Making Comics

This week, we discuss brainstorming a special cover (3:00), when multi-issue storylines mess with trade paperback continuity (12:30), when a craft lesson resonates with you (30:30), finalizing a cover (36:00), tackling a story idea that's been on the backburner (43:40), and getting in the right headspace to give feedback (46:30).

This week, we talk about finishing the art for a comic project full of twists and turns (3:00), getting the creativity you can out of feeling under the weather (20:40), Free Comic Book Day (29:15), finalizing a cover for a future project (37:00), and how the details matter (51:30).

This week, we recap the LA Times Festival of Books (3:30), rethinking a key splash page (13:40), when the "pantser" method of writing goes wrong (24:20), and thinking ahead for a 2026 project (35:30).

This week, we talk about regaining your artistic rhythm (4:40), expanding your craft through study and mimicry (10:45), understanding the essence of your influences (21:00), writing to understand what you're writing (35:40), and formatting nightmares (49:15).

This week, Jim Lujan (The Full Fungus) joins us (Go watch the Full Fungus)! We talk about repurposing archived material (4:20), working with a printer to meet key dates (11:30), the excitement of starting a new project (21:45), the role music plays in projects (28:30), how improvisation connects different creative forms (54:30), and the feeling when you finish an ambitious project (59:20).

This week, we talk about finishing production work on an anthology title (4:15), a record week of reading (19:40), using the SLAC method to finish a story (28:45), designing the mystery in your story (37:30), and a discussion on creation and commerce (50:20)

This week, we begin with a recap of WonderCon (5:20) and discuss convention do's and don'ts (20:25), then talk about coloring pages (42:00) and when subgenres break formula (45:10).

This week, we sit down with Scott Serkland (The Young and the Dead) to give big picture thoughts on AZCAF (3:15), the right amount of information to share on upcoming projects (17:00), and craft versus promotion (37:15), among other topics.

This week, we talk about found footage when it comes to comics (3:20), knowing the right amount of work and detail for talk-heavy pages (21:50), getting a book back from the printer (28:50), when crowdfunding campaigns offer pleasant surprises (34:45), when the universe does strange things (45:45), and stages of cover assembly (53:20).

This week, we discuss the framing of an unorthodox story (3:10), the challenges some background elements provide (13:30), how changing POV can make a story smoother (25:00), and managing your crowdfunding campaign mid-stream (33:15).

This week, we discuss rarities you can include in your crowdfunding (3:00), a different kind of convention (12:00), making free stuff work for you (17:25), densely paneled pages (26:20), taking the first swing at a change in story structure (35:40), a conversation with a colorist (45:00), and the decision in staking a claim on a story idea (51:25).

This week, we welcome Gary Hodges (D vs. M) and discuss editing an anthology (5:20) and naming conventions for the volumes of your work (9:15) before we open up the conversation on story structure (17:00), keeping the energy of a rough version in later versions (35:00), the rhythm / music of stories (51:50), and more!

This week, we discuss the maddening part of PDF assembly (5:55), the maddening part of PDF formatting (12:00), making a future editing promise to yourself (24:30), settling in to those productive moments (30:25), the right level of detail and quality for books within your story (37:45), finding the right format for your story (48:00), and stylistic choices for voiceover text (55:10).

This week, we discuss character references for your story (5:00), staying on an artist pace for interior pages (16:00), continuity among your comics (26:40), riding a creative wave when it happens (32:45), working through a coloring style (38:45), before we get into the main topic: the hand-drawn element of logos and lettering (45:30).

This week, we talk about drawing a Kickstarter backer into artwork (2:30), locating yourself on the learning curve (13:00), putting the promotional work into your crowdfunding (25:20), when PDF formatting goes wrong (28:15), when a workshop tells you something you didn't see (36:30), working on a letters column (46:50), and getting the complete art to Keith's superhero story (53:45), which he actually names! Then Scott reveals the secret project (63:00) he's been working on!

This week, we go behind the scenes filming a crowdfunding video (3:10), working to an aggressive deadline for completing art (11:15), restarting a story draft before you had planned to (19:30), redefining creative success (24:00), finding the right amount of research for your story (39:00) and being the "last hand" on a book before it goes to press (48:20).

This week, we talk about how aggressive pace-setting goals help (4:45), writer's block (15:00), a change in the setting of a story that changed the story itself (22:45), how bonus content for a comic matters (31:15), tracking down comic scripts to aid craft research (40:00), and reading a first draft at a high level to target edits (47:30).

This week, we talk about the home stretch of a commission (3:30), finalizing the first draft of a story (12:30), making inks and flats one process when doing pages (20:15), changing the method of telling for a series of short stories (31:10), and the giant story structures that drive us (41:10).

This week, we discuss turning a change in the colorist for a project (4:00), close editing of those lines of dialogue that really matter (9:40), coloring techniques (19:00), learning with purpose (27:15), and getting back a bunch of art for upcoming projects (35:20) before we share our 2025 goals (45:20).

This week, we welcome Arthur Ebuen (@alifornia, Inc.) to the podcast and talk about creating something new in a late-stage edit (4:10), knocking the drawing rust off (13:00), and lettering and scripting an issue (18:00) before we talk craft with Art, including the preparation involved in approaching an artist (23:00), world building for a comic series (33:50), and staying true to your vision (43:00). The California, Inc Kickstarter : https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/artebuen/california-inc-1-4-the-complete-series?ref=discovery&term=california%20inc&total_hits=7&category_id=250

This week, we discuss how giving yourself a break from creative work can yield results anyway (5:45), holding people to deadlines on a project (11:15), crossing the finish line for a Kickstarter (27:30) and working on a unifying design for a new Kickstarter (33:40), before this week's main topic: flashbacks (49:10).

It's the Year In Review episode, and that means we welcome Gary Hodges (Dinosaurs vs Marsbots) to discuss our year-end favorites, including favorite purchase (4:45), favorite movie (25:30), band and album of the year (1:00:00), and the comic of the year (1:09:00), and many others. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/makingcomics/support

It's the holiday episode, and that means we welcome Gary Hodges (Dinosaurs vs Marsbots) to talk about the ways we were "nice", a.k.a. our greatest creative achievement (4:15), the ways we were "naughty" a.k.a. our greatest creative learning (23:00) before our Holiday Hot Take Extravaganza (39:00). --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/makingcomics/support

This week, we talk about finishing pages amidst a busy week (7:05), developing a creative and release plan for an upcoming book (15:30), a wild 24 hours on a secret project (21:00), a workshop that pointed the direction forward (29:40), what you learn giving notes (35:30), and seizing an opportunity to revise a story one last time (48:00) before this week's topic: the story type of "overcoming the monster" (54:00). --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/makingcomics/support

This week we talk about Kickstarter prep and launch (6:00), choosing a stopping point for the "new story" worked on in November (10:30), the arrival of a long-awaited commission and getting a vibe of an art style (23:30), and streamlining future projects (29:45) before this week's topic: the main plot types of rags to riches (42:10) and comedy and tragedy (50:15). --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/makingcomics/support

This week we talk about the right color palette for a variant cover (5:30), interviewing a person who will serve as a character in your story (21:50), what managing a comics project can involve (32:10), and changing the point in time a story is told (49:00). --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/makingcomics/support

This week, we talk about working with an artist on art changes for a story (4:30), fine-tuning an experimental art style for a project and the essence of a style (13:45), those days that begin with staring at a blank page (20:50), coloring a cover on a tight deadline (25:20), the best study guides (32:30), and what "being in the zone" is and if there's a way to get there (41:00). --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/makingcomics/support

This week, we recap the creative retreat and talk about finishing a first draft of a script (2:50), "doing the messy thing" when it comes to story (5:30), thinking things out in the panel stage (13:45), working on music and how it relates to writing (17:50), writing your way into a mystery, then figuring out the basics (24:40), creating thumbnails and panels for a new story (34:00), references (37:30), and varying up how your characters talk (46:10). --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/makingcomics/support

This week, we talk about those stories that feel easy to write (4:15), winding down Drawtober deliverables (18:20), figuring out structure for a short story (32:00), before we discuss the "Quest" story type (47:00). --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/makingcomics/support

Fresh off a trip to Japan (Keith) and San Diego Comic Fest (Scott), we talk about a productive start to a story (4:00), working ahead against a deadline (12:00), documenting via journal and capturing creative work as you go (21:15), the highlights of San Diego Comic Fest (27:30), and a creative take on a alternate cover (48:30). --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/makingcomics/support

This week, we talk about the influences that build your style (3:15), the winding path to the end of a story (22:20), and what makes finishing a first draft / thumbnails unique (30:45) before we get to this week's topic: the basic "Voyage and Return" plot (39:50). --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/makingcomics/support

This week, we discuss how the art comes alive when going from pencils to inks (5:15), prep work and advance work for creative projects/performances (16:20), considering story structures for a new idea (22:15), and putting work in on an overdue cover (30:30) before this week's main topic: the story type of Rebirth (36:40). --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/makingcomics/support

This week, we talk about self-imposed time constraints and how month-long projects are a performance (3:25), how a strong idea for the "next" story can make you want to finish your current story (16:15), dialing in the look for comic art (22:15), planning out next year's schedule and deciding when it's time to move on from a show (31:30), reordering product (41:00), and this week's main topic: author afterwords (51:45). --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/makingcomics/support

This week, we welcome Ray-Anthony Height (writer/inker of Midnight Tiger, artist for Marvel, Viz, Lion Forge, and Image) to the show and discuss a wide array of topics, including further developing a strong idea (3:00), finishing the thumbnails for a comic (10:15), prepping a visa for the FIBDA Festival (14:00), the state of the comic industry today (21:40), the value of a second creative voice on a project (48:00), creator fear and how to address it (54:20), using feedback to gauge your progression (1:07:30), how less is more (1:15:00), and Ray-Anthony's comic career as it's progressed over time (1:22:30). --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/makingcomics/support

After recapping a wild day of obstacles to recording, we talk about resizing text (11:20), thumbnailing pages for the next comic (21:00), expanding your mind by sketching plot outlines (25:15), taking on an editor role (38:20), and how surprises turn into a lightning bolt of an idea (44:45). --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/makingcomics/support

This week, we discuss story endings (4:00), the right point in time to start your scenes (16:05), a recap of Fil-Am Creator Con (28:50), and a harrowing live draw experience (34:30) before this week's main topic: fandom now versus fandom in the past (46:00). --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/makingcomics/support

This week, we talk about dreams in fiction (4:30), thumbnailing for a comic (14:15), comic formatting nightmares (22:15), and why reading bad books are is as important as reading good books (35:45) before we discuss a real life "What would you keep" story (43:50), simplifying things, and easing the pressure you put on yourself (53:40). --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/makingcomics/support

This week, we review a packing party and an alternative to media mail (4:30), writing backwards and seeding ideas in a story (16:00), returning to a project after letting it sit for a few months (25:00), how re-lettering becomes re-wording (36:10), finding the perfect image in your old files (44:40), and formative ideas (48:30). --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/makingcomics/support

This week, we talk about purposefully cheesy scenes (5:30), using free time to do your less mentally strenuous work (23:00), doing critical restructuring work on a scene (29:30), how just vocalizing something can be a help (34:35), and handing off a script and receiving feedback (44:00). --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/makingcomics/support

This week, we talk about commissions (2:30) and how they can inspire your print portfolio, when a short idea sparks something ever larger (8:00), making dialogue better through multiple edits (16:30), and signing yourself up for a massive re-lettering project (34:00). --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/makingcomics/support

It's Part Two of the Art Retreat Recap! This week, we sit down with Gary Hodges (Dinosaurs vs Marsbots) and Jim Lujan (film animator, The Full Fungus) for part two of our Crestline art retreat recap, and talk about the design and execution of sound recording for video (4:00), the value of having people live and in person for feedback (12:20), reference photos and the acting they require (18:40), putting greater weight on things that work in animation (27:40), creating a story from scratch in five hours (33:00), and turning page breakdowns into a comic script (40:10). --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/makingcomics/support

It's Part One of the Art Retreat Recap! This week, we sit down with Joshua Kemble (Jacob's Apartment, Not Death But Love: the Strange, Supernatural Story of Elizabeth Barrett Browning), Scott Serkland (The Young and the Dead, Serkworks Art Labs), and Cory Kerr (Illo Talk Substack) in part one of the recap of our creative retreat! We talk about working on a long-term project and a rollercoaster ride to publishing (4:30), where to draw the line in historical fiction (13:30), finishing one project and starting character designs on another (20:30), the ups and downs of prose in an experimental form (38:20), and more! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/makingcomics/support

This week, we discuss getting art back for a novel (4:15), ordering signage and prepping commissions prior to San Diego Comic Con (10:15), replacing placeholders with details, and the work that goes into those details (16:30), Selling at San Diego Comic Con (22:00), and thinking your way through an 8-page comic story (32:45) before we talk more about both the creator and fan experience at SDCC (41:00). --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/makingcomics/support

This week, we discuss San Diego Comic Con Prep (3:00), fusing the rawness of an original idea with the story it's blossomed into (18:00), restarting a commission (29:30), getting un-stuck on a story (38:15), and getting work done, whether it's flats or pencils (48:30). --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/makingcomics/support

This week, we talk about modifying your sales pitch on the fly (3:00), a productive art week (18:30), rewriting a synopsis so it matches the flow of a story (23:40), how everything you do informs future work (31:00), finding the right place in your comic to put key information (38:15), and coordinating shipments to arrive in time for Comic Con (41:30). --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/makingcomics/support

This week, we discuss asking a colorist to match an existing style on a comic (2:30), finding a way to get work done (13:40) before we get to this week's topic - challenges in scripting action (25:50), dusting off an old commission to finish it (36:00), hooking into things from a first draft and expanding them (40:00), and getting inspired to write a scene (46:15). --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/makingcomics/support

This week, we talk about writing as you letter (4:25), getting cover art back (19:45), how fun marvel method can be when it works (24:25), getting the most out of your pages (41:35), and anthologies (48:50). --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/makingcomics/support

This week, we talk about busy pages (5:00), scripting in pencil as part of the marvel method (16:10), finding alternate printers by necessity (26:50), finding your story (45:30), finishing your contribution to a project (54:40), and getting a cover in record time (1:00:00). --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/makingcomics/support

This week, we talk about working on a particular challenge on a new page (3:00), using a newly familiar writing environment to write a high-levle Marvel method script (9:50), following up with a nonresponsive vendor (18:00), reminding yourself to harness that "early creation period" energy when you knew less and experimented more (22:25), collaborating on cover art (33:15), and our deepest pop culture reference yet (39:50) before we get to this week's main topic: booth setup (42:20). --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/makingcomics/support

This week, we sit down with long-time friend of the podcast Gary Hodges and review the first two days of Phoenix Fan Fusion (4:45), discuss writing and editing a comic script (14:50), the different styles of soliciting feedback from test readers (20:20), thinking about booths and tabling as a fan (32:30), selling at shows and maximizing the show experience at your table (36:40), the benefits of writing without distractions (46:50), and the challenge of a script full of characters (52:50). --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/makingcomics/support

This week, we welcome Daniel Hillyard (Plastic: Death and Dolls, Vinyl, Plush, How I Became a Shoplifter, Narcos) and talk about removing exact references from comic scripts (5:00), working around a non-responsive vendor (12:30), the creation stages of a comic (20:00), separating books by visual themes (26:00), Daniel's start in the comics business (39:00), the first time he considered comics as a career (52:00), panel flow on a page (68:00), contemporary influences (76:00), and a lot more! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/makingcomics/support