Comic Lab
The podcast about making comics — and making a living from comics! It's half shop talk, half how-to, and half friendship. WE SQUEEZED IN THREE HALVES. It's tips and tricks and all the joys of cartooning as a pro. So pull up your drawing chair, put on some headphones, and join us while you draw! And if you like what you hear, join our community at patreon.com/comiclab (For sponsorship inquiries: comiclabpodcast@gmail.com)
Episodes
Dave Kellet returns from Alaska Comics Camp once more rejuvinated, recharged, and reinvigorated! He shares his joy-filled experiences from a week in Juno, Alaska, with about 60 other cartoonists sharing knowledge, friendship, and happiness. In the second half, a cartoonist shares her feelings of depression after losing a couple of cartooning contests.
Today's Show
Today's episode is sponsored by Dreamhost. The first step in owning and controlling your own work is building a website, and Dreamhost is there to make that simple, painless, and inexpensive. Go to www.Dreamhost.com/ComicLab for details.
The life of a comic artist is often a solitary one. Brad and Dave discuss ways of maintaining social connections for mental health and creativity. Later, they discuss the dangers of setting an artif...
Now that comic creators are returning to websites, SEO (search engine optimization) is once again a hot topic. We'll talk about methods to help search engines index comics. Also, if Brad and Dave were to design a four-year degree for cartoonists, what classes would be on the curriculum?
Today's show
- SEO for webcomics
- Should you use alt text on social media posts?
- Susan MacTaggart's personal affirmation
- UPDATE: Comiclab Live stage sh...
Today's show is sponsored by Dreamhost. The first step in owning and controlling your own work is creating a website, and Brad and Dave have relied on Dreamhost for years. Check out Dreamhost.com/comiclab to find out how you can lock in a rate of $2.59/month for three years!
Every beginning cartoonist agonizes over drawing eyes! Why is that — and while we're at it, what's the right way to do it? Next, we'll talk about why we hate an...
Today's show is sponsored by Dreamhost. The first step in owning and controlling your own work is creating a website, and Brad and Dave have relied on Dreamhost for years. Check out Dreamhost.com/comiclab to find out how you can lock in a rate of $2.59/month for three years!
Your social media profile needs to answer three questions clearly: Who are you? What do you do? And why should I care? If you're wasting time being cute, you're...
Cartoonist Scott C joins us to discuss his artistic journey. He discusses his beginnings, including art directing Psychonauts and Brutal Legend for Double Fine Productions, as well as his first webcomic, Double Fine Action Comics. He shares valuable insights on working with watercolors and creating graphic novels for younger readers. His paintings are currently on display at Spoke Art in New York.
Scott C
- Website
- Preorder Scott's ...
Is it OK to change your comic after you've already sent it to your audience? The guys also tackle tariffs, ISBNs, bar codes, and offering comics to charity organizations.
Today's show
- Making a change to a comic after it's "out there"
- Susan MacTaggart's personal affirmation
- UPDATE: Tariffs on books??
- ISBNs and bar codes for self-published books
- Comics for Charity
Summary
In this conversation, Dave Kellett and Brad Guigar explore th...
It's a jam-packed show this week! Brad and Dave argue over the better delivery for story exposition — dialogue or narration. Dave is discontinuing international shipping; Brad gets his Wikipedia updates; and the guys agree that Dee Fish does autobio comics right. Then Dave does another behind-the-scenes analysis of his recent Kickstarter, talking about his pricing strategy for stretch goals and how they processed hundreds of images...
In a recent interview for the National Cartoonists Society, Greg Evans (the creator of the newspaper comic strip "Luanne") spoke about painting a single wall in his studio red. Mel Lazarus, creator of the syndicated strips "Momma" and "Miss Peach," told him that the color red was proven to increase creative thoughts. This resulted in one burning question for the cartoonists assembled to watch the interview: "DID IT WORK!?"
Today's S...
Where's the line between an autobiographical comic and a semi-autobiographical one — between "based upon" and "inspired by"? And when does the whole thing veer directly into fiction?? Plus... Dave Kellett shares real numbers from his recent Kickstarter, and we arrive at a jaw-dropping conclusion: Bluesky is it.
The Webcomics Handbook will publish a visual breakdown of Dave's analytics on April 14th.
Today's show
- Where to draw the ...
As they attempt to save the marriage of one of their listeners, Brad and Dave consider the best path for a cartoonist who wishes to pursue a master's degree. Would a Master's in Fine Arts be the right choice, or would a Master's in Business Administration be the better option? Considering the expense, perhaps the best choice is to avoid both! After grappling with that dilemma, Susan MacTaggart stops by to share a personal affirmati...
When does a running gag stop being funny — and where does it start, for that matter? Cartoonists Brad and Dave must first agree on what a running gag is! Next, they'll talk about aesthetics — in other words, how does one develop their editorial eye? Finally, Dave reviews his accounting from last year's San Diego Comic-Con and discusses how it influences his decisions for this year's show.
Today's Show
- When does a running gag go t...
Social media has convinced an entire generation of creators to focus on numbers — followers, subscribers, likes, shares, and other engagement metrics. However, focusing on numbers can often lead an artist to make bad decisions.
Today's Show
- Focusing on numbers
- Limiting comments on BSky
- UPDATE: Hoganmag.com
- Lost the Kickstarter mojo
- Comic book vs graphic novel
Summary
In this conversation, Dave Kellett and Brad Guigar discuss recen...
Brad and Dave discuss finding the right balance between visual and verbal. Dave asks if too much worldbuilding is an excuse to avoid actually writing the story. And a listener asks if it's a good idea to approach your Patreon as a customer-service job.
Today's show
- Verbal vs. Visual
- UPDATE: DogKickstarter.com
- UPDATE: The Wrong Way Show draws Shrek
- Worldbuilding vs. actual writing
- Is Patreon like a customer service job?
Summary
In ...
A listener seeks writing advice. How can you motivate readers to engage with a story that has an unhappy ending? Additionally, Dave's new DogKickstarter.com, tips for responding to inquiries from "civilians," and the importance of personal branding when posting on social media.
Today's Show
- How to write an unhappy ending
- UPDATE: DogKickstarter.com
- Questions from civilians
- Posting politics on social media
Summary
In this conversat...
What are independent comic creators' most reliable revenue streams — and which are the worst? Brad ranks them from top to bottom, and Dave shares his own experiences with each. Also, the guys share the strategy that's making Patreon's "Collections" feature a solid income generator.
Today's show
- Webcomics Revenue Streams Ranked Best to Worst
- UPDATE: USPS Ground Advantage
- UPDATE: Patreon Collections
- Should you include credits for dig...
Brad Guigar has categorized the information shared by creative individuals into three groups. Dave Kellett has a couple of his own to contribute. Of the five, only one is useful. Identifying the others can help you avoid making some significant mistakes.
Today's show
- Types of information creative people share
- UPDATE: Brad Guigar celebrates 25 years in comics
- Story pacing
Summary
In this episode, Brad and Dave discuss the informa...
This week's episode is sponsored by Hogan's Alley magazine! We'll discuss those moments in our careers when we said, "F*** me! That actually worked!" Also, a listener writes in to say that they want to take our advice and make the jump to Bluesky, but it causes too much anxiety.
Sponsor
Hogan's Alley magazine sponsors this week's episode! In the next issue, they'll cover the Tijuana Bibles and much more! Get your copy now!
Today's Sh...
We're heading into a year promising significant upheaval — in business, social media, publishing, and more. But, after twenty-five years of self-publishing, cartoonists Dave Kellett and Brad Guigar have learned an important lesson: Discomfort is crucial in growing as an artist — and as a businessperson.
Today's show
- Embrace discomfort
- Listifications on Bluesky — https://bsky.app/profile/listifications.app
Summary
In this conve...
Start your webcomic using the latest platforms, monetization methods, and social media strategies. If you're launching a new comic in 2025, this episode has all the information you'll need to get it off the ground!
How to start a webcomic in 2025
- Don’t try to “game” your readership. Write about what YOU like
- Building readership takes time and consistency. Creating for love is essential in the early years.
- Focus on writing as the ...
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