Comments on: Some tips on checking your comic book’s art

By: B. Mac

B. Mac — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 22:31:23 +0000

Not common to me. I consider myself a fairly careful comic book creator and I’ve stumbled through all of these except for possibly #4.

1: Continuity error. We had to throw out our first sample page because I didn’t notice the changing dimensions of the room before it was too late.

2: Character placement. We’ve had to redo pencils based on character height and party position–Gary was walking in front of Agent Orange, but they were going to AO’s office and Gary had never been there before. It didn’t make sense for Gary to lead.

3: Incompatible emotions in a single panel. This happens to me almost every time I give a character two bubbles in a single panel. So I don’t.

4: Keeping the amount of dialogue consistent with the pacing. This hasn’t been much of a problem because I haven’t tried working much dialogue into an action scene. However, in the pages you’ve seen so far, you can tell that the amount of dialogue rises or falls based on the level of intensity. Gary and AO might each deliver 20 words in a column if the situation is merely awkward (and not angry). But when AO decides that he’s about to eat the resume and end the interview, he screams “YOU NEFARIOUS GATOR-HATER!”

5: Make it clear where changes/props came from. I’m sort of wondering where the resume came from. I should have written that more clearly. Oops.

6: Don’t lose track of props and accessories. Agent Orange’s badge is present on page 3 but sort of disappears on page 4.

By: Dforce

Dforce — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 21:42:43 +0000

Huh. This all should seem like common sense–yet that in itself is a superpower nowadays.

Congrats, Ragged Man–have you considered using that as a superhero name? lol

By: Ragged Boy

Ragged Boy — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 22:31:20 +0000

I’d miss “B. Mac,” but as you are moving into a more professional setting I could understand you using your real name.

I think I’ll leave my name. It doesn’t really have a meaning, but that’s what everyone here knows me as. I don’t see a problem with it.

By: B. Mac

B. Mac — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 22:19:44 +0000

Speaking of name changes, I’m thinking about writing under my given name rather than “B. Mac.” I anticipate that I will begin working as an assistant editor for a comic book publisher this week or next. I’d like to drop the pseudonym at that point, because I think that a professional has more to gain than lose in telling people who he is.

PS: Congratulations on turning 18. Now you can sign a publishing contract without your parents’ permission. Unless Whovian seriously picks up her procrastination, she may have to worry about that later.

By: Ragged Boy

Ragged Boy — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 22:05:44 +0000

I really like this list. I agree that it should be a required read for any prospective comic book writer. Early on I had quite a bit of trouble with too much dialogue. The best thing to keep in mind is the size of the panel. Smaller panels can only take so much dialogue before they look cramped.

Also, yesterday was my birthday (Jan 29). I’m officially 18. I wonder if I should change my name to “Ragged Man.” Haha.

By: B. Mac

B. Mac — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 19:54:33 +0000

Ehh... the artists at Marvel and DC are generally very, very impressive. They could teach me much more than the other way around. (Even though they sometimes try too hard to make characters look buff and end up giving Captain America breast implants).

By: Lighting Man

Lighting Man — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 17:34:44 +0000

This is a great list, it should be required reading, even for the big shots at DC and Marvel.

I cannot tell you how many times I’ve been reading a comic book and someone in skin tight clothing or less has suddenly manifested a pistol and I’ve always been terribly scared of where it came from. The options are all terrible, and even worse, happen to be terrible places to keep a pocket dimension.