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PODCAST

Comic Lab

Brad Guigar and Dave Kellett

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)

arts visual arts

All Episodes

00:59:40

Special Guest Scott C

Comic Lab ·

2025/05/08

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 CWebsitePreorder Scott's new book, Cabin Head and Tree Head!Great ShowdownsDouble Fine Action

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01:01:17

Pixels aren't permanent

Comic Lab ·

2025/05/01

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 showMaking a change to a comic after it's "out there"Susan MacTaggart's personal affirmationUPDATE: Tariffs on books??ISBNs and bar codes for self-published booksComics for CharitySummaryIn this conversation, Dave Kellett and Brad Guigar explore the nuances of humor writing, the importance of building an audience on new

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01:10:29

Narration or Dialogue?

Comic Lab ·

2025/04/24

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 for the campaign. Finally, with the SFWA opening their membership to

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00:59:39

Paint the Wall Red: Conjuring Creativity

Comic Lab ·

2025/04/17

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 ShowCreativitySusan MacTaggart's Personal AffirmationUsing copyrighted

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01:14:38

Autobiohazard: Drawing the Line Between Fact and Fiction

Comic Lab ·

2025/04/10

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 showWhere to draw the line on an autobio comicMalignant ProcrastinationSusan MacTaggart's

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01:13:08

"I have a useless degree... and I love it!"

Comic Lab ·

2025/04/03

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 affirmation with a member of the ComicLab community.Today's ShowIs a Master's

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01:00:49

Running gag ... or running out of steam?

Comic Lab ·

2025/03/27

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 ShowWhen does a running gag go too far?Developing an editorial eyeUPDATE: San Diego Comic-Con

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01:08:02

Big Number Thinking

Comic Lab ·

2025/03/20

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 ShowFocusing on numbersLimiting comments on BSkyUPDATE: Hoganmag.comLost the Kickstarter mojoComic book vs graphic novelSummaryIn this conversation, Dave Kellett and Brad Guigar discuss recent updates on Blue Sky, a social media platform, and how it offers a healthier

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01:08:41

Verbal vs. Visual

Comic Lab ·

2025/03/13

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 showVerbal vs. VisualUPDATE: DogKickstarter.comUPDATE: The Wrong Way Show draws ShrekWorldbuilding vs. actual writingIs Patreon like a customer service job?SummaryIn this episode, cartoonists Dave Kellett and Brad Guigar delve into a discussion

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01:03:46

Happily Writing Tragedy

Comic Lab ·

2025/03/06

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 ShowHow to write an unhappy endingUPDATE: DogKickstarter.comQuestions from civiliansPosting politics on social mediaSummaryIn this conversation, Dave Kellett and Brad Guigar explore the importance of character wants

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01:03:23

Webcomics Revenue Streams Ranked Best to Worst

Comic Lab ·

2025/02/27

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 showWebcomics Revenue Streams Ranked Best to WorstUPDATE: USPS Ground AdvantageUPDATE: Patreon Collections Should you include credits for digital fontmakers in books?SummaryCartoonists Dave Kellett and Brad Guigar

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00:59:30

The Information We Share — And Why We Shouldn't

Comic Lab ·

2025/02/20

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 showTypes of information creative people shareUPDATE: Brad Guigar celebrates 25 years in comicsStory pacingSummaryIn this episode, Brad and Dave discuss the information shared among creative individuals, categorizing them into facts,

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01:06:03

"F*** me! That actually worked!"

Comic Lab ·

2025/02/13

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.SponsorHogan'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 ShowHogan's Alley magazine"F*** me! That actually worked!"UPDATE:

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00:58:01

Business Advice: Embrace Discomfort

Comic Lab ·

2025/02/06

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 showEmbrace discomfortListifications on Bluesky — https://bsky.app/profile/listifications.appSummaryIn this conversation, cartoonists Dave Kellett and Brad Guigar explore the importance of

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01:16:12

How to start a webcomic in 2025

Comic Lab ·

2025/01/30

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 2025Don’t try to “game” your readership. Write about what YOU likeBuilding readership takes time and consistency. Creating for love is essential in the early years. Focus on writing as the core of comic creation. Focus on creating comics for the love of the

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01:02:35

Introducing: The Wrong Way!

Comic Lab ·

2025/01/23

Cartoonists Brad Guigar, Dave Kellett and Kevin McShane are teaming up on a new show — The Wrong Way! We'll teach you how to draw your favorite cartoon characters without getting sued over copyright theft! Along the way, we'll share tips, tell stories, and roast each other mercilessly. Pay attention and you might learn how to draw The Wrong Way!Today's ShowWrong wayClever vs funnySummaryIn this episode, Brad Guigar and Dave Kellett introduce fellow cartoonist Kevin McShane, announce their new

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01:03:43

Social Media: Business or Pleasure?

Comic Lab ·

2025/01/16

A ComicLab member complained about following too many people on Bluesky. It was too difficult for them to cultivate a feed that suited their interests! This brought up a topic that has Dave and Brad divided: Are you on social media for business or pleasure?Today's ShowYou're not on social media to readUPDATE: Spice Rack Comics webring (NSFW) — special thanks to Matt Sowers at RCSI PublishingUPDATE: Dave and Brad's transposed faces Started too soon on PatreonSummaryIn this engaging conversation, Dave

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01:10:35

Predictions and goals for 2025

Comic Lab ·

2025/01/09

As we begin a new year, cartoonists Dave Kellett and Brad Guigar make their predictions for 2025 and share their goals for the next twelve months.PredictionsDAVE: Business planning anxietyBRAD: Because of Dave’s prediction, the winners will be people who help address that anxiety. (That’s us!) Be the distraction/escape people need; they won’t forget you. DAVE: Bluesky at 50M by the end of the yearBRAD: Substack gains prominence — rises to Kickstarter/Patreon levelsDAVE: we’ll all be playing

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01:05:02

2024 in Review

Comic Lab ·

2025/01/02

At the beginning of the year, Dave and Brad made a series of predictions and set some personal goals for the year. The year is over, and it's time to see how they fared.Predictions for 2024BRAD: Twitter will crash in 2023 2024DAVE: Social media will remain distributed over five or six platformsBRAD: Web users will begin to pivot away from social mediaDAVE: Patreon will move closer to an IPOBRAD: Kickstarter will remain #1 by continuing to avoid mentioning blockchainDAVE: SDCC will return to normal

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01:06:53

How can comics reach kids?

Comic Lab ·

2024/12/26

A father is concerned that comics no longer reach kids, suggesting that video games are the better value measured by engagement time. What can we do to reverse this trend? On today's showHow can comics reach kids?UPDATE: Buffer (see addendum below)How can I avoid Trump's tariffs? (see other addendum below)AddendumOne day after we recorded the drop that explained that Buffer did not support video uploads, they made an announcement. You guessed it — they've added that functionality. They still do not

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