Contains annotations, plots, interviews, and scripts by many of comics' hottest writers, including Kurt Busiek, Neil Gaiman, Greg Rucka, Kevin Smith, Jeff Smith, Marv Wolfman, and more.
Book Description
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Editorial Reviews
Review
Anything you've ever wanted to know about comic scriptwriting is in here -- Savant #82, August 22nd, 2002
It's an attractive package put together by comics writer Nat Gertler, and it's welcome, indeed. GRADE: A -- Comics Buyer's Guide issue 1483
There aren't many books that pass for "invaluable references" in our field, but this qualifies. -- Steven Grant's Permanent Damage column, April 3rd, 2002
It's an attractive package put together by comics writer Nat Gertler, and it's welcome, indeed. GRADE: A -- Comics Buyer's Guide issue 1483
There aren't many books that pass for "invaluable references" in our field, but this qualifies. -- Steven Grant's Permanent Damage column, April 3rd, 2002
About the Author
Kurt Busiek was working in comics for many years before rocketing to the top of the field by writing Marvels. His original series Astro City has been a lightning-rod for awards.
Neil Gaiman is the New York Times best-selling author of American Gods and Sandman.
Nat Gertler, contributor to and editor of Panel One has written for dozens of publishers. He was nominated for an Eisner award due to his self-published alternative superhero miniseries The Factor.
Dwayne McDuffie co-founded Milestone Media, the most successful black-owned comic book company ever. He co-created Static and writes for the TV adaptation of that series, Static Shock.
Trina Robbins is one of comics leading historians, and her book The Great Women Cartoonists was on the top 10 list for the year 2001 at Time magazine's website.
Greg Rucka was already a respected novelist when he turned to comics, where he quickly garnered awards for his antarctic thriller Whiteout.
Jeff Smith is the cartoonist behind the popular fantasy series Bone. His work on Rose is a rare example of him writing comics for another artist to draw.
Kevin Smith set the independent film world ablaze with his black-and-white film Clerks. He is the writer, director, and star of such popular films as Chasing Amy and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back!. He has brought his own characters to comics, as well as bringing the second-string superheroes Daredevil and Green Arrow up to superstar status.
Marv Wolfman wrote Crisis on Infinite Earths, voted the second best comics story of the 20th century. His long run on Tomb of Dracula included the introduction of the character "Blade", the basis for a series of films.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
37 of 37 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
One thing that's bugged me in my various efforts at writing a comic book script is that no reference I checked seemed to agree as to what format is right. As this book explains, that's because there IS no "right" or "wrong" format, just different ways to do it.
Every script in this volume shows you something. Gaiman's reads like a personal note to the artist, Wolfman shows how plot-first can work, McDuffie shows you how to work in a recap, Kevin Smith shows a more movie-script style of writing and Kurt Busiek's entry... heck, when I read the original comic book I thought it was one of the greatest comic book stories I ever read, but the script for "The Nearness of You" just made it all the more powerful.
If you want to try to write comics, you could do a lot worse than picking up this book.
20 of 23 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
It seems like such an obvious good idea.
It's a wonderful glimpse into the creative process.
It's a wonderful glimpse into the creative process.
Just received it last night, and I'm already half through it. I haven't done that since I was eleven and got Stan Lee's How to Draw Comics the Marvel Way. Not that this book has any similarity to that one. This is not a how to book. Its a more intimate, than any instructional book. Its a similar difference in experience to watching a biography to reading someones private correspondence. The presentation adds to the feeling as well.
Better than seeing pencils, better than watching a demo, or hearing someone try to explain the creative process. You actually see it and are part of it because this is what the artist sees, while he is in the process.
As a comic book fan for years and creative hopeful (which I believe is a large part of the intended audience), I hope this is first in a long line.
Great job, thanks Mr. Gertler.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By Ohioan
Format:Paperback
This book is exactly what it claims to be: a collection of scripts by top comic book writers. As such, it is instructive: the scripts follow one another and it's fascinating to see how each creative mind works differently. And presents finished scripts differently! The book is definitely worth reading and studying, but I found myself wishing throughout that there had been more information, comments, instructions, and/or suggestions from the editor.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Exactly what it says it is on the tin.
It's a collection of comic book scripts, written by some of the best in the business. I'd love it if there were more examples of the finished product, and a step-by-step of... Read more
Published 1 month ago by J. B. Murphy
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great resource for comic book writers
This book is exactly as advertised: a great collection of comic scripts by some of the best writers in the field. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Craig...E
4.0 out of 5 stars
from words to pictures
It's very instructive to see how differently every writer approaches his or her script; as Nat Gertler says in his introduction, comic book scripts are direct lines between writers... Read more
Published on June 25, 2010 by Curtis C. Chen
3.0 out of 5 stars
Not a review, so much as a query & an invitation for a response....
... I'm curious... how many aspiring pencillers out there have picked up this book (or its' sequel) as a source of scripts from which to prepare sample portfolio page layouts?
Published on September 17, 2008 by W.Kim
4.0 out of 5 stars
Really great but...
This book is amazing. It is a real pleasure to read these scripts and to admire the different styles. This is truly inspiring but... What is this ugly cover ? Read more
Published on August 10, 2008 by Aymeric Perceval
5.0 out of 5 stars
GREAT FOR THE ASPIRING COMIC WRITER!
This is a great text that takes you through the creative process of several unique writing styles. The variety of script and drawings from a host of authors, really made this book... Read more
Published on May 27, 2003
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