Making Comics

This week, we celebrate a Kickstarter coloring book launch and the work behind it (6:25), provide a recap of Keith's new favorite convention (16:25), submitting a cover to a client (27:00), and making a big structural change to a non-linear story (30:45).

This week, we talk about changing your work method for a crucial scene (3:00), the graphic design work (and the other work) in setting up a Kickstarter (12:45), finishing a page outline for a comic (27:50), and field reports from two different shows (34:20).

This week, we talk about the pages that require heavy work and visual problem-solving (2:20), how "Making the bad thing" doesn't apply to some of the creative process (14:00), continuing the page outline for a script (25:10) and an anthology short (31:40), exploring a new storytelling format (40:15), and pushing through some urgent project management issues (52:50).

This week, we talk about trashing a page layout and starting from scratch (4:30), working hard to finish a comic script on a deadline (16:00), expanding your print repertoire (22:00), and buying books for future story fodder and expanding your breadth (27:20) before this week's main topic: what it takes to be a working comics professional (37:40).

This week, we celebrate our 300th episode by hanging out with Cory Kerr (Rage of Enlightenment), Jim Lujan (The Unicornians), Scott Serkland (Young and the Dead), and Gary Hodges (D vs M) and recapping this year's creative retreat! We start with pre-retreat work and expectations (5:30), then compare drawing tablets (16:00), and discuss pushing to finish a draft (26:50), synthesizing feedback (38:40), looking at progress a different way (54:00), and much more!

This week, we talk about writing what you can, but being okay with not having all of the answers for a comic script (3:10), making the time to create (7:30), and getting feedback from readers (13:20) before we dig into our time at San Diego Comic Con, including overall impressions (20:00), reconciling being a fan versus a creator (32:30), and staying level (45:00).

This week, we talk about getting down to the wire for a pre-con commission (3:50), enjoying the act of exploring scenes at the panel level (14:00), acting as a project manager (24:00), layering mysteries (35:45), and enjoying things you can't possibly make (43:30).

This week, we talk about working with artists to fine-tune a story and/or concepts (6:30), and working through a new print with a tight deadline (13:30) before we discuss the highlights of a chock-filled email from comic creator Josh Pasquini (20:00), including the benefits of distribution versus crowdfunding (36:20), and flatting colors (47:50).

This week, we discuss finishing a labor-intense cover (4:40), cranking through the back-end work involved in being a publisher (12:50), working on pre-show commissions for SDCC (23:00), creating an Art Variant for a limited- edition comic (34:00), and waiting on client approval to proceed to the next step on a commission (45:10).

This week, we talk about changing the look of your character when outside forces dictate it (10:45), finishing the page-level script for a new story (17:00), those times when a cover doesn't come together (25:20), and zeroing in on an inker (50:15).

This week, we discuss a top-down writing format for comic scripts (3:50), quickly figuring out the layout for a cover (26:00), brainstorming exclusives for SDCC (36:45), and a wild search for freelance inkers (45:00).

This week, we talk about the satisfaction that comes with fulfilling every part of a Kickstarter campaign (4:00), one way to get unstuck when writing a story (9:00), coloring pages using a fresh style (14:10), spreading the word about your stories (24:15), working through art issues (32:30), and a plan to crank out a bunch of comic scripts (46:20).

This week, we wrap up Phoenix Fan Fusion (4:15), staying comfortable when you hit a wall in your story (23:20), taking time for the admin stuff (32:00), the idea of "emptying the idea tank" (35:30), and the right amount of information to give a colorist (41:10).

This week, we sit with Scott Serkland (Young and the Dead, Hiphoptimus Rhyme) and talk about cranking out a pre-show commission (5:00), illustrating a one-page story that's also a dream (7:45), a rush of work to finish a book to send to the printer on a tight deadline (11:30), intuitively exploring structure before you know what you're doing (24:30), when a necessary change results in a better product (28:20), the thought process behind additional titles in your creation portfolio (35:00), and tightening the setup and buildup to conventions (45:00).

This week, we talk convention selling (3:30), comic show logistics (17:00), figuring out alternating character voice (33:20), getting books from the printer (40:00), and fine-tuning colors (47:50).

This week, we talk about finishing another interior page (3:35), fixing the issues that arise in a nonlinear story (15:10), leaning into the unnatural on a drawing (24:30), reviewing art pages from different artists (44:45), and a Kickstarter packing party (53:20).

This week, we talk about the admin and social media stuff that goes with being a creator (4:35), creating a detailed drawing for a coloring book (14:15), Comic Con Revolution (18:20), refining pitches (33:35), restarting the fire for drawing (43:45), and flatting pages (52:00).

Today, we talk about a record(?) week of art productivity (4:15), assembling bonus material for the back pages of a comic (13:30), chaos via issues with files for the printer (22:00), writing the correct age and digging into dialect (31:00), and rising printing costs (48:00).

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).