Artist Travis Hymel on Start Your Engines, Kickstarter & TMNT Covers

Artist Travis Hymel on Start Your Engines, Kickstarter & TMNT Covers

Travis Hymel (creator/writer/artist of Start Your Engines) joins Nerdy Mewzings to discuss his journey from childhood comics obsession to graphic design, anthologies, licensed gigs (TMNT, Trailer Park Boys), and launching his creator-owned Kickstarter! Travis shares how his mom fostered his love of comics at grocery store spinner racks, his path through art school and graphic design, and learning the hard way through early anthology work. He breaks down influences like Phil Hester, Alex Toth, and Mike Parobeck, why he’s going all-in on his own book, and the challenges of wearing every hat (writing, penciling, inking, coloring) on a creator-owned project. Start Your Engines is a fun, Saturday-morning-cartoon-style prestige format with two complete stories (racing action + dinosaur adventure) in one book — no waiting for the next issue! Share with a friend, leave a 5 STAR REVIEW, & Keep it Nerdy! Back the Kickstarter Live July 14th: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1218790823/start-your-engines-1-a-48-page-action-adventure [https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1218790823/start-your-engines-1-a-48-page-action-adventure] Prestige format, exclusive variants, original art tiers, early bird deals Follow Travis Hymel: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/travis_hymel [https://www.instagram.com/travis_hymel] X AKA Twitter - https://x.com/travis_hymel [https://x.com/travis_hymel] Subscribe to Travis' YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/travishymel [https://www.youtube.com/travishymel] Become a Nerdy Mewzings Insider on Patreon for only $5 a month and receive access to each week's episode 48 HOURS EARLY, a shoutout on the podcast, and more: https://patreon.com/nerdymewzings [https://patreon.com/nerdymewzings] Timestamps 0:00 - Intro & Travis Hymel Joins Nerdy Mewzings 2:00 - Childhood Comics, Grocery Store Spinner Racks & Early Art 8:00 - Graphic Design, Anthologies & Learning the Hard Way 14:00 - Licensed Work: TMNT Covers & Trailer Park Boys 21:00 - Influences: Phil Hester, Alex Toth & Mike Parobeck 27:00 - Why Creator-Owned? Challenges of Wearing Every Hat 34:00 - Start Your Engines: Racing + Dinosaurs in One Book 42:00 - Kickstarter Details, Tiers & July 14 Launch 49:00 - Storytelling, Composition & Thinking Projects Through 56:00 - Where to Follow Travis & Back the Campaign 61:00 - Outro & Support Nerdy Mewzings

Illustrator Manuel Martinez: Red Tape, Artistic Journey, & Comic Cons

Manuel Martinez (creator of Red Tape, freelance comic artist & illustrator) joins Nerdy Mewzings for a heartfelt conversation about his path into comics, meeting at Emerald City Comic Con, and his dark comedy Red Tape. Manuel shares how comics have been a constant in his life since childhood, from discovering Daredevil #208 (Mazzucchelli) to influences like Greg Capullo, Walter Simonson, Bill Sienkiewicz, and Pepe Larraz. He discusses teachers who nurtured his creativity (even non-art ones), the shift from fine art aspirations to freelance illustration, and why small cons feel more personal than massive pop culture events. He breaks down his creative process, the challenges of self-publishing, and the story behind Red Tape — a hilarious dark comedy about angels, bureaucracy in Heaven, and a lost soul. If you love comic creator journeys, indie books, or artist spotlights — Leave a 5 STAR review, share with a friend, and Keep it Nerdy! Visit Manuel's Official website: https://manuelmartinezart.com/ [https://manuelmartinezart.com/] Follow Manuel Martinez: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/manuelmartinezart/ [https://www.instagram.com/manuelmartinezart/] Become a Patreon member and receive each week's episode 48 hours EARLY, your name mentioned on the pod, and more: https://patreon.com/nerdymewzings [https://patreon.com/nerdymewzings] Timestamps 0:00 - Intro & Manuel Martinez Joins Nerdy Mewzings 2:00 - Emerald City Comic Con Experiences & Shifting Vibes 7:00 - Early Art Love & Influential Teachers 13:00 - Discovering Comics: Daredevil 208 & Mazzucchelli 19:00 - High School Journalism, Cartography & Project Management Skills 26:00 - Freelance Illustrator Life & Layout/Concept Work 33:00 - Red Tape: Dark Comedy About the Afterlife 41:00 - Self-Publishing, Ten Ton Press & Cons 48:00 - Artistic Influences: Capullo, Simonson, Sienkiewicz & More 55:00 - Collecting Original Art & Artist Editions 62:00 - Where to Follow Manuel & Red Tape Updates 67:00 - Outro & Support Nerdy Mewzings

Artist Tom Martin: Inking, Lettering, and Sharing the Secrets of Clip Studio Paint

Tom Martin joins Nerdy Mewzings for a fun, no-holds-barred chat about digital comics creation, Clip Studio Paint mastery, his Kubert School days, and the wild world of social media art advice. Tom shares his journey from traditional art school and Hasbro Star Wars packaging design to becoming a go-to creator for Clip Studio tutorials and vector workflows. He breaks down his clever process for converting complex raster line art to clean vectors, why inking in Illustrator often fails, Procreate vs. Clip Studio Paint debates, and the frustrations of dealing with overconfident commenters. He also discusses lettering, favorite artists (Chris Samnee, Cory Walker, David Mazzucchelli, Jack Davis, Russ Wooton), and his new Patreon with in-depth tutorials and monthly group inking workshops (first one with Ed McGuinness pencils!). If you love Clip Studio tips, digital inking workflows, or comic creator stories — Leave a 5 STAR review, share with a friend, and Keep it Nerdy! Subscribe to Tom's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@undeadwizardart [https://www.youtube.com/@undeadwizardart] Follow Tom: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/undead_wizard_art [https://www.instagram.com/undead_wizard_art] Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/tommartin.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/tommartin.bsky.social] Tiktok - https://www.tiktok.com/@undead_wizard [https://www.tiktok.com/@undead_wizard] Visit his Official Website: https://www.undeadwizard.com/ [https://www.undeadwizard.com/] Signup for Tom's Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/UndeadWizard [https://www.patreon.com/UndeadWizard] (in-depth CSP tutorials, group workshops, direct Q&A) Join Nerdy Mewzing's Patreon now for access to each week's episode 48 hours EARLY, your name mentioned, and more: https://patreon.com/nerdymewzings [https://patreon.com/nerdymewzings] Timestamps 0:00 - Intro & Tom Martin (Undead Wizard Art) Joins 2:00 - Dealing with Instagram Commenters & Vector Debates 6:00 - The Vector Conversion Process for Complex Line Art 11:00 - Kubert School Experience & Joe Kubert Stories 17:00 - Transition from Traditional to Digital & Hasbro Star Wars 23:00 - Manga Studio / Clip Studio Paint Journey 28:00 - Procreate vs Clip Studio Paint Workflow Comparison 34:00 - Actions, Quick Shape & Time-Saving Tips in CSP 40:00 - Favorite Artists: Samnee, Mazzucchelli, Cory Walker & More 47:00 - Patreon, Group Inking Workshops & Ed McGuinness 53:00 - Reading Habits, Battle Beast & Current Comics 58:00 - Where to Follow Tom & Patreon Details 62:00 - Outro & Support Nerdy Mewzings

Yevgeny Sokolov Returns: Creating Pro Comic Book Covers and Teaching Fine Art

Yevgeny Sokolov (fine arts instructor turned pro comic book artist) joins Nerdy Mewzings once again to discuss his transition from traditional fine art and high school teaching, drawing professional comic book covers, and the creative process behind his work. Yevgeny shares how he started drawing as a child, pursued fine arts in college, and made the leap to comics during the pandemic by studying David Finch tutorials and building comic-style fundamentals. He talks about his creative process, using photo reference for hands and poses, and why planning thumbnails is crucial. We chatted about influences on his style, including Mike Mignola’s use of heavy blacks, Frank Miller studies, and the importance of dramatic lighting in comics vs. fine art. He also opens up about balancing commissions, teaching, and professional cover gigs for Ripperverse, the value of community (Uncanny Art-Men streams), and advice for aspiring artists: draw every day, study masters, and don’t be afraid to scrap work that isn’t right. If you love comic process breakdowns, artist stories, or art tutorials — Leave a 5 STAR review, share with a friend, and Keep it Nerdy! Follow Yevgeny: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/yevgeny_sokolov_art [https://www.instagram.com/yevgeny_sokolov_art] X - https://x.com/YVSokolovArt [https://x.com/YVSokolovArt] Become a Patreon member to receive each week's episode 48 HOURS EARLY, a mention on the show, and more: https://patreon.com/nerdymewzings [https://patreon.com/nerdymewzings] Timestamps 0:00 - Intro & Yevgeny Sokolov Returns to Nerdy Mewzings 1:30 - Towering 6'10" Artist & Con Reactions 5:00 - Early Art Love & Fine Arts Background 9:00 - Pandemic Pivot: David Finch Tutorials & Comic Fundamentals 13:00 - Workflow: From Rough Thumbnails to Traditional Inking 17:00 - Influences: Mignola, Frank Miller & Dramatic Lighting 22:00 - Ripperverse Covers & Pro Break 27:00 - Balancing Teaching, Commissions & Personal Projects 32:00 - Advice for Aspiring Artists: Daily Practice & Community 37:00 - Comic Convention Plans & Where to Follow Yevgeny 42:00 - Outro & Support Nerdy Mewzings

Noah Goins on Showcasing Comic Book Artists, Writing, & Social Media Success

Noah Goins (TikTok and Instagram comic artist spotlight creator, writer on I Feel Doomed) joins Nerdy Mewzings to discuss his path from childhood comics fan to building a massive following by celebrating artists, his writing journey, and heading to Heroes Con. Noah shares how comics were always part of his life through Mark Bagley, Humberto Ramos, and Batman: The Animated Series, and how rediscovering them as an adult led him to start creating content that highlights the unsung heroes behind the pages. He talks about his process for researching and scripting short videos, balancing humor and insight, and why focusing on artists (not just covers) filled a missing niche. Noah also opens up about writing his first comic story in the I Feel Doomed anthology (launching at Heroes Con), his love for deep-cut characters, and the thrill of discovery through channels like Cartoonist Kayfabe and Robservations. If you love comic artist spotlights, indie comics, or creator hustle stories — Leave a 5 STAR review, share with a friend, and Keep it Nerdy! Follow Noah Goins: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/noahgoinscomics/ [https://www.instagram.com/noahgoinscomics/] TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@noahgoinscomics [https://www.tiktok.com/@noahgoinscomics] YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@NoahGoinsComics [https://www.youtube.com/@NoahGoinsComics] Become a Patreon member to get each week's episode 48 HOURS EARLY plus bonus perks: https://patreon.com/nerdymewzings [https://patreon.com/nerdymewzings] Timestamps 0:00 - Intro & Noah Goins Joins Nerdy Mewzings 1:30 - Childhood Comics Love: Mark Bagley, Umberto Ramos & Batman Animated 5:00 - Starting Social Media to Spotlight Artists 9:00 - Video Process: Research, Scripting & Highlighting Deep Cuts 13:00 - Influences: Cartoonist Kayfabe, Robservations & Jim Lee 17:00 - Writing I Feel Doomed & Heroes Con Debut 22:00 - Balancing Content Creation with Day Job 27:00 - Advice for Aspiring Creators: Just Put It Online 32:00 - Current Projects & Future Aspirations 37:00 - Where to Follow Noah Goins 40:00 - Outro & Support Nerdy Mewzings