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Cartoonist and animator Ben Wickey spent more than a decade toiling away on More Weight. The original graphic novel is an astonishing achievement, recounting the Salem witch trials through extensive research and dusting off History's cobwebs. Wickey re-contextualizes the events and the people, establishing how the horror stretches across time, touching upon literary giants like Nathaniel Hawthorne and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, as well as himself and every one of his readers. We're publishing this podcast on the eve of the Eisner Awards, held at San Diego Comic-Con International. More Weight finds itself nominated for Best Graphic Novel Album - New. Wickey stands amongst some stiff competition, but as you heard in our Stampies: Best Comics of 2025 episode, we think it's not only worthy of that nomination, but we believe it to be one of the best comics of the twenty-first century. More Weight is not a textbook. It's a riveting, horrorifying, and beautifully human drama. It's staggering to witness the thought and concern Wickey put into these characters, and his artistic depiction is simply breathtaking. Today's podcast is one we've wanted to have for months. It's a thorough conversation, exploring with Wickey why the Salem witch trials are more significant today, and it will probably remain so for as long as those living dare to dismiss it as Halloween decoration. More Weight is available from Top Shelf Productions wherever rad comic books are sold. Follow Ben Wickey on Instagram. Follow the Rest of our San Diego Comic-Con 2026 Coverage Christopher Cantwell on Star Trek David Steinberger and Chip Mosher on Neon Ichiban 2.5 Other Relevant Links to This Week's Episode: Subscribe to the Comic Book Couples Counseling YouTube Channel Watch The Stacks, Comic Creators Name Their Favorite Comics Previously on CBCC: Christian Ward on The Forever Home Comic Book Club: Spider-Man: Brand New Day at Meanwhile...Coffee in Herndon, Virginia, on 8/2 at 3:30 PM Comic Book Film Club: Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia on 8/9 at 5:00 PM Final Round of Plugs (PHEW): Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY. And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Bluesky @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren. Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts. Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators. Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou. This Week's Sponsors The Future is Calling! 2000 AD is the Galaxy's Greatest Comic, with new issues published every single week! Every 32-page issue of 2000 AD brings you the best in sci-fi and horror, featuring characters like Judge Dredd, Rogue Trooper, and more. Get a print subscription to 2000 AD and it'll arrive to your mailbox every week - and your first issue is free! Or subscribe digitally, and you can download DRM-free copies of each issue for only $9 a month. That's 128 pages of incredible comics every month for less than $10! Head to 2000AD.com and click on ‘subscribe' now – or download the 2000 AD app and start reading today! What happens when the love of your life is buried on the other side of the country, and you're a ghost who can't leave your grave? That's the beautifully haunting setup of Till Death, a new romantic horror-comedy from Michael Schwartz, Rachael Schaefer, and artist Gaia Cardinali now on Kickstarter from Clover Press! Vivian has waited decades for her husband to join her in the afterlife. But when she discovers he's been buried across the country, she makes a deal with Mack, a man whose near-death experience allows him to see ghosts. We've read Till Death, and we absolutely loved it. It's a bold, original four-color romance, fitting snugly inside comics' most unsung genre. Till Death is on Kickstarter now. Visit the campaign and make your pledge today! Third Eye Comics is opening its biggest store ever: Third Eye 97, a 10,000-square-foot comic, game, and collectibles mega-store inside a former Walmart in Glen Burnie, Maryland, with the doors opening July 25th. Grand opening month goes huge with a Rob Liefeld signing at the new flagship on July 31st, the legend behind Youngblood, Deadpool, and Cable, live and in person. Can't make it to Maryland? The entire Third Eye world ships to your door at thirdeyecomics.com: new releases, back issues, games, and exclusives, sent anywhere with Third Eye Ships. See Third Eye's massive inventory while watching THE STACKS and then order those same books your favorite creators talk about online! Use codeword: STACKSORDIE for 15% off your order! The Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Va is not only unlike any theater in America; it's unlike any Alamo Drafthouse. It's a franchise. In fact, it's the first Alamo Drafthouse location outside of Texas. On July 5th, their Film Club is celebrating America's 250th with the 85th Anniversary of the Greatest Movie Ever Made, Citizen Kane! They'll have an encore screening of Kane on Wednesday, July 8th, too. Film Club is great, but so is their Psycho Cinema series hosted by Faye. On July 14th, they're screening truly one of the best bad movies of all time, Samurai Cop. Golly, have you even lived until you've seen Samurai Cop on the big screen? I think not. Get your tickets today!
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 right balance between control and accessibility. They also share practical advice for cartoonists creating an autobiographical avatar — including how simplification, posture, clothing, line quality, and tone can make a character feel unmistakably like you. Topics include: Marketing and monetizing middle-grade webcomics Reaching young readers through parents, newsletters, libraries, and local events Using print editions, zines, and snail-mail clubs to complement online comics Deciding whether to permit fan translations Maintaining quality control with beta readers and creator-hosted translations Balancing copyright concerns with the desire to reach new audiences Designing a cartoon version of yourself for memoir and autobiographical comics 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.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.
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 sustainable career. Also: Kickstarter's late-pledge and pledge-manager tools, the difference between market research and mirror research, and how to keep going when your first posts get nothing but crickets. ON THIS WEEK'S SHOW... Dave's backyard skunk problem may or may not require Super Soakers What's the best business model for longform webcomics? Why fear of theft can stop creators from building an audience Why free-to-read comics remain the best foundation for a comics business “First comes the crowd, then comes the funding” Why readers who enjoy your work online are often first in line to buy the book How delayed access and early-access posts fit into a Patreon strategy Why exclusive side stories can work better than paywalling your main archive Avoiding physical rewards on Patreon and Substack Dave will be at San Diego Comic-Con booth 1228 with free ComicLab pins (use the super-easy mnemonic: 1BAT) Kickstarter late pledges and Pledge Manager are bringing in real money Why charging shipping closer to fulfillment can be safer Market research vs. mirror research How to estimate Kickstarter shipping more accurately What to do when you start posting online and get “crickets” Why seven posts is not enough time to expect traction Reframing early work as building an archive for future fans Social-media advice for giving readers a reason to engage Why success in comics is a marathon, not a sprint 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.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.
Dan Goldman is a multimedia creator who’s worked in comics and the entertainment industry for over twenty years. After a long stretch of working on properties for other publishers and producers, he decided it was time to focus on his own projects. Thus Kinjin Storylab was born. Kinjin Storylab is Dan’s own independent storytelling studio […]
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 washing dishes through the cold open. From there, Brad and Dave dig into one of the trickiest parts of writing comics: how much work should the reader have to do to “get” the punchline? Using Brad's motorcycle-jump-over-a-ravine metaphor, they discuss why wider joke “canyons” can create bigger laughs, why shorter jumps can feel merely “technically funny,” and why the best cartoonists learn how to build strong launching ramps while understanding that every reader brings a different landing ramp. Also in this episode: How to show music in a silent medium, why semi-realistic comics should still embrace comics iconography, a quick San Diego Comic-Con update, Bluesky's expanded image carousel, and why obsessing over analytics can become a form of creative procrastination. Topics covered in this episode include: Writing punchlines that require inference from the reader Brad's “motorcycle jumping a ravine” metaphor for humor Why wider joke gaps can produce bigger laughs The difference between “funny” and “technically funny” Why some jokes land for one reader and miss for another How audience literacy, life experience, and context affect comedy Why “it took me a second” can be a feature, not a bug The danger of making every joke too obvious Why memorable comics often take bigger comedic swings Why being someone's “top three cartoonist” matters more than broad mild approval The difference between newspaper-era comics and webcomics-era audience building Dave's San Diego Comic-Con booth update The free ComicLab pin for listeners at Booth 1228 Bluesky expanding post image limits from 4 images to 10 How the new Bluesky carousel can help sequential artists How to communicate piano music in comics Why floating music notes are not “too cartoony” for semi-realistic comics Using established comics iconography instead of reinventing the wheel Why comics can suggest music but rarely reproduce the experience of music How manga and anime use visual language more freely Using musical notation as a visual “spice,” not the whole dish Why analytics can become creative avoidance Whether it matters how quickly a comic reaches its maximum views Why “magic number” thinking can distract from improving the next comic Why creators should spend less time dusting bookcases and more time making better comics What's better? A simple gag or one that requires the audience to think? UPDATE: Comic-Con International booth 1228 Update: Bluesky update... 10 images per post! Indicating music in a realistic comic How long does it take to achieve maximum views? 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.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.
Supergirl is the eagerly anticipated spinoff/sequel to last year’s James Gunn directed Superman movie. When last we saw Kara Zor El in the James Gunniverse, she was a stumbling drunkard, gleefully retaking possession of the adorable Krypto at the end of Gunn’s film. It was a sharp departure from the Supergirl fans had been used […]
Welcome to Season 6, Episode 27! Our guest this episode is Miles Toriko Burks. He's a California-based cartoonist, writer, and illustrator whose work focuses on heartfelt stories about identity, friendship, queer joy, and emotional vulnerability. His debut print graphic novel Encore! was released June 2, 2026 through HarperAlley. It's the print adaptation of his very popular Webtoon series of the same name. Encore! is a queer YA rom-com about two former best friends reconnecting during a shared high school theater class, and after they're partnered up, they need to confront the unresolved feelings and emotional distance between them. The story has already drawn comparisons to works like Heartstopper for its warmth, sincerity, and focus on emotional connection. A lifelong artist, Burks first gained a loyal viewership online through fan comics and digital illustration before transitioning into original storytelling on Webtoon. This is where his story Encore! developed a devoted following. His work blends expressive artwork with deeply relatable coming-of-age themes, often centering characters from underrepresented backgrounds and exploring how relationships evolve over time. We love how Miles is focused on creating stories featuring characters who reflect identities and experiences that he rarely saw growing up. He creates diverse stories without focusing on all the representation he includes. In our conversation we talk about the inspiration for Encore!, how he developed his artistic style, the conversations he hopes he inspires with his work, the impact of social media and Webtoon on feedback, the importance of queer joy, and so much more. To learn more about Miles Toriko Burks, you can visit his website at milestburks.com, follow him on instagram @milestburks, purchase your own copy of Encore!, or see his work on Webtoon. We'll link to these in our show notes. If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Cartoonist and author Abby Denson joins Dave to discuss 'My Tokyo Summer', her new graphic memoir, illustrated by Utomaru from Scholastic .Denson talks about the early influence of the DIY punk scene on her work, how a zine she made in the 90s sparked a lifelong friendship, the vastness of Japan's doujinshi culture, and the power of art and friendship to transcend barriers. The two talk about their shared love of Japan and the differences in everyday life and culture between Japan and America. https://www.abbydenson.com/https://www.authorsagainstbookbans.com/
Cartoonist Lectrr was al mijn gast in aflevering 12 van ‘drie boeken', zeven jaar geleden. Voor deze aflevering vroeg ik hem opnieuw als gast. Lectrr is de huiscartoonist van De Standaard. Hij schreef de roman Ondanks de ondergang, maakte de tv-reeks Trizombie en het hoorspel Barbaarbara voor Het Geluidshuis.We spraken af in zijn atelier in het centrum van Gent, een atelier met een bijzonder literair verhaal. We gingen zitten naast een hoge boekenkast vol strips en romans en poppetjes en beeldjes. Hij vertelt in deze podcast hoe hij ooit tijdens een etentje naast Wiske (van Suske en Wiske) bleek te zitten, over zijn verborgen tijdscapsules, over het experiment in tijdreizen dat hij ooit uitvoerde. Het gaat over de bibliotheek van Roeselare, over schetsboeken en over het evangelie van Jenus. En over strips als een gateway drug naar literatuur. Alle boeken en auteurs uit deze aflevering vind je in de shownotes op wimoosterlinck.beWil je de nieuwsbrief in je mailbox? wimoosterlinck.substack.comWil je de podcast steunen? Bestel je boeken dan steeds via de link op wimoosterlinck.be! Merci.De drie boeken van Lectrr zijn:1. Kurt Vonnegut: Slaughterhouse Five2. Dimitri Verhulst: Hebben en Zijn3. Warren Ellis: Crooked Little VeinLuister ook naar de drie boeken van: Stefan Hertmans, Eva Mouton, Nicci French, Josse De Pauw, Ish Ait Hamou, Murielle Scherre, Michèle Cuvelier, Françoise Chombar en vele anderen.Wil je het boek '103 boeken die je gelezen moet hebben' bestellen - het boek van de podcast? Dat kan op wimoosterlinck.be. Ik schrijf er met plezier iets in voor jou of voor de persoon aan wie je het boek cadeau wil doen.
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. Audience feedback can be useful, but when creators ask readers to steer decisions about Patreon tiers, Kickstarter rewards, publishing strategy, or creative direction, they often get noisy, contradictory advice that can lead them away from their own best judgment. Topics covered in this episode include: Why readers are experts in consumption, not creation The danger of asking your audience to make business decisions for you Brad's cautionary tale from his early days as a newspaper designer Why negative comments carry more psychological weight than positive ones The difference between listening to readers and asking readers to decide Why feedback should be treated as a compass, not a steering wheel How polling readers can create factions and resentment among backers Why creators should rely first on their own instincts, goals, and judgment The value of seeking advice from trusted peers and experienced professionals Why no single expert — including ComicLab — should be treated as the only authority Dave's hierarchy of advice: Heart and mind first, peers and pros second, passive reader feedback third Erika Moen's thoughtful counterpoint about social-media assistants How a social-media assistant can protect creators from harassment, criticism, and burnout The difference between a social-media assistant as a partner versus a replacement Plans and possibilities for future live ComicLab events Dave's San Diego Comic-Con appearance at Booth 1228, including free ComicLab pins for listeners A listener question about “boomer humor” and whether it should be taken as an insult The difference between old-fashioned joke structure and out-of-touch subject matter Why traditional setup-and-punchline comedy still works How Reddit comments often reflect meme culture more than thoughtful criticism When repeated criticism might be worth filtering for a useful grain of truth Why creators should protect their confidence while staying open to thoughtful feedback 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.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.
Fred Van Lente is a writer who is never lacking in ideas. But when it came to his latest book it was his artist collaborator, Luca Pizzari, who inspired the project with just one phrase that happened to be stuck in his head…”Vampyrates!” When Fred heard that word escape from Luca’s lips, a new comic […]
Tillie Walden is a prolific and award-winning American graphic novelist. Her 2017 graphic memoir, Spinning, won the prestigious Eisner Award. Now, she's back with her 15th publication, Charity and Sylvia, which takes readers into rural Vermont in the early and mid-1800s to tell the story of one of the oldest documented queer relationships in America. Tillie tells Tom Power about the true love story of Charity Bryant and Sylvia Drake, how their story made her reflect on her own life, and what it's like to draw 240 pages in just eight months.
We speak with Wisconsin's first Cartoonist Laureate. We learn about a local documentary that explores the world of Bank Swallows. We talk about the origins and evolution of the iconic song, “Summertime.”
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-management problems, how to protect the thing that's already working, and why adding books, Kickstarter campaigns, merch, newsletters, or conventions should happen gradually. They also talk about practical systems for numbering webcomic pages, naming files, and keeping longform comics organized over time. Main topics covered Weird convention-reader encounters, including disputed signatures and free-sketch requests What to do when your comic and Patreon are working, but there's no time for anything else Protecting the “engine” of your business before adding new projects Avoiding concentration risk when most income comes from one platform Adding new business layers slowly instead of trying to do everything at once Using small projects, like enamel pins, as manageable learning experiences Why side projects can derail your main comic if you're not careful Finding extra time without wrecking your life or mental health Dave's San Diego Comic-Con booth and the free ComicLab enamel pin How to number pages for longform webcomics The difference between website numbering and book-page numbering Using SEO-friendly titles, focus keyphrases, transcripts, and alt text File-naming conventions for comics, including dates, chapters, pages, and vertical-scroll segments Planning ahead for long-running comics so your numbering system doesn't break later 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.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.
A little over five years ago, comic book legend John Byrne started randomly drawing X-Men comic book pages and posting them on his online forum. Without any fanfare or expectation of payment or publication, Byrne began telling his own alternate timeline version of X-Men history. He branched off from the original intended resolution of the […]
Milwaukee native Paul Noth has published over 400 cartoons in The New Yorker. An exhibition of his work will be shown at the Museum of Wisconsin Art in early 2027.
In the early 1800s, Charity Bryant and Sylvia Drake spent 44 years as life partners living together in the small Vermont town of Weybridge. They are one of the earliest lesbian couples in America whose story is documented, thanks in part to a new graphic novel by Tillie Walden.Walden is a rising star in cartooning. She served as Vermont's fifth cartoonist laureate from 2023 to 2026, following cartoon luminaries such as Alison Bechdel and the late New Yorker cartoonist Ed Koren. In 2018 at the age of 22, Walden won the first of her two Eisner Awards, known as the Oscars of cartooning, becoming one of the youngest Eisner Award winners ever.Walden's latest book, “Charity & Sylvia,” has been named the 2026 selection of Vermont Reads, a program of Vermont Humanities that invites communities around the state to read the same book and hold discussions and events.Walden moved to Vermont from Texas to attend the Center for Cartoon Studies in White River Junction and became a professor there in 2022. Walden, now 30, is the author of 16 books. She lives in Norwich with her wife, the cartoonist Emma Hunsinger, and their young son.Walden faced many challenges in reconstructing the lives of Charity and Sylvia. For one, she did not know what they looked like. The closest image she had was a silhouette of the couple, framed by locks of their hair.“When it came to deciding their faces, it was mentioned in a letter way back when that Charity looked a lot like her brother, so I went to Massachusetts and found the portrait of her brother, and I based her off of what her brother looked like,” Walden told me. She based her depiction of Sylvia on a photograph that she had of her niece.Walden also found another source for inspiration: her Vermont neighbors. “I needed actual human beings to populate Weybridge, Vermont, in 1810, but there was nothing to go off of, so I really did just look at my neighbors and I drew their faces and their bodies and their personalities into the book,” she said. “Small town Vermont hasn't changed that much, really.”Walden wants “Charity & Sylvia” to offer a more realistic view of queer love. “Marginalized groups often have to represent themselves in media as very digestible and very acceptable, because that's how you find mainstream appeal.”“What I'm actually interested in is how gayness, queerness — whatever you call it — interacts with more complex parts of life, like faith, like conservatism, like being an American, like being a Vermonter. And I was very moved that Charity and Sylvia were not perfect role models,” she said.“Queer people aren't perfect. No marginalized person is perfect. No person anywhere is perfect.”
Milwaukee native Paul Noth has published over 400 cartoons in The New Yorker. An exhibition of his work will be shown at the Museum of Wisconsin Art in early 2027.
This week on Epic Realms, Nick sits down with three-time Eisner Award nominated cartoonist, writer, and illustrator Chris Schweizer for a wide-ranging conversation about creativity, storytelling, and building a life around making comics. From his childhood in Louisiana and Kentucky to his years studying art, theater, and filmmaking, Chris reflects on the experiences that shaped his artistic voice and eventually led him into the world of graphic novels. Along the way, he shares stories about making homemade movies as a kid, discovering classic comic strips like Calvin and Hobbes and Pogo, and finding his place within the evolving comics industry. The discussion explores the craft behind visual storytelling, the unique language of comics, and the creative choices that separate newspaper strips, graphic novels, and superhero books. Chris also looks back on the creation of Crogan's Adventures, the project that helped launch his professional career, and discusses how his approach to writing and illustration has evolved over the years. The second half of the conversation focuses on The Outlaw's Apprentice, Chris's upcoming fantasy graphic novel launching on Kickstarter. Drawing inspiration from Appalachian culture, classic adventure fiction, and a lifelong love of immersive worldbuilding, the series follows a young apprentice and his unlikely mentor as they navigate a dangerous world while staying one step ahead of the law. Filled with insights on art, storytelling, history, comics, and creativity, this is a fascinating look inside the mind of one of the most distinctive voices working in graphic novels today. Check out the links for Chris Schweizer's stuff below. https://schweizercomics.com/ https://www.patreon.com/ChrisSchweizer https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/schweizer/outapp1?ref=profile_saved_projects_prelaunch&category_id=Q2F0ZWdvcnktMjUy
Wisconsin's teachers' apprenticeship program and its uncertain future. We speak with Wisconsin's first Cartoonist Laureate. Learn the origins and evolution of the iconic jazz song, “Summertime.”
British-born, LA-based author and illustrator Gemma Correll had a couple of reasons to choose the motif of an amusement park for her new anxiety book, Anxietyland. One, she loves amusement parks and wanted to be able to write off a Disneyland trip as a research expedition. And also, there are so many great metaphors to be found there like emotional rollercoasters and a worry-go-round. With hilarious candor, Gemma shares her own story about fearing coyotes would eat her pets (there are no coyotes in England), taking endless flights of stairs to avoid elevators, and dealing with alcohol, who becomes a friend but not, ultimately, a good one. Secretary of Health & Human Services Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. is, to put it mildly, a skeptic of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) medication, a form of meds that millions of Americans use regularly with tremendous benefit. He was once on SSRIs, went off them, then became addicted to heroin, and he believes these events are linked. He also believes they cause school shootings and cause harm to developing fetuses. There is no evidence to support this. Andrea Salinas, a Democrat who represents the 6th district in Oregon in the House of Representatives, joins us to unpack Kennedy's latest efforts to curtail SSRI use and availability and what her minority party is doing to answer the threat. Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun. Check out our I'm Glad You're Here and Depresh Mode merchandise at the brand new merch website MaxFunStore.com! Hey, remember, you're part of Depresh Mode and we want to hear what you want to hear about. What guests and issues would you like to have covered in a future episode? Write us at depreshmode@maximumfun.org. Depresh Mode is on BlueSky, Instagram, Substack, and you can join our Preshies Facebook group. Help is available right away. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741. International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joindepresh
Send us Fan MailMr. Ron Wheeler, professional cartoonist in the Kansas City area, was repeatedly confronted by rejection, discouragement and distrust of his friends in his pursuit of his career and of truth. Listen and be encouraged as Ron tells us about God's sovereign hand at work, quietly and often behind the scenes, yet always lovingly directing his life. Ron's website: CartoonWorks.comRon's story as told on the radio program Unshackled: Click here, then scroll about halfway down the page and click the audio file to listen.
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, word balloons, font choices, and the unique grammar of comics — and why cartoonists have tools that prose writers can only dream of. They also share thoughts on staying creative during major disruptions, from studio moves to home renovations. On today's show... Exclamation points in comics: how many is too many? Whether to use one, two, or three exclamation points Why comics grammar differs from prose grammar Using lettering, font size, bolding, and balloon shape instead of extra punctuation When punctuation becomes unnecessary in comics lettering Nate Piekos's The Essential Guide to Comic Book Lettering Question marks, exclamation points, and the interrobang How punctuation order can affect emotional meaning Writing dialogue for comics: numerals, abbreviations, and natural speech Jim Davis, Garfield, and simplifying comics language Meeting readers where they are through visual storytelling NCS Reuben Awards weekend in Columbus, Ohio Brad and Dave's panel: “Actionable Advice in a Time of Change” Remodeling, moving studios, and creative disruption Setting up a dedicated creative space during chaos Managing the cognitive load of unfinished studio/home projects Why working ahead matters before a move or remodel The danger of putting fun distractions in your studio The temptation of arcade cabinets, pool tables, and other creativity killers 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.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.
Cartoonist, Peter Kuper joins us on the podcast this week.Peter is a frequent contributor to the New Yorker, is the current cartoonist for Spy Vs Spy in MAD magazine and was nominated for a Pulitzer prize this last year. We talk with him about his career, his recent books, "Insectopolis" and "Wish We Weren't Here". We also talk about "World War 3", an ongoing collection of graphic stories created by a wide range of artists.You can find more about Peter at his website. You can also purchase his books and original art there as well:https://www.peterkuper.comFollow Peter on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/kuperartSubscribe to MAD Magazine here:https://www.dc.com/madOn Part 1 of the episode, we discuss the current contests:Winning captions for New Yorker contest #991 (Gored of the dance.)Finalists for contest #993 (In a pig's sty.)Current New Yorker contest #995 (Soccer to me!)We also talk about our favorite cartoons from the current issue of the New Yorker.You can buy original New Yorker cartoon art at Curated Cartoons:https://www.curatedcartoons.comThe home for all things to do with cartoon caption contests:https://humororama.lolSend us questions or comments to: Cartooncaptioncontestpodcast@gmail.com
This week Conor McCreery returns to the Part-Time Fanboy podcast! Hot off of his Eisner nomination for Fela: Music is the Weapon, Conor comes back to the Part-Time Fanboy clubhouse to chat about his latest release, the collected edition of The Last Witch: Blood and Betrayal. Kristian and Conor discussed the first issue of the […]
Send us Fan MailMr. Ron Wheeler, professional cartoonist in the Kansas City area, was repeatedly confronted by rejection, discouragement and distrust of his friends in his pursuit of his career and of truth. Listen and be encouraged as Ron tells us about God's sovereign hand at work, quietly and often behind the scenes, yet always lovingly directing his life. Ron's website: CartoonWorks.comRon's story as told on the radio program Unshackled: Click here, then scroll about halfway down the page and click the audio file to listen.
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 feels great to draw on — and it punches way above its price. • Check it out at https://comiclabshop.com • Use code COMICLAB5 for an exclusive 5% discount! (Valid through June 14th) This week, Dave returns from Alaska Comics Camp — https://minicon.alaskarobotics.com/comics-camp/ — with a glowing review of what he calls one of the most meaningful experiences of his professional life. He explains how the camp blends education, community, mentorship, and artistic growth in a remote setting that forces attendees to disconnect from technology and reconnect with one another. Along the way, Brad and Dave discuss what makes the camp special, the value of peer-to-peer learning, the recent panic over Kickstarter's updated NSFW guidelines, Eisner nominations, and the realities of pursuing recognition in comics. Alaska Comics Camp Alaska Robotics Comics Camp is a four-night creative retreat in the southeast Alaska rainforest for comics pros, visual storytellers, and adjacent creators — writers, game devs, filmmakers, journalists, musicians, and more. You have to apply to attend. It's not a standard “buy a badge and show up” event; accepted campers attend after the Alaska Robotics Mini-Con in Juneau. Cost: Camp is listed at $800, which includes four nights of lodging, meals, and transportation to/from downtown Juneau. Financial aid is available, and asking for aid does not affect application review. What to expect: workshops, presentations, peer conversations, campfires, board games, hanging out, and wandering through the woods and nearby ocean beach — basically “a professional development conference for people who don't like conference rooms.” Comfort level: rustic but not brutal — heated cabins, bunk beds with mattresses, flushing toilets, hot showers, power outlets, meals, snacks, coffee/tea, towels, and comfort items are provided. There's no regular Wi-Fi or cell service at camp, though service is reachable by hike or ride. How to participate next year: watch the Alaska Robotics Mini-Con / Comics Camp site and their social channels for the next application window. Recent camps have used an application process with deadlines months ahead of the event, so don't wait until spring to start looking. https://minicon.alaskarobotics.com/comics-camp/ Topics Covered A complete tour of Alaska Comics Camp and how it evolved from a small Juneau event into an international gathering of cartoonists School visits, library presentations, the Alaska Robotics Mini-Con, and the camp experience itself Why the lack of cell service is one of the camp's greatest strengths Classes taught by attendees on topics including storytelling, lettering, humor writing, character development, publishing, and business An NSFW-comics discussion that impressed Brad with the camp's openness and professionalism The importance of "Comics Rules" (similar to Chatham House Rules) in creating a safe environment for sharing industry information Real-world discussions of publishing contracts, agents, income, and career sustainability The anonymous income survey that helps attendees understand the wide range of successful cartooning careers Why Alaska Comics Camp has become one of Dave's favorite events in all of comics Stories from ComicLab listeners who attended camp after hearing about it on the podcast Dave's observations about Alaska's landscape, culture, and strong sense of community The tale of a failed camp water pump and Pat Race's MacGyver-level solution involving a distillery, a fire department, and a garden hose The viral misinformation claiming Kickstarter had banned pornography What Kickstarter's updated NSFW guidelines actually said Why Stripe — not Kickstarter — is the real concern for adult-content creators Brad's emergency solo Pro Tips episode explaining the new guidelines How creators can avoid overreacting to social-media panic cycles Listener feedback about what Brad and Dave's voices sound like to non-Americans Congratulations to friends of the show, including Ryan North, Glenn Fleishman, Tony Cliff, and Steve Lieber, on their Eisner nominations A discussion about award submissions, advocacy, and why creators must nominate themselves The realities of comics awards, including Eisners, Ringo Awards, Hugos, Reubens, and Ignatz Awards Whether award nominations come from changing your work — or simply years of steady improvement and persistence 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.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.
We’re back! It’s been a while but the Part-Time Fanboy podcast is back! This week Kristian chats with writers Shawn McBee and Maciej Jankowski about the Kickstarter campaign for their new supernatural horror comic Westron! Jan Westron is a detective who is investigating the murder of a teenage girl which has details that are startingly […]
Like many lifelong weed activists, Brian "Box" Brown's radicalization began with a youthful arrest. His form of resistance? Brian is an acclaimed comics artist, whose works include Cannabis: The Illegalization of Weed in America, a comprehensive, book-length graphic novel tracing the history of cannabis prohibition all the way back to the 19th Century. He currently publishes a weekly syndicated column called Legalization Nation that tracks the high and lows of the new legal industry. With a heavy focus on exposing how corporate cannabis is pushing around small farmers and legacy operators. PATREON Please support Great Moments in Weed HIstory on Patreon. Supporters get exclusive access to video versions of this podcast and private seshes, plus cool rewards like a signed book. And it truly helps us make the best show possible. EPISODE ARCHIVE Visit our podcast feed for 150+ episodes of Great Moments in Weed History, and subscribe now to get a new weekly podcast every Weednesday.
Send us Fan MailMr. Ron Wheeler, professional cartoonist in the Kansas City area, was repeatedly confronted by rejection, discouragement and distrust of his friends in his pursuit of his career and of truth. Listen and be encouraged as Ron tells us about God's sovereign hand at work, quietly and often behind the scenes, yet always lovingly directing his life. Ron's website: CartoonWorks.comRon's story as told on the radio program Unshackled: Click here, then scroll about halfway down the page and click the audio file to listen.
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 it themselves. They explain why social media is an extension of a creator's voice, how direct engagement provides invaluable feedback about audience-building and marketing, and why improving your promotional skills makes you a better cartoonist overall. Along the way, they discuss shyness, self-promotion, audience growth, and the dangers of trying to be everywhere at once online. Topics Covered • The ComicLab newsletter and the “Five to Grow On” feature • Whether cartoonists should hire a social-media manager • Why social media is part of a creator's artistic voice • The value of learning promotion instead of outsourcing it • Why creative people often resist marketing and business skills • How marketing skills can improve artistic skills • The dangers of trying to maintain every social-media platform at once • Brad's “2-2-1” approach to social media • Platform-specific posting strategies and why one-size-fits-all promotion fails • Social-media feedback as a tool for improving your work • Shyness and discomfort with self-promotion • The “lipstick on a pig” problem: when promotion can't compensate for weak work • Why making a great comic remains the most important marketing strategy • Dave's upcoming Reddit AMA and his Hugo Award nomination • Using award nominations as promotional opportunities • Hugo Awards promotional support versus other industry awards • BlueSky starter packs and audience growth • Why cartoonists should do more cross-promotion • Whether creators should put award nominations on book covers • How long to keep promoting a completed comic project • Managing inventory and promoting older books • Long-tail sales and evergreen products • Using older books as bonuses, stretch goals, and loss leaders • When it makes sense to retire promotional efforts • Whether different creative projects need separate Patreons, newsletters, Substacks, and social-media accounts • The benefits and drawbacks of splitting projects into separate brands • Cognitive load, burnout, and managing multiple audiences • Using separate platforms to measure the success of different projects • When creators should keep projects under one roof and when they should branch out 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.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.
Cartoonist and illustrator Jim Rugg (Street Angel, The Plain Janes) joins comics creator (and Skylight's own) Sina Grace to talk about Rugg's forthcoming book in the Marvel Age of Comics criticism series: Wolverine: Weapon X - An Exploration (street date June 11). From the iconoclastic Barry Windsor-Smith, Weapon X is a brutal look at the long-secretive and hazy origins of mutant superhero Wolverine. Rugg goes deep and discursive in discussing Windsor-Smith's work and his own. Pick up a copy of Jim Rugg's book from Skylight or order the audiobook version from Libro.fm. Hosted by Sina Grace. Produced by Sina Grace and Justin Remer. Recorded remotely via Zencastr. Opening music: "Optimism (Instrumental)" by Duck the Piano Wire. Closing music: "Rule of 3s (Solemnity Child)" by Elastic No-No Band.
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 plaster “award nominee” stickers all over their books. Later, they tackle a listener question about using 3D models, digital sets, and reference material in comics production — leading to a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at how both creators actually build comics pages in tools like Clip Studio Paint and Photoshop. Along the way, they discuss why imperfections matter in cartooning, how typography affects visual storytelling, and why “cheating” is often just another word for “working smarter.” Today's Show Should you put an award nomination on a book cover? UPDATE: Hugo Award voter packet "WSFS Membership" Using sets and other pre-made background materials UPDATE: Patreon Quips is now available on desktop 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.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.
Hilaritas host Mike Gathers chats with cartoonist and illustrator Todd Purse. Todd has been working with Bobby Campbell on the Tales of Illuminatus! comic series which is in its final month of the kickstarter campaign for Issue #3. You can find that link in the notes below. Links: Todd on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/toddde85/ Todd's link tree: https://linktr.ee/Createmagicstudios Tales of Illuminatus! Kickstarter page: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/bobbycampbell/tales-of-illuminatus-3-opus-chao
Episode Six Hundred is here! For the six hundredth episode of the Part-Time Fanboy podcast Kristian welcomes back friend of the podcast Gabe Cheng! Gabe Cheng is a writer who’s had lots of success on Kickstarter with one shot comics like The Problem With Parallels, Crashlands, and Requiem in Relke. For a long time Gabe’s […]
Kim Deitch is a prolific cartoonist who's been making comics since the underground movement of the 1960s. His latest book is How I Make Comics, published by Fantagraphics. Co-hosts: Jonathan Friedmann & Joey Angel-Field Producer-engineer Mike Tomren How I make Comicshttps://www.fantagraphics.com/products/how-i-make-comics Kim's Wikipediahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kim_Deitch Amusing Jews Merch Storehttps://www.amusingjews.com/merch#!/ Subscribe to the Amusing Jews podcasthttps://www.spreaker.com/show/amusing-jews Adat Chaverim – Congregation for Humanistic Judaism, Los Angeleshttps://www.humanisticjudaismla.org/ Jewish Museum of the American Westhttps://www.jmaw.org/ Atheists United Studioshttps://www.atheistsunited.org/au-studios
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 feels great to draw on — and it punches way above its price. • Check it out at https://comiclabshop.com • Use code COMICLAB5 for an exclusive 5% discount! (Valid through June 14th) Brad and Dave tackle a listener question that gets to the heart of creative careers: Can you make a living telling shorter stories, or does success demand long-form work? As always, the answer is equal parts practical advice and creative philosophy — grounded in real-world experience and delivered with ComicLab's signature mix of humor and honesty. TODAY'S SHOW • Can you build a career on individual short stories? • Market expectations around story length (comics, film, TV) and perceived value • Creative problem-solving as a business tool — making unconventional formats work • Strategies for packaging short stories (genre consistency, shared setting, through-lines) • Examples of experimental storytelling formats (anthologies, vignette structures) • PROMO: Huion Kamvas 22 (Gen 3) — features, workflow integration, and discount code ComicLab5 at https://comiclabshop.com • Estate planning for cartoonists — what happens to your IP after death? • Debate: Should creative work become public domain sooner? • Should kids continue your comic… or make their own work? • The reality of legacy comics vs. modern independent publishing 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.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.
Matthew Schofield is an illustrator who has worked as a storyboard artist and a director on The Simpsons for over twenty five years! Even though Matthew’s had a successful career in the animation industry, he’d never been able to let go of the juvenile desire to create comic books. Several years ago he created the […]
Join editorial cartoonists Ted Rall (from the Left) and Scott Stantis (from the Right) as they interview veteran editorial cartoonist Marshall Ramsey—who has had a bird's eye view of the South for decades—about cartooning, politics, and the news of the day.Marshall Ramsey is a renowned American editorial cartoonist known for his sharp wit, incisive commentary, and poignant memorial tributes. Born in New Jersey and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, he graduated from the University of Tennessee in 1991 with a marketing degree, where he cartooned for the student newspaper. After early work in San Diego, he moved to Mississippi in 1996 and spent 22 years at the Clarion Ledger in Jackson. A two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist (2002 and 2006), he has authored three cartoon collections, two short story collections, and a children's book, and won a Southeastern Emmy. Formerly editor-at-large of Mississippi Today, Director of the Mississippi Media Lab, and a syndicated artist, Ramsey continues creating impactful cartoons while engaging communities through journalism and speaking.Support the showThe DMZ America Podcast is recorded weekly by political cartoonists Ted Rall and Scott Stantis. Twitter/X: @scottstantis and @tedrallWeb: Rall.com
Join editorial cartoonists Ted Rall (from the Left) and Scott Stantis (from the Right) as they interview veteran editorial cartoonist Marshall Ramsey—who has had a bird's eye view of the South for decades—about cartooning, politics, and the news of the day.Marshall Ramsey is a renowned American editorial cartoonist known for his sharp wit, incisive commentary, and poignant memorial tributes. Born in New Jersey and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, he graduated from the University of Tennessee in 1991 with a marketing degree, where he cartooned for the student newspaper. After early work in San Diego, he moved to Mississippi in 1996 and spent 22 years at the Clarion Ledger in Jackson. A two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist (2002 and 2006), he has authored three cartoon collections, two short story collections, and a children's book, and won a Southeastern Emmy. Formerly editor-at-large of Mississippi Today, Director of the Mississippi Media Lab, and a syndicated artist, Ramsey continues creating impactful cartoons while engaging communities through journalism and speaking.Support the showThe DMZ America Podcast is recorded weekly by political cartoonists Ted Rall and Scott Stantis. Twitter/X: @scottstantis and @tedrallWeb: Rall.com
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. Brad and Dave break down why shorter, punchier words tend to win, how sound and rhythm affect comedy, and why you should always end on the funniest word. They also walk through their real-world writing process—cutting aggressively, reading dialogue out loud, and constantly swapping in better word choices. From there, the conversation expands into how to write strong dialogue (hint: it's not about realism—it's about impact), plus a list of pitfalls to avoid, including gimmicky accents, overstuffed word balloons, and writing that slows the reader down. They also revisit a past take on political cartoons (turns out, they're thriving on Reddit), talk about the return of Web 1.0 strategies like guest comics, and reinforce a core principle: own your platform and your audience. TODAY'S SHOW • Writing funny words: Why word choice makes or breaks a joke • Psychologist vs. psychiatrist — choosing the funnier word (it's "shrink") • How to edit your way to stronger, tighter dialogue • Dialogue pitfalls: accents, gimmicks, and readability traps • Political cartoons are thriving on Reddit (and what that means) • The return of Web 1.0 tactics: Guest comics and cross-promotion • Reclaiming your platform: Why websites still matter 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.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.
When Aristotle wrote that "the whole is greater than the sum of the parts", he most likely did not have crossword constructors Lance Enfinger and John Kugelman in mind. But the thought still applies — these individually talented constructors have crafted an exceptional puzzle, and the proof is as close as your play button.Show note imagery: One of RUBE Goldberg's many, many inventions.We love feedback! Send us a text...Contact Info:We love listener mail! Drop us a line, crosswordpodcast@icloud.com.Also, we're on FaceBook, so feel free to drop by there and strike up a conversation!
This episode examines a Bluesky thread where cartoonists self-reported their financial realities. While the original question was thoughtful — seeking insight into full-time and part-time comic careers — the resulting discussion revealed a common problem: an echo chamber of discouragement. Brad and Dave emphasize that these threads often skew negative due to self-selection bias. Many successful creators don't participate—either because they're busy, uncomfortable sharing income, or wary of backlash. The result? A distorted picture where it appears that no one is succeeding, even though many are. TODAY'S SHOW Nobody makes a living in comics ComicLab LIVE at the NCS Conference and Reuben Awards, Aug. 6-8, Columbus, Ohio — nationalcartoonists.com Tattoos Baby Blues and Zits announce retirement Death of syndication 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.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.
Stephanie Williams is a writer who has worked for publishers like Marvel,DC, and IDW on characters such as Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, Nubia, My Little Pony, and many, many others. This April saw the debut of her creator owned graphic novel, Temporal, from Mad Cave Studios. Temporal tells the story of a mother who […]
Newspaper cartooning has a long history of using satire and humour to provide social commentary on the issues of the day – but how do female perspectives inform the approach, themes and tone of newspaper cartooning? Andrea Arroyo is from Mexico City. Her work as a dancer took her to New York in the early eighties. In the US, an exhibition of her visual art was picked up to feature in the New York Times and spawned a career as a newspaper cartoonist. Her influence as a dancer can be seen in her rhythmic, fluid line work. Her artwork about the Me Too movement won a United Nations award for Political Cartooning. Sarah Akinterinwa is from Kent in the UK. During the Covid-19 pandemic, she created a comic about a millennial couple called Oyin and Kojo, hoping to create better representation of Black British people in cartoons. After posting a daily drawing to social media, the cartoon editor of the New Yorker discovered her work and asked her to become a contributor. Sarah is also a cartoonist at The Guardian. Her strips tackle women's issues, gender dynamics, friendships, relationships, health and politics. Produced by Elena Angelides and Jane Thurlow(Image: (L) Sarah Akinterinwa, credit Sarah Akinterinwa. (R) Andrea Arroyo, credit Felipe Galindo.)
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 feels great to draw on — and it punches way above its price. *Check it out here: https://comiclabshop.com *Use code COMICLAB5 for an exclusive 5% discount! (Valid through June 14th) On Today's Show: Your comic is gaining traction — but now readers want answers faster than you can tell the story. Brad and Dave explain why that's actually a great sign — and how to turn audience curiosity into a powerful engine that keeps readers hooked instead of overwhelming your narrative. PLUS — CONGRATULATIONS TO DAVE KELLETT FOR HIS HUGO AWARD NOMINATION! TOPICS Dave Kellett has been nominated for a Hugo Award How much to share with an eager audience ComicLab Confab (609) DRY-ELB-0 Update: USPS fuel surcharge will *not* affect Media Mail prices New tariff worries NCS conference and Reuben Awards Aug. 6-8, Columbus, Ohio Different ways to present a scene A listener question leads into the episode's central topic: what to do when a new project suddenly starts attracting attention and readers begin asking lore questions faster than the story can answer them. Brad and Dave frame this as the best possible problem for a storyteller to have — not a crisis, but proof that the story is working. Their advice is to resist the urge to dump exposition too early, and instead use reader curiosity as fuel to keep them engaged and coming back for more. Another listener question asks how to make necessary exposition more entertaining in a history comic, and the hosts widen that into a general storytelling discussion. They explore how to handle “problem panels” — moments where important information must be conveyed, but the raw facts feel static or dull. Their answer is that exposition does not need to be delivered plainly: creators can change the point of view, alter the tone, insert found documents, frame facts through action, or even break into totally different storytelling modes if it makes the comic more engaging. The episode also includes a couple of business updates for cartoonists. Brad shares good news about USPS fuel surcharges not applying to Media Mail, which matters for creators shipping books, while Dave warns that new tariffs may affect imported book shipments and advises cartoonists to build more buffer into Kickstarter budgets for 2026. It's a practical reminder that making comics also means staying alert to the changing realities of fulfillment and production costs. 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.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.
Julia Wertz is a cartoonist and frequent contributor to The New Yorker's cartoons. A few years ago, Julia went through a surprise pregnancy and unexpected marriage right before the COVID lockdown. Her new graphic memoir, Bury Me Already (It's Nice Down Here), explores the stages of Julia's pregnancy and parenthood in a cartoon format. Julia discusses the experience of giving birth during the COVID-19 pandemic, and how drawing comics helps her make sense of her life. Julia has a book event at Books Are Magic (Montague St. location) on April 15 at 7, and at Rizzoli Bookstore on April 16th at 6. Cover art courtesy of Black Dog & Leventhal
Today's show is sponsored by Huion, makers of the Huion Kamvas 22 (Gen 3) — go to https://bit.ly/41pXyI7 or https://comiclabshop.com and use the code COMICLAB5 to unlock an exclusive 5% discount! (Valid 4/6/2026 - 6/14/2026) The Kamvas 22 (Gen 3) is the New 22" Benchmark. A powerful yet accessible 21.5'' pen display featuring a 2.5K QHD 90Hz screen, PenTech 4.0, and Canvas Glass 2.0. Designed for smooth, precise, and true-to-life creation, it redefines what an entry-level display can deliver — professional performance without the premium price. TODAY'S SHOW How to do a two-page splash page Get your discounted Huion Kamvas 22 (Gen 3) at comiclabshop.com - COMICLAB5 UPDATE: Got a comment for ComicLab? Dial the ComicLab Confab! (609) 379-3520... that's (609) DRY ELB-0 NCS in Columbus, Ohio, Aug 6-8 USPS fuel surcharge goes into effect April 26th and ends (maybe?) Jan. 17, 2027 (NOTE: This will not affect Media Mail pricing) Editorial cartoonists on social media What's the deal with Susan MacTaggart? Introducing Dr. Reginald Wigglesby Splash Pages Brad and Dave take a deep dive into splash pages — what they are, how they've traditionally been used, and how they function differently in print versus webcomics. They discuss classic first-page splash images as attention-grabbing devices, as well as the practical reality that they can help creators hit deadlines. Dave shares how he uses splash pages sparingly in Drive to give big moments room to breathe, while Brad explains how he uses them consistently at the start of chapters in Evil Inc, both as storytelling tools and promotional assets. The conversation also explores why two-page splash spreads can struggle online — especially on mobile — and reinforces a key principle: a graphic novel page is not the same as a webcomic update, and each must be designed with its medium in mind. ComicLab Confab (Listener Calls) The guys remind listeners about the ComicLab Confab — their voicemail line where creators can call in with questions, comments, or hot takes. It's an easy, low-pressure way for the community to participate in the show and potentially have their thoughts featured on-air. If you've got something to say about comics, business, or creative life, you can dial (609) 379-3520 — that's (609) DRY-ELB-0. National Cartoonists Society — Columbus, Ohio Brad and Dave highlight the upcoming National Cartoonists Society event in Columbus, Ohio (Aug. 6–8), encouraging cartoonists to attend. They emphasize the value of in-person networking, camaraderie, and professional development that comes from gathering with other working cartoonists — something that can be hard to replicate online. https://nationalcartoonists.com/registration-now-open-80th-reuben-awards-ncs-conference/ USPS Fuel Surcharge Update A practical business note: the USPS fuel surcharge goes into effect April 26 and is expected to run (possibly) through January 17, 2027. This will impact many shipping rates for creators who sell physical goods, though Media Mail remains unaffected. For cartoonists running Kickstarters, online stores, or Patreon rewards, this is a reminder to factor rising shipping costs into pricing and planning. https://about.usps.com/newsroom/national-releases/2026/0325-usps-announces-transportation-related-time-limited-price-change.htm Editorial Cartoonists on Social Media The conversation touches on how editorial cartoonists are navigating social media — including the challenges of visibility, audience building, and platform changes. Brad and Dave reflect on how shifting algorithms and audience behavior can affect political and commentary-based comics, and what that means for creators trying to get their work seen. What's the Deal with Susan MacTaggart? In a classic ComicLab aside, Brad and Dave riff on the mysterious (and confusing) name “Susan MacTaggart,” using it as an example of how something presented without context can create intrigue — or just bewilderment. It ties back humorously to their broader discussions about clarity, audience expectations, and grabbing attention. Introducing Dr. Reginald Wigglesby The episode also features the introduction of Dr. Reginald Wigglesby — a comedic bit that adds to the show's ongoing tradition of playful world-building and running gags. It's a reminder that even in a craft-focused podcast, humor and character bits are part of what makes ComicLab feel like hanging out with friends. 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.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.
WE HAVE MERCH, CHECK IT OUT: https://artistsonartistsonartistsonartists.com/shopWhen you think of speaking truth to power across the last century, you think of? That's right, The New Yorker Cartoons! A staple of American life and history, each one a large illustration chocked full of interesting commentary through caricature, satire and a witty, italicized quote. But who are the witty, satirical people behind the legacy? This week we pull back the curtain - or should we say, the matte page - with four such cartoonists who give us insight into their idea generation process and the future of this artistic form.This episode was filmed in the beautiful Dynasty Typewriter Theater, and tech-produced by Samuel Curtis. For live shows and events you can find more about them at dynastytypewriter.com. To learn more about the BTS of this episode and to find a world of challenges, games, inside scoop, and the Artists being themselves, subscribe to our Patreon! You won't be disappointed with what you find. Check out patreon.com/aoaoaoapod Artists on Artists on Artists on Artists is an improvised Hollywood roundtable podcast by Kylie Brakeman, Jeremy Culhane, Angela Giarratana, and Patrick McDonald. Produced by Laservision Productions. Music by Gabriel Ponton. Edited by Conner McCabe. Thumbnail art by Josh Fleury. Logo designed by Lucy Tomkiewicz.Hollywood's talking. Make sure you're listening. Subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Youtube! Please rate us five stars!
This week on ComicLab, veteran comic artists Brad Guigar and Dave Kellett kick things off a discussion about something every cartoonist wrestles with: work-life balance. If you're juggling a day job, relationships, and your creative ambitions, Brad and Dave break down practical strategies that actually work — including: • Why consistency beats intensity • How to build a repeatable creative schedule • The power of small, daily wins • And why your health and relationships are just as critical as your drawing skills They also tackle a big-picture career question: What happens when a long-running comic ends? Dave shares his thoughts on winding down Drive, how to retain an audience, and the challenge of transitioning into your next project without losing momentum. Plus: • Smart ways to monetize short comics • Why finished is better than perfect • And how thinking long-term can transform your creative output Whether you're just starting your first comic or planning your next big move, this episode is packed with actionable advice — and a few chaotic detours along the way. Key takeaway: Three years are going to pass anyway… you might as well have a finished comic at the end of them. Today's Show • UPDATE: Enshittification of Bluesky begins • Work-Life balance • UPDATE: NCS Conference and Reuben Awards • Monetizing short comics • What will Dave do when Drive is over? For more information about joining the National Cartoonists Society, go to https://nationalcartoonists.com/how-to-join/ • Get on the mailing list • More information on the 27 Club • 80th annual Reuben Awards and NCS Conference — August 6-8, 2026 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.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.