So You Wanna Be a Comic Book Artist? How To Break Into Comics: The Ultimate Guide For Kids is pretty much exactly what it promises. This guide eschews basic drawing instructions, focusing on information on set-up, story, layout, character creation, self-promotion, and tips on getting noticed. It's peppered with interviews of kid comic creators and young professionals. Heavy on the encouragement. Contains no unique information but the presentation and tone is very appropriate to the intended audience.
Reading Journal Entry: Lunar Activity by Elizabeth Moon
A collection of short stories by Elizabeth Moon. I like Moon's stuff - she's a workmanlike writer who infuses her military and personal experience into her writing for a gritty, realistic feel. But this is not such a good collection. It has the feel of a bunch of leftovers thrown together instead of a proper meal. There was no stand-out; it just sort of plodded along. Her books are really much, much better. She's not really successful at characterization in these shorter works.
In addition, all the stories in this book were re-issued in another collection of her work, Phases, so Lunar Activity is a total waste of time.
In addition, all the stories in this book were re-issued in another collection of her work, Phases, so Lunar Activity is a total waste of time.
Gimme money!
I'm riding 60 miles for MS this weekend.
I have never ridden that far in one day in my life. This should be interesting. It's across the Tappan Zee Bridge and up to Bear Mountain, so the scenery I won't be enjoying due to exhaustion will be very nice.
If you donate, I'll be your best friend.
I have never ridden that far in one day in my life. This should be interesting. It's across the Tappan Zee Bridge and up to Bear Mountain, so the scenery I won't be enjoying due to exhaustion will be very nice.
If you donate, I'll be your best friend.
Reading Journal Entry: Writers on Comics Scriptwriting
This is a compilation of interviews and work samples from some of the top writers in the comic book industry: Neil Gaiman, Peter David, Garth Ennis, Warren Ellis, Frank Miller, etc., etc. There are some interesting bits on the philosophy of writing and the process at the major houses. I found the samples of actual scripts and preparation documents most useful.
Grant Morrison is either a total wacko or he has a fantastic sense of humor.
Highly recommended for those interested in the craft.
By the way, I've figured out why Marvel books suck (those that suck. This obviously does not apply to te fancy writers like J. Michael Strazinsky and Joss Whedon who can whatever they want).
The way Marvel works, the writers cook up a plot and send THAT to the artist. A 400 word blur that looks like it came off a book jacket. The artist then draws an entire 22-page comic from said blurb without any direction on how the panels should be laid out, where the page breaks should be, how many pages to devote to which plot points, no idea as to what the dialogue will be, etc. The pencilled art goes back to the writer who writes dialogue for it and maybe sends it back to be changed a bit if he doesn't like it.
Talk about subordinating writing to art! I've found a discussion of the 'words per panel' issue where several writers talk about writing 'around' the art. It depends how much room is left over for those unimportant words. It's bizarre to me that anything decent at all gets produced via this method. Surely it totally precludes any kind of subtlety or depth in the writing.
My husband thinks that the reason Marvel comics suck is the lack of editorial control, but that's a whole 'nother topic.
Grant Morrison is either a total wacko or he has a fantastic sense of humor.
Highly recommended for those interested in the craft.
By the way, I've figured out why Marvel books suck (those that suck. This obviously does not apply to te fancy writers like J. Michael Strazinsky and Joss Whedon who can whatever they want).
The way Marvel works, the writers cook up a plot and send THAT to the artist. A 400 word blur that looks like it came off a book jacket. The artist then draws an entire 22-page comic from said blurb without any direction on how the panels should be laid out, where the page breaks should be, how many pages to devote to which plot points, no idea as to what the dialogue will be, etc. The pencilled art goes back to the writer who writes dialogue for it and maybe sends it back to be changed a bit if he doesn't like it.
Talk about subordinating writing to art! I've found a discussion of the 'words per panel' issue where several writers talk about writing 'around' the art. It depends how much room is left over for those unimportant words. It's bizarre to me that anything decent at all gets produced via this method. Surely it totally precludes any kind of subtlety or depth in the writing.
My husband thinks that the reason Marvel comics suck is the lack of editorial control, but that's a whole 'nother topic.
Reading Journal Entry: How to Create Action, Fantasy and Adventure Comics by Tom Alvarez
A book intended mainly for aspiring comic artists, as opposed to writers or both. A good run-down of the basic skills necessary, including details like equipment. Also includes exercises and specific advice on practicing to develop your art. With a 1996 pub date this looks a little dated but it's better than some.
The career advice section has some good tips but is also a little odd. The advice is to specialize; pick one thing at which you are skilled and develop it, whether it's lettering, inking, etc. This is a good way to break into the industry but it's not exactly the kind of artistic fulfillment and 'creation' that the title promises. A section on writing includes a stern admonition: "There is no jumping back and forth from writing to art back to writing." Ha. Little did they know how many writers/artists would soon be on the scene proving them wrong.
Fun-squishing aside,this how-to book actually could teach someone how-to.
The career advice section has some good tips but is also a little odd. The advice is to specialize; pick one thing at which you are skilled and develop it, whether it's lettering, inking, etc. This is a good way to break into the industry but it's not exactly the kind of artistic fulfillment and 'creation' that the title promises. A section on writing includes a stern admonition: "There is no jumping back and forth from writing to art back to writing." Ha. Little did they know how many writers/artists would soon be on the scene proving them wrong.
Fun-squishing aside,this how-to book actually could teach someone how-to.
Reading Journal Entry: Anansi Boys, by Neil Gaiman
Neil Gaiman did a reading at the Union Square B&N and I got meeself a lovely little signed first edition. He held about 400 people in the palm of his hand for an hour. He obviously has a lot of practice as he was very good. No-one flashed him that I know of - I was a bit disappointed.
Anansi Boys is a humorous fantasy story about the son of Mr. Nancy (a god) and what happens when his dad dies and his long-lost brother shows up. Alert readers will remember Mr. Nancy from Gaiman's huge hit American Gods. This is not a sequel, Mr. Gaiman informs us, rather Mr. Nancy was making a special guest appearance.
Mr. Nancy, based on the tricksy spider Anansi, is black, and it's amazing how much more successful Gaiman was at this whole 'modern urban fantasy written about characters of a different race' than Orson Scott Card was in Magic Street. Card's story has a self-conscious air of self-congratulation and study about it. Gaiman just went ahead and did it. Moreover, Gaiman bases the fantasy elements on indigenous African mythology rather than shoe-horning Shakespeare into downtown LA.
But enough about that. Anansi Boys is a lot of fun and a complete success. Buy it.
Anansi Boys is a humorous fantasy story about the son of Mr. Nancy (a god) and what happens when his dad dies and his long-lost brother shows up. Alert readers will remember Mr. Nancy from Gaiman's huge hit American Gods. This is not a sequel, Mr. Gaiman informs us, rather Mr. Nancy was making a special guest appearance.
Mr. Nancy, based on the tricksy spider Anansi, is black, and it's amazing how much more successful Gaiman was at this whole 'modern urban fantasy written about characters of a different race' than Orson Scott Card was in Magic Street. Card's story has a self-conscious air of self-congratulation and study about it. Gaiman just went ahead and did it. Moreover, Gaiman bases the fantasy elements on indigenous African mythology rather than shoe-horning Shakespeare into downtown LA.
But enough about that. Anansi Boys is a lot of fun and a complete success. Buy it.
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