Comic Lab

Aug 20, 2026 — Cartoonist Fran Sundblad, creator of Tiff & Eve, joins Brad for a wide-ranging conversation about creating character-driven comics, finding an audience on Reddit, and learning when not to chase the algorithm.

Aug 13, 2026 — A listener asks us to address the downside of webcomics. We'll talk about time management, burnout, financial insecurity, and reader interactions. Then we realize that all those drawbacks have one very important thing in common — and it's not what...

Aug 06, 2026 — Is your Patreon actually growing — or are new members disguising a retention problem? Brad walks Dave through the process of calculating churn rate and shows how one number can unlock a much clearer understanding of a membership business. They discuss...

Jul 30, 2026 — What belongs at the beginning of your book? Brad and Dave discuss whether an anti-AI statement offers creators any meaningful protection, break down the information that belongs on a copyright page, and explore the many ways cartoonists can approach...

Jul 16, 2026 — Brad and Dave discuss why putting your comic online for free is still the strongest way to build a sustainable career.

Jul 09, 2026 — Using Brad’s motorcycle-jump-over-a-ravine metaphor, the ComicLab guys discuss why wider joke “canyons” can create bigger laughs, why shorter jumps can feel merely “technically funny,” and why the best cartoonists learn how to build strong launching...

Jul 02, 2026 — It's one of the easiest traps for independent creators to fall into: Outsourcing important business or creative decisions to reader polls. Audience feedback can be useful, but when creators ask readers to steer decisions about Patreon tiers,...

Jun 25, 2026 — Brad and Dave discuss what happens after a cartoonist achieves the dream: Making a living from comics. They explain why success can create its own time-management problems, how to protect the thing that’s already working, and why adding books,...

Jun 18, 2026 — What seems like a simple question about exclamation points opens up a much bigger discussion about the power of comics lettering. Brad and Dave talk about punctuation, word balloons, font choices, and the unique grammar of comics.

Jun 11, 2026 — Today’s show is sponsored by Huion, makers of the Huion Kamvas 22 (Gen 3)! Dave returns from Alaska Comics Camp with a glowing review of what he calls one of the most meaningful experiences of his professional life. He explains how the camp blends...