What makes a good comic book writer? 0

[kav]

1 minute ago, dupont2005 said:

I’ve never cared about characters. I rarely ever have a favorite character in a story. To me characters are just vehicles for the story. I have zero character loyalty

U will LUV Skyline then!!!!

[dupont2005]

8 minutes ago, kav said:

U will LUV Skyline then!!!!

Never heard of it

[kav]

3 minutes ago, dupont2005 said:

Never heard of it

Now U herd of it!!!!  Big plot no real characterization!!!  

[jcjames]

A story without characters is just... geology. 

[dupont2005]

Just now, kav said:

Now U herd of it!!!!  Big plot no real characterization!!!  

You can have plenty of characterization without making characters the primary draw to a story. Pretty much every non superhero movie in history did it. The draw is the story, there can be great characterization but nobody is like OH MY GOD THIS MOVIE IS ABOUT HENRY HILL WE GOTTA SEE IT! To me that increases the odds of the movie or comic actually being good. Once you have the built in draw of a character with a huge following you can just dial in the rest. If Star Wars Episode 1 was just some original screenplay sci-fi fantasy movie like The Fifth Element there wouldn’t have been two sequels, but it had Anikan so people lined up for days dressed up in costume to see the sequel to that thing 

For example, one of my favorite comics is Southern Bastards. First arc ends with the death of the main protagonist, most recent arc ended with the death of the main antagonist. It would honestly be boring if nobody ever died in a crime comic, wouldn’t it?

The main protagonist in season 1 of Game Of Thrones dies just a handful of episodes in. I wouldn’t have had it any other way. It immediately let you know it’s not going to be that kind of story. In many stories on page one you can tell who the good guy is and have great odds he will resolve the conflict and get the girl and ride off into the sunset when it’s all said and done. It’s the most common trope in all forms of media and in every genre of storytelling internationally. So to see it thrown out the window is nice once in a while

[kav]

13 minutes ago, dupont2005 said:

You can have plenty of characterization without making characters the primary draw to a story. Pretty much every non superhero movie in history did it. The draw is the story, there can be great characterization but nobody is like OH MY GOD THIS MOVIE IS ABOUT HENRY HILL WE GOTTA SEE IT! To me that increases the odds of the movie or comic actually being good. Once you have the built in draw of a character with a huge following you can just dial in the rest. If Star Wars Episode 1 was just some original screenplay sci-fi fantasy movie like The Fifth Element there wouldn’t have been two sequels, but it had Anikan so people lined up for days dressed up in costume to see the sequel to that thing 

For example, one of my favorite comics is Southern Bastards. First arc ends with the death of the main protagonist, most recent arc ended with the death of the main antagonist. It would honestly be boring if nobody ever died in a crime comic, wouldn’t it?

The main protagonist in season 1 of Game Of Thrones dies just a handful of episodes in. I wouldn’t have had it any other way. It immediately let you know it’s not going to be that kind of story. In many stories on page one you can tell who the good guy is and have great odds he will resolve the conflict and get the girl and ride off into the sunset when it’s all said and done. It’s the most common trope in all forms of media and in every genre of storytelling internationally. So to see it thrown out the window is nice once in a while

If you are arguing the Phantom Menace was a good movie we're done here.

[dupont2005]

I’m arguing the opposite. It was a garbage movie, but it was a huge success because of th IP attached. It didn’t have to succeed on its own merits because of the character loyalty the audience had. Without the characters, they would have had to actually make a good movie if they wanted a sequel

[kav]

2 minutes ago, dupont2005 said:

I’m arguing the opposite. It was a garbage movie, but it was a huge success because of th IP attached. It didn’t have to succeed on its own merits because of the character loyalty the audience had. Without the characters, they would have had to actually make a good movie if they wanted a sequel

I think we agree then-the plot was placed before character development which was nil and the story suffered.  Screenwriter Tim Long said it best:
 

Our natural instinct of wanting to jump in and instantly create order by plotting ends up causing all sorts of narrative repercussions.

Most notably of course, we end up with un-compelling characters that are afterthoughts – ones that lack authenticity and connection. Instead, they become broad characterizations that are devices solely needed to serve our plot. Human chess pieces being moved around in a story in order to oblige a plot’s end result. Which is hands down the quickest way to cut the life of your screenplay short.

Not to mention, by putting the cart (plot) before the horse (character), we often end up losing track of that inspired connection (Initial Stimulus) we originally had with the basic story idea to begin with!

All of this is why there are more unfinished screenplays than finished ones. More first drafts that never see the light of day than do. And more just plain bad spec scripts out there than good ones.

So as you begin to develop your story idea, always remember that once you have your Initial Stimulus in place… Stop!

Resist that urge to jump in and start plotting the story. Fight that feeling of wanting to instantly work on plot. Instead, first develop and define the key building block of all successful stories – character.

[dupont2005]

Who is the main character in Game Of Thrones?

[kav]

1 minute ago, dupont2005 said:

Who is the main character in Game Of Thrones?

Never watched it.

[dupont2005]

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

 

more characters than the 1990’s X-books, and they all die off one by one

[kav]

If you analyze character for example silence of the lambs is the story of a girl with 3 fathers.  Terminator 2 is a boy and his terminator.  

[kav]

1 minute ago, dupont2005 said:

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

 

more characters than the 1990’s X-books, and they all die off one by one

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

[kav]

I highly recommend Syd Field's "Four Screenplays".  

Edited February 24, 2019 by kav

[dupont2005]

Sure, but it’s obviously not “All about the characters” since they drop like flies. Imagine if Superman died in 1938 and never came back but stories that take place in Metropolis continued, like Superman was just a vehicle to introduce you to Metropolis and it’s inhabitants 

[kav]

Just now, dupont2005 said:

Sure, but it’s obviously not “All about the characters” since they drop like flies. Imagine if Superman died in 1938 and never came back but stories that take place in Metropolis continued, like Superman was just a vehicle to introduce you to Metropolis and it’s inhabitants 

It's all about character.  Character drives plot.  Every book on screenplay writing-and I've read dozens-agree on this point.

[dupont2005]

What if the character dies but the story continues for about another decade though?

[kav]

Just now, dupont2005 said:

What if the character dies but the story continues for about another decade though?

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

[dupont2005]

Which character is Southern Bastards about?

[kav]

Just now, dupont2005 said:

Which character is Southern Bastards about?

Never read it.