I figured I would document my experience for my first comic so you can see the lengths I went to put together my work. It always starts with a script. I knew exactly what the story was, but the paneling and page count altered as the story grew. Of course, I wanted to limit myself; it started as a 12-page idea but became 18 in the end, mostly because I wanted more action and beats, also known as a pause, for brevity. So I will walk through what I did and how it came to be.
Timeline:
Preproduction begins - November 21st
Outline Is Developed - November 22nd
Concept Art - November 23rd -26th
Thumbnails - December 2st
Notebook version - December 3rd - 9th
Production begins
Cover Design - December 10th
Interior Pages - December 15th - January 8th
Clean up and finalizing pages - January 9th- 23rd
Post Production
Marketing begins - January 1st
Website creation - January 20th
Back pages and cover - January 21st
Send to printer - January 23rd
Publish and market - January 24th
Review Feedback - Continous
Development
Creating the story was easy since it was something I had been planning to do for a while. I just had to kick my butt and do it. I wrote out an outline first, with a description of each page. I worked in the Marvel method when I wrote this, knowing I would design the page content versus knowing what each panel would be. It helps with pacing, self-editing, and gives a bit more freedom to make changes when needed for the story. I used Notion, a software tool, to help me lay out the page count and description of each page.
As you can see, it was just a few lines of description, and knowing which page was left and right for page turns, but this was the layout when it was just 12 pages. It grew as I started drawing the thumbnails.
Next was creating some concept art and developing thumbnails. I had to find time to do most of this since I have my day job and family duties, so I'd squeeze in work on the comic where possible: dentist office appointments, waiting for the car to pick up kids, and more.
I don't have a drawing desk or anything at my home, so the coffee shop became the only place to draw with peace for the time being. It worked. Sometimes my daughter would come with me to draw as well, so it was time to spend together, teach, and draw.
Once the thumbnails were complete, I created a notebook version of the page layouts. This helped with page turns to ensure the book was working the way I intended. I found working on a notebook to be easy for me and reminiscent of being in school.
Once this version was complete, I would take photos with my iPhone or iPad and then import them into Procreate for digital construction. The skeleton for the pages was built, and I started. I would use those loose sketches as my blue-line underdrawing and scale them to 11x17 pages. From there, I would refine, add panels, and design where needed, that I was able to do in pen.
I had a work schedule on the weekends from 4:30 AM to 10:00 AM every weekend while working on the comic. It was the only time I had to myself before I had to do normal non-art related things. All in all, development for the comic started in late November, and the real process of drawing it started in mid-December and concluded in early January.
During this time, I had several commissions come through. It delayed my production cycle, but it helped me sharpen my skills before tackling this book project. During this time, I was able to produce roughly 15 pieces of art and one large piece, this Predator art piece.
After that, I was pretty free and continued my project. I would work by hopping around, trying to knock out harder pages some days and easier ones on others. I wouldn't do it in order ideally. The first pages I drew were the splash page, then the last page of the story in the book, then I jumped back to the first pages, and so on.
As I drew more, I decompressed or changed some story elements when needed. Eventually, this led to more pages, and I realized when I went to press it that more pages were needed to make it a 'book.' Sometimes the page count would go from 12, 14, 18... but no 16-page count? It must be a manufacturing decision for pressing books. So, from that decision, it gave me time to let specific parts of the story breathe. For example, these pages were added last second but are some of my favorite pages for the story.
Once all the pages were drawn, I had to produce the book. This is where I found out I needed more pages for the page count to work. It gave me time to add more beats where needed and also add a few additional pages for thank you notes and process information. Thus, a 12-page story expanded to an 18-page story, which in turn became a 20-page book.
In the end, it was a fun and challenging project that I'm already excited about for the future. This 'Batman' story is just one of four I have planned for this series. I plan to start the next one in the spring of 2024 and release it late spring if everything goes well.
I hope this process can showcase a number of things: my dedication to the craft. I love comics, I love telling stories. I wanted to document this for other artists who might be struggling to make their own, but also to let them see how one person does it. It might be an 'ah-ha' moment for them. And for my kids, if they ever read this, they will know what a madman I was for trying to do something I always wanted to do.
I hope you enjoy this breakdown; let me know in the comments what you'd like to see in the future. And if you haven't read the book yet, you can find it digitally here. Click the button below.
shoutouts to:
Bryan Christopher Moss - My Comic Mentor and my art brother. Check out his work.
Jim Rugg and Ed Piskor of Cartoonist Kayfabe - For being the catalyst to start drawing again.
Danny Earls, Tyrell Cannon - For your feedback, thank you for even allowing me to be able to share my work with you and to give me time to speak with you. Check out these amazing artist.
The King Kayfabers, and followers and friends, thank you so much along this journey.
And of course my family - Thank you for letting me go do this.
3 Comments
May 5, 2024, 3:21:11 PM
Rick - Nice artwork. This inspires me to do it!
Apr 30, 2024, 6:43:41 AM
Jeremy Hyler - Thank you!
Yeah, I been drawing most my life but had a lapse in time due to a career shift to film and the last few years I been relearning the language. So it wonderful. Just keep it up and you keep getting better. Make your next comic and let me know!
Apr 29, 2024, 8:57:49 PM
Josh Herrin (aka skillcrane) - LOVE seeing the process pages. I've been tinkering around for years wanting to produce comics (have been drawing for about 45 of my 47 years on this planet), but have only produced one 8-page book that I would consider a comic. The rest has been art books etc, but seeing the breakdown from a time perspective as well as the flow you made makes me want to tear in & get going ASAP. Can't wait to see your progress!