Episode 103

full
Published on:

7th Apr 2026

Building 615 Comics: Malcolm McFadden on Indie Comics & Hustle

In this episode of Talkinโ€™ Comics, AJ sits down with indie comic creator Malcolm McFadden, founder of 615 Comics, to talk about building a comic universe from scratch, finding artists, Kickstarter strategies, and the real grind behind indie comics.

Malcolm shares his journey from ideas to published books, lessons learned (including getting ghosted by artists ๐Ÿ˜ฌ), and advice for creators looking to launch their own comics.

We also dive into:

Kickstarter strategies (before, during & after launch)

Finding artists on Instagram vs Fiverr

Convention experiences & selling comics

Building a comic universe with multiple titles

Promoting your comic every single day

๐ŸŽฏ PLUS: Malcolm talks about his upcoming Kickstarter for Thema: The Queen of War โ€” a fantasy epic with gods, monsters, and magic!

๐Ÿ‘‡ Donโ€™t forget to:

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๐Ÿ’ฌ Comment your favorite indie comic

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Host: A.J. Reimann https://linktr.ee/Talkin_Comics_Podcast

Guest: Malcolm McFadden https://linktr.ee/sixfifteencomics

๐Ÿ—ฏ๏ธNew Website: https://www.talkincomics.com/

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Sponsors:

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๐Ÿ‘‰๐Ÿ–จ For your comic book printing needs please visit Allegra Traverse City (Tell them AJ Sent You) https://www.allegramarketingprint.com...

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โฑ๏ธ Chapters

Introduction to Malcolm McFadden & 615 Comics (00:00 โ€“ 01:34)

The Creative Process: Writing vs. Illustrating (01:34 โ€“ 02:48)

The "Con" Experience & Grassroots Marketing (03:27 โ€“ 06:44)

Developing a Script & Collaborative Tools (06:44 โ€“ 08:25)

Working with Artists: The Good and the Ghosted (08:25 โ€“ 10:32)

Homages to the Indie Community (10:32 โ€“ 14:48)

The Kickstarter Grind (14:48 โ€“ 20:33)

Overcoming the "Mid-Campaign Slump" (20:33 โ€“ 32:10)

Preview: Thema, The Queen of War (32:10 โ€“ 34:17)

Rapid Fire: Fun Questions & Origins (34:17 โ€“ 42:12)

#IndieComics #ComicCreators #KickstarterComics #MakeComics #ComicBooks #SelfPublishing #IndieCreators #TalkinComics #Crowdfunding #ComicArt

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Talkin' Comics Podcast
By AJ and Annakhan
๐Ÿ“š Comic hauls | Trivia | Games
๐ŸŽ™ Creator Conversations
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A.J. Reimann