Today's episode is sponsored by Dreamhost! The life of a comic artist is often a solitary one. Brad and Dave discuss ways of maintaining social connections for mental health and creativity. Later, they discuss the dangers of setting an artificially low Kickstarter goal.

Now that comic creators are returning to websites, SEO (search engine optimization) is once again a hot topic. We'll talk about methods to help search engines index comics. Also, if Brad and Dave were to design a four-year degree for cartoonists, what classes would be on the curriculum?

Every beginning cartoonist agonizes over drawing eyes! Why is that — and while we're at it, what's the right way to do it? Next, we'll share why we hate anthologies and answer a listener who suspects his webhost is throttling his traffic.

Today's show is sponsored by Dreamhost! Your social media profile needs to clearly answer three questions: Who are you, what do you do, and why should I care? If you're wasting time being cute, you're missing out of opportunities.

Cartoonist Scott C joins us to discuss his artistic journey. He discusses his beginnings, including art directing Psychonauts and Brutal Legend for Double Fine Productions, as well as his first webcomic, Double Fine Action Comics. He shares valuable insights on working with watercolors and creating graphic novels for younger readers. His paintings are currently on display at Gallery Nucleus in New York.

Is it OK to change your comic after you've already sent it to your audience? The guys also tackle tariffs, ISBNs, bar codes, and offering comics to charity organizations.

It's a jam-packed show this week! Brad and Dave argue over the better delivery for story exposition — dialogue or narration. Dave is discontinuing international shipping; Brad gets his Wikipedia updates; and the guys agree that Dee Fish does autobio comics right. Then Dave does another behind-the-scenes analysis of his recent Kickstarter, talking about his pricing strategy for stretch goals and how they processed hundreds of images for the campaign. Finally, with the SFWA opening their membership to comic creators, they discuss whether they should join.

In a recent interview for the National Cartoonists Society, Greg Evans (the creator of the newspaper comic strip "Luanne") spoke about painting a single wall in his studio red. Mel Lazarus, creator of the syndicated strips "Momma" and "Miss Peach," told him that the color red was proven to increase creative thoughts. This resulted in one burning question for the cartoonists assembled to watch the interview: "DID IT WORK!?"

Where's the line between an autobiographical comic and a semi-autobiographical one — between "based upon" and "inspired by"? And when does the whole thing veer directly into fiction?? Plus... Dave Kellett shares real numbers from his recent Kickstarter, and we arrive at a jaw-dropping conclusion: Bluesky is it.

As they attempt to save the marriage of one of their listeners, Brad and Dave consider the best path for a cartoonist who wishes to pursue a master's degree. Would a Master's in Fine Arts be the right choice, or would a Master's in Business Administration be the better option? Considering the expense, perhaps the best choice is to avoid both! After grappling with that dilemma, Susan MacTaggart stops by to share a personal affirmation with a member of the ComicLab community.

Brad and Dave discuss finding the right balance between visual and verbal. Dave asks if too much worldbuilding is an excuse to avoid actually writing the story. And a listener asks it it's a good idea to approach your Patreon as a customer-service job.

A listener asks for writing advice. How do you make readers want to read a story with an unhappy ending? Plus: Dave's new DogKickstarter.com, how to answer questions from "civilians," and why you should focus on personal branding when posting on social media.

What are independent comic creators' most reliable revenue streams — and which are the worst? Brad ranks them from top to bottom, and Dave shares his own experiences with each. Also, the guys share the strategy that's making Patreon's "Collections" feature a solid income generator

Brad Guigar has categorized the information shared by creative individuals into three groups. Dave Kellett has a couple of his own to contribute. Of the five, only one is useful. Identifying the others can help you avoid making some significant mistakes.

This week's episode is sponsored by Hogan's Alley magazine! We'll discuss those moments in our careers when we said, "F*** me! That actually worked!" Also, a listener writes in to say that they want to take our advice and make the jump to Bluesky, but it causes too much anxiety.

We're heading into a year promising significant upheaval — in business, social media, publishing, and more. But, after twenty-five years of self-publishing, cartoonists Dave Kellett and Brad Guigar have learned an important lesson: Discomfort is crucial in growing as an artist — and as a businessperson.

Start your webcomic using the latest platforms, monetization methods, and social media strategies. If you're launching a new comic in 2025, this episode has all the information you'll need to get it off the ground!

Cartoonists Brad Guigar, Dave Kellett and Kevin McShane are teaming up on a new show — The Wrong Way! We'll teach you how to draw your favorite cartoon characters without getting sued over the copyright theft! Along the way, we'll share tips, tell stories, and roast each other mercilessly. Pay attention and you might learn how to draw The Wrong Way!