Thanks to anyone who wanted to attend today but couldn’t, turns out Google only allows an hour long call at whatever my level in the Masonic order is. I will see if I can’t figure out a more steady solution by the time next week rolls around. And if you want to submit any questions or suggest topics in advance, now’s your chance!

Please indicate what preference (if any) you have of the following:

What are you levelling up?

https://www.patreon.com/posts/144184653?utm_campaign=postshare_creator Much like this Skool, my Patreon is free for most things, I highly recommend you join.

Whenever I speak to a group who wants to learn how to make comics, I believe in getting one thing out of the way immediately: permission. So many of us make art, in whatever form, because we want to communicate with an audience that “gets it;” or, we just want to express a feeling or tell a story in a world that encourages neither. We’ve made ourselves a world that likes to attach a price tag to everything. Even hobbies get monetized. It adds pressure to what used to be a simple pleasure or vocation. People who would otherwise do something creative might feel discouraged if they don’t have a path to profit, a brand, a pitch in the works. We’re not going to do that here. My name is Scott Marshall, I have been making zines for 40 years and comics for over 30. I have pretty much always been a self publisher, and in the last few years have expanded to distribution as well, with a small catalog of great stuff by independent artists I’ve had the privilege to meet and sometimes work with. You can learn more about all that at https://brb.earth. There’s no reason in the world that you can’t make zines and comics too, and I’m happy to help if I can by posting stories, tips, and resources here for free. There is also a paid option for those who are far enough along that you might need 1:1 advice or critique. There is only 1 rule here, the same rule I govern my distro by and pretty much my life too: no oppression. If you are making comics that are sexist, racist, homophobic, transphobic, and so on - looking at you, “Comicsgate” shitheads - you’re not welcome here. Unsubscribe accordingly. I also have a personal antipathy for what is currently being called “Artificial Intelligence”, especially “generative AI” which has been trained unethically and which consumes incredible natural resources with little of value in return. So while “no AI” may not be as hard a rule here as “no oppression,” most AI is not going to be welcome here either, and evangelizing for it will get you kicked.