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Underground > Comic Books >

Comic scriptwriting advice

05:15 / 02.10.04

Hey,

Thought some of the 'lithers here might be able to point me to any old threads that might have some advice to those writers who are interested in trying to get work with comic companies. That'd be me. I know it's come up before, but I'm having trouble finding it in the archives. I have a vague memory of some problem with DC and unsolicited scripts. There's a lot of advice around about how artists can get that first break, but I'm not so clear on what a writerguy should do.

Basically, I want to spend some of next year getting up a few sample scripts and I'd like to know what to do with them once I'm done. I've tried hooking up with artists in the past, but it never really seems to come to anything, so what I'm talking about is just the script. I know a lot of the independents don't want to see just scripts, they want to see art + script, but there must be some places that would look at scripts by themselves.

any advice appreciated. Didn't post this in creation, because I figured this was where the comic-fu was to be found.

m.

04:31 / 03.10.04

I just want to say, ME TOO!

XXII:X:II = XXX

09:02 / 03.10.04

Me three, four and five.

(Actually, I do have some ideas about how to go about it, and more importantly, how to distinguish myself to the specific figures involved in that process, but that's a case-specific plan, and more general information in that regard would likely be helpful.)

/+,

21:13 / 03.10.04

I'm a writer and have had experience with artists. It rarely works out unless you pay them. Most comic companies don't want to bother with reading scripts. Maybe include a few pages of sample art to entice them and the script if they want to read more? A synopsis/pitch is always good.

02:18 / 04.10.04

Oh, I've done comics and have unillustrated scripts
, but what I wanted was advice on how to get work writing Marvel, DC, Image, and Darkhorse... that short of thing. I want to write the characters I grew up reading (and get paid to do it.)

02:46 / 04.10.04

Thanks, tatter. The paying of the artist answer seems to come up a lot - think I'll have to seriously consider that angle. In terms of pitches, is there anything I should know about preparing a pitch?

Have you had work published with any companies?

m.

07:31 / 04.10.04

matsya,

I've had some shorts published by a few small companies, nothing of distinction. My 'story' is that I spent a few years producing a crapload of short scripts and trying really hard to get artists to draw them for free. These collaborations were mostly failures and I had a few successes (although when it did work it, the artwork always seemed second rate). I think the chances are very slim for you to get free high-quality artwork unless you're lucky enough to befriend a like-minded artist who is crazy about your stories (and I'm really skeptical concerning the chances of meeting someone like that off the internet). Incidental, here's a link to some of my stories done by free artists (except for one that I paid $100 for, but that's another story): http://www.livejournal.com/users/tatter2323/36974.html#cutid1

In a way, that whole experience drove me to focus more on prose, because it’s wonderful being able to create something without having to depend on others.

Regardless of that, I decided to bite the bullet and make one last try of “breaking in” by writing a four issue series, hiring a fantastic artist to draw it, and having my credit card company foot the bill.

If you’re looking for artists, placing an ad here is a good start: http://www.digitalwebbing.com/talent/pencilers.html . Offer money if you want to get anyone good. I’ve had bad experiences when I didn’t offer anything, and good experiences when I did. Either way, expect to get a whole lot of crap.

Check this out for writing a pitch: http://platinumstudios.com/press/press.php?press_number=092903

Impulsivelad:

I’m obviously not qualified for giving you advice to breaking into the big two, but I think the obvious way is to get your work out there through the small press and make a name for yourself. Also, it’s difficult to get your work published Dark Horse and Image, but not impossible. You should keep submitting to them and eventually they might bite. Also Marvel lately, for reasons that absolutely boggle my mind, seem interested in recruiting writers that have had successes in other mediums besides comics. This to me seems very stupid.

08:44 / 04.10.04

Get a penciller.
Or spend a few monthes, years, at all the Comics Con you can, being there, meeting pros. After a while, if you're not obnoxious, they'll know you and maybe you'll be helped by a pro.
I use to say that you do your first work because of somebody's introduction and the rest because you're good. (translates not so good in a bad english...)
But if you're good, there's no reason a publisher won't publish your work. That's their job : To earn money with your work. Of course, that's if you're good at what you're doing. And that's highly subjective...
Nevertheless, one thing is sure, a lot of a writer's job is actually lobbying.

15:28 / 04.10.04

From what I hear, going to cons and meeting editors and pros there is very helpful, although possibly more for artists, since their art can be reviewed at a glance, while stories take a little more time to examine...

23:48 / 04.10.04

Yeah, the visiting cons thing is another answer I come across a lot. Doesn't work so well when you're based in Australia. There's about one or two cons a year, and I think it's mostly fan-fave artists from the big companies that come out, not so much editorial staff.

this is all good advice, though.

m.

04:46 / 05.10.04

ah. You're in Australia.
I thought you were in a civilized country, comics wise, of course, that means with a pool of creation, an industry and so on.
Ok, so, they're might be comics pros in Australia (is Eddie Campbell still in oz ?).
Look for the fan press and make a name for you there.

Or you can get the loooong way. Make a name elsewhere and get back to comics when you'd already done something, like a video game, music, novel, movie... Start small, aim high.
Or you could live elsewhere too.
If I wanted to do US comics, I wouldn't probably stay in France, which is quite ok if you want to work in FrancoBelge comics...

But whatever the way, the only advice is do it. Buy all the books about comics scriptwriting, study and write. If Chuck Austen gets published, ther's a good chance a good writer may be published too...

05:50 / 05.10.04

Matsya's already had some small measure of success with a novel, which does actually contain some comics too.

ONLY NICE THINGS

09:47 / 05.10.04

I'm absolutely sure that there is a thread about this somewhere...

11:50 / 06.10.04

There's probably more than one and I'm sure all of them are lot like this.

22:08 / 06.10.04

Yeah, I did a bit of a search, actually, and found them and they're good.

There's one here and one here, too.

cheers all. Much helpful and thought-fodder.

m.