Comics boast original stories, unique characters and savvy prose, as well as a wealth of stunning art styles and genres; in a world where the movie remake is becoming its own genre, originality goes a long way when entertaining the hungry masses. Comics have exploded out of their 2D paper world onto the scene in film and literary investigation, painting a colorful swath of movies such as: Spider-Man, X-Men, Ghost World, Sin City, A Scanner Darkly, Fantastic Four, V For Vendetta, Blade, Hellboy, Watchmen, Iron Man, Kick Ass, and Academy Award winner Road to Perdition. And there are even more upcoming features slotted for 2011.
So comics have been doing really well, but what if it’s just a fad? Well, fad or not, the point is they are doing really well, and you can be a part of the excitement, you’ve just got to jump in. Perhaps over the years you’ve collected a healthy pile of vignettes scribbled onto scrap paper, napkins, or alongside notes from class or work? Each anecdote has something to say, but you’re not quite sure what to do with them. Do you want to tackle both the writing and the art? If not, where do you find an artist to work with? How do you meet the people that publish? Are you limited to paperback comics, or are there other options out there? Let’s start simple and take a look at some of the common assumptions and misconceptions that go along with the business of comic book writing:
Common Misconceptions
There are two really big ones: comic book writing is easy, and, the writer only writes what goes into the little word bubbles. Not true. Looking at a comic book, you may fall prey to this mindset, that most of the work has been done by the artist. It’s hard not to when you see so little text, and so many beautiful images. The truth is, your artist is your partner, he or she is responsible for portraying what you write, and the amount of control you exercise in that arena is entirely up to you. If you’re comfortable writing out a simple plotline with a smattering of dialogue here and there, letting your artist have free reign as far as page layout etc, that’s completely okay. However, some people are more comfortable laying out exactly what they’d like to see in great detail. There are scripts for each option out there, many people have likened comic book writing to screenwriting in style and format.
Comic book writing is just as challenging, fun and difficult as say, writing a novel. You cannot expect to write out a simple dialogue and call it good can you? Also with comics you need to exercise the opposite of what has been pounded into your brain meats during all those writing classes: “show, don’t tell.” I know, doing the opposite of that, “tell don’t show” goes against the infallible mantra you’ve been taught, and you may think that every writing teacher you’ve ever had is weeping as we speak, but it’s true. You are in charge of writing what you want people to see, it is your artist who will take that “tell” and turn it into a phenomenal “show.” For example: if character A “wrings her hands, falling to her knees in anguish” the audience will have no idea unless your artist shows her doing just that.
Meet the Pros:
One of the best ways to meet and greet within the comic industry is going to comic conventions, but for someone who’s never been to one, they can be a bit daunting. Long lines, people dressed up in crazy outfits, random television and movie actors and actresses wandering around, and rooms upon rooms of comic books and merchandise just waiting to be snatched up by the eager collector or aspiring novice. It’s a kaleidoscope of color and sound unlike any you’ll find crammed into an inevitably too small space anywhere, (regardless of the venue size.) Although crowded and noisy, this is a great place to network, meet artists in the Artist’s Alley, and see what people are most interested in. Get to know your publishers, who’s big? Who are interested in specific genres? Who are the publishers you may want to avoid?
Online or Paper?
Online comics are an easy way to get a small start in developing yourself. They can be small, one-panel strips, or larger, multi page layouts. Regardless of how you start, there are many websites and templates for creating one of your very own. It’s also a great idea to check out what other people are doing. Cruise the Internet for comics you enjoy and see how they progress. Many artists and writers end up making their first books collected editions of their online strips. Paper certainly involves more work, but if you can get your hands on a program, an artist, and a possible publisher in the future, they can be lucrative. Local comic shops and art galleries are a great way to get ideas for original layouts and concepts.
-Sara Lindsey
Useful links:
A few online comics:
Online comic creators:
Online artist’s community:
Publisher in the Portland area:
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