Special Guest Scott Kurtz and "Tables Titans Club"

Are we 'there' yet?

How did Brad and Dave know when they'd "made it"? ALSO: Now that you have a website with a blog... what do you write??

Brad shares a heartwarming story about his dad's induction into the Michigan High School Bowling Hall of Fame. They discuss the concept of 'making it' as a cartoonist and the different definitions of success. They also address the challenges of rating one's comic in terms of age appropriateness and content warnings. In this part of the conversation, the hosts discuss how to handle sensitive content on websites and social media platforms. They mention using content warnings, marking sensitive posts, and utilizing tools provided by social media platforms. They also talk about the importance of considering the audience's age range and the different standards and gradations of content in various mediums. In the second part of the conversation, they discuss the use of blogs on websites and how they have evolved over time. They mention the historical use of blogs for SEO purposes and the shift towards social media for quick and easy sharing. They suggest using blogs to share a variety of content, including transcripts of comics, reposts of social media content, and updates on Patreon or other platforms. They emphasize the importance of not overthinking blog content and using the four C's: content, commercial, curation, and kindness.

ON TODAY'S SHOW:

• When did we know we had "made it"?
• Content warnings and age ratings
• WP Shortcodes Plugin
• UPDATE: Alaska Comics Camp
• What should I do with my blog?
• Jack Conte's SXSW speech

CHAPTERS

00:00:00 Introduction: Brad's Heartwarming Story

00:07:29 The Definition of 'Making It' as a Cartoonist

00:11:13 Navigating Age Appropriateness and Content Warnings in Comics

00:44:30 The Evolution of Blogs

00:49:27 Using Blogs to Share Content

TAKEAWAYS

• The concept of 'making it' as a cartoonist is subjective and can vary from person to person.
• Financial stability is often key to feeling like you've 'made it' as a cartoonist.
• There is no universal standard for rating comics in terms of age appropriateness and content warnings.
• Considerations for rating your comic include societal norms, personal values, and the expectations of different platforms.
• Content warnings can be placed on the cover of your book, the top of your website, or your social media profile page. Consider using content warnings and marking sensitive social media posts to allow readers to view or avoid certain content.
• Take advantage of built-in tools on social media platforms to flag sensitive content and provide warnings.
• Be mindful of your audience's age range and consider the different standards and gradations of content in various mediums.
• Use blogs on websites to share a variety of content, including comic transcripts, reposts of social media content, and updates on Patreon or other platforms.
• Don't overthink blog content; use the four Cs: content, commercial, curation, and kindness.

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.

How much story is too much story?

How do you know when you're giving your readers too many details? — or not enough? Where's the sweet spot between action and exposition? We're going deep on storycraft this week! PLUS: Zines, gutters, and distribution!

THIS WEEK'S SHOW

• How much story to write
• Should you be doing a zine?
• Gutters
• Borders
• Distribution

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.

Social media is dead... now what?

Having completed their Kickstarters, Dave and Brad review the promotional outreach that delivered the biggest results and make a shocking discovery. Traditionally, social media platforms were the biggest drivers of Kickstarter pledges. But in 2024 they barely made the top ten. That raises an important question: If we can't rely on social media to deliver a Kickstarter pledge — and if it's increasingly difficult to build an audience there — why are we using it?

ON TODAY'S SHOW

• Kickstarter post mortem
• Social media is dead... now what?

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.

Building traffic vs building audience

Is it possible to build traffic for your comic without building an audience? Also, an anonymous post on Reddit accuses Webtoons of using a predatory contract.

ON TODAY'S SHOW

• Building traffic vs. building an audience
• UPDATE: SDCC Panels
• UPDATE: Dave's 500 for 50
• Is the Webtoons contract "predatory?"

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.

Special guest Dave Blazek

This week, we're talking to Dave Blazek, creator of "Loose Parts," a single-panel comic syndicated to more than 120 newspapers worldwide. Blazek is a three-time NCS Silver Reuben award winner and a danged delight. We'll discuss how he became an "accidental cartoonist" and his unique approach to writing humor.

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.