What makes a good comic book writer? 0

[dupont2005]

Just now, kav said:

Then another character drives the plot.  Let me ask you-what is your favorite movie?

Goodfellas. And it’s not my favorite movie because I’m super into Henry Hill. It’s because Scorsese, DeNiro, Pesci, and Liotta make a good movie

[kav]

Just now, dupont2005 said:

Goodfellas. And it’s not my favorite movie because I’m super into Henry Hill. It’s because Scorsese, DeNiro, Pesci, and Liotta make a good movie

So the characters are what make it good.  
Breakfast Club is a movie with no plot-there's no goal/obstacle-it's just interesting characters-and it is riveting.  Character is numero Uno.

[dupont2005]

2 minutes ago, kav said:

Never read it.

Who is the main character in Crime Suspenstories?

[dupont2005]

2 minutes ago, kav said:

So the characters are what make it good.  
Breakfast Club is a movie with no plot-there's no goal/obstacle-it's just interesting characters-and it is riveting.  Character is numero Uno.

No, the actors and director are what made it good. The same characters portraying the same events were in a made-for-A&E movie called The Big Heist that wasn’t nearly as good

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Big_Heist

Edited February 24, 2019 by dupont2005

[kav]

Just now, dupont2005 said:

Who is the main character in Crime Suspenstories?

The EC books?  Vignette stories are a bit different-I would agree plot is number one in vignette stories like Suspenstories or mystery in space.

[kav]

1 minute ago, dupont2005 said:

No, the actors and director are what made it good. The same characters portraying the same events were in a made-for-HBO movie called The Heist that wasn’t nearly as good

I dont know anything about either so I cant comment all I can say is the characters in one were interesting and well written, and in the other not.

[dupont2005]

1 minute ago, kav said:

The EC books?  Vignette stories are a bit different-I would agree plot is number one in vignette stories like Suspenstories or mystery in space.

And of course they vary in quality, but there are certainly good ones

[dupont2005]

Just now, kav said:

I dont know anything about either so I cant comment all I can say is the characters in one were interesting and well written, and in the other not.

But they’re the same exact characters doing the same exact things. 

[dupont2005]

Dude are you saying you’ve never watched Goodfellas?

[kav]

Just now, dupont2005 said:

And of course they vary in quality, but there are certainly good ones

You got that right.  I'm a big lover of DC SA sci fi.  My fave EC era stories are these 2:

[kav]

3 minutes ago, dupont2005 said:

But they’re the same exact characters doing the same exact things. 

Same characters mean nothing-depends how they are written.  Superman written by alan moore is totally different than superman written by edmond hamilton.

[kav]

I've read maybe 3 dozen or so books on screenwriting and film directing 3-4 times each.  I cant write worth beans but the way stories are constructed is fascinating to me.  I have to say it makes watching good films more enjoyable and bad films intolerable.

Edited February 24, 2019 by kav

[500Club]

2 hours ago, kav said:

Never seen it but I imagine the characters are interesting and drive the plot not the reverse.

Yeah. This.

At some point, if a story means something, or has an impact, the character(s) have left an impression with the viewe/reader..  Once the reader feels this, the creator and the project has hooked the viewer.  There’s an emotional commitment.  The fan connects with the character, understands their motivation and their viewpoint, and is emotionally invested in the outcome.

Ultimately, every great story allows you to see some of yourself in the main characters, and allows you to relate to how you (or someone you can visualize) would react in that situation.

[Artboy99]

A successful story needs both.

I can provide an excellent example of a good story that has lousy characters: Star Wars Rogue One.

The story idea is well done; I think the concept of telling the story of how the Death Star plans were retrieved and given to Princess Leia on her ship was brilliant. Where the movie fails is there is a lack of strong character.

As a viewer I do not identify with any of the characters in that film, they are all very flat and almost emotionless.  Because they are all flat characters I do not care at all about what happens to them. Very different from A New Hope.

[kav]

3 hours ago, Artboy99 said:

A successful story needs both.

I can provide an excellent example of a good story that has lousy characters: Star Wars Rogue One.

The story idea is well done; I think the concept of telling the story of how the Death Star plans were retrieved and given to Princess Leia on her ship was brilliant. Where the movie fails is there is a lack of strong character.

As a viewer I do not identify with any of the characters in that film, they are all very flat and almost emotionless.  Because they are all flat characters I do not care at all about what happens to them. Very different from A New Hope.

What about breakfast club then?  No plot, great movie.

[dupont2005]

7 hours ago, 500Club said:

Yeah. This.

At some point, if a story means something, or has an impact, the character(s) have left an impression with the viewe/reader..  Once the reader feels this, the creator and the project has hooked the viewer.  There’s an emotional commitment.  The fan connects with the character, understands their motivation and their viewpoint, and is emotionally invested in the outcome.

Ultimately, every great story allows you to see some of yourself in the main characters, and allows you to relate to how you (or someone you can visualize) would react in that situation.

Breaking Bad?

[Artboy99]

23 minutes ago, kav said:

What about breakfast club then?  No plot, great movie.

I can't say the Breakfast Club has no plot. If I ask what the movie is about the answer is:

a small group of high school students from different life experiences and different upbringings are forced to sit together all day in detention. Over the course of the day they learn about each other and from that discovery learn new things about themselves. That is the plot.

[kav]

1 minute ago, Artboy99 said:

I can't say the Breakfast Club has no plot. If I ask what the movie is about the answer is:

a small group of high school students from different life experiences and different upbringings are forced to sit together all day in detention. Over the course of the day they learn about each other and from that discovery learn new things about themselves. That is the plot.

As far as screenplay writer's definition, a plot has a goal and an obstacle.  There was nothing like that in breakfast club.  Keep in mind a story is different from a plot.  Breakfast club had a story.  If you google 'movies without a plot' you will see breakfast club right there along with Dazed and Confused and Slacker.

[kav]

10 hours ago, dupont2005 said:

Dude are you saying you’ve never watched Goodfellas?

I HATE mob movies!  Just cant stand em.  Caper films too they make me want to puke.

[kav]

Keep in mind every movie book or comic has a story.  A story is just what happened.  A 1 1/2 hour film of a guy staring at a wall has a story.  The story is 'a guy stares at a wall'.  A plot is more intricate and has to be carefully constructed.  There are rules.  New writers always want to 'break the rules' before even ever using the rules.  This results in disaster.  A carefully constructed plot with uninteresting characters is a disaster.  Interesting characters can carry a story without a plot.  Character is numero Uno.