Shows / Comic Lab
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
- Comic Lab
Planning Out 2021
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…
- Comic Lab
Paying it Forward
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…
- Comic Lab
Slice of Life Comics
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…
- Comic Lab
The Best of ComicLab 2020
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…
- Comic Lab
Making 2021 a Success
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…
- Comic Lab
What's in a name?
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…
- Comic Lab
Beginner's Guide: How to Start Your Own Webcomic
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…
- Comic Lab
And That's Why I Self-Publish
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!"…
- Comic Lab
Blessings in disguise
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…
- Comic Lab
Writing Comedy: Do You Choose the Dark Side or the Light Side?
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…
- Comic Lab
What does it mean to be a "cartoonist" in today's world?
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…
- Comic Lab
How to build an audience on social media
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…
- Comic Lab
Is it OK to use photo reference?
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…
- Comic Lab
How to be a good mentor
Today's show is brought to you by Wacom — makers of the incredible Wacom One! This week, a ComicLab listener asks Brad and Dave about their philosophies on…
- Comic Lab
Special Guest Keith Knight
Today's show is brought to you by Wacom — makers of the incredible Wacom One! This week, we're thrilled to welcome our friend Keith Knight to the 'Lab. Keith's…
- Comic Lab
What's in a (domain) name?
Today's show is brought to you by Wacom — makers of the incredible Wacom One! A ComicLab listener is trying to decide on a domain name for their comic, and…
- Comic Lab
Nobody wants to hear "Support Me on Patreon"
Today's show is brought to you by Wacom — makers of the incredible Wacom One! If your outreach is "Support me on Patreon," you're delivering a tone-deaf…
- Comic Lab
Artisting hurdles
Today's show is brought to you by Wacom — makers of the incredible Wacom One! This week, Dave and Brad talk about the hurdles they've experienced as artists…
- Comic Lab
Special Guest Erika Moen discusses mental health
Today's show is brought to you by Wacom — makers of the incredible Wacom One! This week, our friend Erika Moen joins us to talk about one of the most important…
- Comic Lab
Setting an emotional hook
Today's show is brought to you by Wacom — makers of the incredible Wacom One! As a follow-up to our conversation about writing a strong beginning to your…
- Comic Lab
Plagiarism
Today's show is brought to you by Wacom — makers of the incredible Wacom One! This week, we're talking about using a joke that you didn't write. That topic…
- Comic Lab
Patreon Annual Membership
Today's show is brought to you by Wacom — makers of the incredible Wacom One! Patreon has unveiled Annual Membership — should you promote it to your backers?…
- Comic Lab
Is a black-and-white comic still viable?
Today's show is brought to you by Wacom — makers of the incredible Wacom One! Brad and Dave talk about black-and-white comics — are they still viable in…
- Comic Lab
Finding other cartoonists in your region
Today's show is brought to you by Wacom — makers of the incredible Wacom One! Brad and Dave talk about ways to find other cartoonists and comics creators in…
- Comic Lab
Running a Virtual Comic Convention
Today's show is brought to you by Wacom — makers of the incredible Wacom One! Brad and Dave talk about their experience running their first virtual comic…
- Comic Lab
How do you do an empathy?
Today's show is brought to you by Wacom — makers of the incredible Wacom One! Brad and Dave talk about writing characters from outside your own personal…
- Comic Lab
The 8-Pages Rule
Today's show is brought to you by Wacom — makers of the incredible Wacom One! This week, Brad and Dave recall a guideline for reader retention from the early…
- Comic Lab
Creating your own Writers' Room
Today's show is brought to you by Wacom — makers of the incredible Wacom One! This week, a Patreon backer asks how they can build their own Writers' Room…
- Comic Lab
Special Guest Terry Blas
Today's show is brought to you by Wacom — makers of the incredible Wacom One! This week, Dave and Brad welcome the incredible Terry Blas to the show! Questions…
- Comic Lab
What's in a name? Cartoonist, creator, comics artist...?
Today's show is brought to you by Wacom — makers of the incredible Wacom One! This week, Dave and Brad discuss what we should call ourselves — cartoonist…
- Comic Lab
Special Guest Gloria Calderón Kellett
Today's show is brought to you by Wacom — makers of the incredible Wacom One! This week, we're joined by writer/actor Gloria Calderón Kellett, co-showrunner of…
- Comic Lab
2020 Goals Revisited
Today's show is brought to you by Wacom — makers of the incredible Wacom One! At the beginning of the year, Dave and Brad shared their goals for the year. But…
- Comic Lab
Special Guest Scott Kurtz
Today's show is brought to you by Wacom — makers of the incredible Wacom One! This week, Dave and Brad welcome Scott Kurtz for a mini-reunion of Webcomics…
- Comic Lab
Special Guest Karla Pacheco
Today's show is brought to you by Wacom — makers of the incredible Wacom One! This week, Dave and Brad welcome the delightful Karla Pacheco, writer of…
- Comic Lab
Is Art School Worth It?
Today's show is brought to you by Wacom — makers of the incredible Wacom One! This week, Dave and Brad ask — as art schools move towards virtual learning — is…
- Comic Lab
Special Guest Cat Farris
Today's show is brought to you by Wacom — makers of the incredible Wacom One! This week, Dave and Brad welcome the marvelous Cat Farris, illustrator of My…
- Comic Lab
Supportive Life Partners
Today's show is brought to you by Wacom — makers of the incredible Wacom One! This week, Dave and Brad talk about their most important creative partners —…
- Comic Lab
Lore Olympus vs Webtoons
Today's show is brought to you by Wacom — makers of the incredible Wacom One! Recently Webtoons spoiled a reveal in "Lore Olympus" that the creator, Rachel…
- Comic Lab
The Best Software for Publishing Webcomics
Today's show is brought to you by Wacom — makers of the incredible Wacom One! This week, Dave and Brad talk about the best Content Management System (CMS) for…
- Comic Lab
What's the word on word balloons?
Today's show is brought to you by Wacom — makers of the incredible Wacom One! This week, Dave and Brad drill down deep on a crucial topic in comics — word…
- Comic Lab
Special Guest Gale Galligan
Today's show is brought to you by Wacom — makers of the incredible Wacom One! This week, the ComicLab guys talk shop with Gale Galligan, creator of the…
- Comic Lab
Comics Under Quarantine
Today's show is brought to you by Wacom — makers of the incredible Wacom One! Dave and Brad are devoting the entire show to topics related to the coronavirus…
- Comic Lab
Special Guest Karl Kerschl
Today's show is brought to you by Wacom — makers of the incredible Wacom One! This week, the ComicLab guys talk shop with Karl Kerschl of The Abominable…
- Comic Lab
Special Guest Lar deSouza
Todays show is brought to you by Wacom — makers of the incredible Wacom One! This week, the ComicLab guys talk shop with Lar deSouza of Least I Could Do and…
- Comic Lab
Managing a long-distance collaboration
Todays show is brought to you by Wacom — makers of the incredible Wacom One! Collaborations are a great way to make comics. But what if your parter is in…
- Comic Lab
Kickstarter workers vote to unionize
Todays show is brought to you by Wacom — makers of the incredible Wacom One! Kickstarter has become the first major tech start-up to unionize. Plus, Brad and…
- Comic Lab
Coronavirus, conventions and cartoonists in crisis
Show note: After we recorded this show, Emerald City Comicon announced they are cancelling the show originally scheduled to run March 12-15, 2020. Scroll down…
- Comic Lab
Patreon Capital — is it predatory lending?
Todays show is brought to you by Wacom — makers of the incredible Wacom One! Patreon has announced a new initiative called Patreon Capital that many have…
- Comic Lab
Have you ever wanted to quit?
This week, a Patreon backer asks, "Have you ever wanted to quit?" But first, Dave skips the Oscar Awards in favor of Starship Troopers. Questions asked and…
- Comic Lab
What are the top three strips of all time?
What are the top three comic strips of all time? Dave and Brad shre their lists ‚ and combine to share a list of overall best strips. But first, Dave's dog has…
- Comic Lab
Changing gears on Patreon
How do you change gears on Patreon once your backers have gotten used to certain rewards? But first, did you know Sha-Na-Na opened for Jimi Hendrix at…
- Comic Lab
Submitting work to the Eisners
What's the best process for submitting your work to the Eisner Award committee? Dave and Brad get some great advice from Jackie Estrada, who has been in charge…
- Comic Lab
Finding a mentor
How do you find a comics mentor? How could you become one? We talk about the importance of mentorships — and how to get involved in one. But first, Dave and…
- Comic Lab
Should you build your audience on Webtoons?
Webtoons is a popular platform for independent comics publishers. But with practically no options for reader outreach, is it worth the effort? But first, Dave…
- Comic Lab
Live by the platform, die by the platform
From YouTube’s new policy regarding Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) to SmackJeeves' site-wide changes, the ComicLab guys realize that living…
- Comic Lab
Buying advertising
This episode of ComicLab is sponsored by Wacom! On this week's show, the ComicLab guys talk about buying advertising. Actually, the discussion centers more…
- Comic Lab
The Best Of 2019
The season finale of ComicLab is sponsored by Wacom! To celebrate the new year, the ComicLab guys are taking a look back on some of their favorite moments from…
- Comic Lab
Hand lettering
This episode of ComicLab is sponsored by Wacom! On this week's show, the ComicLab guys talk about hand lettering. How can someone beat the learning curve?…
- Comic Lab
Autobiographical comics
This episode of ComicLab is sponsored by Wacom! On this week's show, the ComicLab guys discuss the strategy behind creating a comic solely for the film rights…
- Comic Lab
Hiring an editor
This episode of ComicLab is sponsored by Wacom! On this week's show, the ComicLab guys talk about hiring an editor. It's more than catching spelling errors. A…