Even though I’ve been making my own comics my own way for a long time, I love to see how others approach making comics, too. Sometimes I steal their tricks, sometimes it’s just interesting to see how others do what they do, even if it doesn’t change my process.
Here are some of my favorite resources….
Comic lettering
- 13 THINGS You Didn’t Know About Comic-Book Lettering : the unsung art, explained, by Nate Piekos.
- How to Use the Ames Lettering Guide : Brad Guigar demos this classic lettering tool!
- Nate Piekos on the conventions of comic book lettering : Nate Piekos shares some unique grammatical & aesthetic traditions from the world of comic book lettering.
- Todd Klein on lettering : master comic book letterer Todd Klein’s portal on lettering.
- Todd Klein’s Logo studies : wherein Todd Klein deconstructs dozens of comic book logos (by himself & others)!
Comic coloring
- Colleen Coover’s coloring (and drawing) tutorial for Bandette : an example of her (nearly) completely digital way of making comics.
- Beyond Photocopies: cost-effective color enhancements for your comics : notes from a panel discussion I hosted at SPACE 2005.
- Coloring Comics, Old school : Todd Klein’s coloring process from his time in the DC Comics production department.
DIY: minicomics & digest tutorials
- The Cartoonist Conspiracy Li’l Library Volume 1 : How to Make Mini-Comics — a printable .pdf!
- Jessica Abel goes well beyond just the basics in her diy: making minicomics article.
- The 8-step Guide to Creating and Publishing Your Own Comic Book by Tammy Coron.
- Tips and Tricks: How to Make a Minicomic courtesy of Big Time Attic.
Favorite cartoonists
- Sergio Aragones, cartoonist : the official website of Mad magazine’s marginal maestro.
- Byrne Robotics : the official John Byrne website.
- Paul Chadwick : cartoonist, writer, creator of Concrete.
- scottmccloud.com: inventions : the 24-hour comic & other conceptual comic forms from the author of Understanding comics.
- Ty Templeton’s ART LAND!! : the online home of the Eisner Award-winning cartoonist.
Writers on writing
- John Ostrander: Writing Rules : advice from the playwright & comic book writer (short version).
- Kurt Vonnegut’s Rules for the Short Story : he only has eight of them.
- The Lester Dent Pulp Paper Master Fiction Plot : Lester Dent’s method for writing Doc Savage (and other) pulp novels.
Just for fun
- The Grand Comics Database : a nonprofit, internet-based organization of international volunteers dedicated to building an open database covering all printed comics throughout the world.
- “The Newstand” at Mike’s Amazing World of Comics : view comic covers from the specific month when they were published, from 1934-present.
- 24-Hour Comics Day : the annual celebration where creators take on the challenge to create a 24 page comic book story in 24 straight hours.
- ComicList : the new comic book releases list.
Smeary Soapbox Press 