November 2024 - Sheldon® Comic Strip

This week’s ComicLab is live!

November 28, 2024

Pals! Every week my cartooning pal Brad Guigar and I fire up the mics to talk about comics. It’s half shop talk, half how-to, and half friendship. That’s right: WE SQUEEZED IN THREE HALVES. It’s tips and tricks and all the joys of cartooning as a pro!

And here’s a summary of this week’s show, which just went live!

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LINK: [insert link]

TITLE: Nobody believes I’m a cartoonist

How do you explain to someone that you’re a professional cartoonist? More importantly — should you even try?! Also, Dave and Brad share details about the software they use, and Brad extolls the virtues of a Patreon content exchange.

On Today’s Show…

How do you explain to people that you’re a professional cartoonist?
What software is best for comics?
Take a break this holiday
Patreon content exchange

Summary

In this conversation, Brad Guigar and Dave Kellett discuss the challenges of explaining their profession as cartoonists to others, as well as the misconceptions surrounding the field. Next, they explain the significance of using the right software for comic creation. They emphasize the need for cartoonists to be aware of the technical aspects of their work, particularly when it comes to color formats and printing. Brad Guigar and Dave Kellett emphasize the advantages of tools like Clip Studio Paint and Adobe products. They also highlight the significance of taking breaks during the holiday season to recharge creatively. The conversation shifts to strategies for Patreon content exchanges, where they share insights on effectively reaching out to other creators and the benefits of collaboration in building audiences.

Check it out: Dave’s Favorite from THIS DAY in the Archives!

November 28, 2024

Pals! Here’s my favorite Sheldon comic from THIS DAY IN YEARS PAST!

If you’re a Patreon Pal, you can log in and check out 5,000 more comics in the archives!

And if you’re not yet a pal on Patreon…JOIN US! You’ll get immediate access to:

– Over 5,000 comics!

– Plus all the themed collections! (Including “Dave’s Faves”, “Pugs”, “Coffee”, and more!)

– Plus weekly giveaways of original art!

– It’s so dang cool: JOIN US!

Here’s the description and transcript of the comic:

Panel 1: A smug-looking duck, ARTHUR, leans forward and addresses a Peregrine Falcon with exaggerated emphasis in his words. ARTHUR (speaking): "Well, well, WELL. If it isn't the Peregrine Falcon... the fastest bird alive."

Panel 2: ARTHUR looks more confident, smirking as he proposes a challenge. The falcon stares back with an expression of wary intrigue. ARTHUR (speaking): "Care to put a wager on that, Speedy? Let's see how fast you really are."

Panel 3: The Peregrine Falcon is shuffling three red cups at high speed on a table, participating in a classic shell game. ARTHUR watches intently.

Want 5,000 more comics like this? Join us at Patreon.com/sheldoncomics for the FULL Sheldon archives, art giveaways, fun community, and more! Sheldon Comics copyright Dave Kellett. Colors by Beth Reidmiller

Check it out: Dave’s Favorite from THIS DAY in the Archives!

November 27, 2024

Pals! Here’s my favorite Sheldon comic from THIS DAY IN YEARS PAST!

If you’re a Patreon Pal, you can log in and check out 5,000 more comics in the archives!

And if you’re not yet a pal on Patreon…JOIN US! You’ll get immediate access to:

– Over 5,000 comics!

– Plus all the themed collections! (Including “Dave’s Faves”, “Pugs”, “Coffee”, and more!)

– Plus weekly giveaways of original art!

– It’s so dang cool: JOIN US!

Comic Description and Transcript
The comic consists of four panels featuring Arthur the duck, who is perched on Gramp's head, and Gramp, who is seated in a chair, reading a book.

Panel 1: Arthur, lying flat on top of Gramp's head, starts speaking philosophically. Arthur: "The word 'letters' is itself..."
“Composed of…”
“…OF LETTERS” Gramp continues reading his book, seemingly unbothered by Arthur's presence.

Panel 2: Gramp still reads, unamused.

Panel 3: Gramp lowers the book slightly and looks forward with a blank stare, visibly unamused. Arthur stares up, looking stressed.

Panel 4: Arthur holds up a smartphone, screen black. Arthur: "WiFi is still down, if that's what you're wondering."

Alt text: Want 5,000 more comics like this? Join us at Patreon.com/sheldoncomics for the FULL Sheldon archives, art giveaways, fun community, and more! Sheldon Comics copyright Dave Kellett. Colors by Beth Reidmiller.

Check it out: Dave’s Favorite from THIS DAY in the Archives!

November 26, 2024

Pals! Here’s my favorite Sheldon comic from THIS DAY IN 2009!

If you’re a Patreon Pal, you can log in and check out 5,000 more comics in the archives!

And if you’re not yet a pal on Patreon…JOIN US! You’ll get immediate access to:

– Over 5,000 comics!

– Plus all the themed collections! (Including “Dave’s Faves”, “Pugs”, “Coffee”, and more!)

– Plus weekly giveaways of original art!

– It’s so dang cool: JOIN US!

Transcript and Description of Comic:
Panel 1: (Sheldon is standing in the doorway, peeking into the kitchen where Gramp is standing near the counter. Gramp is holding a casserole dish, smiling proudly.) Sheldon: "I've been sent in to ask you what that is?" Gramp: "Green bean casserole. You boys are gonna love it."

Panel 2: (Sheldon looks dubious, eyeing the dish suspiciously. Gramp happily explains while getting something out of the fridge.) Sheldon: "It's beans? What's the white goop it's sitting in?" Gramp: "Cream of mushroom soup." Sheldon: "And the crusty bits on top?" Gramp: "Fried onions."

Panel 4: (Sheldon walks out of the kitchen. Arthur the duck, and Flaco the lizard stand next to him with wide eyes. They both share their distaste for the casserole in their unique way.) Sheldon: "It's a vegetable, sitting in fungus, sprinkled with fried root bulb." Arthur: "The road to dessert is paved with nasty."

Alt Text:
Want 5,000 more comics like this? Join us at Patreon.com/sheldoncomics for the FULL Sheldon archives, art giveaways, fun community, and more! Sheldon Comics copyright Dave Kellett. Colors by Beth Reidmiller.

Check it out: Dave’s Favorite from THIS DAY in the Archives!

November 25, 2024

Pals! Here’s my favorite Sheldon comic from THIS DAY IN YEARS PAST!

If you’re a Patreon Pal, you can log in and check out 5,000 more comics in the archives!

And if you’re not yet a pal on Patreon…JOIN US! You’ll get immediate access to:

– Over 5,000 comics!

– Plus all the themed collections! (Including “Dave’s Faves”, “Pugs”, “Coffee”, and more!)

– Plus weekly giveaways of original art!

– It’s so dang cool: JOIN US!

Here’s the description and transcript of the comic:
Panel 1 (Yellow Background, Text Only): Text: How to create one o' them Pokémons

Panel 2 (Illustration of two animals): Text: First! Take two animals: (Arrow pointing to the left animal) squirrel (Arrow pointing to the right animal) pangolin
Image Description: A squirrel is shown on the left, and a pangolin on the right, both with cartoonishly exaggerated features.

Panel 3 (Combined creature): Text: Combine them into one critter: "Squigglin"
Image Description: A mashup of the squirrel and pangolin is shown. It has the body of a squirrel but is covered in pangolin scales. The eyes are wide and bulging, giving it a comically odd expression.

Panel 4 (Added geometric shapes): Text: Add a bunch of random geometric shapes
Image Description: The creature now has strange geometric additions, like patterned shapes and spikes sticking out of its body, making it look even more bizarre.

Panel 5 (Brightly colored version): Text: And dip them in industrial food dye
Image Description: The creature is now brightly colored in shades of neon pink, blue, and yellow. Its scales and body are randomly painted in contrasting colors, making it garish and unnatural.

Panel 6 (Final result, speaking): Text: Congrats! You done made one o' them Pokémons! (The creature speaking, with an exaggerated sad face): "I'm an abomination in the eyes of God!"
Image Description: The final version of the creature looks overly excited as it gives its own commentary. Its bright colors and mismatched elements make it look intentionally absurd.

Alt Text Description: Want 5,000 more comics like this? Join us at Patreon.com/sheldoncomics for the FULL Sheldon archives, art giveaways, fun community, and more! Sheldon Comics copyright Dave Kellett. Colors by Beth Reidmiller

Check it out: Dave’s Favorite from THIS DAY in the Archives!

November 22, 2024

Pals! Here’s my favorite Sheldon comic from THIS DAY IN YEARS PAST!

If you’re a Patreon Pal, you can log in and check out 5,000 more comics in the archives!

And if you’re not yet a pal on Patreon…JOIN US! You’ll get immediate access to:

– Over 5,000 comics!

– Plus all the themed collections! (Including “Dave’s Faves”, “Pugs”, “Coffee”, and more!)

– Plus weekly giveaways of original art!

– It’s so dang cool: JOIN US!

Transcript and Description:
TITLE: Every animal species has weird Mutations. Here are some sad ones:
Panel 1:
◦ Text: "The Double-Pot-Bellied Pig"
◦ Image: A comically exaggerated pig with two distinct potbellies, looking cheerful and content.
◦ Text: SAD
Panel 2:
◦ Text: "The Square-Toothed Rattlesnake"
◦ Image: A rattlesnake with teeth shaped into perfect squares, giving it an unusual and goofy expression.
◦ Text: SAD
Panel 3:
◦ Text: "The Five-Toed Three-Toed Sloth"
◦ Image: A sloth looking shocked at his hands with five toes visible on its front hands despite being a "three-toed" sloth.
◦ Text: SAD
Panel 4:
◦ Text: "The Non-Meat-Eating Texan"
◦ Image: A Texan dressed in cowboy attire looking a bit skeptical or awkward, saying “ I done make nature cry.”
◦ Text: SAD

At the end of the comic, add this text: "Want 5,000 more comics like this? Join us at Patreon.com/sheldoncomics for the FULL Sheldon archives, art giveaways, fun community, and more! Sheldon Comics copyright Dave Kellett. Colors by Beth Reidmiller"

This week’s ComicLab is live!

November 21, 2024

And here’s a summary of this week’s show, which just went live!

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LINK: https://www.patreon.com/posts/your-content-is-115212825?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link

TITLE: Your Content is not your Community

When comic creators try to market their comics, they often confuse what their comic is about with who it’s for. Cartoonists Dave Kellett and Brad Guigar offer some guidance on making compelling promotions that work. In the show’s second half, the boys have a devil of a time talking about angel investing.

In this episode, Brad Guigar and Dave Kellett explore how comic creators can broaden their audience beyond niche markets, emphasizing the significance of themes and relationships in storytelling. The conversation highlights the need for creators to identify their comic’s appeal and engage with a broader audience.

In this conversation, the hosts explore the concept of angel investing, particularly in the context of cartoonists and creative industries. They discuss the nature of angel investing, the challenges cartoonists face in securing funding, and the potential roles that angel investors could play in their careers. The conversation also delves into alternative funding models like Kickstarter and Patreon and the importance of marketing versus production in growing a creative business. Ultimately, the hosts reflect on their experiences and the realities of managing growth in the comic industry. In this episode, the hosts delve into the complexities of comic creation, discussing the balance between marketing and content production, the impact of hiring assistants, and the challenges of delegating creative tasks. They explore the dynamics of collaboration in writing and the potential growth opportunities for their podcast, ComicLab, while acknowledging the realities of success and the risks involved in expanding their creative endeavors.