lettering ... the invisible art"Traditional artist"Hi-res art as a Patreon reward?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 rewardsBrad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive.

Today's episode is sponsored by DreamHost — your first step in owning and controlling your own work! Artificial Intelligence continues to loom large in the comics world. New projects purportedly written and drawn entirely with bots are garnering mass attention. Is the breathless exaltation justified — or does it come down to novelty?ON THIS WEEK'S SHOW...AI noveltyDoes a certain level of success bring a sense of complacency?UPDATE: Commission scam to look out forUPDATE: Dave's Writer's BlockUPDATE: Brad's comic makes Reddit's front pageLeveraging Myers-Briggs personality type for creativityYou 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 rewardsBrad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. Dave K

Writer's Block often boils down to a crisis of confidence. How do you conquer that? Also, a listener asks for advice on a hybrid comic — half sequential art and half prose. ON THIS WEEK'S SHOW...Writer's BlockUPDATE: Joy-con mapping for your digital tabletHybrid 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. Plus $2-tier rewards.$10 — Gain access to the ComicLab livestreamed recording sessions (including an archive of past livestreams), plus $5-tier rewardsBrad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive.

This week, we're joined by Elizabeth Pich & Jonathan Kunz ("War and Peas") to talk about their unique collaboration. Also, will a wordy title hurt your comic's chances of success?ON THIS WEEK'S SHOW...Wordy titlesPublic-facing Patreon numbersUPDATE: Silicon Valley Bank crashUPDATE: A DIY digital-drawing tablet controllerInterview with Elizabeth Pich & Jonathan Kunz ("War and Peas")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 rewardsBrad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive.

A listener asks about doing a practice project — and Kickstarting it later. Also — more than one hundred years of comics history tell everything we need to know about how comics companies treat creators. (And it ain't good.)ON THIS WEEK'S SHOW...Practicing to be proComic History - corporate comicsUPDATE: Brad won the argument on ECCCUPDATE: when 250k viral moment tells you that this is a marathon not a sprintMarking an anniversary with a bookYou 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 rewardsBrad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive.

We're talking comics with our special guest Karl Kerschl, who talks about working in both corporate and independent comics, and prepping the Kickstarter campaign for "Death Transit Tanager."ON THIS WEEK'S SHOW...Working in both corporate and  independent comicsPrepping a KickstarterShipping from CanadaLaunching a Kickstarter on Patreon vs Kickstarter pre-launch notificationsSocial-media strategy for KickstarterJuggling multiple projectsPitching a comic to Images ComicsCollaborating with another artist on a projectYou 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 rewardsBrad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive.Listen to ComicLab on...Apple Podca

This week, we're talking comics with Special guest Lar deSouza, the artist of  "Least I Could Do" and "Looking for Group". Also: is it time to hire a marketing manager for your social media accounts?ON THIS WEEK'S SHOW...Hiring a marketing manager for social mediaLar deSouza ("Least I Could Do" and "Looking for Group")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 rewardsBrad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive.Listen to ComicLab on...Apple PodcastsSpotifyGoogle PodcastsPandoraStitcher

This week, we're talking comics with Caitlin McGurk! She's the curator of comics and cartoon art at the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library and Museum, and she's got some terrific stories about her work there.ON THIS WEEK'S SHOW...The Marvel Method of Comics was bonkers!UPDATE: "The Mysteries" - Bill Watterson and John KaschtUPDATE: 50 minutes of book-printing advice in ProTips #270UPDATE: Twitter's 2Fa isn't as bad as you're being toldUPDATE: Reddit's IPOUPDATE: New YouTube CEO is pro NFTCaitlin McGurk, The Billy Ireland Cartoon Library and Museum.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 rewardsBrad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive.Liste

Thumbnailing is one of the most often-repeated pieces of comics advice — and yet almost everyone skips this step. We're gonna talk about it anyway. Also — is there a hidden problem with a "fake it 'til you make it" attitude?ON THIS WEEK'S SHOW...Comments on Scott AdamsThumbnailingDrawing hands and feetUPDATE: TaxesFake it 'til you make it?Continuity errorsYou 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 rewardsBrad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive.Listen to ComicLab on...Apple PodcastsSpotifyGoogle PodcastsPandoraStitcher

Should an independent comics artist publish "floppies" — those 20-30 page stapled comics similar to those that Marvel and DC publish monthly? Also — will the occasional "wholesome" comic ruin your image?ON THIS WEEK'S SHOW...Should I be embarrassed about my floppy?Wholesome comicsUPDATE: Eisner AwardsUPDATE: SDCC Panel DiscussionsWhere to place house adsInverted word balloon tailsYou will 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 rewardsBrad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive.Listen to ComicLab on...Apple PodcastsSpotifyGoogle PodcastsPandoraStitcher