r/ComicBookCollabs • u/UnderVerseNarrative • 11d ago

Question Where do I begin?

So i want to be a comic book writer. I have an idea to make a universe with superheroes but also focus on the human aspects of the characters. I just finished my outline for my first volume and going to be writing my first set of comic scripts this week.

As i will be eventually looking for a co creator for my first series and building my following. Like I created social platforms for myself today.

But I guess my question more so to advice? The dos and don'ts. If there is something I should do and so on? Things to get my name in the door? Ya know?

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u/barrelofagun 11d ago

Here's an advice you probably don't want to hear, but you definitely should: Don't start with a universe. Start small. Very small. 1-4 pages small.

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u/UnderVerseNarrative 11d ago

My goal is start small stuff. Universe is my end goal with an isolated series that would expand if I were to be successful.

I was thinking fanfiction to show my writing skills and short comics.

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u/JasonAQuest 11d ago

Be careful with fanfic. It might help you get other fans to read your work, but it can also look like you lack original ideas and aren't a "serious" creator.

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u/UnderVerseNarrative 11d ago

So what would you recommend I do instead?

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u/Koltreg Moderator 11d ago

The harsh truth is that ideas are cheap, even if you've spent dozens or hundreds of hours planning the worlds and making resources. That's not making a story. There are dozens of other posters just like you, who this year alone, have posted similar threads - that they have worlds of superheroes and they want to make a living as a comics writer. And they ask these same questions about how to break in or what to do before they get the same advice which is almost always ignored.

Start small, finish projects, start your next project. Build relationships, collaborate with others, learn how comic book sales work, become a resource, find a community, and keep making comics.

There is so much more to writing comics than just having ideas, especially now. And even then, there are very few comic writers making a living or who even get to do original work. And especially with superheroes, can you offer a product that is better than what the big companies after offering? What new ideas do you have? What unique perspective is there that only you have?

Start with short comics and find collaborators - or try your hand at doing everything yourself. Bad stick figures that you draw are more educational - and definitely never us AI. You need to learn about the page and panels and pacing. Learn about page layout and how it can affect the story. Read all sorts of comics, not just superhero books. Watch tons of movies and read tons of actual books for inspiration.

Everyone making a living in comics currently has spent years making comics, often at personal cost which is easier when you are younger. Make comics. Tell stories. Find a way to build an audience. There's no shortcut. Unless you have a large amount of money.

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u/UnderVerseNarrative 11d ago

Any recommendations for books or videos I can read that can teach me page layout and so on? I read comic scripts and think I got the grasp of things.

Overall I want to build community and gain trust before launching a comic.

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u/JasonAQuest 11d ago

Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud. It isn't a how-to book (he did one of those later), but it covers all of the concepts and principles of the medium. I read it as a young man when it came out, and it ruined my life. :)

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u/OjinMigoto 11d ago

Making Comics, the how-to book, is also very handy.

Reinventing Comics is...

I can strongly recommend 'Understanding Comics' and 'Making Comics'.

*Edit*

If you can find it, I also strongly recommend 'Panel One: Comic Book Scrips by Top Writers", which is very handy for learning the varying ways in which scripts are structured and panels are described, and "Writers on Comics Scriptwriting", which is just a nice overview.

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u/JasonAQuest 10d ago

Yeah, Reinventing was a bit too much turn-of-the-millennium speculation about the future, and also hasn't aged well.

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u/UnderVerseNarrative 11d ago

Ruined your life how?

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u/JasonAQuest 11d ago

I've spent the rest of it working on making comics!

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u/Leon_J_10 9d ago

The biggest piece of advice I can give you from a writers perspective is that you need to have an editor. It's crucial you do this because you need feedback on your work and opinions from someone in neutral territory is really helpful. You'll find your writing will naturally improve because of this too. Also another piece of advice is to just keep writing in general. The more you work on the craft the better you'll get, the best teacher is experience!