How to Write for Comic Books

"Comic Artists Direct" notes that the first comic book story started in 2000 BC. That first comic book was about King Gilgamesh, a Babylonian king and the world's first comic book superhero. Since that time, thousands of comic books have been created. In 1989 after the Batman comic was turned into a major motion picture, interest in comic books and the superhero characters the books feature increased. Writers in the industry such as Frank Miller, Neil Gaiman and Stanley Lee have earned a handsome living creating superheroes. Regardless of how simple this art form appears to be, there are specific steps you have to take to write successfully for comic books.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Use Panels and Write Visually

1. Communicate visually. Show and tell while you create action scenes and dialogue. For example, to show, you could write scenes such as, "Zoto clenched her jaw. Her eyes filled with red. She looked toward the closet for her cape." Keep in mind that you write to show so that readers will connect with and easily follow the story.
   Write "to tell" so that artists who will draw the scenes that accompany your story will have clear instructions on what to draw and when. An example of telling is, "Zoto is shocked that her comrade has been consorting with her number one enemy."

2. Use Plot-Art-Dialogue. Write your story using plot-art-dialogue if you want the artist to illustrate the story based on the plot. Then you go back and add additional dialogue to the drawings. Underline all initial dialogue. Note the following example of plot-art-dialogue, "Make the first page a flashback to Zoto talking outside the club with her comrade Barrade. Create a close-up of Barrade giving a sinister grin just when Zoto turns away from him and looks across the street at a creature moving through the bushes. Fade Barrade's smile when Zoto faces him again. Give the impression that Barrade is up to no good. I would never lie to you."

3. Write your story using panels, a popular form of comic book creation. Remember to provide instructions to the artist as well as provide story details for readers. Refer to the following sample of panel writing, "PAGE 1: This page is divided into seven panels. The seventh panel takes up a quarter of the page. The other panels take up the remainder of the page and can be laid out discriminately. Panel 1: Zoto is sitting on the edge of her bed in her small storefront apartment in Miami, Florida. The outside dark fills her bedroom. A shadow looms at the top corner of Zoto's apartment building. ZOTO: "I can't believe Barrade would betray me like this!"

4. Know the six different panel transitions. Familiarize yourself with the Moment-to-Moment transition and know that it portrays the same subject across time. Be aware that Action-to-Action illustrates the same subject in different but connected actions with a broader span of time than Moment-to-Moment. Know that Subject-to-Subject shows different subjects or characters (people or things) within one scene. Understand that Scene-to-Scene shows completely different scenes and usually includes dialogue, composition and image captions.
   Know that the Aspect-to-Aspect panel transition shows different elements related to a place, emotion or concept. Keep in mind that a key goal when writing Aspect-to-Aspect is generating intense reader emotion. Lastly, know that the sixth panel transition, Non Sequitur, is created without a logical connection between panels. Keep in mind that this form of panel transition is least used when writing comic books.

5. Submit your work to publishers. Refer to directories such as Dragon Berry to locate comic book publishers (see Resources). Read the publisher's submissions guidelines. E-mail or telephone the publisher directly if writer submission guidelines are not posted on the publisher's web site. Include your portfolio and list comics you have already created or/and published. Advise publishers if you also draw and illustrate stories.

6. Design your own web site. Include samples of comic panels you have created. Post your contact information including your name, mailing address and email. Promote your website on comic book discussion boards and forums.

Resources

• Dragon Berry - Comic Book Publishers
• Comic Artist Direct
• Comic World News

[lcworld]

on 11/4/2009 NFL-star and Chicago Bear’s Pro-Linebacker Lance Briggs has launched www.lancescomicworld.com ; a new comic book social networking site. The site is currently seeking artists and writers interested in developing their portfolio while gaining hands-on experience in the comic book industry. To receive additional information, please email [e-mail] ; write “LCW writer or artist” in the subject line.