Make a Great Comic

You may already be in the process of Make-a-Comic but are looking for ways to make it great. Or, you have already Write-a-Comic-Book and are considering how you can make it better than what is already out there. This article will help you learn how to create a great comic book or improve upon Write-a-Simple-Comic-Strip you have already created. You should get inspired by the existing comics and create a storyline that is compelling and characters that draw the reader in. Your comic should also look great, with a presentation that is engaging and professional, and then you can share it with others.

Steps

Getting Inspired

1. Study comics you admire. You can get inspired by looking at comics you love and enjoy as a reader. You may be a fan of Marvel comics, with a preference for a particular superhero or series. Or you may be more interested in Japanese comics, such as manga, and use manga titles as inspiration for your comic. Study the drawing style and the storytelling of the comics you admire. You could then use them as a jumping off point for your own comic or get inspired to make a comic you have already made better.
   • You may also think about creating your own version of an existing comic book character, such as a female version of a character or a character who is trans or queer instead of straight. You may put your own on spin on an existing character, being sure not to copy the character exactly. Try to put your original take on the character so it feels like your own.
2. Look to existing myths and fables for inspiration. You can also get inspiration by adapting an existing myth or fable for your comic. You may choose a myth that is obscure and not very well known to your audience, such as a Native American myth or a Japanese myth, and use elements of it in your comic. Leaning on an existing myth could allow you to get creative with interesting source material.
   • You may also put an original spin on an existing myth or fable that is well known, such as your own take on the Brothers Grimm fairy tales. Doing this could allow you to create a comic that is unique and relatable to your readers.
3. Take an original story and turn it into a comic. You may also find inspiration by adapting an original work you have written, such as short story or a poem, and turning it into a comic. You may use the storytelling in your story to plan out the comic and use the same characters.
   • You may also improve an existing comic to make it better by using other story ideas you may have in the comic. Combining several story ideas or adding more ideas or characters to the comic could make it better.

Creating a Compelling Storyline

1. Include incredible exploits. Perhaps the most important element of your comic is the storyline. A good storyline, full of incredible exploits, will help to keep your reader interested. Incredible exploits are often used in superhero comics or comics that explore fantastical elements. You should include exploits that seem startling and incredible in your comic so your characters are put in situations that are interesting. This will also ensure your reader stays entertained.
   • You may include incredible exploits in your comics that involve your characters, like a plot to save the world from destruction hatched by your main character or a conflict with your main character’s superpowers and their everyday life. Or you may include incredible exploits that happen to your characters, such as an explosion in a chemical plant that infects a character or an encounter with a dangerous force that leaves the character weak and alone.
2. Use down-to-earth realism. A compelling storyline also involves in the contrast between incredible exploits and down-to-earth realism. You should try to contrast every incredible exploit in your comic with moments of realism so your reader is constantly being pulled in both directions. Doing this will also ground the incredible elements of your story in a world that feels real to the reader and relatable.
   • For example, you may start with a moment of down-to-earth realism, where your character does an everyday, casual thing, such as getting a coffee at Starbucks. You may then have an incredible moment, such as an explosion that occurs as the character exits the Starbucks. The explosion could then trigger a series of events that are a contrast of realism and incredible exploits.
3. Keep the narrative consistent and linked. A consistent narrative is also a good way to build a storyline that keeps your readers engaged. Linking events that occur in the narrative together will also create a storyline that feels well done and thoughtful. You should strive for a narrative that has a sense of plot and pacing.
   • You should try to use elements in the story more than once with purpose and intention. For example, if you introduce a new character to the storyline, they should be linked or connected somehow to existing characters in the story. The link should also be dramatic and purposeful to justify introducing a new character.
   • You should also repeat certain symbols or images in the comic with purpose. Perhaps you associate certain characters with certain colors and only use these colors when they are in the scene. Or perhaps you use a certain symbol to represent a location in the story, and every time this location is mentioned in the story, this symbol is used.
4. Give the story emotion and passion. You should inject your storyline with emotion and passion, as these two elements are often what matters most to readers. You should be invested in the comic as the creator and translate your strong passion for the project on the page. Choose a storyline that you find interesting and that you are wholeheartedly passionate about exploring. Try to inject this enthusiasm into the story.
   • You can give your story emotion by adding elements to your storyline that you find interesting. For example, if you have a strong interest in molecular biology, you may add elements of molecular biology to your storyline.
   • You can also invest your characters in details that you are passionate about, such as a character that wants to save the forest or a character who is passionate about human rights. You can use your characters to translate your own personal beliefs or ideas into the world of the comic.

Building Strong Characters

1. Allow your characters to have flaws. Your comic can be unique and great by having characters who are flawed. Flawed characters are relatable to your audience and are often more nuanced than characters who are perfect. Giving your characters flaws will allow you to explore the full range of the human condition, creating characters who make mistakes and do not always do the right thing.
   • For example, you may have a main character who has superpowers and wants to do good in the world. But maybe your character has a weakness for alcohol or is grappling with mental illness. This flaw gives the character depth and conflict.
2. Give your main characters a clear goal or purpose. Your characters should also all have a clear goal or purpose in your storyline. The goal could be small or large. But giving your characters a goal will ensure they act with intent in your story and in ways that make sense to them. Having characters with clear goals will also help to plot of the story to move forward and keep your reader on edge.
   • For example, your superhero main character may have the goal of getting rid of a bad person in their small town. They may do everything in their power to destroy the bad person, though they are battling mental illness. They may encounter obstacles or issues that get in the way of their goal, but end up succeeding by the end of the comic.
3. Create-a-Perfect-Villain. Your story should also have a villain that is unique and distinct. This will prevent your story from feeling run of the mill or too familiar. A good villain will have humanizing traits that allow the audience to sympathize with them, though they may do bad things or perpetrate evil.
   • For example, maybe your villain had a troubling childhood, which lead to her decision to act badly or to hurt others. Or, perhaps your villain has a love of sharks and reptiles, and treats these animals with respect, though he may treat humans with no respect at all.
4. Connect your main villain and your main character. To create a good storyline and strong characters, you should try to draw parallels between your main character and your main villain. Connecting the villain and the protagonist of your story will allow you to explore the relationship between good and evil. It will also add tension and conflict to the relationship between your villain and your protagonist.
   • For example, perhaps your villain has a soft spot for reptiles and your protagonist is a superhero that turns into a reptile. Or, perhaps your villain is constantly seeking a family to love him, and is jealous of the seemingly perfect family of your protagonist.

Having an Engaging Presentation

1. Use a distinct drawing style. A great comic should also look good and have an appealing, distinct drawing style. As the artist, you have the freedom to draw the comic as you see fit. You should channel all your creativity into the drawing style of the comic and create a style that feels unique to you.
   • You may decide to use a specific drawing style that fits the story you are telling. You may decide to use a very simple layout, with very little background images or details, to fit a story set in a void or in a lonely environment. Or you may decide to use a very bold, graphic layout for a story set in a carnival or in a crowded area.
   • Once you choose a drawing style, you should try to be consistent and stick to a similar style throughout the story. This will make the comic feel concise and cohesive.
2. Play with the presentation of the story on the page. Though you should try to stick with a cohesive style in your comic, you should also play with the way the panels appear on the page. You may use symmetrical panels to show the storyline in a more interesting way or combine square and circular panels. If you do play with the presentation of the story on the page, you should do so with intention and purpose. This way, it will feel effective to the reader, rather than confusing or jumbled.
   • For example, you may decide to keep the panels symmetrical and then put the panels around one panel in the center of the page. The central panel may be a critical moment in the scene or the story. This will then allow the reader to view the moments that lead up to the critical moment in the center of the page.
3. Go for high quality presentation, if possible. A great comic will have a solid storyline, good characters, and a high quality presentation. The comic should look as good as it reads. If possible, go for high quality paper printing and binding for the comic. Produce the comic with a hardcover and a quality book spine. You should also try to print the comic so the colors in the graphics pop and show up well on the page.
   • Making the comic look beautiful and high quality may encourage readers to pick it up and read through it. Combining a beautiful presentation with a quality storyline is a sure fire way to make a comic that is well worth reading.

Sharing Your Comic

1. Find a publisher for your comic. Once you have created a comic that you think is great, you may want to share your work of art with others. You may shop your comic around to publishers to see if they might be interested in buying your comic and distributing it locally, nationally, or even internationally. You may contact several online and brick and mortar publishers to see if they might be interested in your work.
   • You should learn how to Write-a-Query-Letter to a publisher when you send out your work. You should send your work to publishers who seem to publish work similar to yours to improve your chances of getting published.
2. Self-publish your comic. You may also consider self-publishing your comic, where you promote and distribute it on your own. You may publish your comic in hard-copy form or online. Publishing your comic online may be a more affordable option and may allow you to reach more readers.
   • If you do publish your comic online, you should use social media to promote it to potential readers. You should also market the comic so it reaches more people.
3. Submit your comic to contests. You can also share your comic with others by submitting to comic book contests. Check to see if your favorite comic book publishers are holding contests for first-time comic book artists or rising stars in the industry. Submit your comic and see if you get chosen as the winner, being sure to follow all the guidelines required for submission to the contest.

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Sources and Citations

See also

• Enjoy Comic Books
• Make a Comic Strip
• Make a Comic
• Make a Political Cartoon
• Write a Funny Comic Strip
• Write a Good Joke
• Write Anime
• Store Comic Books
• Make a Webcomic
• Size Your Comic Books for Proper Storage

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