Just in time for the summer movie season, which will host not just one but two Marvel hero movies (Thor and Captain America), Disney, the new owners of Marvel, have unveiled a “Make Your Own Comic” site. And it’s even a contest too.
I’ve written a number of comic scripts for a series that is still simmering on the stove somewhere. It’s a lot of fun to create something with no boundaries, such as provided by graphic novels. But one thing I can tell you, it is a major undertaking at each stage, from story, to artwork, to colors and lettering. And all of that is much more difficult than it looks.
As an author, I’m accustomed to writing in a style encouraging the imagination of my readers. On the written page dialog is what most quickly moves the action along. But the comic medium is primarily visual. The artwork is the real storyteller and a lot of dialog can really slow down the story. That took me a while to learn. I think I would have learned that lesson much quicker had I had something like this to play with.
So, if you ever wanted to try your hand at creating your own comic book, Disney has made it easy with click on page layouts and drag on artwork elements. And the cool thing is that once you’re done, you can submit it in a contest, the winner of which might actually see his or her book in print. Let me know if you give it a shot…
Are you a comic fan? If so, who’s your favorite character and why?
EDC
Edward D. Casey 