Comic Lab

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.

The newspaper comic strip didn't go extinct — it evolved. But if your work doesn't keep up, your career may be fossilized! From Reddit-ready square comics to vertical-scroll storytelling, they explore how creators are adapting to phones, social media, and changing reading habits while keeping the heart of the comic strip alive.

Topics covered

The evolution of newspaper comic strips

Why horizontal strips existed in the first place

How phones changed comics formatting

Square-format comics on Reddit and social media

Vertical-scroll storytelling

Why readers won’t rotate their phones

Charles Schulz and the flexible-format origins of Peanuts

Newspaper syndication vs. modern web distribution

YA graphic novels as the next evolution for newspaper strips

Lincoln Peirce and the success of Big Nate books

Why comic strips are still thriving online

Modular comic formatting for webcomics

The launch of The Comic Scout 

Dave Kellett's Hugo Award nomination anticipation

Tips for maintaining visual consistency in comics

Workflow advice for newer cartoonists

 

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.

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.

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.

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.