How To Create A Successful Newsletter?
A Newsletter is one of the one important elements to growing a comic book business. But how do you make people read it?
Hello Lifeline Comics Readers,
This week, we’re getting meta and using our newsletter to discuss how to put together a successful newsletter! We’ll talk about why a consistent newsletter is important for creators, share tips for how to keep the newsletter fresh and interesting, and discuss ways to grow your audience over time.
We’ll also reveal our San Diego Comic-Con Panel Schedule, share our thoughts for a ton of exciting new releases — Superman, Squid Game, and The Bear — and talk about our experience seeing a revival of Phil’s favorite stage musical: Heathers!
Let’s dive in!
How to Create A Successful Newsletter
Phil: Kat and I have been consistently posting our biweekly newsletter since early 2023 — originally on Zestworld before eventually making the move to Substack.
And in those two short years, our newsletter has become one of the most important tools in our arsenal for getting the word out about our projects and in connecting with our fans. I think it’s fair to say that Lifeline Comics would not be what it is today without our newsletter — which currently sits at over 7,200 subscribers.
Knowing that a consistent newsletter is such an important part of our operations, we thought it would be fun this week to talk about the role that Substack plays in Lifeline Comics, the importance of this direct line to fans, and our advice for how to build your own successful newsletter!
Coming Up With Post Topics
Kat: There are three types of posts we do throughout the month - Kickstarter announcements, paid posts, and our biweekly breakdowns (the very newsletter you are reading now).
Kickstarter Announcements
Kat: To help our readers keep up to date with our content we post about our Kickstarters on a pretty consistent basis. We launch about two campaigns a month. Two weeks prior to the campaign, we announce the project we are gearing towards. This is where we’ll talk about the pre-launch page and do a partially-Paid Post to share preview pages and covers before anyone else gets to see them. Then on the day of the campaign, we’ll do a Substack post to let readers know the book is live and what type of goodies they can expect on the campaign.
With this schedule, we usually have a pre-launch or Kickstarter announcement once a week, guaranteeing weekly Substack posts (which Substack encourages).
Paid Posts
Phil: Substack offers a feature that allows entire posts (or just sections of a post) to be locked behind a Paywall for “Paid Subscribers” to your newsletter.
We actually didn’t even utilize Paid Posts until May of 2024 when a fan specifically requested more content and pledged a yearly subscription amount to us if we opened up Paid Posts (a feature we didn’t even know Substack offered).
Per this request, we introduced a series of Paid Post which offer a variety of early access and behind-the-scenes additional content. These posts include super-far-in-advance-announcements of upcoming series, discussions of cancelled projects, and early looks at Covers and Previews from our next Kickstarters.
These Paid Posts aren’t a big slice of our revenue at Lifeline Comics, but we love them because they allow super-fans of our titles to have even more of a peek behind the curtain than we offer in our normal posting.
Biweekly Catch Ups
Kat: These are the newsletters where we truly get to connect with our readers the most. The outline we like to follow: main topic, what we’ve been up to, media we’ve watched, and comics we recommend ranging from the Big 2 to Webtoon.
Coming up with topics is the most challenging, but also the most rewarding, element to these bi-weekly newsletters. There are some topics that come pretty easily like announcing that we’re writing for The Loud House or visiting San Diego Comic Con. But then there are others where we truly have to brainstorm what topic our readers would be interested in and how we can help fellow comic book creators along the way. We like to mix it up by publishing “how to be successful in comics” posts with behind-the-scenes Lifeline Comics’ antics.
It’s asking ourselves what would we be interested in clicking, while writing what we are most passionate about. This very newsletter topic came from a phone call conversation where Phil and I were just bouncing ideas to each other until something just clicked. This felt like a valuable topic to others, and something we hadn’t explored yet.
It still blows our mind that thousands of people read these newsletters on a weekly basis. It’s really cool when we go to a convention where a reader or fellow creator remembers our topics: like our thoughts on a random movie or giving our experience having 2 tables at New York Comic Con.
Consistency and Fan Connection
Phil: One of the most important elements in finding success with a newsletter is consistency. Whether you’re posting weekly, biweekly, or monthly, you should try your best to keep to a consistent schedule. If fans can come to expect hearing from you on a consistent basis, then you become part of their routine and thus your projects and announcements become more interesting.
As Kat mentioned above, we do our biweekly “topic/main” posts. But with Kickstarter/other announcements and Paid Posts, we often end up posting something on a weekly basis.
The consistency also fosters fan connection. I honestly cannot tell you how many times we’ve spoken with a fan at a Comic Convention who has directly mentioned our newsletter. Whether they’re just looking to discuss the main topics or they want to debate our movie/comic opinions, the newsletter gives our readers a direct line to us. And this often makes in-person meetings feel more meaningful and organic.
Building Your Subscribers/Audience
Kat: Most of our subscribers come from our Kickstarter surveys while running a wide variety of titles, and multiple comic book anthologies. But the other percentage of subscribers come from Substack itself (by other creators promoting you).
Lastly, comic conventions are a great place to find new readers. When you sell a book be sure they have a place to find you again. An active newsletter is a perfect way to keep those readers that you found out in the wild. We have a QR code on our table AND a QR code to our newsletter on each business card that we pass out so people can stay connected with us.
Phil: Most recently, we’ve been adding QR joins to join our newsletter in the backs of our comic books. That way folks who misplace a business card or buy our comics digitally also have a prompt to subscribe to our Substack.
Conclusion
Phil: I’ll admit that I was hesitant to start a biweekly newsletter when Kat first began to push for it. The idea of putting together a big post every two weeks was daunting (on top of our various other tasks) and I didn’t know if our comic fans would be interested in hearing our advice and opinions on such a frequent basis.
But I have no problem admitting how wrong I was. Our newsletter is one of the most important pieces of the Lifeline Comics puzzle. We so often will have conversations with fans and fellow creators alike directly about our newsletter topics — everything from big announcements to our movie opinions that week.
In the self-publishing space, you want to connect with your fans both on the quality of your comic work AND as an individual. And a newsletter is a fantastic avenue for showing fans a little bit of yourself every post.
San Diego Comic-Con Panel Schedule
Kat: I’ll be returning to San Diego Comic Con, and for the first year (and certainly not the last) Phil will be going to the event as well.
Find us walking the halls of the convention, and we’ll even be on two panels!
Phil: We’ll even have a few copies of our SDCC-Exclusive Variant Cover in collaboration with Pat Shand!
Bombshell & Atomica #1-3 (Bad Bug)
Kat: Lifeline Comics’ continues their team up with Bad Bug Media! Live on Kickstarter!
“Love, secrets, and superpowers collide in this post-WW2 pulp superhero comic, BOMBSHELL & ATOMICA. A spicy LGBT+ tale of identity and power. Mature content.”
FUNDED: Nightmare in Wonderland
Nightmare in Wonderland #1-3 has officially hit its funding goal and is now setting its sight on some Stretch Goals!
Support the campaign today to help us unlock some awesome bonus rewards for our favorite issue of the series yet featuring one of the coolest locations in the EverAfterVerse to date!
“In this MATURE FAIRY TALE, Ex-Lovers Sleeping Beauty & Assassin Alice gamble their LIVES at the Queen of Hearts' Casino!”
NEXT WEEK: Slice of Life #1-7
Slice of Life returns to Kickstarter next Monday with a big change: OUR LEAD COUPLE IS TOGETHER AT LAST!
See Yuriko & Lucy navigate the joys and challenges of a new relationship AND experience the fallout of the explosive finale of issue six (which saw a very complicated second anime character come to life)!
“YURIKO & LUCY ARE FINALLY A COUPLE! Enjoy their first date, Lucy's softball team tryouts, and...Yuriko's dead ex coming back to life...”
What have we been up to?
Let’s talk about how we’ve kept busy these last few weeks!
Heathers: The Musical (2025 Off-Broadway Revival)
Phil: Here’s a fun fact about me: Heathers: The Musical is my favorite stage musical. I first discovered the show back in 2015, less than a year after it ended its first Off-Broadway run. I actually saw the musical adaptation before the 1989 film that it’s based on (which I now also love). And since my initial viewing, I’ve made an effort to see the show pretty much any chance I get – making up to four-hour drives to see local theater and college productions of the show.
When Heathers eventually made its way to the West End, performances in the United States dwindled a bit. I still would find the occasional small production (one I even wrote about in this newsletter), but it wasn’t until the Off-Broadway revival this year that a major production of Heathers was within my reach.
It’s a surreal experience following a play closely for so long. Most stage plays evolve during their formative years, and Heathers is no exception. Since its inception, Heathers: The Musical has gained three new songs, lost a song, and had tons of changes to its script across various performances. And when you see the show enough times, you begin to clock not only the changes particular productions make to their performances, but minute changes made to the play itself.
The Off-Broadway 2025 Revival of Heathers: The Musical is a fantastic show. Quite possibly the best production I’ve seen of Heathers to date. Certainly the highest production value. All of the performers bring their A-Game and sing their hearts out. Special shout-out to Casey Likes (who I previously saw in Back to the Future: The Musical…which I did not like; but I liked him a lot) as Jason “J.D.” Dean. Likes expertly balances the many aspects of J.D.’s character — from the suave to the sullen to the romantic to angry to the batshit crazy. His performance of “Meant To Be Yours” was my highlight of the show, where Likes was bawling tears as he scream-sang the intense number. Chilling in all the right ways.
Lorna Courtney also does fantastic work as Veronica — a really difficult role to fill after Barrett Wilbert-Weed’s iconic performance in the original run. Her singing voice is absolutely phenomenal. And she has great comedic timing. This run’s interpretation of Veronica is played a touch quirkier/nerdier than I’m used to seeing from Veronica. It distances the character a bit from the film interpretation but is a fun choice for anyone who wants to see something a little different from Veronica Sawyer. I don’t love that Veronica is somewhat robbed of culpability for the murders in the show by this more “innocent/quirky” interpretation. But the stage version of Heathers has always stripped away a good portion of Veronica’s active choices to participate in J.D.’s murderous plot. I personally prefer a more misguided/morally gray Veronica, but I don’t know this run for not going in that direction.
Other than it’s take on Veronica (which, again, I wouldn’t call a negative), I literally only had two complains about this revival — and they’re both so specific that they would be almost meaningless to someone who isn’t super familiar with the show (I didn’t like the dialogue changes in the lead-in to “Never Shut Up Again”; I didn’t like that Veronica doesn’t use the croquet mallet in her final fight with J.D.)
Very, very minor gripes aside, Heathers: The Musical is great. Everybody should see it.
If you’ve read other Musical reviews from myself and Kat, then you’ll know that a very common problem with Musicals is that the music itself isn’t strong/memorable. We saw this very recently with Boop and Death Becomes Her, two shows that I really liked but that didn’t have any songs that resonated with me.
Heathers: The Musical does NOT have this problem. There are so many fantastic, show-stopping numbers. There’s a ton of variety in sound and style. And the opening number, “Beautiful”, is one of the best openers to a musical I can think of. If you haven’t seen Heathers: The Musical and live in/are visiting New York, I strongly recommend you check out this show.
Media
Let’s discuss some non-comics media!
Superman (2025)
Kat: I have a special place in my heart for the MCU. It brought mainstream eyes to my favorite superheroes. BUT so few have felt like actual comic book movies. They are action movies using superheroes as a disguise.
The DC Extended Universe felt like a similar blend, but there was something about this new James Gunn movie that made it feel like it was going to be different. And it was! Because Superman FEELS like a live action comic book. His costume, the tone, the BRIGHTNESS!
The large and comic accurate Daily Planet cast really helps ground the film with Rachel Brosnahan’s Lois Lane truly being the movie’s stand out. She felt exactly like the Lois Lane I read on a weekly basis with Jimmy having a new modern twist that makes him a bit more likable than his comic counterpart.
The Justice Gang feels more like a remnant from Gunn’s days on Guardians of the Galaxy, but was a fun enough addition to not be a total eyesore. David Corenswet’s is an almost perfect Superman, but the character’s loud outbursts (even if rooted in kindness) did take me a bit out of what I’m used to seeing with DC’s boy scout.
Lex Luthor was fun, but an outdated version of how the public sees comics. He was a bit cartoonish and mustache twirly. My Lex Luthor is much more menacing, and I missed that from Nicholas Hoult’s more Silver Age take on the character.
All in all, Superman isn’t a perfect movie, but it’s a great foundation for the future of the DC Universe.
Phil: James Gunn’s Superman is probably the most anticipated film of the summer – with both expectant fans and naysayers eagerly awaiting the discourse that would follow the release of the first film in the “rebooted” DC Film Universe.
And there is definitely much discourse to be had. One great thing about Superman (2025) is that it doesn’t play it safe. It’s a movie that bites off a lot in its just-over-two-hour runtime and leaves the viewer with a lot to talk about once the credits roll.
Superman is a good movie with a great Superman and Lois Lane. The portrayal of both of its leads is nuanced, comics-accurate, and fresh all at the same time. There have been a thousand op-eds talking about the “kindness” of David Corenswet’s Superman and how refreshing and important that element of the character is right now. And I wholeheartedly agree with the masses on that assessment. We desperately need “Boy Scout” “Heart of Gold” Superman right now. And this film delivered that perfectly.
Rachel Brosnahan’s Lois Lane was also a perfect depiction – possibly the best depiction we’ve seen of the character outside of comics. Her smart cynicism (but not so cynical that she’s robbed of joy and hope) and worldliness is such a perfect counterbalance to this film’s Superman. Every scene where Lois is on screen is nearly perfect. And quite possibly my biggest takeaway from the film is that I wanted more Lois (and more of Lois and Clark together).
Outside of Superman and Lois, there’s still a lot to love. Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor is a fun and deliciously evil villain (with a very meme-able boner for Superman that perfectly toes the line of being funny without taking away from the intensity of his character). The Justice Gang has a few solid jokes and (for the most part) is used appropriately sparingly. And Krypto is an absolute delight. While none of these elements are as “perfect” as the two leads (in my book), they make for an enjoyable movie.
On the more negative side, I think Superman has a pretty unique flaw as a movie. The plot itself (reduced to its bare bones) is very simple. Lex tries to turn Metropolis against Superman. Hardly reinventing the wheel. But the number of players and plotlines in this movie can be quite overwhelming, especially in contrast to the simplicity of the core concept. I definitely would have appreciated more time living in Clark and Lois’ world (and more Clark Kent, in general) in exchange for some of the set pieces and characters the cluttered the movie.
I also found some of the writing and dialogue itself to be clunky. Exposition is at several points delivered in a very hand-of-the-author way that took me out of the viewing experience. And at key moments, characters will sometimes just summarize their worldviews in a cheesy monologue that just felt too on-the-nose for me – the most egregious example of this being Superman’s final monologue to Lex Luthor which didn’t say anything that the movie didn’t already subtextually establish itself through Superman’s kindness and humanity. It just felt cheesy to me, and not in a fun way.
Negatives aside, Superman is a good movie that is worth a watch for any comic book fan. It’s a strong start to a new cinematic universe. And a fantastic introduction to a Clark and Lois that I’m excited to see more of in future films.
The Bear (Season 4)
Kat: The Bear is a poetic piece of television with interpersonal relationships as its muse. Season 4 does a fair share of character work, but has the same flaw as its predecessor with slow pacing juxtaposing with the show’s argumentative fuel. I mean why can’t the main characters just interact more?!
The Bear’s standout moments continue to be when Ayo Edebiri takes the wheel with my favorite episode ONCE AGAIN being the one she directed and wrote. Syd has been struggling with a decision since last season, and in “Worms” she hangs out with her hairdresser’s pre-teen to help her get perspective on her own life. Episodes like “Worms” reminds me exactly why I love television - where small mismatches like Syd helping a young girl decide if she should go to a sleepover brings bigger ripple effects to the larger narrative.
The wedding episode was another standout, but was also a reminder of just how little time the show has to play out their more interesting storylines. For example, Sugar has this ex-friend she’s been talking about for seasons and we finally meet Francie (played by Brie Larson). The small moments we get from them read as so much left unsaid. THEY’VE EVEN SLEPT TOGETHER! I really enjoyed their back and forth, and was thirsty for more. Where does making up take them? Why did they leave each other in the first place? The episode is compelling enough for me to be so curious about their relationship, but the pacing prevents this golden nugget from fully being explored.
In the end, The Bear isn’t a perfect show, but it’s still one I thoroughly enjoy because when it hits it still really does HIT.
Squid Game (Season 3)
Phil: Korean Netflix sensation Squid Game finally reaches its conclusion with Season Three. I’ve been a big fan of both Seasons 1 and 2 of Squid Game, enjoying the “battle royale” format, the creative death games, and the large cast of dynamic characters in both seasons of the show. My biggest complaint about Season 2 of the series (which I quite liked) is that it felt incomplete — ending in the middle of a set of Squid Games that would continue into Season 3. Thankfully, the final season of the series definitely doesn’t have this problem, ending on a very final note.
I’ll start with the negatives on this one. Continuing the problem that ended Season 2, the beginning of Season 3 needs to rebuild momentum after the time between seasons. It’s awkward to have such a continuous story as that presented in Seasons 2 and 3 broken apart. Thankfully, the season does rebuild its momentum pretty quickly, only taking an episode or two to engross you back in the world and the characters.
The “cop plot” of this season ends up feeling like a waste of time, not really culminating in anything particularly valuable to the plot despite just how much screentime is dedicated to it. I like the characters fine, but it was definitely less engaging than the action inside the Squid Game itself.
I wish we had gotten more scenes between series lead Gi-hun and “the Front Man” In-ho — who made for such an engaging duo in Season 2 that we really only got a snippet of in this final season (albeit, with a really great scene).
And everybody has already talked about it to death, but the VIPs are just…horrendous. I get that they’re a caricature of the super rich. I get that their dialogue and performances are intentionally out-of-touch and ridiculous. But it’s just such a slog to watch — especially with the absolutely horrible dubbing of their voices. I watch the Korean language version of the show with subtitles specifically to avoid being subjected to a horrible English dub. So it really sucked having to hear the awful voice acting for so much of the runtime in Season 3.
Other than the above, I honestly really enjoyed Squid Game Season 3. It’s heartbreaking, exciting, and poignant, just like the previous seasons. It probably isn’t for everybody given just how melancholy the finale is. But I think there’s a power to its melancholy. The series has always been about depicting exploitation of the disenfranchised. And I don’t know if there was ever a “happy ending” that you could give this series without feeling like a cop-out to the themes it explores.
There are so many stand-outs in this season that I can’t possibly name them all, but I’ll give special mention to series lead Gi-hun (Player 456) and Hyun-ju (Player 120). The former makes for such a fascinating transformation of the character from his introduction in Season 1. He’s a loveable-but-flawed hero and an amazing depiction of a man transformed by prolonged trauma and loss. The latter is such a refreshing portrayal of a Trans character in genre storytelling — one who doesn’t feel “token” in the slightest way and manages to be compassionate, capable, flawed, tragic, and beautiful all at the same time.
While Season 1 remains the definite “best season” of the show, I really appreciate the efforts each season takes to explore new territory while keeping the core mechanics of the series in place. Squid Game’s heart is in its characters, and the show is expert in introducing and developing likeable characters who you know are most likely going to die…but they still manage to make it feel like a gut-punch every time. If you’re a fan of “battle royale”-style stories, all three seasons of Squid Game are a must-watch.
Comics
Let's discuss some comics we've enjoyed recently!
As usual, we’ll spotlight an Indie Book, a DC/Marvel book, a Webcomic, and a Live Kickstarter book!
Indie Comic: Wicked Town
Kat: Wicked Town is a crowdfunded book by the dynamic duo, Francis Stokes & Andrea Dailey. It’s a haunting title about a housewife who has the power to bring things back to life. This quickly ties her to some of the other “witchy” events happening in her suburban town. Wicked Town has classy NSFW elements as it explores the freedom of the 1970’s, all while feeling the left-over confines of the 1950s.
And if you are looking for more, issue 2 is launching on Kickstarter very soon.
DC Comics: Supergirl
Kat: Sophie Campbell’s Supergirl is the perfect blend of silver age storytelling with all the character growth of modern day Supergirl! It has the antics of old school comics, while adding new elements by throwing Lena Luthor into the mix and exploring Kara’s life in Midvale. Campbell finds a perfect balance for the character through both the narrative and interiors to gear up for a new era of the character both on screen and in panel.
Webtoon: HELL Academy
“When hot-headed Aria wakes up in HELL, she expects anything—but therapy. After organizing a strike and stealing the boss' coffee on the way, Aria manages to piss off the Devil herself. Now, her path seems set: eternal damnation. Except… maybe HELL Academy isn’t so bad, and maybe Lilith is kinda hot...“
Phil: Debuting as an entry in the Webcomic Legends Contest, HELL Academy is a dark romance about adjusting to life in Hell. But this isn’t your traditional Hell — it comes complete with a course schedule and mandated therapy, both of which prove to be an adjustment for the hot-headed (and profane) Aria.
HELL Academy replaces the torture and brimstone of the underworld with self-help and sarcasm. The comic, like most Webtoons, has a comedic tone. But I appreciate the more biting humor of the comic that helps to set it apart from its peers.
The characters also have some really fun introductions and voices — particularly the ruler of Hell Lilith who gets two-fold appearances in the comic as both an AI Hologram welcoming folks to Hell AND the real-(after)life version of Lilith who is mistaken for her AI counterpart by Aria and is not happy about it. If that doesn’t sound like a recipe for romance, then I don’t know what does!
Kickstarter: A Journey Into The Abyss
“Two explorers mount a dangerous mission to the stars and awaken a malevolent deity sleeping at the edge of the universe.”
Phil: An LGBTQ+ Sci-Fi comic that simply oozes passion and creativity. A Journey Into The Abyss follows Professor Beatrice Abracadabrantesque as she makes a perilous journey to the stars while still dealing with the grief of losing her spouse.
The comic incorporates the aesthetic of filmmaker Georges Méliès (best known for A Trip to the Moon) in a really fun and creative way — in both the comic and, hilariously, in the Kickstarter video for the project.
The all-ages Sci-Fi comic sports beautiful and colorful art that immediately invites you into another world filled with wonder and adventure. Very excited to check this one out!
Support “A Journey Into The Abyss” here!
In Closing…
Thanks so much for reading this week’s newsletter. We hope you enjoyed a peek behind the curtain at how we put together this Substack every other week. If you have your own tips for newsletters, please share them in the comments below!
If you’re attending San Diego Comic-Con, we hope to see you there! Definitely check out some of the panels we’ll be on!
And finally, be sure to support Nightmare in Wonderland on Kickstarter and to follow the Pre-Launch Page for Slice of Life to be notified when it launches next week!
Subscribe above for biweekly updates on our future projects!
Buy Lifeline Comics on our Website!
Upcoming Kickstarters:
Nightmare in Wonderland #1-3: The Queen of Hearts’ Casino (Ends 7/31)
Slice of Life #1-7: My Girlfriend Joins The Softball Team! (Launches 7/21)
Next Cons/Events: San Diego Comic-Con (7/24-7/27)