When Writing Comics

I've written a lot of comic book scripts and have only had one actually made though we're still awaiting release and all.  Back in the day, I used to draw comics with my friend Shane Horton.  We never wrote scripts; we just came up with stuff and started drawing.  My art never seemed to get any better (as to say, I couldn't draw what was in my head) and I was a kid without patience so I ended up stopping drawing (something I regret wholeheartedly) and I focused on writing.  Of course, being impatient and often bullheaded, I didn't research on how exactly they're written; I just started writing.  As it turns out, for the most part, I was doing it correctly.  Then again, as I found out later, there really are no rules and while almost always structured the same, every writer writes differently.
*Side note-- I found this with other mediums as well.  I'd hear about the rules of screenwriting but when I would read a bunch of scripts, I'd find that different writers had their own thing. 

The basics to how I write comics is this:

Page Number
Panel Number: Your action.
           (Indention) Character/Sound FX/Caption (Whichever you choose):  Dialogue.
Repeat

The way I write comics is a bit different than that of, say, Alan Moore, who is known for writing mass amounts of detail as he knows every bit of what he wants per panel.  Now, someday I may write one like that but, for me, it would have to be a special project.  I love art, I looove art, and in the way I do these, I tend to leave room for the artists to interpret the work and also do more, giving them leeway.  I keep my panels simple just to give the artist an idea of what's going on.  I like partnerships.  I'm big on having a creative partner and giving credit where credit is due.  I don't like the idea of having 'hired hands'.  So if I write a script and an artist is interested, I'd like for them to put their personal stamp on it. 

Example:

Panel 3:  Superhero is flying off when Large Monster grabs his/her cape.

Now, it looks simple, but a good artist will take it and run with it.  They can add in facial expressions, body movements, etc.  If they draw it exactly as says, that's fine too, I suppose; but I always hope that they can see it as something bigger than that.  As I said, I love the idea of a creative partner in the process and not a hired hand. 

Something I've learned from working with my partner/brother-in-art Dennis Magnant:  Giving plenty of room but also be quick to think of more.  For Tourniquet there have been a couple of times in which I wrote a three page scene.  In my head, it's how it flowed.  Dennis sends me ONE page that said the exact same thing.  It wasn't cluttered or too much, he just managed to tell the scene in one page when my mind saw it in three.  He was apologetic and I told him there was no sorry necessary; I simply didn't think of it that way.  I've learned that, giving that much room, it's almost like I'm a screenwriter and he, as the artist, is the director, rewriting scenes as need be.  For some, this may seem like a bit much, but nothing changes at all, he just happened to tell the scene in a sleeker, more streamlined fashion and less clunkier than I had envisioned it (unbeknownst to me).  In this case, we had then had two extra pages so I wrote to that. 

I always allow the artist more space to flex.  Often times my scripts become a bit too wordy. Sometimes I'll cut it down but often times that dialogue, no matter how long, seems just right for the scene.  In this case, my simple and sometimes very few panels per page comes in handy as you can always put, say, a monologue as its own panel.  For the short comic script "Goodbyes" (you all can find on here if you haven't already read it), it's loaded with dialogue - BUT the art is so simple and not much going on, it'd be easy to fill most of the page with the various dialogue balloons and thought clouds.  Some of my shorts, like the sci-fi "Bad Wiring" (also on here) is 8 pages, but an artist may come along and be able to tell the story in 5 pages.  Stuff like this doesn't bother me at all as long as the story gets told.  The same can be said across the board with anything I (or you) write.  My one-shot on here "Gunslinger's Remorse" is like 15 pages.  It could be fleshed out More with more detail, and since it's a western, there could be extra pages of landscape.  If it's a one shot shorter than let's say 20 pages, I'm open to the artist just adding some of their art after the story.  Story's done, throw in some extra showing what else you do, that's cool.  I feel the same for writers actually; the story's done and you have a little something extra for the reader, throw it in. 

I tend to leave out details unless they're necessary; certain colors, hairstyles, etc.  If I have a specific art style in mind I'll put the notes right in the beginning of the script before Page 1 starts; you'll see I did this with "Gunslinger's Remorse".  That's not limiting, I don't believe, because even if I say I'd like it to be B&W and sketchy, it still gives the artist plenty of room. 

Storywise, it depends on what the project is.  "Justice Roll" (just like the others, it's on here) is a one-shot while at the same time a series proposal.  I didn't want to have him be the main focus of the issue, telling it through someone else's eyes (much like The Road Warrior) as I tell the brief origin and also get into the superhero action.  It doesn't end with a cliffhanger but ends that family's (our actual leads) story.  I spoke on this before, but if I was able to get Justice Roll picked up, the next issue (and actual first in the series) would focus on him.  "Two-Fisted Youngins" (also on here) was originally meant as a miniseries so it ends with more to come.  It starts with the young brothers in the south being hellions, not thinking of their actions, but by the end of the issue they realize they need to clean it up.  If I continue with it, I could finish out the miniseries OR I could do like TV does and take the characters through more dramatic situations. 

A lot of times, I really enjoy puzzle pieces - just seeing one little piece of a potentially larger picture.  In "Goodbyes" and "Bad Wiring" and even "Gunslinger's Remorse" I don't go into the full background or even the future after these events.  My thoughts on this is simple; that's not what it's about.  In "Goodbyes" we don't really NEED to know this couple's beginnings or continuing to understand what is going on in the short.  I know so many people who NEED origins, they NEED to know WHY.  I enjoy mystery a lot.  I like seeing a situation for what it is without having an urge to ask "But why is it like this today?"  If it leaves me wanting more, that's GOOD. 

Example of this: Wolverine used to be my favorite comic book character.  I loved the mystery that surrounded him.  You only learned about him personally in pieces, which was wonderful.  The moment they decided to actually give him a solid set in stone origin, it killed it for me.  I suppose it's the same complaint I have with movie trailers today, quit showing me everything, leave some mystery.  I know it's not the same but the feeling remains.

In "Bad Wiring" it's the same.  It's a situation and just a PEEK into a larger world.  Why does everyone have TVs for heads?  Why is the Cable Co. in control of everything, controlling the city as tyrants?  I don't care.  It's the situation I care about.  I don't want to know how it came to be; I just want to enjoy the story. 

Just like ALL writing, write what you want; what interests YOU.  A lot of my comic scripts probably wouldn't make much money and probably couldn't be merchandised, BUT I wanted to write those stories that were in my head.  They interested me and so I wrote them.  Remember, if you like something then more than likely others do as well.  So if you have a strange little idea for a comic book but you have the thought of "Yeah, but it's not like *insert popular and well selling comic title here*..." who cares?  Remember EVERY idea started off with that.  Every idea started off without a market.  It's not like superheroes, superhero teams, horror, zombies, drama, etc etc comic book genres were just ALWAYS around. 

So here's an example of a comic script page on the fly:

Page 1
Panel 1:  Chris writes at his computer. 
Panel 2:  A large spider crawls up on the desk next to his hand.
Panel 3:  Close-up - His face in shock.
Panel 4:  Chris is looking down at the spider.
        Spider:  Hey, you stepped on me earlier!
        Chris:  Sorry, dude, I didn't see you.
Panel 5:  The spider is leaving.
        Spider:  Yeah, well next time pay attention where you're going.
Panel 6:  The spider's gone and Chris is scratching his head in confusion.

Again, everybody writes differently.  This is the basics of how I write comics. 

Have a wonderful day, everyone!