Making Comics: Storytelling Secrets of Comics, Manga and Graphic Novels

273 Pages·2006·29.55 MB·English

by  Scott Mccloud

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»o SECRETS OF COMICS, MANGA AND GRAPHIC NOVELS
ony makes him invin-a

Id, Will
ily, ho-an

Learn How fo...

* Choose the right moments to clarity
and strengthen your slories

* Frame cictions and guide your readers’
eyes through each comics page.

* Choose words anc pictures that
communicate together.

* Create varied ond compelling
new characters.

* Master body language and facta
expressions.

* Create rich, believable worlds for
your readers to explore,

ick the fools the are right for you

* Navigate the vest world of comics
styles ond genres.

ond Reinventing Comics. H's books are avai
larguages. Si; City creator Frank Miller caillect
him “just about the smartest guy

Praise for Understanding Comics
) by Scott McCloud

“if you read, vite, teach or draw comics; if
you want to; or if you simaly want te watch
a master explainer at work, you must read
this book.” Neil Gaiman

jes is a mustread for

) “Understanding
any true connoisseur of comic:

—Jim Lee

“Quite simply the best analysis of the me-
dium that | have ever encountered. Highly
recommended.” —Alan Moore

ble in sixtecn,

THA Gabe
MIAKING

CUMies

STORYTELLING SECRETS OF COMICS, MANGA AND GRAPHIC NOVELS

FROM THE AUTHOR OF UNDERSTANDING COMICS

AY LO] 1," [ai
Written and Drawn by

Scott McCloud

Echos
Kate Travers
John Williams

Esttoral Consutanes
Kurt Busiek
Jenn Manley Lee
Neil Gaiman
Larry Marder
Ivy Ratafia

‘Comics Font des nod by
John Roshell at Comicraft

comicbcokfonts.com

HARPER

MaKs COuict. Copwight ® 2005 by Sect! McCloud. Al igh'stesenved Frntedhh the Unted Sistas of
[Amero Nb pet af ie hak may be tert or taprscuredin cry manner whshoaver wihout wan
etrivion except in re cate 0! arel auoteriors emoediedineical ericies ond eviews, Por inforrracior
dues HarberGoirs Publ en, 10 Eat 58rd Sheet. New fox NY 15022,

HorparCotins books may be surchaved for sdusoffonal, bushes. cr sales promotional ise. Forinferncfon
Ppiraieuer Sania Martersiaperment member Pubes, (FC A Saat New Ye, NT 10027

RST ETON
UUbrary ef Congress Canaioging--Pubfesten Date § auslable upon “expert

an-in-c.osarecsac
SENIES7ECDe 7

7 e809 10 eymee 109875
Pre -

Vt any big So2kstore and you'll nd tons of haweo-craw books an
the shelves aimed at comics artuts Hp through than and you'lsea
Hlop-ay-ttep Fstuctions on rowing manga schoolait ovttis. eupemhers
uncles cand ship gags These are the books that “el you what they ol
costume you wan" te kriow—how’ ta drow Ike your fovorie ort ssa
they'rs Eretty gocd at it, Bt there's something they r@ not feting you. n
fact, trere's.a whole book's worth of sec-ots they're leaving out

IF you've ever fat thare must =e something more -o making carries
thon jus" copy ng crowing siya, ther this s the frank for you,

In these pages, I've dore my best -o cover the eonyreling secies |
don't see any orhar books talking about, ne idea: every comic: aris!
neck to tackle befere they even pick up a pen. inckiding:

nosing the right moments to race into ca7~eb—What to
include, whet ‘0 loave out

+ Framing artiore nar guiding ‘he reader's eyes

+ Shoesing werss ene images the! comin nical -ogeter,

* Ctesting va'ed and comaeling charac'ess with Inner ves
‘ond unfarsettatls appearances

+ Mastering bedy language and focal sxprestions,

= resting rich, believable wo kis far your euriers 16 explore

* Ficking tr tool frat are fight for you, ond understencing
how those tool evolved.

+ Novigating the vast ward of comics styles anc gerves

The comics indusry $ changing fest, Old formers dle and new ones
{fe born: Whole industies come and ge. But those storyfcling principles
ahvais apply. Trey mattered fity yecrs ago ond they'll matter tity years
ot now

wheter you want "0 graw orapnic novels supemnerces, mangarsivie,
you're going f¢ 2e putting one cicture alter

sigs or wet
arate 0 ll tay

Hore's how.

=

j

Scall beth
BE awrRoouerion

EA 6 warns wire pictures
Fy caanrry ano persunson
[EG] 0 the ene cHoces
{SF 8 cies oF ence

A ta connecting the Bors:
ED rae sere wssinoss

Cl i choce or Frare

20 DISTANCE, ANGLE AND PY,

22 esrAaUsHiN SHOTS

T ss sow merase

[A =vecwoces enensr
EB 90 womans mer4o0s

BEd 2 aneicar-oreies mere
GA 2 cxany versus surensiry

[Bs vereustrversis sersuasion

El & notes ano exercises,

4 THE READER'S CAMERA
26 choice oF ammo
20 cork oF WORD BE:
FB 22 ciceor iow J
3B pmecrno Tae eve

EP or rnsca sores
Co Ea omer neioemreans
a eal nae

55 STORIES FOR HUMANS
Gi sa sr taces won

(BD) 62 asters ro oruewnais ceacrons
Gh ex cramacren esos

[Be saver ure

[2 vem osrmcrion

76 OPRESSIE TRARTS

FB so rac expressions

| EMOTIONAL coMMUSICATION

] [2] es THe enoricnal pamanies

El vramin exeaessions
WD ica ony Lenieuncs,

FD 3 cierenences From exPREsson

los TyPes oF netamousins
Te) os etevamon ano sticus
El oy pistance ano neLarionsHiP
[Hl ios tmeatance ano visconrenT
Bn orven serarionsuns

a Wave cesTunes

Bad ww rtcurs craw
TD eo mrarowy succes ions
E] is re tapostance oF oxsrune

is 803) Lanauase ACTIN
BB siemens

EE ee vores ano exercises
WP a aides oowent

(ot woRD-speamic

BE pucespecmie

STERDEPENDENT

136 PapaLte

aveende

139 nenase

Ee] Mo usne tHe rye

[E42 woro cations

aa THE “DaspeRaToow pocE™
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Bl # wer-esvammier coutawerarions

\60 MeKNs vOUR STOR?

[Z) 62 senirace ann srecniorus

St NOTES Av ExERESES:

158. WORLD BUILDING
Go. REMISITING Tie ESTABLISHING SHOT

DHSa

6 Come SIRE HALiGh

FR 7 wones

70 peRspecTive

[Bi 10 rexscective anv comes

if] mt mPRovsarcn

hor JUST “@ackcnounos!

[Ew sores ano exencses

a The nowren oe Wen ~\ B04 roots, recuwaves Axo

TECHNOLOGY
[EH wt rie ony essenrat Taos

FAR ee naeurnc ou THe over

too TRAD Towa. “oaLs
Fm te ease oubmen
El ro shuns, Pens AND MARKERS
FE] es reap rema. verreene

176 DicrTAL TRAWSrTIONs/ Mis Boeke

Fee olerat 10 PRAT
209 BIGHTAL TOSoREEN I

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204 couPHENT

207 wHerS THE 20857

He

[Eh 22 vour piace w comes

288 UNDERSTANDING ceHES

kat
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B
a

298 WANOCRING FAR AND WIDE.

A 24 maxave comes
2 GE WORE YOU CAN EF
9 yoRTUSI

HORA

256 NerES

256 BreLiocRATHY/SUE:

20 INDEX
For
will Eisner

Aeknowedgments

Monk you to ony elertz Kurt usink Jen waver Lee, Nel Gelman, Lary Marder ond ivy Rotcfo for
toting 0 cre los af early at of he Book. Cur. a: Omoys er the park wah hs etcless cicues and
heloed creo ou! cnr number of embarreseng furibing passages (ory that terran you can blame on me}
Trane you aks "0 i Comipe fro: wre “aspendet tomy etal tock survey wee the roves section Chi

Fv fer re It. Special stoo¥oeding venice: provides by Carol Pana. aio helprg ou" with r¥ormation ware
Shaercn Guily. Sor Kesel are he slolf ol Graprakes F Agoura ills C4, anc ‘hark you to all eur hinds and
fomly une eftered eforenca moterc ct posed far raferacestiois nckulry hy, Sky Wht hal Gertler
Lauren Grats [thas Net and Levien in the aooly prcte ar page #4). .o° Matzumo"® John Wiseman S. Fry=
Taleo. lay, Mall Mile anol couse, The Highly Paul Sei fer poshg. sketching anc nelbing us move fre
fideo.

‘mane you te ely Lenouan ter mating Fage 30, pone! pose

"Tront you fe Savi, kota, Joh lucy and everycne whe a Harser for herr advice and s.0per,
Thank you fe Jud Harsen fo Thing this cook egret home ond etemoly watching out fer us.

Thanks fo At Sclegetman fo" nreducina me te the erm "Pct Writing’ when ineped tr te cf Cnoster
(Oe, a fining ey own iseok about comics over he years.

Thank-you, with ove, to the amazing wy for tying *hoLsandt of words nfo hove balocns ardinto the index,
ong ne une ray rar my veyiong woides ta ayeu enduhal ard x moka awh
ilo.

The comice weral ioe: Ws Eenetin Jorve 2005, whie this book was nelng ven, He wen A us veny rach
Inhisplime. "i Dock Comes and Sequenfia' rt aiousy cxamined the ot of raking comics way back
Ts and ne repredius 6 "ea! comics wn chy Fy endrespect i aug ut ns cenfuipsponning caver, eh
be torish mized.
INTRODUCTION

10 YOU WANT TO MAKE THE KIND
"THAT READERS REMEMBER?

tHe
THEVLL REEP THING

D0 YOu waNT TO Pepu.ereD GY
[PULL READERS INTO. Paar

pom Thar FT DOESHT FesL LE

iy 3 CREATED THIS BOOK.
TWENTY YEARS
‘conics 70 FLL TWO BOOKS, vaRicus
ARTICLES aN 8 =EW THOUSAND HOURS OF

THURNE TO AANOME HMODLISTEN.

some cuaLLeNces,
ke \pRovnis “9 GURE DRAWING,
\_ Meesehinmovano srupy. 7

Contes 5 @ SECRET LANGUAGE ALL Ts Cun,
S80 MASTERING Fr Poses CHalLencts ULE
‘iy EACED Ey PROSE WATEPS, LLLSTRATCRS OF
[Sat ote CREATIVE PROFESSIONA.

Bu" MY OWN cos stones =)

HeVE NEVER BEEN 43 GOOD ASTKWOW |
“ee co. oF

‘ano

roarusarety

THERE ARE PLENTY OF

THERE FOR THAT SORT
‘OF THNG,

et
(rere Much
( werent
DRANG AMD WRTRE /
Arges.

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