Philippines artist and writer Gerry Alanguilan has a useful guide on getting into comics today on his web site: alanguilan.com/sanpablo/2006/01/how-to-get-into-comics-today.html Known elsewhere as Doroteo Gerardo N. Alanguilan Jr., Gerry is a Filipino comic book writer, artist and publisher. He’s an… Read More ›
Creating Comics
Articles on creating comics, how tos, reference information and more
Quote Me: On Going Freelance by Luc Belanger
“The first couple of years you don’t make enough to pay the bills. The next couple of years you barely make enough to cover the bills. And then a couple of years after that you make enough to pay the… Read More ›
British Comic Sales Figures Creating Comics articles moved
(LINKS UPDATED since first posting): As regular readers know the main downthetubes web site is currently down due to excessive data charges. I’m in the process of securing a new ISP and we’ve had a very kind offer from a… Read More ›
Creating Comics – Pitching at Conventions
What is the best way to pitch scripts at conventions? This short guide is based on discussions on the Comics 2000 Yahoo group. Special thanks to those who threw in ideas for this and gave permission for their comments to… Read More ›
Portfolio Advice: A View from the Editor’s Chair for Comics Artists
Here’s my guide on what a comics editor might like to see in your comic portfolio when you present it at a convention. You might also like to take a look at this guidance on what you should – and shouldn’t – include in… Read More ›
Quote Me: Portfolio Advice from Pete Ashton – Don’t be Nervous
“One thing I’ve noticed over the last couple of years is that the creators doing portfolio reviews at the 2000AD table [at the Bristol Comics festival] at least are very encouraging to new people probably because a lot of them… Read More ›
Quote Me: Pencils Provide when it comes to portfolios – Marcia Allass
“I’m not an editor, but based on friends’ experiences – I would try to have some pencils in your portfolio, just so you can show the quality of the art before and after inking – I know artists who have… Read More ›
Quote Me On Portfolio Presentation: Matt Brooker
Small in Beautiful “Back when I was breaking into comics, I always used to present my work in an A4 ringbinder, and never had any problems as a result – in fact, at a crowded portfolio session, A4 binders are… Read More ›
What’s in that Portfolio? Do’s and Don’ts For Comic Artists
Here’s some guidance on what you should – and shouldn’t – include in your art portfolio when you’re showing it around at comic conventions. You might also like to take a look at my Editor’s View on what we like to see… Read More ›
Robert McKee’s Ten Commandments
Robert McKee’s Story Structure Seminar is an intensive three-day course that concentrates on screen writing. Most of the course is very applicable to comics writing. The course is well worth the cost and comes recommended by many people I know… Read More ›
What Comic Editors look for in a submission: Submitting Artwork
Although my comic creating guide is in the main primarily aimed at writers rather than artists, be aware of these principles…1) Have you submitted strip work to the title of your choice, as well as illustrations? In general, when you… Read More ›
What Comic Editors Look for in a Submission: Writing
1) Before submitting your work, check for spelling and grammar. Also, revise and polish your submission. Is it a story you’d want to read featuring your chosen hero? Have you written a story using characters you’re familiar with? Could you… Read More ›
Quote Me on Writing Comics: Mike Collins
“On writing, I always put pen to lined paper first and always. The computer always comes last. “I find when I write straight into the machine it results in ridiculous levels of verbosity, but if it’s all written long hand… Read More ›
Quote Me on Writing Comics: Dave Gibbons
Dave Gibbons Artist on The Watchmen, writer and artist on The Originals “I got involved because I loved comics ever since I could read; in fact, they may have been the reason that I wanted to read! I started by… Read More ›
Writing Comics: First Points
Comics is a very versatile medium that’s got possibilities that people have not even begun to touch… Alan Moore, interviewed in the fanzine Zarjaz #3 I take the same approach to writing a comic as writing a script; I flesh… Read More ›
Duncan Long’s Lesser Gods novel available in print
The paperback version of artist Duncan Long‘s science fiction novel Lesser Gods is now available, printed via Amazon’s Print On Demand service CreateSpace, with additional artwork not found in the ebook version. In Lesser Gods, wisecracking hacker Ralph Crocker finds… Read More ›
Comic Creator Interview: David Hine on adapting “The Man Who Laughs”
David Hine has had an illustrious career in comics, both as artist and writer, working on a diverse range of comics since his debut in the 1980s on titles such as Crisis. He’s currently finishing the first arc of Storm… Read More ›
10 Questions: Comics Writer Benjamin Read
Benjamin Read writes comics and makes films. He wrote the True Grit and Super 8 comic adaptations, and also wrote and produced the films Warhouse and 500 Miles North. He is also one of the founder members of the Improper… Read More ›
SciFi Art Postcard book on sale now
The long-awaited SciFi Art Postcard title from ILEX is now officially on sale, comprising a selection of ace science fiction art included in SciFi Art Now and some other art specially selected for this project, too. With a cover by… Read More ›
Hunt Emerson, Paul Rainey in latest Self Publisher Magazine
Self Publisher! Magazine #61 might be a US-based digital title but with the huge number of British creators doing their own thing it’s no wonder quite a few feature in the free downloadable magazine. British talents interviewed this issue are… Read More ›