I’ve recently been on a kick to learn how to create comic books. I have a bunch of ideas rattling in my head for stories and sagas and most of them would require a Hollywood budget and unlimited free time to manifest themselves as moving images.
But where film denies me, comic books provide. The budget of a story in a comic book is essentially limitless, but there is one problem…it requires art. And I am no artist, at least not when it comes to drawing anything past a stick man. So I’ve tried to concentrate on writing, which I can actually do with a modicum of skill.
Of course the best thing about writing is avoiding writing by reading books in a serious, chin-stroking manner, so I’ve tackled Write or Wrong by Dirk Manning, The DC Comics Guide to Writing Comics and How to Make Webcomics, as well as Writers on Comics Scriptwriting, Volume 2.
The most practical advice is found within the pages of Write or Wrong, where author Dirk Manning advises newbies to concentrate not on multi-part sagas but 5 to 10 page, self-contained stories. Make it in black and white, and for the love of all that’s holy…avoid superheroes. He’s right about all these things, and I hope to explore all of these limitations/creative kicks in the pants in the next little while.
Of course, I’ll still need to find an artist, otherwise it’s just all words on a page. So first comes the writing and the agonizing and the giving up and the starting all over again….and then I have to find someone who can draw. Any volunteers?
Warren
Warren Frey is a journalist, freelance writer, podcaster, video producer, and all-around media consultant currently based in Vancouver, Canada. His written work has appeared in such publications as Metro Vancouver, the Westender, Mac | Life and the Japan Times.
Published
April 25, 2013
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Traced Over
April 26, 2013
I can draw yellow faces in the snow! Bunny rabbits too!
emily
May 2, 2013
Not even joking, my boyfriend Charlie may be someone to talk to. His style is very Simpsons/Groening-like but it’s pretty good. He’d be so excited to play around on a project with someone…
Warren
May 2, 2013
Message me on the Twitters, this is excellent news!
Lester
May 3, 2013
If you don’t mind your comic looking like generic manga, or using Windows (gasp!), there’s Comipo: http://www.comipo.com/en/index.html
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