How to Be Creative, with Syndicated Cartoonist Stephan Pastis

Stephan Pastis returns for a second conversation celebrating 25 years of Pearls Before Swine — this time digging deeper into how creativity works. Brad, Dave, and Stephan explore finding ideas, sharpening jokes, collaborating without bruising egos, and staying adventurous after decades of success."Pearls Jubilee"25th-anniversary celebration of the beloved feature from bestselling cartoonist Stephan Pastis288 pages, hardcover, 2.75 pounds, gorgeous paper stock, holographic metal foil – the worksPreorder it at https://publishing.andrewsmcmeel.com/book/pearls-jubilee/Read "Pearls" at https://www.gocomics.com/pearlsbeforeswineBook TourNov. 10, 2026, at 6:30 p.m. — Charles M. Schulz Museum, Santa Rosa, CANov. 11 at 7 p.m. — Third Place Books, Lake Forest Park, WANov. 12 (time not listed) — Russian River Brewery, 700 Mitchell Lane, Windsor, CANov. 14 at 3 p.m. — Garland Theater, Spokane, WANov. 15 at 6 p.m. — Magers & Quinn, Minneapolis, MNNov. 16 at 6:30 p.m. — Olmsted Center, Drake University, Des Moines, IANov. 17 at 5 p.m. — Paragraphe Books, Montreal, QuebecNov. 18 at 7 p.m. — Politics & Prose at the Wharf, Washington, DCNov. 19 at 6:30 p.m. — Park Road Books, Charlotte, NCNov. 20 at 6 p.m. — Bookstore1, Sarasota, FLNov. 21 at 3 p.m. — Carmichael’s Bookstore, Louisville, KYNov. 22 at 5 p.m. — Half-Price Books, 5803 E NW Highway, Dallas, TXNov. 29 at noon — Barnes & Noble, 6600 Menaul Blvd. NE, Albuquerque, NMNov. 30 at 6:30 p.m. — Boulder Bookstore, Boulder, CODec. 1 at 7 p.m. — Vroman’s Bookstore, Pasadena, CADec. 4 at 5 p.m. — Barnes & Noble, 1450 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu, HIOn Today's Show...Finding your creative conditions. Stephan explains how his writing routine has evolved and why music, movement, and taking the pressure off help ideas emerge.Making every word count. The conversation explores comic rhythm, ending on the punch word, and deciding whether a joke needs a character’s reaction afterward.Letting the writing do the work. Stephan proposes a simple exercise: write a funny strip using stationary stick figures. They discuss how unnecessary movement, expressions, and details can distract from the joke.Collaborating without making it personal. Lessons from working with Will Henry and filmmaker Tom McCarthy — including separating an idea from the person who pitched it.Feeding your imagination. Why varied reading, travel, conversations, and unfamiliar experiences give you more to draw from — and how emotional truths can enter a story before you consciously recognize them.Staying brave as your career grows. Stephan discusses the temptation to repeat past successes, his objections to newspaper reruns and legacy strips, and the challenge of taking risks when you have more to lose.Believing your best work is ahead. Which comics might endure, what keeps an artist striving, and why Stephan wants to tackle travel writing and another screenplay. You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.

Syndicated cartoonist Stephan Pastis joins Brad and Dave to celebrate the twenty-fifth anniversary of his comic strip, "Pearls Before Swine.""Pearls Jubilee"25th-anniversary celebration of the beloved feature from bestselling cartoonist Stephan Pastis288 pages, hardcover, 2.75 pounds, gorgeous paper stock, holographic metal foil – the worksPreorder it at https://publishing.andrewsmcmeel.com/book/pearls-jubilee/Read "Pearls" at https://www.gocomics.com/pearlsbeforeswineBook TourNov. 10, 2026, at 6:30 p.m. — Charles M. Schulz Museum, Santa Rosa, CANov. 11 at 7 p.m. — Third Place Books, Lake Forest Park, WANov. 12 (time not listed) — Russian River Brewery, 700 Mitchell Lane, Windsor, CANov. 14 at 3 p.m. — Garland Theater, Spokane, WANov. 15 at 6 p.m. — Magers & Quinn, Minneapolis, MNNov. 16 at 6:30 p.m. — Olmsted Center, Drake University, Des Moines, IANov. 17 at 5 p.m. — Paragraphe Books, Montreal, QuebecNov. 18 at 7 p.m. — Politics & Prose at the Wharf, Washington, DCNov. 19 at 6:30 p.m. — Park Road Books, Charlotte, NCNov. 20 at 6 p.m. — Bookstore1, Sarasota, FLNov. 21 at 3 p.m. — Carmichael’s Bookstore, Louisville, KYNov. 22 at 5 p.m. — Half-Price Books, 5803 E NW Highway, Dallas, TXNov. 29 at noon — Barnes & Noble, 6600 Menaul Blvd. NE, Albuquerque, NMNov. 30 at 6:30 p.m. — Boulder Bookstore, Boulder, CODec. 1 at 7 p.m. — Vroman’s Bookstore, Pasadena, CADec. 4 at 5 p.m. — Barnes & Noble, 1450 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu, HIThis conversation is a candid exploration of creativity: Finding flow, recognizing what makes a joke work, separating writing from editing, and balancing the confidence to publish with the humility to improve. Stephan also shares stories about meeting Charles Schulz and explains what would make his own cartooning career feel truly successful.On this week’s show:Making Pearls Jubilee. Revisiting 25 years of cartoons and organizing them into rankings designed to spark arguments.Fan mail and hate mail. Why Stephan opens his anniversary collection with both — and what he’s learned from reader complaints.Finding creative flow. How music, movement, and releasing the pressure to produce help Stephan discover ideas.Reverse-engineering The Far Side. Studying Gary Larson’s cartoons and identifying incongruity as a powerful foundation for humor.Letting time be your editor. Creating enough distance to judge your work without defending the hours you spent making it.Writing freely, editing critically. The lesson Stephan took from collaborating on the Timmy Failure film.Ego and insecurity. Why confidence can launch a career but also interfere with the work.Charles Schulz’s influence. Meeting a childhood hero, receiving an unforgettable critique, and honoring Peanuts Jubilee through his own anniversary book.Awards, praise, and artistic success. Navigating repeated Reuben nominations and protecting your voice from the temptation to chase approval.Passing it forward. Why inspiring a future cartoonist matters more to Stephan than another trophy. You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.

Two weeks ago, Dave felt he was doing the best work of his career. Now, he dislikes every idea and dreads sitting down to write. What changed — and how does he get moving again?Brad and Dave have an honest conversation about creative slumps, confidence, and giving yourself permission to make something imperfect. Brad offers practical ways to restart the writing process, from setting a 30-minute timer to breaking a scene into its simplest storytelling elements. Along the way, Dave gets a new cartoon idea — right in the middle of discussing why he can’t get ideas.Then, Brad reports back from the ’Ringo Awards with tales of torrential rain, a marathon hotel check-in, and a suspicious ability to bring everyone else good luck.On this week’s show:The creative roller coaster. Why past accomplishments can feel distant when you’re struggling with today’s blank page.Productive procrastination. Recognizing when administrative work becomes an excuse to avoid writing.Permission to make a bad comic. You can improve something imperfect — once it exists.Thirty minutes to try. Giving yourself a manageable writing session without demanding a finished result.The “Butso” method. A character wants something, but an obstacle intervenes, so they take action.Trust and unfinished ideas. Why sharing early work feels vulnerable, and how talking with a trusted friend can help.Brad’s ’Ringo Awards recap. Nominee appearances, 17 pounds of books, and competing against a major publisher.The value of a nomination. Finding promotional opportunities and appreciating recognition even without a win.Plus: A one-cent residual check and a particularly resourceful tavern. You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.

What happens to your audience when the platform hosting your comic disappears? Brad and Dave discuss the news of Tapas shutting down and why owning your website, building a mailing list, and connecting readers through RSS remain essential tools for an independent comics career.Then, Brad shares ways to breathe new life into a digital product whose sales have stalled. Finally, a listener asks about revising previously posted cartoons before submitting them to publications — sparking a discussion about first-publication rights, letting time be your editor, and applying yesterday’s lessons to tomorrow’s comics.On this week’s show:Pen names, professional identities, and some spectacularly silly alternatives.The risks of building your audience entirely on someone else’s platform.Mobile-friendly websites, newsletters, and RSS.Reviving digital products through bundles, bonus content, new formats, sales, and membership gifts.Revising published cartoons versus creating new work.Building a buffer so you can edit with fresh eyes.Being kinder to the younger cartoonist who helped you get here.Publication update: Tapas has confirmed its service will end March 31, 2027. Tapas You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.

A Hugo Award nomination brought cartoonist Dave Kellett new readers, book sales, and Patreon supporters. Five days behind a WorldCon booth brought something else entirely: A serious crisis of confidence.This week, Dave shares his WorldCon experience, from wonderful conversations with Drive readers to a painfully quiet dealers’ room. Brad and Dave discuss the emotional cost of a poorly performing convention — and why even an established cartoonist can mistake a bad show for a verdict on their career.Along the way, they share John Picacio’s terrific metaphor for designing book covers, explore a storytelling approach that falls between planning everything and improvising everything, and discuss why an award nomination can deliver real business benefits without a win.On this week’s show:WorldCon’s strengths and challenges. How a convention built around fan participation, volunteer organizers, and panels differs from the comics shows Brad and Dave usually attend.A better way to think about book covers. John Picacio’s approach: introduce your book as you would introduce an interesting friend at a party.Connecting with your most dedicated readers. Why a small coffee gathering became one of Dave’s favorite experiences as an author.Architect, gardener… or road tripper? Knowing your story’s major destinations while leaving room to discover what happens along the way.The emotional cost of a bad convention. Five days, approximately $2,000 in gross sales, and one day without a single sale — compared with Dave’s $19,000 San Diego Comic-Con.Award recognition and independent publishing. Why audience size matters in voting, and why a smaller readership can still support a strong business.Making the most of a nomination. How Hugo recognition and a Bluesky starter pack helped bring new readers to Drive.What’s next? Questions about webcomic eligibility, the possibility of a ComicLab nomination, and forthcoming Tales of the Drive stories from K. B. Spangler and Ursula Vernon.  You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.

Should you launch a comic studio — or are you really talking about a comics collective, a shared workspace, or simply collaborating on a project? This week, Brad and Dave unpack what the word “studio” actually means and why adding another layer of branding might make your project harder, rather than easier, to promote. They discuss shared creative spaces, financial partnerships, anthology projects, comics collectives, and why most collaborations work better when everybody knows exactly what they’re signing up for.They also argue that an anthology generally doesn’t need an umbrella “studio” brand at all. Keep the marketing focused on the book, make the financial responsibilities clear, and be wary of creating an organization that one hardworking person winds up carrying by themselves.Also in this episode:Kickstarter late pledges really work. Dave reports continued pledges long after his campaign ended — but Brad and Dave agree emphatically that you should never advertise late pledges while the campaign is still running. Kickstarter depends heavily on urgency and FOMO.Why having more free time can make you less productive. Both Brad and Dave have experienced the strange phenomenon of getting less done when their schedules suddenly open up. They discuss rest, motivation, structure, and learning to shift to other useful tasks when the creative work isn’t happening.Dave introduces his “Three Sisters” approach to productivity: when one part of your comics career isn’t moving, switch to another complementary task — bookkeeping, website improvements, promotion, admin work, or another creative project — so the overall career keeps moving forward.Susan McTaggart returns! ComicLab’s internationally unverified motivational speaker offers another soul-fortifying affirmation.And Dr. Reginald Wigglesby explores Lionel Feininger’s 1906 comic strip Wee Willie Winkie — with exactly the level of scholarly rigor longtime listeners have come to expect. You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.

Is there a limit to how many cartoonists can build successful careers—or is the real limiting factor the cartoonists themselves?Cartoonists Brad Guigar and Dave Kellett examine the surprisingly vast comics ecosystem, where thousands of creators can cultivate separate audiences without ever appearing on one another’s radar. The market may have room for far more working cartoonists than we realize — but success requires more than artistic ability. Creators must also be willing to learn business, communicate consistently with their audiences, and improve when something doesn’t work.Also: Brad discovers that his brilliant new idea had already been implemented… by Brad.ON TODAY’S SHOWIs there a ceiling on the number of successful comics careers?Why artistic talent alone isn’t enoughThe danger of waiting for Marvel, syndication, or a publisher to “make” your careerAudience-building isn’t “shilling”—it’s part of the jobCould 10,000 different Brad Guigars all make a living?How niche comics find their “true fans”Three essentials for a sustainable comics careerWhy repeated promotional messaging mattersThe Council of BradsDo Kickstarter creators owe sales tax?Kickstarter Pledge Manager vs. BackerKitDr. Wigglesby: Which comic was the first successful daily newspaper strip? You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.

How do you build momentum as a cartoonist — and what happens when you lose it?Brad and Dave examine momentum across every part of a creative career: generating ideas, maintaining a productive workflow, growing an audience, and building a sustainable business. They discuss why progress can feel imperceptibly slow at first, how consistent work eventually begins producing its own energy, and why returning after a break can feel like starting a stalled train.Then, a listener asks how cartoonists should transition between scenes, chapters, and storylines in a collected book. Brad and Dave compare their very different approaches, debate whether a completely blank page is ever justified, and explain how multiple purpose-driven read-throughs can reveal problems with pacing, continuity, page turns, and transitions.Also: Skunk Watch 2026 continues, Dave considers surrendering his backyard, and Professor Dr. Reginald Wigglesby reveals the completely reliable history behind Little Orphan Annie’s pupil-less eyes.ON THIS WEEK’S SHOW...What “momentum” means in a creative careerWhy momentum takes longer to build than most cartoonists expectCreative momentum and generating new ideasUsing an assembly-line workflow to work faster and betterRepurposing one comic for websites, social media, books, merchandise, and moreBuilding business momentum through Patreon, Kickstarter, and audience trustWhy old business models can survive on momentum—even after they stop making senseRecovering after a creative pauseTransitioning between scenes, chapters, and storylinesSplash pages, title pages, narration boxes—and the dreaded blank pageConducting separate read-throughs for dialogue, art, pacing, continuity, and page turnsReviewing a book in print, on desktop, and on a small screenSkunk Watch 2026Prof. Wigglesby, The Histories of Sequential Art: Little Orphan Annie’s eyes You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.

How much of a successful comics career depends on being temporarily delusional? Brad and Dave suspect it may be more than anyone wants to admit.Then, a listener asks about creating a style guide for a comic. Brad and Dave discuss the small decisions that help lettering remain clear, consistent, and easy to read — from spelling out numerals and avoiding hyphenated line breaks to shaping word balloons, using all-caps lettering, and deciding whether “livestream” is one word or two.Finally, they look back at the pivotal “sliding doors” moments that could have sent their careers in entirely different directions. Dave talks about leaving Mattel, choosing webcomics over syndication, and the friendships that helped him become a better cartoonist. Brad remembers the collapsed newspaper job offer that sent him back to comics, the syndicate pitch that deserved to fail, and the leap that finally made cartooning his full-time career.ON THIS WEEK’S SHOW...Why every creative career requires a little temporary delusionWhat belongs in a comic-specific style guideWhy Brad spells out numbers in Evil IncPunctuation, abbreviations, and the Oxford commaWhy hyphenating words inside balloons hurts readabilityHow line breaks affect the shape and flow of a word balloonAll caps versus sentence-case letteringUsing colloquial spellings without making dialogue difficult to readThe pivotal decisions that changed Brad and Dave’s careersLeaving a secure job to become a full-time cartoonistChoosing webcomics over newspaper syndicationHow a community of fellow cartoonists can accelerate your growthComicLab is made possible through the support of our Patreon members. Join us at Patreon.com/ComicLab for more than 200 hours of bonus episodes, including our exclusive Pro Tips podcast, and access to the ComicLab Discord community.Share your thoughts on the ComicLab Confab Line: 1-609-379-3520. We may play your message on a future episode! You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.

Dave and Brad return from the 80th Annual National Cartoonists Society Conference and Reuben Awards with stories to tell! They look back on ComicLab LIVE and a private tour of the newly redesigned Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum! Then it's on to the Reuben Awards, where Mark Tatulli finally won the Reuben Award after years of nominations. But some of the best moments happened between the scheduled events. Brad gets the chance to sit down with 95-year-old cartooning legend Mort Gerberg and hear stories about the golden age of magazine cartooning — including an incredible story about a newly arrived Sergio Aragonés taking Manhattan by storm. Jim Davis shares the story behind Garfield's famous suction-cup dolls, along with his surprisingly strict 25-word rule for writing the strip. And the farewell brunch turns into an exchange of sketches, original art, and some wonderful reminders of why cartoonists come back to this event year after year. Finally, an old collection of America's “best college cartoonists” offers an unexpected lesson about making a career in comics: You don't have to start out at the front of the pack. You just have to keep going. ON THIS WEEK'S SHOW... • ComicLab LIVE at the NCS Conference • The newly redesigned Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum • Which original would you save from a museum fire? • The Reuben Awards • Katie Cook and Mark Tatulli take home awards • Lunch with Dave and Eileen Blazek • Brad's conversation with Mort Gerberg • Mort's stories about Sergio Aragonés • Jim Davis on writing Garfield • The accidental origin of the Garfield suction-cup doll • Rick Kirkman and Jerry Scott • Original art at the farewell brunch • ComicLab listeners at the NCS • The NCS Cartoonist Showcase • Why persistence matters more than being the best You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.If you'd like a one-on-one consultation about your comic, book it now!Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.