Special Guest Co-Host Kevin McShane

Comic Lab

As Brad Guigar travels to Bad Axe, Michigan, to spend a fun-filled week with his family, Kevin McShane steps in to talk comics with Dave Kellett.

In this conversation, David and Kevin discuss various topics related to comics, including their experiences with "Love Is" comics at their weddings, the potential future advancements in comic-making technology, and different marketing strategies for sharing comics. They explore the idea of using VR technology to create a more immersive drawing experience, the enduring appeal of 2D comics, and the importance of building an audience through platforms like mailing lists and social media. Kevin discusses the various social media platforms he uses to share his comics, including Facebook, Instagram, Reddit, Mastodon, Twitter, and Imgur. He explains that Imgur is like a nicer version of Reddit and that he uses it to drive traffic to his website. David is intrigued by Imgur and asks Kevin for a pitch on why he should be posting there. Kevin explains that Imgur started as an image hosting service for Reddit and has a social media aspect to it. They also discuss their motivations for posting on social media and the validation they seek from likes and engagement. They explore the idea of creating books and the number of comics needed for a book. They also discuss the possibility of changing their approach to comics if compensation wasn't a factor. They end the conversation by addressing a question from a listener who creates gardening advice cartoons and wonders if she should reduce the number of panels to cater to social media attention spans. In this final part of the conversation, David and Kevin discuss the different types of content that perform well on social media, including informative, emotional, and aspirational content. They also provide advice on interviewing other creators, emphasizing the importance of research and making the interviewee feel comfortable. The hosts share funny anecdotes about their experiences with interviews and express their pride in not discussing AI in the conversation.

THIS WEEK

• "Love Is" comics at Weddings
• The Future of Comic-Making Technology: VR and AI
• The Enduring Appeal of 2D Comics
• Building an Audience: Mailing Lists and Social Media
• Navigating Social Media Platforms
• Balancing Panel Count for Social Media
• The Power of Different Content Types
• Interviewing Other Creators
• Avoiding AI in Comics Technology Discussions
• Funny Anecdotes from Interview Experiences

TAKEAWAYS

• Love Is comics can add a unique and nostalgic touch to weddings and other events.
• The future of comic-making technology may involve advancements in VR and AI.
• 2D comics have a timeless appeal and can survive alongside other forms of media.
• Building an audience through platforms like mailing lists and social media is crucial for sharing and promoting comics. Kevin uses various social media platforms to share his comics and drive traffic to his website.
• Kevin recommends Imgur for sharing comics. It allows linking and has a nicer community than Reddit.
• Both Kevin and David seek validation through likes and engagement on social media.
• The number of comics needed for a book can vary, but it's important to have a substantial amount of quality content.
• If compensation wasn't a factor, Kevin would quit his day job to dedicate more time to creating comics.
• Reducing the number of panels in a comic may compromise the usefulness of the content, so it's important to find a balance that works for the creator's goals and the audience's attention spans. Different types of content perform well on social media, including informative, emotional, and aspirational content.
• When interviewing other creators, it's important to do thorough research and ask unique and engaging questions.
• Making interviewees feel comfortable and creating a safe space for them to share is crucial for a successful interview.
• Avoiding discussions about AI in the context of comics technology can be refreshing and indicative of the current fatigue with AI.
• The hosts share funny anecdotes about their experiences with interviews, highlighting the importance of building rapport and creating a relaxed atmosphere.

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Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive.