All Episodes
Comic Lab — 456 episodes
80th Annual NCS Conference and Reuben Awards Review
ComicLab LIVE! at the 80th annual National Cartoonists Society Conference and Reuben Awards
How to Succeed at San Diego Comic-Con
Special Guest Fran Sundblad, creator of "Tiff & Eve"
The Worst Thing About Webcomics
How to Calculate Churn — and Why
First Pages First
Special Guest Dylan Meconis
What's the Best Business Model for Comics?
Why Some Punchlines Don’t Land
Never Outsource Your Vision
Surviving Your Own Success
Exclamation points!!!
Alaska Comics Camp 2026
Hiring a Social Media Manager
Quiet on the set!
Is the comic strip dead?
Keeping it Short — Making a Living 40 Pages at a Time
Writing Funny Words Funnily
Nobody Has Ever Made a Living in Comics
I've got an audience... now what do I DO with them??
Reclaiming Our Power
Making a Splash (Page) in Comics
I've been framed! (...in a gallery)
Work-Life Balance
How to Start a Webring
How to Make Friends and Influence People. And Cartoonists.
Concept vs. Conceit — Why Some Comic Ideas Take Off (and Others Stall)
Special Guest Dylan Meconis — How to Color Comics with Physical Media
Comics Will Break Your Heart (And So Will Dating)
Nothing to Fear but Fear Itself. And Kickstarter Scams
The Readership of Theseus
Five Lessons from a Publisher in Crisis
Should you judge a book by its cover?
How to Start a Webcomic in 2026
Why don't you do MORE?!?
Predictions and Goals for 2026
2025 in Review — Predictions and Goals
Print on Demand... When There's No Demand
Special Guest Rick Kirkman and Jerry Scott from "Baby Blues"
What's the Best Platform for Audience Building?
Color Commentary — Can You Succeed with a Black-and-White Comic?
Love it... Hate it... Reddit
Wobbly Legs
Kickstarter: What's Working and What's Not
Special Guest Cathy Guisewite
Lost in Translation
How to Get Your Comic Started
Special Guest Chuck Dillon
Our List of "Must-Read" Comics
Becoming a Comics Publisher
Dave and Brad review the NCS Conference and Reuben Awards in Boston
ComicLab LIVE at the National Cartoonists Society
Shouts and whispers
Dave Kellett's Comic-Con Report
Special Guests Greg and Karen Evans Celebrate 40 Years of Luann
ComicLab Celebrates 400 Episodes
What if You Won the Lottery?
I Need an Art Style — Quick!
Perfecting Your Perfectionism
Whose House Are You In?
I Met My Hero and They're a Zero
Special Guests Ryan North and Gillian Goerz
Special Guest Lucy Knisley
Special Guest: Jarad Greene
Alaska Comics Camp
How to fight loneliness all by yourself
How to improve SEO for webcomics
The Eyes Have It
Who are you? What do you do? Why should I care?
Special Guest Scott C
Pixels aren't permanent
Narration or Dialogue?
Paint the Wall Red: Conjuring Creativity
Autobiohazard: Drawing the Line Between Fact and Fiction
"I have a useless degree... and I love it!"
Running gag ... or running out of steam?
Big Number Thinking
Verbal vs. Visual
Happily Writing Tragedy
Webcomics Revenue Streams Ranked Best to Worst
The Information We Share — And Why We Shouldn't
"F*** me! That actually worked!"
Business Advice: Embrace Discomfort
How to start a webcomic in 2025
Introducing: The Wrong Way!
Social Media: Business or Pleasure?
Predictions and goals for 2025
2024 in Review
How can comics reach kids?
Maybe You're Not Funny
In over my head
A minor problem with a comics major
Nobody believes I'm a cartoonist
Your content is not your community
Let's talk about your bits and pieces
New ways to make an old mistake
Should your readers be your writers?
"Help! I'm not funny anymore!"
Innovation fascination
Dave's New Bucket List
Our Review of the National Cartoonists Society conference and Reuben Awards
ComicLab LIVE at the National Cartoonists Society conference and Reuben Awards, Part Two
ComicLab LIVE at the National Cartoonists Society conference and Reuben Awards, Part One
Make it work, make it right, make it fast
Patreon and the iOS app
Kickstarter mistake — confusing rewards with add-ons
Special Guest Co-Host Kevin McShane
Special Guest Co-Host Scott Kurtz — How to make a graphic novel
How to use a sketchbook
How to get better faster and faster better
How to get subscribers on Substack
When to throw in the towel
How to raise your rates on Patreon
Special guest Asia Simone
How to build an audience on Substack
Are dad jokes ~bad~ jokes?
It's Friday — am I famous yet?
They can't all be winners
Survivorship Bias
Are we 'there' yet?
How much story is too much story?
Social media is dead... now what?
Building traffic vs building audience
Special guest Dave Blazek
Special Guest Jason Chatfield
How to maximize creativity
Rebranding
How to find the perfect pen name
Stretching yourself thin
Special Guest Scott Kurtz and "Tables Titans Club"
Are you using the wrong tool for the job?
Using animation to promote
Can you make a living in comics?
Shopping for Success
Fifty is nifty
How to Write a Short Story
Rethinking Outreach in 2024
How to get started in comics, 2024 edition
Predictions and goals for 2024
Brad learns to share
2023 — The Year in Review
Where do you get ideas? Recorded live at the NCS Rueben Weekend
We hate Patreon's Free Membership Tier
Declaring organizational bankrupcy
Does your comic have an expiration date?
"Critique my work for only a dollar!"
Parasocial parables
The New Patreon: The Good, The Bad, and That Logo
A sexy, sexy defense of the Ninth Art
Is syndication dead?
Special guest Jamar Nicholas
The NCS Reuben Awards Week
LIVE from the Reuben Awards — with special guests Sarah Andersen and Jason Chatfield
Are you too old to start in comics?
How do I decide between writing and drawing?
The Thanos Snap
THe Wisdom of Small Mistakes
Did manga win comics?
San Diego Comic-Con recap
"You talked me out of a mistake, and I'd like to get back to making it as soon as possible"
Too may SHOULDs!
Pulling at Threads
A Comic-Con about... comics?!?
Special Guest Phil Foglio
Using the Patreon plug-in on your website
How to learn storytelling
"I have a website... now what do I DO with it??"
When readers attack... each other!
Surviving the churn
How to Build an Audience
Could OnlyFans be a Patreon alternative?
Crushing a kid's dreams
Publishing two versions of the same book?
Let's talk "comics" — literally
The novelty of Artificial Intelligence
Losing confidence ... and leveling up
Special guests Elizabeth Pich & Jonathan Kunz ("War and Peas")
Practicing to be a pro... or a pro practicing?
Special guest Karl Kerschl ("The Abominable Charles Christopher")
Special guest Lar deSouza ("Least I Could Do" and "Looking for Group")
Special guest Caitlin McGurk (The Billy Ireland Cartoon Library and Museum)
Nobody does thumbnails
Should I be embarrassed about my floppy?
Special Guest Scott Kurtz ("PvP")
Enshittification
Special Guest Kevin McShane ("Kevin Comics")
Special guest David Betancourt, comics-culture reporter with The Washington Post
Special Guest Ellen Woodbury of "Pizza Cake Comics"
How to turn OFF creativity
Special Guest: Dr. Joe Sutliff Sanders
LIVE at the Charles M. Schulz Museum
Predictions for 2023
2022 - Nailed it or Failed it?
What if I succeed...?
Webcomics nostalgia
Special Guest Bill Barnes talks about A.I. comics
Does this joke have the legs to become a running gag?
Print on Demand
The Social Contract between Comics Creators and Readers
Twitter comes Tumblr-ing Down
Stop me before I post again!
Battling Impostor Syndrome
BeReal... will it change social media?
Everything old is new again
Looking forward to flashbacks
Feeling a little Ziggy
Has Publishing Become Vanity Press?
The Butso Method of writing
Marketing with feeling
Have we become the people we fought?
When a Passive Revenue Stream is "Set it and regret it"
"I made a plagiarism — but I LIKE it... can I KEEP it??"
San Diego Comic Con review
"My friends won't buy my comics!"
The Decoy Effect
What if practice DOESN'T make progress?
We need to talk about Webtoons
Word balloon aesthetics
"Why won't the world let me be awesome?"
NFTs ... They keep stepping on the same landmine!
Hostage-holding for fun and profit
Ending a comic after 25 years
"Help! I used a digital brush and now I'm not an artist anymore!"
Haunted by Impostor Syndrome
"I can't make time for Patreon rewards!"
"Do I really need fans?"
Our Biggest Mistakes
Balancing storytelling and personal taste
Livestreaming
Nine Patreon Mistakes that are Costing You Money
"I've tried nothing, and it isn't working!"
Exclusive is not forever
How to Build Narrative Tension
How to write a good book title
These flipping comics are making me crazy!
Long term success with short comic stories?
The Bad Tweets Game
Gumroad's NFT problem
Social Media is Making Me Crazy
Is fanart legal?
Predictions for 2022
Kickstarter's blockchain announcement
Making NSFW Comics with Special Guest Erika Moen
Planning Out 2022
Drawing naked
Happy holidays!
A Nice Gesture
Composing scenes
Book-signing blues
Drawing challenges
Writing Character Motivations: Wants vs Needs
Is Netflix the goal?
Rekindling an old flame
Start with a website
20 Comics Commandments
How to find an audience for a longform comic
Death and Comics
How to Beat Writer's Block
Will Substack change comics?
Kickstarter — What's working and what's not
Beginnings and Endings
Email newsletter management
The ideal career path for comics
Juggling multiple projects
Exhibiting at your first comic con
Finding your voice as a writer
Pride and Joy
The Pulitzer No-Prize for Editorial Cartooning
What's your elevator pitch?
Delaying gratification
Accepting Criticism
2014 - the most important year in webcomics
Impostor Syndrome
Brad Guigar is a TikTok star
Don't get distracted!
Seeing your comics in other media
Dividing a graphic novel into story beats
Many Legs Under the Table
Special Guest Nick Seluk
Launching a new comic... how to get started
Who were the cartoonists who wrote you a map for your career?
Special Guest Tauhid Bondia
Patreon Power Hour
NFTs for comics?
Craptastic to Fantastic
Mirror Research vs Market Research
Comics history
An Artist's Job vs their Goal
How To Get Lucky
Creative Motivation
The Best Advice we Never Wanted
Self-Publishing a Book
Planning Out 2021
Paying it Forward
Slice of Life Comics
The Best of ComicLab 2020
Making 2021 a Success
What's in a name?
Beginner's Guide: How to Start Your Own Webcomic
And That's Why I Self-Publish
Blessings in disguise
Writing Comedy: Do You Choose the Dark Side or the Light Side?
What does it mean to be a "cartoonist" in today's world?
How to build an audience on social media
Is it OK to use photo reference?
How to be a good mentor
Special Guest Keith Knight
What's in a (domain) name?
Nobody wants to hear "Support Me on Patreon"
Artisting hurdles
Special Guest Erika Moen discusses mental health
Setting an emotional hook
Plagiarism
Patreon Annual Membership
Is a black-and-white comic still viable?
Finding other cartoonists in your region
Running a Virtual Comic Convention
How do you do an empathy?
The 8-Pages Rule
Creating your own Writers' Room
Special Guest Terry Blas
What's in a name? Cartoonist, creator, comics artist...?
Special Guest Gloria Calderón Kellett
2020 Goals Revisited
Special Guest Scott Kurtz
Special Guest Karla Pacheco
Is Art School Worth It?
Special Guest Cat Farris
Supportive Life Partners
Lore Olympus vs Webtoons
The Best Software for Publishing Webcomics
What's the word on word balloons?
Special Guest Gale Galligan
Comics Under Quarantine
Special Guest Karl Kerschl
Special Guest Lar deSouza
Managing a long-distance collaboration
Kickstarter workers vote to unionize
Coronavirus, conventions and cartoonists in crisis
Patreon Capital — is it predatory lending?
Have you ever wanted to quit?
What are the top three strips of all time?
Changing gears on Patreon
Submitting work to the Eisners
Finding a mentor
Should you build your audience on Webtoons?
Live by the platform, die by the platform
Buying advertising
The Best Of 2019
Hand lettering
Autobiographical comics
Hiring an editor
Special Guest Beth Reidmiller
Patreon Assembly
Pro Tips Sample!
Who Can Save a Stumbling Kickstarter?
Special Guest Tom Richmond
Commission accomplished!
Pandering ...or Positioning?
Social media has evolved... have you?
New to ComicLab?
Kickstarter's anti-union policies
ComicLab enamel pins!
Analysis Paralysis
One-, Three-, and Five-Year Plans
Ensure killed my pappy
Branding happiness
Finding the Funny
Tell us your First Time Story (printing books, that is)
What do you want to be remembered for?
A typical day in the studio
Launching a webcomic for the very first time
Dave's Comic Con International recap
If social media delivers only 1% engagement, what's the point?
Getting better engagement on social media
Special Guest Dylan Meconis
Father's Day thoughts
The menace of Arrival Fallacy
Choosing a title for your comic
LIVE! from NCSFest
Live from Dave's living room
Special guest David Malki shares his writing process
Would you still do a comic — even if nobody ever read it?
Dave Kellett's review of Alaska Robotics' Comics Camp
Special guest Chris Hallbeck talks Instagram
Special guest Jake Parker talks publishing contracts and comic cons
Designing an effective cover
Working with a Collaborator
Writing yourself into a corner
Special Guest Tony Cliff
Dave's Emerald City Comicon Recap
The Joys of Artisanal success
Crowdfunding - Diversifying vs Duplicating
What's your creative process?
The perils of Magic Number Thinking
You can't teach a new dog old tricks
The danger of "at all costs" success
Kryptonite razors, hypnotic glasses and ennui
When longtime readers stop reading
Guigar's Law of merchandise
Pro No Tip
Planning Out 2019
Special Guest Kevin McShane
2018: What worked and what didn't
Why you should be planning a Patreon Special Offer NOW
Drilling deep on Patreon — and more
Under the blanket with Brad
PatreCon
Special Guest Alex Heberling
Are you a webcomics hustler?
What level of Patreon support denotes success?
Special guest Ngozi Ukazu
“Muaauughhh, the French… champagne…”
Special Guest Jake Parker discusses Inktober
Special guest Lex Fajardo, Senior Editor, Charles Schulz Studio
Special guest Kazu Kibuishi
Generating Buzz on Twitter
Should you reboot?
Why do we hate thought balloons?
Live, on tape, from Huntsville, Alabama
Special guest Dylan Meconis discusses longform comics and developing a critical eye
Special guest Katie Lane gives legal advice to comics artists
Comic Con International
You're not talented. And that's good news
NSFW comics... any regrets?
How to negotiate a contract
Allowing your drawing style to mature
Comics lettering — The invisible art
Special guest Zach Weinersmith
How to get more Patreon pledges
Unfulfilled goals (feat. Scott Kurtz)
Starting comics later in life
Special Guest Gloria Calderón Kellett on writing
Cartooning advice for beginners, DRM-free PDF strategy, and storyline-driven comic strips
Bonjoro, narrative clarity and the quest for an original idea
Special guest Erika Moen talks about photo reference, character design, diversity and inclusion
Motivation, underperforming Patreon tiers, and trying something new
Comics awards, pen names and warm-up sketches
Handling negative comments and clingy fans
Hashing out hashtags, online gag comics and update schedules
Listener Questions — I can't finish a comic once it's started!
Ryan North talks about writing, ideas, creativity, and zinc
Danielle Corsetto talks about Patreon, quitting Facebook, and ending a comic
Kickstarter advice that really worked! Plus Backerkit, social media repetitiveness and more
Patreon rewards that work, writer's block and comics awards
Comic Con Strategy: Commissions, Merchandise, and Publishing
Rethinking longform comics
How to Handle Patreon-Exclusive Content
Growing your Readership (feat. Dylan Meconis)
Better Writing Through Editing, and Collaborator Contracts
Darkest Career Fears (feat. Jake parker)
Best Cartooning Advice Ever
Why Transparency Matters (feat. Lucy Bellwood)
Why Comics?
Resolutions for 2018