Comic Lab

How to Succeed at San Diego Comic-Con

Today's show is brought to you by Hogan's Alley, the fantastic magazine devoted to comics history, cartoonists, and the art form we love. Visit HoganMag.com and use the d

Special Guest Fran Sundblad, creator of "Tiff & Eve"

Cartoonist Fran Sundblad, creator of Tiff & Eve, joins Brad for a wide-ranging conversation about creating character-driven comics, finding an audience on Reddit, and lea

The Worst Thing About Webcomics

Although we typically focus on the bright side of being independent cartoonists, a listener asks us to address the downside of webcomics. We'll talk about time management

How to Calculate Churn — and Why

Patreon backers have access to an exclusive ComicLab Churn Rate spreadsheet — it does the math for you! Is your Patreon actually growing—or are new members disguising a r

First Pages First

What belongs at the beginning of your book? Brad and Dave discuss whether an anti-AI statement offers creators any meaningful protection, break down the information that

Special Guest Dylan Meconis

Cartoonist and author Dylan Meconis joins Dave Kellett to discuss marketing middle-grade webcomics, working with fans who offer to translate your work, and finding the ri

What's the Best Business Model for Comics?

This week, Brad and Dave talk about the best business model for longform webcomics — and why putting your comic online for free is still the strongest way to build a sust

Why Some Punchlines Don’t Land

Dave Kellett returns from his first-ever college reunion with a full heart — and a renewed appreciation for old friends, running jokes, and the occasional listener washin

Never Outsource Your Vision

This week, Brad and Dave discuss one of the easiest traps for independent creators to fall into: Outsourcing important business or creative decisions to reader polls. Aud

Surviving Your Own Success

This week, Brad and Dave discuss what happens after a cartoonist achieves the dream: making a living from comics. They explain why success can create its own time-managem

Exclamation points!!!

What seems like a simple question about exclamation points opens up a much bigger discussion about the power of comics lettering. Brad and Dave talk about punctuation, wo

Alaska Comics Camp 2026

Today’s show is sponsored by Huion, makers of the Huion Kamvas 22 (Gen 3) — a 21.5" pen display with a gorgeous 2.5K screen and really smooth performance. Bottom line: it

Hiring a Social Media Manager

Should cartoonists hire a social-media manager? Brad and Dave discuss the pros and cons of outsourcing social media and ultimately argue that most creators should handle

Quiet on the set!

With both Brad and Dave nominated for awards this year, the guys spiral into a surprisingly deep conversation about awards, marketing, ego, and whether creators should pl

Is the comic strip dead?

The newspaper comic strip didn't go extinct — it evolved. But if your work doesn't keep up, your career may be fossilized! From Reddit-ready square comics to vertical-scr

Keeping it Short — Making a Living 40 Pages at a Time

Today’s show is sponsored by Huion, makers of the Huion Kamvas 22 (Gen 3) — a 21.5" pen display with a gorgeous 2.5K screen and really smooth performance. Bottom line: it

Writing Funny Words Funnily

A listener asks whether some words are inherently funnier than others—and it opens the door to a deep dive on word choice, dialogue, and how to make jokes land harder. B

Nobody Has Ever Made a Living in Comics

This episode examines a Bluesky thread where cartoonists self-reported their financial realities. While the original question was thoughtful — seeking insight into full-t

I've got an audience... now what do I DO with them??

Today’s show is sponsored by Huion, makers of the Huion Kamvas 22 (Gen 3) — a 21.5" pen display with a gorgeous 2.5K screen and really smooth performance. Bottom line: it

Reclaiming Our Power

Today’s show is sponsored by Huion, makers of the Huion Kamvas 22 (Gen 3) — a 21.5" pen display with a gorgeous 2.5K screen and really smooth performance. Bottom line: it