DON'T YOU ALSO WRITE COMICS?

I don't just write comic books... I also read them.

One of the greatest aspects of writing comics is seeing new art appear in my inbox. I’ve been blessed recently to see art by several different, yet equally fantastic artists. I love it. Posted here are some strategically cropped samples of art from some of my comic projects currently in production (some in production longer than others). No spoilers or details on what project is what until it's officially announced by the publisher(s), but just a hint at the cool art I sometimes find waiting for me in my email. Click on the images for a slightly larger view.

As with writing a novel, creating comic books is a time-consuming task. As a writer, my part is always the first one completed so the wait time is longer for me while the artist or artists, depending on the project, work their magic. This probably won't surprise too many folks, but the majority of comic book creators work day jobs. There's not a lot of money in creating comic books. Oh, sure, there are exceptions to that. Some creators work on multiple books per month and can make a living, and it's true that sometimes Hollywood comes calling with a desire to license a book.

It happens, but... (oh, come on, you knew there was going to be a 'but' coming, didn't you?) those situations are not the norm. Most comic book creators I know or have met at cons or on-line create comics because they love comics. I love writing comic books. I can't say that enough.

I love writing comic books.

Unlike writing a novel, writing comics is a more collaborative effort. When I sit down to write the Evil Intent novel, it's just me and the keyboard. After I've finished there's an editor, proofreader, designer, and publisher that enter the process, but in terms of getting the story down I'm more or less on my own.

With comics (which I love writing, in case you hadn't heard), I write the script and hand it off to the artist before moving onto the next project while I wait for art to come in. My preference is writing full script so the artist can see what I'm thinking in terms of panels on the page, pacing, and dialogue, sound effects, etc. On the other hand, I take any input from the artist to heart as well. If I write a 5 panel page and the artist tells me it works better as a 6 panel page then I say "Let's go for it" and trust the artist's judgement. Sometimes, a really talented artist will convey mood or feeling int he art so I can go back in and remove dialogue if needed (and you know how much we writers hate to do that).

In some cases there is one artist who handles the pencils and inks, as was the case working with Jason Flowers on Bloody Olde Englund. FYI: one of those sneak peeks is from that very book. Other times the artist will also handle lettering and/or coloring, as with James Burns on Lance Star: Sky Ranger or Rick Johnson on Operation Silver Moon. You guessed it - both of those are posted here as well.

Usually, though, especially when doing work-for-hire, there is a different penciller, inker, letter, and colorist attached. No one way works better than others, to me. It's all comics and, as you may have heard, I love writing comic books.

Well, this post went on a lot longer than I had intended, but I hope you enjoy the sneak peeks. Keep an eye on this space for information on each of these projects as soon as there is more to mention.

Did I mention that I love writing comics?

I really do love them and I try to write a few comic stories every year. As you can see by the various art scattered throughout this blog post, I keep on telling what I hope are entertaining stories. Would I love to do more? You bet. I love creator-owned material (I own or co-own several of the books in development) and I enjoy work-for-hire (If anyone from any paying publishing markets reads this, email me and we'll talk).

Okay, so now that the clock has passed 2:00 in the morning, I think it's time to bring my ramblings to an end for the moment.

See ya in the funny pages.

Bobby