Jam Session! What Makes a Webcomic

At the time of this recording, the official Tapas announcement about the closure has just gone up, and the community is reeling. So many webcomic creators have really built a lot on the Tapas platform, and are feeling a lot of loss and stress with the announcement that Kakao, the company that owns Tapas, is consolidating their properties and closing it down. Tapas has been around for a long time, it really started coming into prominence in 2012 and 2013 together with Webtoon as mobile-first apps that could host your webcomics for free, and over the years, there was a good forum culture, good promotional tools to get readers, and opportunities to earn money.Links: Self-hosting resources masterlist: https://screentonescast.com/view/114Webcomic platforms masterlist: https://www.screentonescast.com/view/116SpiderForest Collective: https://www.spiderforest.com/----Episode Release Date: September 14, 2026Episode Credits:Ally Rom Colthoff (@varethane) - she/they, ⁠chirault.sevensmith.net⁠⁠wychwoodcomic.com⁠Star Prichard - she/her, ⁠https://thestarfishface.com/⁠⁠https://castoff-comic.com/⁠ ----The Intro "DO IT (feat. Shia LaBeouf)", and the Outro "It's Good To See You Again!!", both by Adrianwave, have been used and modified in good faith under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Licensed. Edits include: Fade IN/OUT, and a repeat added to the beginning of "It's Good To See You Again!!". For more information on this creative commons use, please reference ⁠https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3⁠.

We spend so much time working on our webcomics, so it’s easy to get stuck in our own heads. Getting outside perspective can be a great tool to improve our craft and get unstuck, especially when you find yourself in a webcomic pickle. It’s important to reach out to different types of people depending on where you are in your story and what your feedback goals are, but sometimes it can be hard to figure out who the right person is! Today we’re going to dive into the different types of feedback that can help you out of your pickle jar!❓Who do you turn to for some fresh perspective on your work?⭐️Support us on Patreon for monthly bonus episodes and bloopers⭐️https://www.patreon.com/screentonescastCheck out https://www.screentonescast.com for webcomic episodes, blog posts and more!☕️ Buy the hosts some coffee on Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/screentonescast----Episode Credits:Miranda Schwemmer - she/her, https://mirandacakes.art https://intotheswellcomic.com 
Claire Niebergall (Clam) - she/her, https://phantomarine.comBob Appavu - any, https://intothesmokecomic.com https://www.demonoftheunderground.com----The Intro "DO IT (feat. Shia LaBeouf)", and the Outro "It's Good To See You Again!!", both by Adrianwave, have been used and modified in good faith under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Licensed. Edits include: Fade IN/OUT, and a repeat added to the beginning of "It's Good To See You Again!!". For more information on this creative commons use, please reference https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3

We’re recording this in 2026. We’ve all had convention experience. There’s a lot of things that are shifting in the conventional convention wisdom, maybe things we took for granted, things that we miss from the past, or things that got a little better over the years (maybe??). So let’s talk about the directions things have gone!In this Episode:
What changed?What kinds of things are different now about selling comics in person than when you first started?Are you relying more on other side merch or fanart over your books? How do you balance it?Are there any good changes?What should people expect financially or interest-wise from conventions today?----Episode Release Date: September 16, 2026Episode Credits:Kristen Lee (Krispy) - she/they, https://ghostjunksickness.com https://www.lunarblight.comStar Prichard - she/her, https://thestarfishface.com/ https://castoff-comic.com/ Claire Niebergall (Clam) - she/her, https://www.phantomarine.com----The Intro "DO IT (feat. Shia LaBeouf)", and the Outro "It's Good To See You Again!!", both by Adrianwave, have been used and modified in good faith under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Licensed. Edits include: Fade IN/OUT, and a repeat added to the beginning of "It's Good To See You Again!!". For more information on this creative commons use, please reference .

What makes a webcomic?? If you've supported us on Patreon, then you already know the answer, but today we're letting the secret out into the world! Join our hosts as they talk about what makes a webcomic. And Homestuck. ❓What do you think makes a webcomic a webcomic??⭐️Support us on Patreon for monthly bonus episodes and bloopers⭐️https://www.patreon.com/screentonescastCheck out https://www.screentonescast.com for webcomic episodes, blog posts and more!☕️ Buy the hosts some coffee on Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/screentonescast----Episode Credits:Ally Rom Colthoff (Varethane) - she/they, https://chirault.sevensmith.net https://wychwoodcomic.com Kristen Lee (Krispy) - she/they, https://ghostjunksickness.com https://www.lunarblight.com Rae Baade - they/them, https://empyreancomic.com ----The Intro "DO IT (feat. Shia LaBeouf)", and the Outro "It's Good To See You Again!!", both by Adrianwave, have been used and modified in good faith under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Licensed. Edits include: Fade IN/OUT, and a repeat added to the beginning of "It's Good To See You Again!!". For more information on this creative commons use, please reference https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3

We all know that making the webcomic pages themselves is the main course of our webcomic offering, but there’s lots of reasons you might make extra side content, too! Whether it’s little bonus treats for your most loyal fans, or ways to rope new folks in, the options are endless…. sometimes TOO endless. Let’s dive in!In this Episode:
What kinds of bonus or side content have you done related to your webcomic and what’s your intended purpose for it? Tell us your experiences and strategy!Where is the balance between making the comic and making side content? How do you decide where to budget your time?What is your advice to someone who’s looking to be more strategic about side or bonus content?----Episode Release Date: August 19, 2026Episode Credits:Star Prichard - she/her, https://thestarfishface.com/ https://castoff-comic.com/ Claire Niebergall (Clam) - she/her, https://www.phantomarine.comBob Appavu - any, https://intothesmokecomic.com https://www.demonoftheunderground.com----The Intro "DO IT (feat. Shia LaBeouf)", and the Outro "It's Good To See You Again!!", both by Adrianwave, have been used and modified in good faith under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Licensed. Edits include: Fade IN/OUT, and a repeat added to the beginning of "It's Good To See You Again!!". For more information on this creative commons use, please reference https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.

Protagonists are the main leading characters of your webcomic who drive the story forward, and this can be through either internal arcs of development, external conflicts with antagonists, or both. Whether or not a reader is invested in those main characters can make or break your audience’s engagement with your story, so it’s worth exploring what makes these characters compelling to follow in a long-form webcomic.❓Tell us about your protagonist(s)! ⭐️Support us on Patreon for monthly bonus episodes and bloopers⭐️https://www.patreon.com/screentonescastCheck out https://www.screentonescast.com for webcomic episodes, blog posts and more!☕️ Buy the hosts some coffee on Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/screentonescast----Episode Credits:Ally Rom Colthoff (Varethane) - she/they, https://chirault.sevensmith.net https://wychwoodcomic.com Christina Major (Delphina) - she/her, https://sombulus.com Miranda Schwemmer - she/her, https://mirandacakes.art https://intotheswellcomic.com Claire Niebergall (Clam) - she/her, https://phantomarine.com----The Intro "DO IT (feat. Shia LaBeouf)", and the Outro "It's Good To See You Again!!", both by Adrianwave, have been used and modified in good faith under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Licensed. Edits include: Fade IN/OUT, and a repeat added to the beginning of "It's Good To See You Again!!". For more information on this creative commons use, please reference https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3

Networking is a buzzword that can feel a little weird to use in webcomics, but what we’re talking about here is basically the concept of connecting with other creators. This can have a lot of benefits, like getting to share opportunities with other creators, helping share your audience with other creators, and generally make the whole process of making webcomics a lot less lonely. But it’s also something that can get a bit awkward if we don’t approach it in a natural or respectful way. So let’s talk about what that looks like!⭐️Support us on Patreon for monthly bonus episodes and bloopers⭐️https://www.patreon.com/screentonescastCheck out https://www.screentonescast.com for webcomic episodes, blog posts and more!☕️ Buy the hosts some coffee on Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/screentonescast----Episode Credits:Ally Rom Colthoff (Varethane) - she/they, https://chirault.sevensmith.net https://wychwoodcomic.com Rae Baade - they/them, https://empyreancomic.com Bob Appavu - any, https://intothesmokecomic.com https://www.demonoftheunderground.com----The Intro "DO IT (feat. Shia LaBeouf)", and the Outro "It's Good To See You Again!!", both by Adrianwave, have been used and modified in good faith under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Licensed. Edits include: Fade IN/OUT, and a repeat added to the beginning of "It's Good To See You Again!!". For more information on this creative commons use, please reference https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3

Sound effects are a classic in comics for a reason: we have a flat noiseless page and sometimes we want to give it a noise or two! There are all kinds of approaches to integrating sound effects depending on the mood of the scene, so finding ways that work with your webcomic-making process is an exercise that can really make your story more immersive! Let’s talk about it!❓What is your favorite use of sound effects in a comic?⭐️Support us on Patreon for monthly bonus episodes and bloopers⭐️https://www.patreon.com/screentonescastCheck out https://www.screentonescast.com for webcomic episodes, blog posts and more!☕️ Buy the hosts some coffee on Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/screentonescast----Episode Credits:Kristen Lee (Krispy) - she/they, https://ghostjunksickness.com https://www.lunarblight.com Christina Major (Delphina) - she/her, https://sombulus.com ----The Intro "DO IT (feat. Shia LaBeouf)", and the Outro "It's Good To See You Again!!", both by Adrianwave, have been used and modified in good faith under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Licensed. Edits include: Fade IN/OUT, and a repeat added to the beginning of "It's Good To See You Again!!". For more information on this creative commons use, please reference https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3

So you got hit with Life™ and haven’t worked on your comic in a while, and now you’re trying to get back to it, but are having troubles getting things going again.  It may take time, but it’s never too late to get back on that horse and rebuild your confidence again. Join our hosts as they discuss tips and tricks to getting the comics horse saddled and back on the comics road.❓Have you ever had to get off the horse? What helped you when you went to get back on it again?⭐️Support us on Patreon for monthly bonus episodes and bloopers⭐️https://www.patreon.com/screentonescastCheck out https://www.screentonescast.com for webcomic episodes, blog posts and more!☕️ Buy the hosts some coffee on Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/screentonescast----Episode Credits:Christina Major (Delphina) - she/her, https://sombulus.com Rae Baade - they/them, https://empyreancomic.com Miranda Schwemmer -  she/her, https://mirandacakes.art https://intotheswellcomic.com Star Prichard - she/her, https://thestarfishface.com/ https://castoff-comic.com/ ----The Intro "DO IT (feat. Shia LaBeouf)", and the Outro "It's Good To See You Again!!", both by Adrianwave, have been used and modified in good faith under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Licensed. Edits include: Fade IN/OUT, and a repeat added to the beginning of "It's Good To See You Again!!". For more information on this creative commons use, please reference https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3

All of us here may or may not have one or more characters that we favor in our webcomics, that we rotate in our minds slightly more than the other characters. We’ll borrow the term “blorbo” for whoever this is in your webcomic project. But webcomics take time, and telling a compelling story might make it so that you go a couple scenes (years) without that exciting blorbo. So let’s talk about that itch, that compulsion, because it can be a major motivating factor that keeps you fueled in your comic journey, but it can also be a roadblock when you are making parts of the story without them!❓Tell us about your Blorbo!⭐️Support us on Patreon for monthly bonus episodes and bloopers⭐️https://www.patreon.com/screentonescastCheck out https://www.screentonescast.com for webcomic episodes, blog posts and more!☕️ Buy the hosts some coffee on Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/screentonescast----Episode Credits:Star Prichard  @TheStarfishface  - she/her, https://thestarfishface.com/ https://castoff-comic.com/ Claire Niebergall (Clam)  @phantomarine  she/her, https://phantomarine.comBob Appavu - any, https://intothesmokecomic.com https://www.demonoftheunderground.com----The Intro "DO IT (feat. Shia LaBeouf)", and the Outro "It's Good To See You Again!!", both by Adrianwave, have been used and modified in good faith under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Licensed. Edits include: Fade IN/OUT, and a repeat added to the beginning of "It's Good To See You Again!!". For more information on this creative commons use, please reference https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3