MakingComics.com Gutter Talk Podcast

There’s nothing we at Making Comics Worldwide like more than when an artist shares their creative process. In fact, that’s really what’s at the heart of these podcasts. So when an artist is willing to give others a backstage pass into their creative process and not just talk about the process but provide pictures of it, too,  we get excited because of how much of a visual educational tool that is for others. Plus, it’s just really cool of the artist to be that open. So when Elaine Tipping, artist and co-creator of Dubious Company and others, sent over the images of her process, we weren’t sure if we could wait long enough to share the podcast and pictures. Join Adam and Marisa as they sit down with Elaine to discuss everything from kotatsu to her current Kickstarter project. Elaine’s Links: (@TriaElf9) Deviant Art site Peter Pan Princess Retribution Tiny Blue Dragon Studio Dubious Company Kickstarter Tales of Gaijin Kotatsu Elaine’s process pics: Our Links: Intro & Outro Song: “RetroFuture Clean” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)  Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0  http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Outro Song Behind Vocals: “Backed Vibes (clean)” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)  Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0  http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Transitions: InceptionBrassHitMedium.wav: Herbert Boland / www.freesound.org Old Fashion Radio Jingle 2.wav: club sound / www.freesound.org

Gutter Talk goes over the hill in Episode 40 with artist, illustrator, and activist, Bizhan Khodabandeh. Join Adam and co-host Kevin as they discuss with Bizhan socio-politics in comics to the architecture of the infinite canvas. Bizhan’s Links: Bizhan’s site (@MendedArrow) The Little Red Fish Our Links: Intro & Outro Song: “RetroFuture Clean” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)  Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0  http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Outro Song Behind Vocals: “Backed Vibes (clean)” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)  Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0  http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Transitions: InceptionBrassHitMedium.wav: Herbert Boland / www.freesound.org Old Fashion Radio Jingle 2.wav: club sound / www.freesound.org Clock ticking: Olver / www.freesound.org

We recently posted the live hangout Jason Brubaker and Daniel Lieske did for their successful Kickstarter campaigns, Sithra and Volume 1 of the book edition of Wormworld Saga, respectively. It’s only coincidence that this week’s flashback is with Daniel Lieske and about the Wormworld Saga. However, we get a unique look into where they once were in the process, as this conversation happened a couple years back, and just how far they’ve come along. Nothing like a little recorded time travel to gain knowledge. However, before we listen in on that conversation, Adam and Kevin first discuss a few tidbits about the Making Comics Worldwide universe, highlight a couple points they noticed from listening to the podcast, and at times border on actual gutter talk. Hey, it’s not our fault childish double meanings exist. Cool Stuff: Daniel Lieske’s Wormworld Saga (@daniellieske) Jason Brubaker’s Sithra (@Jason_Brubaker) Our Stuff: Intro & Outro Song: “RetroFuture Clean” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)  Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0  http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Outro Song Behind Vocals: “Backed Vibes (clean)” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)  Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0  http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Transitions: InceptionBrassHitMedium.wav: Herbert Boland / www.freesound.org Old Fashion Radio Jingle 2.wav: club sound / www.freesound.org

There are numerous webcomics on the internet these days and like snowflakes, no two are alike. In this week’s Gutter Talk episode, Adam and Marisa chat with Egypt Urnash, or Peggy as she’s known in conversation, as they discuss what’s behind her amazing scrolling webcomic, Decrypting Rita, as well as perhaps one of every artist’s biggest fears when it comes to printing a comic, a fear that unfortunately for Peggy came to fruition. The Links Egypt Urnash site (@egypturnash) Decrypting Rita The Bear’s Tale Our Links Intro & Outro Song: “RetroFuture Clean” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)  Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0  http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Outro Song Behind Vocals: “Backed Vibes (clean)” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)  Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0  http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Transitions: InceptionBrassHitMedium.wav: Herbert Boland / www.freesound.org Old Fashion Radio Jingle 2.wav: club sound / www.freesound.org

Who isn’t a fan of those that are unique and stand out in some way? Well, if you’re in the anti-unique crowd, you should try it sometime. Maybe put your pants over your head and go to the mall or something. And while you’re doing that, listen to Taylor Holt and James Roy, artists and staff members of a unique website in its own right, Inkblazers.com. Adam is joined by Taylor and James as they discuss topics ranging from hands and chains to just what is so darn unique about Inkblazers. Plus, find out what James is like in the middle of the night, UK time, and if Taylor has any growths. It’s not what it sounds like but take a listen anyway and find out for yourself. L-Inkblazers (Yep, we went there): Inkblazers Taylor (@LOOMcomics) & site Taylor’s uncle, Cully Hamner James (@InkblazersRogo) & comic, Gravston Our Links: Intro & Outro Song: “RetroFuture Clean” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)  Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0  http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Outro Song Behind Vocals: “Backed Vibes (clean)” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)  Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0  http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Transitions: InceptionBrassHitMedium.wav: Herbert Boland / www.freesound.org Old Fashion Radio Jingle 2.wav: club sound / www.freesound.org

Have you ever read the first line of a comic or graphic novel or any story, really, and you knew right away the story was going to be amazing? That’s what we at Making Comics felt when we got our ink-stained paws on “Thomas Alsop” and the words Chris Miskiewicz was putting down on paper. We knew the art by Palle Schmidt would blow us away but the story and how the plot develops was what made Adam and the rest of the team excited about having Chris on the show. Having met Chris at San Diego Comic Con this summer, it seemed both right and inevitable to have him on the podcast. Take a listen as Adam and Chris sit down to discuss writing, acting, and hooliganis- uh, research for future stories. How to Find Chris and His Work: Chris’s IMDB page (@CMMiskiewicz) Thomas Alsop Shakespeare and Watson Trip City More Important Links: Palle Schmidt’s site & Comics For Beginners BOOM! Studios Intro & Outro Song: “RetroFuture Clean” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)  Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0  http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Outro Song Behind Vocals: “Backed Vibes (clean)” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)  Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0  http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Transitions: InceptionBrassHitMedium.wav: Herbert Boland / www.freesound.org Old Fashion Radio Jingle 2.wav: club sound / www.freesound.org

Even though every day is a day to make comics, we here at Making Comics Worldwide like Fridays best. Ok, maybe just Adam likes Fridays best. Still, if you like making comics AND listening to amazing artists on podcasts, then Fridays are definitely the best day of the week because that’s exactly what you get with Gutter Talk. Today, as we’ve been doing every last Friday of the month, we crank up the time traveling machine and dip back to a time when Jason Brubaker was the host and the guests were just as awesome as the ones we have now. This episode is a sit-down with not just the creator of Twilight Monk, Trent Kaniuga, but also the mastermind behind Mouse Guard, David Petersen. We open, though, with a brief set-up chat with Adam and Marisa Brenizer to get things warmed up. Links and Things: Jason Brubaker (@Jason_Brubaker) Sithrah on Kickstarter (holy successful campaign, Batman!) David Petersen (@mouseguard) Mouse Guard Trent Kaniuga (@TrentKaniuga) Twilight Monk More Things and Links: Intro & Outro Song: “RetroFuture Clean” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)  Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0  http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Transitions: InceptionBrassHitMedium.wav: Herbert Boland / www.freesound.org

It’s not often we get to use that 20/20 hindsight but sometimes, after hitting the reset button, that clear vision comes in very handy. In this episode, Adam sits down with Josh Hood, an amazing artist who has worked for both DC and Marvel, among others, who did just that, hit the reset button and came back with a fresh perspective. Take a listen and see what lessons he learned when he came back. His Links: Josh’s website (@joshuahood) Project: Do/Re-do DevianArt site Our Links: Intro & Outro Song: “RetroFuture Clean” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)  Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0  http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Outro Song Behind Vocals: “Backed Vibes (clean)” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)  Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0  http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Transitions: InceptionBrassHitMedium.wav: Herbert Boland / www.freesound.org Old Fashion Radio Jingle 2.wav: club sound / www.freesound.org

Sure, it took a little while for us to get a manga artist (let alone manga expert) on the Gutter Talk podcast but we did it. And man, did we do it. Adam sits down one on one with Doug Hills, an artist, a teacher, and he also wrote Manga Studios for Dummies in 2008. While the topic of self-doubt came up, this conversation leaves no doubt that many things the artist experiences, from unnecessary self-doubt to misguided confidence, are a normal part of the process. You are not alone, all you random reading and listening artists out there. You are not alone. Find all the Doug Hills you need here (@MSGuideDoug) The Shout-Outs: Intro & Outro Song: “RetroFuture Clean” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)  Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0  http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Outro Song Behind Vocals: “Backed Vibes (clean)” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)  Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0  http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Transitions: InceptionBrassHitMedium.wav: Herbert Boland / www.freesound.org Old Fashion Radio Jingle 2.wav: club sound / www.freesound.org

The Gutter Talk syndicate moves forward into its eighth month and yeah, we also feel like this thing just started yesterday, too. And in those eight months, we’ve had a mind-blowing array of guests, from artists to writers to editors to publishers. Still, there’s one area of making comics that we would be remiss if we didn’t talk about, marketing and printing your comic. Even if your main avenue is webcomics, there’s something in here for you. How so? Listen and find out. Adam takes the podcast on the road and heads to the site of Haichris Inc., a local San Diego marketing and print shop, to talk to the president of the company, Dan Mashburn. Listen in as Dan discusses building relationships with the Comic Making Guys (CMGs) and even defines happiness. Contact Info & Links: Haichris Inc. dan@haichris.com More Links: Intro & Outro Song: “RetroFuture Clean” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)  Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0  http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Outro Song Behind Vocals: “Backed Vibes (clean)” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)  Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0  http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Transitions: InceptionBrassHitMedium.wav: Herbert Boland / www.freesound.org Old Fashion Radio Jingle 2.wav: club sound / www.freesound.org

Comic-Con 2014 was a blast! (If you were unable to attend, my sympathies. That’s why we do these wrap-up posts.) Make sure to check out the audio link below. The local Making Comics crew—Patrick, Adam, Kevin, Devin, Evan—were there to rep the “revolution” and generally brag about our community and future plans. We’re really excited by the enthusiasm readers have shown in response to our “Get A Grasp” MOOC and daily challenges, not to mention my own (hi!) #FAQDevin column and Adam’s (in)famous Gutter Talk podcast. You guys have been awesome, and your creativity sustains us. We hosted a panel on Saturday called Uniting the Worldwide #makecomics Community. It was, without exaggeration, one of the best panels at the convention (at least amongst those discussing actual comics). The lineup was crazy: we had Rachel Beck representing our friends over at Storyforge, Mark Waid (of Daredevil fame) and Christina Blanch (writer of Damnation of Charlie Wormwood) from Thrillbent, Andy Schmidt from Comics Experience, Jim Zub (writes Skullkickers, Wayward), and Palle Schmidt (artist on Thomas Alsop) from Comics For Beginners. Patrick ran the panel while the rest of us listened intensely. After a brief rundown of Making Comics (dotCom) participation stats (number of MOOC students, worldwide readership breakdown), Patrick previewed some of the things we’ve been working on for the future. I’ll let him determine what announcements are made public, but suffice it to say some neat stuff is coming. Then the discussion kicked off, and boy, was it glorious. The Web has enabled one of the biggest paradigm shifts [for] breaking into the industry. Webcomics let me see your work ethic. @MarkWaid Webcomics are no longer a vanity project for artists. They’ve become a legitimate option for breaking in. @JimZub Showing you already have an audience lends a kind of gravitas to your work for publishers. @Palle_Schmidt Much of the discussion concerned the changing landscape for comics in the last decade. Many on the panel have been working in/around comics for a while, and have observed this change firsthand. There used to only be one real way to “break in” to comics, as Andy points out: The question used to be “How do I write for Marvel or DC?” and now the majority of people want to know how to make their own stuff. – Andy Schmidt @ComicExperience The internet has democratized this process. Webcomics are a perfectly commercial form of comic that anyone can create and consume. People without access to a physical comic shop can still read comics online, which removes barriers and brings in more readers. Comic books are now available to everyone regardless of age or race or location. And that for me is the most exciting thing! @JimZub Many echoed this sentiment. Christy (@christyblanch) talked about the promising increase in the number of women who make comics, as well as the success she’s had in reaching aspiring creators through her (juggernaut) SuperMOOC 2. Rachel discussed the ways in which creators of webcomics can bypass traditiona...

Today’s episode is the 5th re-issue of Jason Brubaker’s old Making Comics podcast and the guests are Maritza Campos and Bachan, the creators of the amazing webcomic, Powernap. But first, Adam and Kevin Cullen sit down to talk Making Comics Worldwide business, from what’s coming up to Comic Con. Links: Kevin Cullen (@colorthebooks) Entropy Jason Brubaker (Sithra) Bachan & Maritza Campos Powernap More Links: Intro & Outro Song: “RetroFuture Clean” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)  Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0  http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Transition: InceptionBrassHitMedium.wav: Herbert Boland / www.freesound.org

It’s Comic Con weekend and you know what that means. Panels, large crowds, and strange smells. It’s also Friday and of course we all know what that means, too. It’s time for another Gutter Talk podcast. Today, Adam is joined by Sabrina Cotugno, a budding young artist with a preference in digital more than print. She has a real knack for character design and if you ask nicely, she may even draw you some vegetation. Her Links: Sabrina’s website (@arythusa) Animation reel Gobelins, school in Paris Our Links: Intro & Outro Song: “RetroFuture Clean” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)  Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0  http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Outro Song Behind Vocals: “Backed Vibes (clean)” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)  Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0  http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Transitions: InceptionBrassHitMedium.wav: Herbert Boland / www.freesound.org Old Fashion Radio Jingle 2.wav: club sound / www.freesound.org

We’re back to artist interviews this week and today’s episode hits the ground running. Adam sits down one-on-one in his “home studio” with artist-extraordinaire Ted Washington to talk about everything from St. Louis to the Zen of stipple work. And if you’re ever worried your path is an unconventional one, stop worrying. You’re actually in the norm. Ted’s Links: Twitter: @tedwa Puna Press YouTube videos (lotekted) Pruitt Igoe Saatchi Our Links: Intro & Outro Song: “RetroFuture Clean” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)  Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0  http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Outro Song Behind Vocals: “Backed Vibes (clean)” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)  Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0  http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Transitions: InceptionBrassHitMedium.wav: Herbert Boland / www.freesound.org Old Fashion Radio Jingle 2.wav: club sound / www.freesound.org

We make no claim to know everything. But what we do know is there is change happening in the education system, both good and bad, and the options are limited but simple: You can either fight it or you can figure out a way to positively affect that change. Adam and Patrick sit down to discuss not just some of the changes that are currently happening and why, but also to discuss how and why we here at Making Comics Worldwide plan on being part of that change. To some our goals may seem lofty. To us, it’s an opportunity to assist in making a difference and learning in an artistic and creative manner. Click play or download this week’s Gutter Talk episode to understand why we feel that is so important and worth the effort. Interesting Links: Patrick Yurick‘s Portfolio (Follow him @patrickyurick) Broken Airplane A Nation at Risk, article Patrick mentioned Adam Greenfield (@SDGreeny) Also Interesting Links: The artist Chikle Tabula Rasa “Beautiful Brain” an article on updates to neuroscience on the evolution of the teenage brain put out by National Geographic Magazine Maslow’s Hierarchy Of Needs: Further Readings: “We Make the Road By Walking: Conversations On Education And Social Change” by Myles Horton & Paulo Friere “Pedagogy Of The Oppressed” by Paulo Friere “No More Secondhand Art: Awakening The Artist Within” by Peter London “Deschooling Society” Ivan Illich Videos to check out: “The Tribes We Lead” by Seth Godin “Did You Know?” by Karl Fisch & Scott McCloud Intro & Outro Song: “RetroFuture Clean” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)  Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0  http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Outro Song Behind Vocals: “Backed Vibes (clean)” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)  Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0