Why Writing Comic Scripts is so Hard: Few Will Reach the Status of Alan Moore or Neil Gaiman

I get a headache thinking of breaking down a script, an idea, a cohesive thought, into a comic script. You can only understand if you try.

Writing comics has to be one of the more rewarding and painful professions known to man. So many chances for failure, so few publishers actually in need of writers, the list goes on.

As I write this, I'm starting to get addicted to thinking about writing comics. Instead of writing them I'm surfing the internet looking at copies of scripts, dissecting what sells, and trying to put together a story that is different.

I once talked to a writer - who had a friend who had a degree in comic publishing -and the friend said if you only have one comic story to your name, one masterpiece you've worked on forever, you have no chance in the comic business.

Actually, it came out differently than that, the words "You suck" were used in the story, a first person narration that all comes together to make the comic medium what it really is: Every fan thinks they can write them.

The thing about comics is, a script can and should be written in a short time. You could probably write first drafts of twenty comic books in the time it would take you to write the 80,000 word novel you've always wanted to write.

In the time you could get that one novel rejection, you could get absolutely no rejections from a publisher like Dark Horse or Marvel. They won't even respond to your inquiry, well, if it was Marvel they either find you or you have an agent.

It should be stated that, when mentioning Dark Horse, they just won't respond unless they aren't interested. No returns of your scripts, but if they like your writing you might get a response.

I don't mean to sound dispiriting. I love comic books, want to write them, heck for free if I can see them in print.

Writing a comic script is different than penciling a sketch of Batman that looks just like Jim Lee did it in Hush. An editor can see talent immediately in drawings, comic scripts take a thorough look over to see if the writer has talent. This isn't an advantage, I recall reading it took comic master Todd McFarlane, who many will hate me for calling him a master, 700 tries to get his first work as an artist. So everyone has it hard, it's just that first step is bigger for writers to get over.

Nothing is easy in the world of comics; no matter how many times you try luck will have to play a part.

As I said, I just finished the first outline of a comic script since about three years ago. My first movements into the medium were carbon copies of other writers; my first complete script was similar in many ways to Blade Runner.

I want to be a writer, and comics seem to be an intriguing outlet; just so much can go wrong. Likely your biggest chance is if you have both writing and penciling talents, then you can put something together. I hate drawing - I couldn't even draw a stick figure - but I think playing with images is what differentiates the talented script writer from the one who will never get a single page published. Acclaimed writer Harvey Pekar would sketch out stick figures for his artists - which included R. Crumb - and somehow made what became not only a successful book in American Splendor, but a movie deal.

It also takes persistence and, being that writing is hard anyways, I suggest you begin to try to break out of the market by writing everything, not just super hero drawing. Dissect Alan Moore and Grant Morrison comics, read up on the classic characters like Batman and Spider Man; see what they do. Look to non-super hero comics by major creators. These comics don't sell as well (usually, I must mention Harvey Pekar again),but they often offer superior stories, like American Splendor. Writing for comics is hard, but can be done. I hope this essay didn't dispirit you. Now I have to get back to playing the odds, writing scripts that might one day sell.