Make Comics
110 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 2 months ago - ★★★★★ - 69 ratingsThe Comics Connection Make Comics podcast provides ~15 minutes of advice per episode on all aspects of creating comics and breaking in to the industry.
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Episodes
#224 – Writing Shared Universes with Fred Van Lente
June 17, 2021 11:18 - 36.5 MBFred Van Lente (Marvel, Valiant, Archie) joins Andy and Joey to talk about writing for a shared universe. Fred shares his experiences writing for comics publishers including last-minute curveballs, being adaptable, working in a team and more!
#223 – CEX Publishing
June 02, 2021 00:30 - 38.3 MBAndy Schmidt talks about CEX Publishing, the new publishing imprint from Comics Experience. Andy discusses what led to adding publishing to the CE family, the creator-owned approach, getting comics to retailers and readers and more.
#222 – Financial Realities and Comics Success with Jim Gibbons
May 19, 2021 02:47 - 43.6 MBJim Gibbons (Dark Horse Comics, Image Comics) talks with Joey about longevity, pay in comics, costs to make single and multiple issues, different revenue streams, how to think about "success" in making your comics, and more.
#221 – Lettering Comics with Sean Rinehart
May 05, 2021 11:10 - 23.8 MBSean Rinehart joins Joey to talk about lettering comics, including what led him to comics, how to think about how to efficiently and clearly convey lettering information to your letterer, and setting them up for success to set the comic up for success.
#220 – Writing Endings and Collaborating on Horror (and Other Genres) with Rich Douek
April 19, 2021 20:08 - 23 MBRich Douek (SEA OF SORROWS, ROAD OF BONES, SUPERMAN: RED AND BLUE) talks about writing endings in horror (and other genres) and working with collaborators. Rich talks about page turns, issue endings, and how he works with artists.
#219 – Perspective and Environments with Phillip Sevy
March 12, 2021 17:59 - 30.5 MBPhillip Sevy (Triage, The House, Tomb Raider & more!) joins Andy and Joey to talk about perspective and environments in art. Phillip shares his perspective going from artist to student to portfolio reviews to being a working artist and teacher.
#218 – What You Can Learn from Event Comics
February 26, 2021 14:36 - 29.1 MBEvent comics! Worlds will change! Nothing will ever be the same! You will learn collaboration skills and working towards the best outcome for your story goals! Andy and Joey talk about the skills event comics can help hone, and talk about the upcoming Dan Jurgens The Death of Superman Master Seminar!
#217 – Writing Solicitations for Your Comic with Paul Allor
February 18, 2021 17:46 - 17.7 MBPaul Allor (Hollow Heart, G.I. Joe) talks about writing solicitations for your comic, including what stage of the process to write, thinking about solicitations for different issues, and the overall planning in working with a publisher and their marketing.
#216 – What Makes a Story
January 25, 2021 20:28 - 24 MBAndy and Joey talk story basics, what are the ingredients of a story, how we see/hear stories daily, and how to apply storytelling elements to making your comics. Plus an upcoming CE Masterclass reveal!
#215 – Thinking About How and Why You Use Social Media
January 11, 2021 18:06 - 29.3 MBAndy and Joey talk about how and why they use social media in general and for making comics, including Andy starting a personal Twitter account, thinking about why people might be reading your social media and more.
#214 – Productivity
December 29, 2020 18:50 - 51.5 MBAndy and Joey share how they try to manage their time making comics and the other hours in the day, including prioritizing, goal making and reviewing goals, making progress, exercise, and more.
#213 – What We Learned in 2020 with Andy Schmidt
December 15, 2020 15:41 - 23.5 MBJoey and Andy discuss the impact of Covid-19, 9 months in and showing few signs of abating--the impact on the supply chain, retailers and creators.
#212 – Is My Idea a Comic? A Movie? A Book? with Andy Schmidt
December 01, 2020 18:54 - 35.4 MBAndy Schmidt talks about what mediums a story may be best suited for, and his experiences in comics and video games, and working with various clients including movie productions on adapting movies to comics and creating new stories in those universes.
#211 – Hustling and Changing Plans During Covid with Phillip Sevy
November 17, 2020 13:26 - 39.2 MBFollowing up on his early 2020 conversation about how convention cancellations were impacting his year, writer & artist Phillip Sevy gives an update on his 2020 making comics in the time of COVID, including what he's done with changing project statuses, how he sold hundreds of copies of a comic he created in 2018, and more.
#210 – Kickstarting Issue By Issue with Steve Urena
November 04, 2020 13:42 - 23.6 MBWriter Steve Urena talks about his experience Kickstarting issue #1 of his horror-comedy comic SLOW POKES. Steve talks about what got him started making comics, planning a Kickstarter, and what he learned from crowdfunding. Steve talks about taking Comics Experience classes, working with Comics Experience on creative services as well as printing.
#209 – Kickstarting Your Comic or Graphic Novel with Ryan Browne
October 07, 2020 14:48 - 27.7 MBRyan Browne (Image/IDW) talks about what you can expect when you sign up for his upcoming Comics Experience course on Kickstarting your comic or graphic novel. Ryan talks about his past Kickstarters, what he's learned, and what to expect from the class.
#208 – Handling Sensitive Issues and Working with Consultants
September 21, 2020 15:39 - 31.6 MBPaul Allor (GI Joe, TMNT) and Duane France (Veteran Mental Health) join Joey to talk about creating GI Joe #7 and the topic of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Paul discusses the genesis of the story, approaching consultants and thinking about their input and notes, and Duane talks about his role giving feedback on the story and what he does with outreach to create awareness and understanding around veteran's issues.
#207 – Comic Project Kill Fees and Changing Plans with Gamal Hennessy
September 08, 2020 11:37 - 27.6 MBGamal Hennessy joins Joey to answer a listener question about project kill fees including suggestions on how to structure delivery and payments for scripts and art, and talks about his book The Business of Independent Comics Book Publishing currently on Kickstarter and what readers can expect from the book and how his own launch plans had to […]
#206 – Kickstarting Comics (and Prose) with David Pepose and J.D. Oliva
August 25, 2020 13:53 - 54.5 MBDavid Pepose (Spencer & Locke, Going to the Chapel) joins Joey to talk about his Kickstarter The O.Z. #1, and what he learned from his background in comics journalism and through Comics Experience classes that prepared him to make his own comics. And in a second conversation J.D. Oliva (Deluge, The Books of Jericho) talks […]
#205 – Path to Publication with Milton Lawson
August 18, 2020 13:22 - 30.4 MBMilton Lawson joins Joey to talk about publishing his first comic Thompson Heller: Detective Interstellar, and his path to publication. Milton talks about how his comic changed over time with feedback and conversations about story and character.
#204 – Bobby Curnow on Ghost Tree, Community
July 27, 2020 19:22 - 28 MBBobby Curnow (IDW) joins Andy and Joey to talk about his Eisner-nominated mini series Ghost Tree, comics community, and how you don’t always know everything you’re writing about when you start a story.
#203 – Digital Marketing and the Business of Indie Comics Publishing with Gamal Hennessy
July 14, 2020 13:30 - 32.5 MBGamal Hennessy talks with Joey about digital marketing for your comic, including planning and goals and his upcoming free webinar, as well as the tools GlobalComix offers creators for publishing and monetizing their comics, and talks about his upcoming book The Business of Independent Comic Book Publishing and how creators need to tailor their business and marketing strategies to the […]
#202 – Ways to Check on Our Peers and Keep Everyone Safe
June 30, 2020 12:34 - 30 MBHeather Antos (Valiant, Image, Marvel) talks with Joey about abusive and inappropriate behavior in comics. Heather shares suggestions on how to check on our creative peers and keep everyone safe, signals to look for, things you can ask in person and over text, and other actionable ways to check on people.
Remembering Denny O’Neil
June 16, 2020 01:55 - 30.9 MBAndy talks about his experiences with writer and editor Denny O’Neil, and the impact Denny had on his career in comics and personal life. Andy talks about meeting Denny as a student, Denny’s advice on working , and the best advice he ever got about working in comics.
#201 – Telling Your Story with Keith Robinson
June 16, 2020 01:49 - 30.1 MBWriter Keith Robinson talks with Andy and Joey about what led him to getting into writing comics including taking Andy’s Introduction to Writing Comics class, what he learned through revisions, peer reviews, and working with the creative team on his short story Super Scooter Sydney.
#200 – Making Comics with Comics Experience
June 02, 2020 12:16 - 17.2 MBOn the 200th episode of Make Comics hear comics-making tips from Comics Experience faculty and staff as they share their make comics tips!
#199 – Differences in Writing Creator-Owned and Work-For-Hire Comics with Andy Schmidt and Paul Allor
May 19, 2020 13:16 - 15.3 MBAndy Schmidt and Paul Allor talk about writing both creator-owned and work-for-hire comics, the similarities between the two, and the differences. Andy shares his perspective from the editorial side of publishing and what companies look for when hiring new talent.
#198 – Heather Antos on Creating Comics During the Coronavirus
May 05, 2020 18:23 - 29.1 MBHeather Antos (newly promoted senior editor at Valiant, Marvel, Image) and Joey talk about creating comics during coronavirus and the anxiety people (everyone?) may have. They talk about giving yourself a break, general mental health tips, and how it’s okay to just sit and read.
#197 – Promoting Your Comic on Podcasts with Frank Gogol
April 21, 2020 14:10 - 42.2 MBFrank Gogol (GRIEF, DEAD END KIDS) talks with Joey about being a podcast guest, the benefits of having some time to talk about you and your comic, and what he’s learned promoting his own work in the past and how he’s planning to promote his new comic NO HEROINE.
#196 – Retailer Relief Program
April 07, 2020 01:43 - 23.8 MBAndy talks about the Retailer Relief Program, a way for comics readers to help their comics shops while getting videos, audio files, PDFs, and more, featuring creators and educators discussing the craft and life of comics.
#195 – Convention Cancellations and Creator Impact with Phillip Sevy
March 24, 2020 12:35 - 42.8 MBArtist and writer Phillip Sevy joins Andy and Joey to talk about the cancellation of ECCC and other cons, how no current conventions is impacting artists, retailer impact, and more.
#194 – Getting and Using Feedback with Michael Roslen
March 10, 2020 22:43 - 25.9 MBGetting feedback from friends, peers, and editors can be essential to any comic creation, helping with rewrites, plots and story clarifications, art changes, and more. Writer Michael Roslen (REMNANT) shares his experience getting and using feedback.
#193 – Work For Hire Pitching with Paul Allor
February 28, 2020 16:29 - 24.5 MBPaul Allor (GI Joe, The Avengers: Captain America) talks about pitching for work for hire (WFH) comics. Paul talks about working with editors and license holders, some common elements across pitches and more!
#192 – Creative Services with Andy Schmidt and Anne Randulic
February 12, 2020 14:57 - 28.1 MBAndy Schmidt and Anne Randulic talk with Joey about Comics Experience Creative Services, where CE works with people to manage and build out a creative team and the comics-making process. Anne talks about the experience, and Andy talks about the CE process.
#191 – Having Your Work Critiqued with Molly Lazer
January 31, 2020 18:49 - 20.2 MBWriter and editor Molly Lazer (Marvel Comics) talks with Joey about the importance of having your work critiqued, giving constructive actionable criticism, and reading drafts after notes.
#190 – Storytelling
January 08, 2020 18:12 - 46.3 MBAndy joins Joey to talk about storytelling comics, how perspective and trends change for storytellers over time, and how storytelling basics stay the same, and how it all ties into the CE intro art, writing, and coloring classes.
#189 – Pitching Your Comic with Fred Van Lente
December 19, 2019 13:44 - 24.3 MBWriter Fred Van Lente (Amazing Spider-Man, Conan the Barbarian, Archer & Armstrong, and many more) talks with Joey and Andy about pitching comics tips and previews his upcoming January 11th Comics Experience Master Seminar with Fred Van Lente: Pitching Comics!
#188 – Working with Editorial and a Talent Coordinator with Bon Alimagno
December 10, 2019 21:03 - 26.6 MBCreators Workshop Director Bon Alimagno talks with Joey about working with and developing new talent from his time in editorial and talent coordinator (Marvel). Bon talks about the basics of engaging as a professional, what a talent coordinator does, and more!
#187 – Online Learning with Creators Workshop Director Bon Alimagno
November 27, 2019 14:22Creators Workshop Director Bon Alimagno talks with Joey about his background in comics including being an editor (Marvel, Harris) and talent coordinator, as well as his design operations and program management background and how the two converge for the CE Workshop.
#186 – Comic Book Editing and Project Management
November 15, 2019 12:44Andy Schmidt (Marvel, IDW, Comics Experience) talks with Joey about project management and editing. Andy talks about work for hire and creator-owned project planning, scheduling, file management and more, all part of his Comics Experience Editing and Project Management course.
#185 – Publishing with Comics Experience and Source Point Press
October 30, 2019 13:14Tim Bach and Brian Atkins (The Family Graves) talk with Joey about the convention experience, and working with and publishing their comic through the Comics Experience publishing program and Source Point Press.
#184 – Creating and Workshopping a Mini Series with Tim Bach and Brian Atkins
October 17, 2019 15:32Tim Bach and Brian Atkins (The Family Graves) join Joey to talk about creative collaboration, getting to know collaborators online and in person, the evolution of ideas, and workshopping their comics in the Comics Experience Workshop.
#183 – Writing Comics Like the Pros and The New Comics Creator NYCC Panels
October 01, 2019 14:51Andy Schmidt joins Joey to talk about Comics Experience NYCC panels Writing Comics Like the Pros and The New Comics Creator, the ever-changing business of comics, paths to making comics, and tips for making the most of your con.
#182 – What Happens after the Pitch, Work-for-Hire IP Edition
September 24, 2019 16:35You’re pitching on a work-for-hire comic for Marvel! DC! For Star Wars! And Batman! What happens after pitch? Heather Antos talks about the moving parts behind the scenes with editorial, management, licensors and more.
#181 – What Happens After the Pitch, Creator-Owned Edition
September 10, 2019 16:21What happens after the pitch? Your creator-owned pitch is in with a publisher… now what? Jim and Joey talk about collaboration, project managing, schedules, and what *won’t* get you more publishing deals down the line.
#180 – Rich Douek, Joe Mulvey, and Chris Sotomayor on Collaboration
August 15, 2019 19:28Rich Douek, Joe Mulvey, and Chris Sotomayor, the creative team behind THE WAILING BLADE, talk about finding collaborators through networking in person and social media, and finding a unique take on your comic to stand out and feel different.
#179 – Carlos Giffoni on Pitching, Patience, and Persistence
July 31, 2019 15:07Carlos Giffoni (Strayed, Space Riders) joins Jim and Joey to talk about his background getting into comics, and how he got started writing. Carlos also shares his experience drafting his pitches, approaching and working with editors.
#178 – Convention Tips
July 18, 2019 16:48Paul Allor talks about what’s in his convention-floor bag including how he shows work to editors and collaborators; Heather Antos talks about planning on getting your con setup and merch and yourself to a con in the U.S. and abroad; and Andy Schmidt talks about panel planning, submissions, and hosting!
#177 – Screenwriting 101 with James Janowsky
July 01, 2019 21:02Heather and Joey are joined by CE screenwriting instructor James Janowsky to talk about the course, James’s background in filmmaking and teaching, as well as how comics and screenwriting overlap in skills and collaboration.
#176 – Comics Coloring and Color Theory with Chris Sotomayor
June 20, 2019 13:43Comics coloring with colorist and CE Instructor Chris Sotomayor. Soto joins Heather and Joey to talk about color theory, how to interpret notes from creative partners, and more!