Parts of a Comic Book

Different style elements are combined that make a comic book unique. It is more than just a bound copy of colorful pages and near indestructible superheroes, villains, aliens, and monsters. Without the different parts of a comic book, the books would look like any other paper back. People pick up a comic to read and see the bright pages, word balloons, and panels that illustrate the action and adventure they are about to embark on.

The first part of the comic book that should be worked on and completed is the script. The script is the written directions for how the comic will be put together. Also included in the script is the dialogue. The script often looks similar to a screenplay. There are two ways in which the script can be written. A full script includes the details of each story panel and how the plot will fold out. The second way to write the script is using the plot method. The plot method is less descriptive and more collaborative with the artist. The writer trusts the artist to fill in the details. Both of the script writing methods include the story, characters, and artists for the comic.

The pages of a comic are the part in the script where the writer tells what happens on each page. On the pages there are panels which are either rectangles or squares. This is where the writer puts the action of the script. These elements of a comic are like the blue print for the book. A splash page is used for dramatic effects. This is usually a panel that takes up the entire page and shows attention to a specific event or introduction to the story. If there is some type of explosion, you'll usually see a splash page with flames and the word "Ka-boom!" on it.

The most unique part of a comic is the balloons. The balloons serve two purposes: one for showing the dialogue of characters, or words and the other for what the characters are thinking. The balloons are used to show where in the story dialogue or thinking is occurring. It is better to draw the action first and then add the balloons after. Drawing the balloons last is easier for editing purposes. If a comic is being drawn digitally on a computer, the balloons are easier to move around on the page and be placed where there is the most space on the page. There is often a third voice in a comic, or the narrator. The narrators can help move the plot along and give insight into what a character thinks or feels. To show the third voice, narratory blocks are used. They are the little rectangles or squares that we see on the pages. It is where you find special information about the story.

Krystle Green is a freelance writer. Mycomicshop.com is one of the largest retailers of comic books in the world. Mycomicshop is the online presence of Lone Star Comics, a leading retailer of comic books with seven stores in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. For more information please visit: www.mycomicshop.com