Making Comics

This week, we discuss early story pacing (6:45), drawing interiors (14:00), compare notes on Free Comic Book Day (35:30), and behind the scenes work to finish a comic (57:30).

This week we talk about going from idea to a cover (2:40), how lettering on a comic evokes Marvel method (13:30), continuing work on interiors (23:30), the odd feeling of light notes in a workshop (26:10), preparing PDFs and files in advance of a Kickstarter finishing (30:00), and discuss current comics we're reading (41:00).

This week, we discuss the beginning of a story draft edit (6:00), making the most of extra pages in a comic (26:45), editing a comic as you letter (32:20), finishing thumbnails for common pages in a comic (40:15), the LA Times Festival of Books (44:40), and finding the right thumbnail for a cover (49:30).

This week, we discuss the second of back-to-back Kickstarters (4:45) and the tricky aspects of them (10:40), focusing on the thinking, "big" part of writing (22:00), working on the connecting talking heads scenes in a story (40:00), and getting inspired by a historical site (46:30).

This week, we discuss finishing a comic script and thinking through a limited printing of a comic (3:20), editing dialogue (17:45), the value of writing warm-ups (22:20), taking post-convention inventory (28:30), and getting feedback from readers (33:50) before this week's main topic: part three of Pixar's rules for storytelling (37:30).

This week, we talk about finishing up the first draft of a comic script (5:40), humor and jokes in your story (13:30), and performing the final chiseling of a comic script (19:00), then recap WonderCon (31:30) before we get into part two of Pixar's rules for storytelling (41:20).

This week, we cover creating a game plan for story edits and changes (5:30), settling into a fresh, changed writing process (10:20), revamping your upcoming creativity schedule (18:00), taking time away from a book for a commission (22:10), the indie mindset (36:00), and figuring out if a comic script is done or not (41:50) before we get to this week's topic: part one of Pixar's rules for storytelling (48:30).

This week, we talk about taking crowdsourcing ideas for a cover and incorporating it with other ideas (4:50), using the right symbols to reflect profanity (14:10), when the coloring stage reveals an error in the art (25:20), focusing on a commission (40:30), and talking through reader feedback on a story (44:20).

This week, we talk about finishing art for an issue however you can (4:25), the final stages fulfilling a Kickstarter (10:50), when flatting gets time-consuming (15:30), when the real world gives your writing a boost (22:00), doing your post-con inventory (31:00), finding a prospective cover artist for an upcoming comic (37:40), launching a Kickstarter (42:30), and re-evaluating the Act One elements in your story (46:50).

This week, we talk about what pauses mean in the audio landscape (4:00), Kickstarter prep and doing the video work (23:20), assembling a mini-comic (28:30), and working hard to complete a page goal (31:40) before we talk about carefully calibrating the sex in a story (41:00) and the gravity - or lack of - in a story (50:30).

This week, we welcome Katelyn Windels (Devil in the Herd, Veefriends) to the podcast and talk about hitting your weekly page goals (4:30), getting the feedback you didn't know you needed (13:30), brainstorming a new story in an existing comics world (20:00), one-shot stories in the current landscape (30:00), and the origin point of a story (42:30).

This week, we discuss coordinating production work for a Kickstarter (4:50), having fun with the "extra" parts of a page (19:00), reaching the point of a story where you're too close to everything (27:30), fine-tuning the color flats for your comic (33:40), daily writing warm-ups (41:15), and a potential purchase (45:00).

This week, we talk about evaluating your pages through the process (4:00), fighting through a unique problem on a cover treatment (13:00), knocking out a commission (26:05), writing a bit in multiple stories (28:50), and creating a new villain (46:15).

This week, we talk about taking time for story ideas and warm-up writing (4:00), finding a reason to draw every day (19:30), improving your speed drawing pages (24:45), firming up a revised scene that changes action after it in a story (31:00), and getting convention-ready (37:00) before this week's main topic: listener feedback on drawing, characters, and much more (43:00)!

This week, we welcome Gary Hodges (D vs. M: The Solider) and discuss a big week of panel work (4:00), and thinking your way through a story problem (14:30), before we talk process about D vs. M: The Soldier (34:00), putting yourself in your comic (46:15), thinking about the finish line for a lengthy story (54:00), and big finishes versus small finishes (1:01:15).

This week, we talk about making non-comic art for conventions (6:00), trying to time out your key reveals (15:15), fighting over-analysis for your scenes (28:00), and putting ideas together to form a story (39:30).

This week, we talk about finding the weak spots in a story (3:30), finding inspiration for layouts (14:00), outsourcing PDF creation (22:50), continuing page work (31:30), the benefit of working at half-speed (36:45), and experimenting with effects (43:30).

This week, we talk about settling into a new process for comic pages (2:45), understanding creative limitations and when to outsource (9:20), color flatting issues (15:45), inking your first page (19:50), and the cloud-gathering phase for a story (30:00) before we share our 2026 creative goals (38:00).

It's part two of the 2025 Year-end Episode! As is tradition, we welcome Gary Hodges (D vs M) to discuss the second part of our year-end favorites including dark horse / pleasant surprise (1:15), purchase of the year (7:30), comic of the year (24:50), comic artist of the year (37:40), and comic writer of the year (52:30).

It's the 2025 Year-end Episode! As is tradition, we welcome Gary Hodges (D vs M) to discuss part one of our year-end favorites including favorite beer (3:00), YouTube show (10:30), TV Show of the year (37:00), movie of the year (44:00), and many more.

It's the 2025 Holiday Episode! As is tradition, we welcome Gary Hodges (Dinosaurs vs. Marsbots) and discuss nice - our proudest achievement for the year (5:00) and naughty - our greatest learning for the year (28:10), before we present a "fresh for '25" holiday hot take extravaganza (42:30)!

This week, we recap our creative retreat and discuss focused inking for three pages (3:50), keeping your curiosity through the learning process (13:40), the unspoken language of comics (20:00), drawing versus writing when it comes to thinking (33:00), and things to think about when you thumbnail (40:30), before we revisit talking heads pages (51:40).

This week, we talk about the crucial mid-campaign work for a Kickstarter (6:00), staying locked-in through the pencils stage (15:10), conveying facial emotion (20:20), and commission pieces and the learning curve (28:10), before a discussion on style (44:00).

This week, we talk about separating story from art direction on your pages (7:00), doing your own reference photos (16:00), reflecting on your book when it gets delivered (24:15), working past your minimum output goals (27:30), knowing when to stop for the moment on a story (33:10), and getting completed comic pages back from the artist (40:10) before this week's topic: finishing your first comic (45:30).

This week, we talk about being on the creator side of a Kickstarter launch (6:00), finding those pockets of time in the day be creative (10:30), how to convey story time without burning your story's real estate (17:15), and field notes from Fresno Comic Expo (27:00) before this week's topic: things to consider while drawing (33:15).

This week, we discuss and example of a life experience going directly into a story (5:30), how to address high panel counts for comic pages (14:15), using reference in drawing versus learning structure (25:50), and returning to an aging commission (38:50) before this week's topic: what to think about while writing and scripting (42:30).

It's the five year anniversary! This episode, we review our productivity over the five year duration of the podcast (6:00), the importance of feedback in creative growth (15:45), getting different perspectives (26:20), and so much more on craft and how we as creators evolve. Crack open your favorite beverage and celebrate with us!

This week, we talk about getting to an intimidating page (5:20) and still enjoying it, how experience creates in-writing awareness (11:10), comic script revisions (18:50), turnarounds and a drill for figure drawing (24:00), and this week's topic in the "making your first comic" series - the right amount of work to put in your character before you start scripting (37:30).

This week, we talk about dialing into a feature / detail (3:30), a Kickstarter launch delay and the reasoning (11:15), flatting pages once they're complete (18:05), returning to a daily writing routine (25:40), deciding to go with a pop culture reference (37:30), and getting your first feedback on drawing (41:00) before Part Two of the "Making your First Comic" series: world-building (52:30).

This week, we talk about more of the "office" work you have to do to make books (6:00), making pages off of a partial comic script (15:45), drawing your first page (19:00), reviewing your work to make sure every panel is essential (27:35), planning out future comics and conventions (43:00), then talk about our main topic: the idea and story structure for your first comic (49:15).

This week, we talk about reworking story pages (4:00), keeping a journal and scene scouting (10:20), knowing when the script you left in a drawer needs an update, and making revisions (17:05), figuring out the scene structure for a story (21:10), getting public feedback on cover layouts (29:00), what a professional is (48:00), and finding variant covers in your archives (54:30).

This week, we talk about the work behind "mini-documentary" pieces that tie to a Kickstarter campaign (3:20), year two of a local convention (12:15), wrapping up work before a trip (26:30) and the creativity on that trip, setting as a character (35:00), and putting the finishing touches on Kickstarter rewards (44:40).

This week, we discuss the momentum that builds through page work (4:15), the necessary work in building a publisher's reach (12:10), building an art print portfolio (20:20), putting care into the promotion for a book (34:30), preparing for a convention (42:00), and getting inspiration from your reading (47:30).

This week, we discuss problem-solving in lettering (7:30), the more involved comic pages (24:00), planning out the buildup to a Kickstarter (32:20), creating more art for a convention (42:00),

This week, we talk about productive page work (4:05), unpacking a visual style (8:30), the right time to send a story off to readers (11:20), the benefits of adding new skills to your skillset (20:45), the initial stages of setting up a Kickstarter (30:40), tabling at a one-day show (35:30), and finding what you like in a story that aged nine months (46:15).

This week, we welcome Cory Kerr (Rage of Enlightenment) to discuss a bunch of things, including a new Bay Area convention (6:00), being a comic vendor at a non-comic show (18:00), a rollercoaster "fan at the show" story (22:00), bringing themes to your work (40:30), studying comics to make comics (45:40), and the ideas that created Rage of Enlightenment (56:40).

This week, we talk about a fun side project (4:25), inhabiting a character's point of view (9:20), further PDF assembly hijinks (16:45), and convention prep (29:00) before our main topic: endings (37:40).

This week, we talk about the genesis of a new artistic journey (3:20), constructing a final PDF of a trade paperback (21:50), when fellow creators spot your story flaws (31:30), and making good on a (personally) important art page (42:00).

It's a seven person, live-in-the-studio roundtable! This week, we welcome creators Scott Serkland (Young and the Dead), Cory Kerr (Rage of Enlightenment), Gary Hodges (Dinosaurs vs Marsbots), Jim Lujan (The Unicornians) and Josh Kemble (Jacob's Apartment, Two Stories) to recap a creative retreat and discuss an inspirational 'proof of concept' piece (3:40), the nonlinear work in forming a story (13:30), how chaos can increase focus (24:00), picking the right work for a retreat (34:20), the value of a retreat in its creative time (51:20), and much more!

This week, we discuss re-lettering (3:40), the road to improvement in your work (21:00), client work and business branding (35:00), exploring a new technology for productivity (39:10), and rethinking your story's framework (49:20).

This week, we recap our San Diego Comic Con weekends, starting with commission work and how the process streamlined (3:15), when your SDCC is meetings and panels (14:30), and selling at a table for a few hours (21:30) before we discuss the nuances of starred out profanity (31:00) and the value of thinking differently (43:00).

This week, we recap the G-Fest convention (4:00), benchmarking your Kickstarter against previous ones (16:30), getting clarity on a future project (30:20), finalizing a new cover design (42:40), and this week's main topic: staying in love with a long-term project (46:40).

This week, we talk about a new cover and changes needed for a new cover (4:35), the importance of tension in your story (25:50), going past "just okay" with every aspect of your work (35:45), undoing the profanity in a book to make it more YA-accessible (47:50), seizing the opportunity to make changes for a new printing (54:35), and careful packing strategies for conventions (59:00).

This week, we talk about thinking through and working through interesting add-ons and promo ideas for a Kickstarter (2:30), working on an animation (14:00), a recap of ALA (21:40), prepping for a campaign (29:15), thinking hard about profanity's role in your comic (33:00), and artist's block (42:15).

This week, we recap the Amazing Las Vegas Comic Con (4:15), then discuss taking time for character sheets (24:30), doing successive washes of editing to turn something that's borrowed into something that's yours (28:40), making a decision when to print a book in relation to a Kickstarter (37:45), and those times when you need to do last-minute convention prep (48:00).

This week, we visit with Scott Serkland (Young and the Dead) and talk about getting clarity on present and future writing priorities (4:00), sound effects for a book (10:40), and the excitement of a new start for a new comic (19:00) before we have a creative round table (34:00), including why comics inspire us, (49:00).

This week, we give a recap of Phoenix Fan Fusion (3:00), covering behind the scenes logistics and exhibit hall energy (14:10), and a few stories from the table (28:00), then discuss lettering (39:00), gaining clarity on future projects (42:20), and finding time to thumbnail a story (50:30).

This week, we talk about finishing scripts (3:00), running story opinions by fellow creators (13:20), hitting the due date on a commission (21:30), choosing a future project (24:45), giving writing notes (34:15), and the magic of comic art (53:00).

This week, we talk about bringing a future idea into a present story (3:00), Adding a last-minute page to a comic and finalizing a cover (13:50), remembering your most important audience (23:15), surprise additions to a project (32:20), and thinking through your projects to design a near-term release schedule (38:15).

This week, we talk about problem-solving a cover with a lot of characters (3:30), taking the best pieces of different cover treatments to build covers (19:00), forcing your way through a story problem (35:20), generating ideas for an anthology (42:15), and getting the courage to make a major project "final" (52:00).