Telling a Story in Comic Book Form

The Unique Medium of Comic Books

The Medium of Storytelling The same story can be told in different forms: The story of Cinderella can be told in: a verbal story; a book you read or another reads to you; a stage performance; a movie; a comic book or graphic novel Each forms has its unique characteristics that help us to experience the same story in a whole new way!

Before, During, and After There are elements you need to have ready before you make the book There are unique features of writing that make comic books dynamic There is what to do when you finished the book

Before you start on the Comic Book Design your characters

Draw each one from different angles and looks Come up with attributes and a voice for your characters

Before you start on the Comic Book Form your plot

This can be done briefly (Marvel Style) or in greater detail. The Key is to know where the story will end!

Before you start on the Comic Book

While Making Your Comic Book The three features of writing a Comic Book:

Write visually The story is fast-paced The style is terse

While Making Your Comic Book

Write visually

Comic Books show a story. The story moves visually. Words are used to assist showing the story. Writing a Comic Book means you present a story that is both fun to draw and fun to view.

While Making Your Comic Book Make the story fast-paced: Pages with few panels are usually read faster. These are “action” pages. Pages that use panels with "talking heads" give information that assists the art to move the story forward. It is a kind of rule that the last panel on each page will make the reader want to turn the page because they are wondering what will happen next. Any page could end with “to be continued.”

While Making Your Comic Book The style is terse:

"Brief is best." This is true for any style of writing that you want to make your point in as few words as possible. This is especially true in comic book writing. The art attracts the reader's attention, and primarily, tells the story. The words only support the pictures.

While Making Your Comic Book Writing a comic follows certain rules so it does not become a novel with pictures. Start with the panels that will contain the dialogue. Name the character speaking at the beginning of the dialog. This helps the reader know who is speaking, especially if the character is not seen in the panel. The lettering is put in captions, balloons, or thought clouds. When words are whispered, use smaller or lighter letters. It works well when all the letters are capitalized and indented. Make sure you include sound effects with the visuals.

While Making Your Comic Book

When you have mastered the basics on the previous slide, then you can write in script style and include directions for the artist and letterer.

After Writing Your Comic Book

Set it aside for a while. Then come back to it and read it as a reader. Where do you the reader see issues? Then you the writer adjust the story! As you continue writing jot down ideas and insights that could lead to new characters, plots, and concepts for your next comic book.

The Uniqueness of Comic Books A Comic Book is one of a few mediums where the reader becomes a co-author who helps to move the story. Imagination fills the gutters with movement and demands a page flip to see what happens.