Spring Break
Tips from the Pros: How to be a comic book writer
Addley Fannin
Issue date: 4/4/08 Section: ARTS & LIFE
Local comic book writers Daniel Sanchez and David Hopkins presented two workshops on writing comics at the DenCon event on Sunday.
Sanchez, author of the online comic "The Nine," held a session on storytelling. Hopkins, who was named Best Local Comic Book Writer of 2006 by the Dallas Observer, taught a class on scripting a comic book.
The authors provided ways that students can get involved in comic book writing, and possibly turn it into a career.
"In the old days, Clark Kent would go into a phone booth, and a few seconds later Superman would zoom out," Sanchez said. "What ever happened to his Clark Kent clothes?"
Answering these questions can be serious or humorous, depending on the kind of story you want to tell.
Just because you know how the story will end doesn't mean that your reader should.
Sanchez brought up Joss Whedon, the creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Twilight Zone host Rod Serling as masters of this technique.
"Serling would spend most of the show letting you think he was telling one story, then reveal what was really going on at the very end," Sanchez said. "Whedon was a master of setting you up, making you feel good, then smacking you down and making you feel dumb for letting your guard down."
In addition, surprises keep the story from becoming repetitive and predictive.
"If Spritle and Chim-Chim are missing, they're in the trunk," Sanchez said, referencing the old Speed Racer cartoon show. "It happens every episode. Mix it up a bit."
"There is no right or wrong way to write a comic book script," Hopkins said. "As long as your directions are clearly understood, you can use any method that you want."
He presented a few examples of different styles that have been used in the comic book industry, including the standard full-script and the 'Marvel' style.
Full-script enables the author to spell out the comic panel by panel, giving him full control of the story's pacing and blocking.
'Marvel' style, created primarily by Marvel Comics author Stan Lee, allows the writer to provide the artist with a basic summary of the events in the comic and then goes back to add dialogue to the completed page.
According to Hopkins, the Marvel style may be responsible for the image of comic book writers as nothing more than dialoguers.
Being limited to paper pages leaves the opportunity for what Hopkins calls the "O.S. Moment," the moment when your reader turns the page and is hit with something that they don't expect.
"Putting a big reveal on the opposite page can ruin the surprise," Hopkins said. "When you can, it's best to hit them with it just as they turn the page."
More information on Hopkins and Sanchez can be found at www.antiherocomics.com and www.whoarethenine.com.
Sanchez, author of the online comic "The Nine," held a session on storytelling. Hopkins, who was named Best Local Comic Book Writer of 2006 by the Dallas Observer, taught a class on scripting a comic book.
The authors provided ways that students can get involved in comic book writing, and possibly turn it into a career.
Ask questions, then answer them.
"In the old days, Clark Kent would go into a phone booth, and a few seconds later Superman would zoom out," Sanchez said. "What ever happened to his Clark Kent clothes?"
Answering these questions can be serious or humorous, depending on the kind of story you want to tell.
Surprise the reader
Just because you know how the story will end doesn't mean that your reader should.
Sanchez brought up Joss Whedon, the creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Twilight Zone host Rod Serling as masters of this technique.
"Serling would spend most of the show letting you think he was telling one story, then reveal what was really going on at the very end," Sanchez said. "Whedon was a master of setting you up, making you feel good, then smacking you down and making you feel dumb for letting your guard down."
In addition, surprises keep the story from becoming repetitive and predictive.
"If Spritle and Chim-Chim are missing, they're in the trunk," Sanchez said, referencing the old Speed Racer cartoon show. "It happens every episode. Mix it up a bit."
Write the script however you like.
"There is no right or wrong way to write a comic book script," Hopkins said. "As long as your directions are clearly understood, you can use any method that you want."
He presented a few examples of different styles that have been used in the comic book industry, including the standard full-script and the 'Marvel' style.
Full-script enables the author to spell out the comic panel by panel, giving him full control of the story's pacing and blocking.
'Marvel' style, created primarily by Marvel Comics author Stan Lee, allows the writer to provide the artist with a basic summary of the events in the comic and then goes back to add dialogue to the completed page.
According to Hopkins, the Marvel style may be responsible for the image of comic book writers as nothing more than dialoguers.
Use the medium to your advantage.
Being limited to paper pages leaves the opportunity for what Hopkins calls the "O.S. Moment," the moment when your reader turns the page and is hit with something that they don't expect.
"Putting a big reveal on the opposite page can ruin the surprise," Hopkins said. "When you can, it's best to hit them with it just as they turn the page."
More information on Hopkins and Sanchez can be found at www.antiherocomics.com and www.whoarethenine.com.
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