MakingComics.com Gutter Talk Podcast

“Not only does the world have young geniuses but it also has old masters,” says Shelley Couvillion, artist for Storyforge Productions. Subscribe to it or not, that can be one heck of a realization to come to when you’re in the early stages of your art and comic creation career. And that’s not even counting the starving part. Shelley, though, doesn’t seem to be fazed by it. In fact, even though she’s still working on finding her voice, it’s pretty obvious she’s definitely on her way and when she does fully find it, well, let’s just hope she remembers the little people. Adam is joined in consecutive weeks by Kevin as they sit down with Shelley, another Storyforger, to discuss the good, the bad, and the wow-I-can’t-believe-I-said-that. Links: Shelley Couvillion (@shelleyboh) on the Storyforge Productions site House on Writer’s Block Shelley’s Tumbler account Other Details: 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

Tell good stories. It’s your responsibility to do so. At least that’s what Storyforge Productions co-founder Rachel Beck believes. Listen in as Adam and Kevin are joined by Rachel to discuss U.S. history, castle mysteries, and why an aspiring storyteller can never, ever take storytelling lightly. A (Good) Story in Links: Storyforge Productions (@Storyforgers) House on Writer’s Block The Adventures of Tintin and Lucky Luke (bandes dessinées) The rocks in Joshua Tree National Park are made of monzogranite and people from Utah are called “Utahans or Utahns,” not Utites as Adam first thought 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

It took two tries because of a little technology mishap but that second time turned out to be a gem. Adam and Devin hang out with Jeremy Rock, the artist of eye-popping (and sometimes literally!) horror and zombie comics Luther and The Eighth Seal (among others) and discuss the world of digital comics. Take a listen and hear what Jeremy has to say about the future of comics in an ever-growing digital world, as well as what it takes to remain true to yourself and your art. Just a few things you should know. As in memorize it. Pop quiz next week, hot shot. Jeremy on Twitter: @JeremyRock002 Jeremy’s work on Luther and The Eighth Seal Jeremy explains the process for making The Eighth Seal Andrew Dalhouse on deviantART Boom! Studios Other things that are fun or formalities. 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  

He may look like he’s got some party to him but Daniel Warren Johnson, creator of Space Mullet and numerous other artistic ventures, knows how to handle his business. Adam, Mark, and Mark’s cat The Outlaw Jesse James are joined by Dan to discuss the tools of the trade, the various processes taken to create his art, and how his Christian faith keeps him balanced. You do not want to miss this amazing episode. Daniel Warren Johnson’s website and Space Mullet Dan’s Krampus piece Notes on tools from Daniel: Here’s that white out pen: http://www.jetpens.com/Uni-ball-Signo-Broad-UM-153-Gel-Ink-Pen-White-Ink/pd/380 The felt tip brush pen I like best: http://www.jetpens.com/Zebra-Disposable-Brush-Pen-Fine/pd/2307 This is the ink I put in my brush pens http://www.dickblick.com/products/koh-i-noor-rapidograph-ultradraw-waterproof-ink/ And the traditional sable hair brushes I use.  The windsor newton is the most expensive, and the others are a bit more affordable. http://www.dickblick.com/products/winsor-and-newton-series-7-kolinsky-sable-pointed-round/ http://www.dickblick.com/products/raphael-kolinsky-red-sable-fine-pointed-round-series-8404/ This brush is one of my faves, it’s a fantastic price and a great tool, perfect for trying out brush inking without putting too much cash down. http://www.dickblick.com/products/escoda-reserva-kolinsky-tajmyr-sable-brushes/ And this is the ink I use when I use my brushes http://www.amazon.com/Speedball-2-Ounce-India-Super-Black/dp/B0007ZJ8TM I’ve noticed that a lot of kolinsky sable hair brushes are out of stock online, I’m pretty some importing issue is happening between countries.  Raphael might be people’s best bet for brushes then.   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

Adam and Patrick don’t let no stinkin’ ocean get in the way when it comes to the comic creation process. That’s why there was no hesitation when it came to scheduling an interview with Palle Schmidt, an artist, storyteller, and educator, from Denmark. Tjek det ud! That’s “check it out” in Danish, in case you didn’t feel like Googling it. You’re welcome. I have to admit, I’d been looking forward to this interview for a little while. Not only am I a fan of what Palle is doing with his site but I was very curious what the comic scene was like in Copenhagen. You see, the extent of my traveling is limited to the U.S. so I don’t get to travel internationally. When I get an opportunity to talk to someone living in another country, whether it’s about comics or the weather, count me in. Talking to Palle was no let down. Learning about his process and his take on comic creation was well worth the wait. The topics ranged from the lack of comics in Copenhagen to scripting to using frustration as a learning tool for finding your own successful comic creation process. Enjoy! Links: Palle’s Twitter: @comix4beginners, @Palle_Schmidt Palle’s graphic novels, Stiletto and Devil’s Concubine Palle’s first podcast Essex County (Jeff Lemire) Saga (Fiona Staples) 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

Sometimes a conversation takes on a life of its own, and unexpected tangents are guaranteed. In that respect, this podcast did not disappoint! What began as a thumbnail discussion with Jason Brubaker (creator of reMIND and Sithrah) quickly morphed into a fantastic conversation about his unique comic-creation process. Oh darn. Take a listen and enjoy for yourself! One of the biggest benefits of being Making Comics (dotCom)’s “Inner-Circle Noob” is that I get to go backstage and learn from experienced artists — not only how to create comics but all of the various ways that I can hone my craft. The intention was to sit down with Jason Brubaker, the (unnatural) talent behind reMIND and Sithrah, and discuss his thumbnail process — a crucial early stage of comic creation. By looking at few pages worth of thumbnail sketches from reMIND, it’s clear that the objective is to simply get the idea out. After that, the art happens. But conversations sometimes have the tendency to stray. The discussion focused more broadly on Jason’s unique process and philosophy, which was an unexpected and welcome development. Perhaps the biggest lesson I took away from all of this was “…[you] have to love your craft or you’ll never survive the valleys.” We solicited questions during the live Google Hangout but were unable to get to them during the recording. The following day, I reached out to Jason for answers to three of them: Q: How do you maintain your high level of creative output? JB: I just don’t like releasing stuff that is really rushed. I think in the digital age we live in, it’s really easy to generate art really quickly and post it really quickly. I try to slow down and only release stuff that I feel is my best work. Plus, I have the advantage of not being under the pressure to deliver something before I feel like it’s finished. It’s another advantage of not having a release schedule and being self-published. Q: Does having kids affect the kinds of stories you tell? Especially with Sithrah? JB: Not so much. I’ve always preferred all-age stories better than anything. I wrote Sithrah before having kids but I will say that having kids really makes me think harder about what I’m trying to say because I can see first hand how kids absorb things they like. Q: Do you find it difficult to adjust to dialogue balloon placement since you do so much storyboarding? JB: I don’t really do much storyboarding anymore. But when I did try to convert something from storyboards to comics, it did cause some problems when trying to add in words. I think of word balloons now as part of the composition. If I know I have lots of words then I build the scenes with lots of open space. reMIND thumbnail sketches: Links: Jason Brubaker: YouTube – BrubakerMotion / Twitter – @Jason_Brubaker / Website – Coffee Table Comics Jason’s work: reMIND and Sithrah Jason’s colorist for Sithrah: Josh Ulrich

If you’re looking to form some positive habits, look no further — Devin Larson has what you need. Making Comics (dotCom)’s Editor-In-Chief discusses practice habits that artists of any level will want to adopt in their routine. “You have so many layers, that you can peel away a few, and everyone’s so shocked or impressed that you’re baring your soul, while to you it’s nothing because you know you’ve twenty more layers to go.” ~ Craig Thompson, Carnet de Voyage Devin’s Contact Info Twitter: @devinafterdark     Maker Profile (with further links): here  Show Notes Posemaniacs Sean Gordon Murphy’s list James Jean Adam’s photog friend: Angie McHenry Mark Luetke’s Strongman (Velocity Comics) Jason Brubaker’s Sithrah Intro/Outro Song: RetroFuture Clean by Kevin MacLeod (via INCOMPETECH). Licensed under Creative Commons.   Outro Song (Behind Vocals): Backed Vibes (clean) by Kevin MacLeod (via INCOMPETECH). Licensed under Creative Commons. Transitions: InceptionBrassHitMedium.wav: Herbert Boland / www.freesound.org Old Fashion Radio Jingle 2.wav: club sound / www.freesound.org

Is it a hangout? Is it a podcast? A hangcast? A podout? Adam and Patrick travel the interwebz long-distance for this hangpod. Or whatever. What matters is this: Christina Blanch is on the show! You see the words that are underlined? Yeah? Good. Now go click them. You’re welcome. Twitter: @christyblanch (https://twitter.com/christyblanch) Social Issues Through Comic Books, MOOC: https://www.canvas.net/courses/gender-through-comic-books www.supermooc.org Thrillbent: www.thrillbent.com Year of the MOOC: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/04/education/edlife/massive-open-online-courses-are-multiplying-at-a-rapid-pace.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 Five Comic Creators to Watch in 2014: http://comicbook.com/blog/2014/01/19/five-comic-creators-to-watch-in-2014/ Patrick’s MOOC – New School Creation MOOC Making Comics MOOC Adam’s “The Hardly Working Man”: http://sd-greeny.tumblr.com/ 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

Adam, Kevin, and the distant voice of Patrick take a break from interviews and writing articles to talk about all the good things Making Comics (dotCom) is currently feeding your beautiful and creative souls. Look! Links and stuff! Newsletter: http://www.makingcomics.com/rd/newsletter/ Statler and Waldorf Muppets: http://muppet.wikia.com/wiki/Statler_and_Waldorf GIMP: http://www.gimp.org/ CS2: http://gizmodo.com/5973730/grab-photoshop-and-cs2-for-absolutely-free-right-here Mark Luetke’s “Get Started Already!”: http://www.makingcomics.com/rd/2014/01/18/get-started-already/ Stephen McCranie’s Doodle Alley: http://doodlealley.com/2009/11/29/the-need-for-sustainable-creativity/ Nether Kraken Blog: http://netherkraken.blogspot.com/ Questions? Suggestions? Want to show us your work? We want to answer, listen, and see! Contact us at makingcomicsdotcom@gmail.com. Intro & Outro Song: “RetroFuture Clean” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)  Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0  http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Background Song: Goodnight.mp3: TexasMusicForge / www.freesound.org

Adam sits down with Patrick Yurick to discuss what to do when comic inspiration strikes. In this episode, Adam and Patrick discuss what steps one needs to take when they have their idea for a comic or graphic novel and aren’t quite sure where to go from there. Do I find someone to draw it for me or help? Do I do it all myself? Patrick also discusses networking and drops some heavy philosophy: “The way into an impenetrable fortress of people is usually through a very small trap door.” Deep. Newsletter: http://www.makingcomics.com/rd/newsletter/ The Head Comic: http://www.theheadcomic.com/ ComicCon: http://www.comic-con.org/ Garfield Minus Garfield: http://garfieldminusgarfield.net/ Zen Pencils: http://zenpencils.com/ 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

Adam and Tweener co-host Kevin “The Flying Dutchman” Cullen discuss Making Comic Dot Com’s first week of rebirth, its current affairs, and its future children. Plus, Adam makes and fixes his first mistake. Didn’t take long, huh? This episode, Tweener #1, is the first in line of this format that will take a step back in scope to look at the slightly bigger picture of Making Comics Dot Com. We get a brief introduction to Making Comics Dot Com’s Head of Content Development and the co-host of future Tweeners, Kevin “The Flying Dutchman” Cullen, then discuss how successful the launch of the site has been, as well as dive into a couple articles. After that we talk about what the near future looks like in terms of upcoming articles, then finish up with a few announcements, such as the newsletter, how to contact us, and why we want you to contact us. Furthermore, I make a pretty solid mistake, my first one, that I have to clean up in post-production. Intro & Outro Song: “RetroFuture Clean” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ record_scratch.wav: nixphoeni / www.freesound.org Funky Synth_Squeaking Hip Hop: suonho / www.freesound.org Henrike (commenter in article): http://pencilsandstories.wordpress.com/2013/10/14/an_idea/ John Cleese video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AU5x1Ea7NjQ

Adam and Tweener co-host Kevin "The Flying Dutchman" Cullen discuss Making Comic Dot Com's first week of rebirth, its current affairs, and its future children. Plus, Adam makes and fixes his first mistake. Didn't take long, huh?This episode, Tweener #1, is the first in line of this format that will take a step back in scope to look at the slightly bigger picture of Making Comics Dot Com. We get a brief introduction to Making Comics Dot Com's Head of Content Development and the co-host of future Tweeners, Kevin "The Flying Dutchman" Cullen, then discuss how successful the launch of the site has been, as well as dive into a couple articles. After that we talk about what the near future looks like in terms of upcoming articles, then finish up with a few announcements, such as the newsletter, how to contact us, and why we want you to contact us. Furthermore, I make a pretty solid mistake, my first one, that I have to clean up in post-production.Intro & Outro Song: "RetroFuture Clean" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/record_scratch.wav: nixphoeni / www.freesound.orgFunky Synth_Squeaking Hip Hop: suonho / www.freesound.orgHenrike (commenter in article): http://pencilsandstories.wordpress.com/2013/10/14/an_idea/John Cleese video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AU5x1Ea7NjQ

In this inaugural episode of Making Comics Gutter Talk, meet host Adam Greenfield as he sits down with Making Comics (dotCom)’s new CEO, Patrick Yurick, to discuss the who, what, when, where, why, and how of Making Comics (dotCom). 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

In this inaugural episode of Making Comics Gutter Talk, meet host Adam Greenfield as he sits down with Making Comics (dotCom)'s new CEO, Patrick Yurick, to discuss the who, what, when, where, why, and how of Making Comics (dotCom). 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