Comic Lab

Predictions and Goals for 2026

Episode Summary

Cartoonists Brad Guigar and Dave Kellett make their predictions for 2026 and share their goals for the new year. Also — they share their annual reminder to shop the Comicraft New Year's Day sale on January 1st.

Episode Notes

Cartoonists Dave Kellett and Brad Guigar make their predictions for 2026 and share their goals for the new year. Also — they offer their annual reminder to shop the Comicraft New Year's Day sale on January 1st.

Brad's Predictions

• Syndicated comics reach the tipping point
• Creator identity becomes prominent
• Substack pulls through
• Webtoon bubble bursts
• Patreon expands “community” and “discovery” tools.
• AI gains acceptance

Dave's predictions

• If you want a stable career in comics, produce Dog Man.
• NCS will continue to grow its membership to numbers it hasn’t seen in decades.
• If Funko Pop indeed goes bankrupt — and that’s still a big if — there might be SDCC space available for the first time in years.
• I’m predicting a good-sized market correction in the second part of the year.

Brad's Goals

• Shifting from survive to thrive.
• This will be a two-Kickstarter year. 
• Spice Rack was a moderate success. Uncensored Artists is the next step
• Repackaging, re-releasing, and rebranding my archives for a new and evolving audience.
• 20% email list growth on the Evil Inc Substack and the free-membership tier on Patreon.
• Start doing monthly assessments so I can improve my annual assessments. 

Dave's Goals

• Kickstart one new book, “Double Dog Dare”
• Exhibit at WorldCon in LA for the first time in a decade.
• Successfully navigate the first of the last four years of DRIVE. 
• Get more “Tales of the Drive” in the works.