The Comic Book Journey Part 2.1: Books I’m Reading

Actual books. Comics list coming soon

I love books. Yes, comic books, but real books too. Always have. That’s what makes it all the more exciting to discover just how many books there are on the topic of becoming a comic book author. I was looking to read 50 books in 2020, so some of those might as well be helpful for my creative mission, right?

Normally I love having an actual real-life paper book in my hands, but seeing as how Corona has basically stopped all postal services where I live, I’ve turned to Kindle and digital reading (for comic books too — but more on that later).

Utilizing both paper and digital book options has helped me discover a lot of different options at a much quicker rate and I’m just devouring books this year. It’s awesome.

So, let’s take a look at the books I’ve read so far, am currently reading and plan to read on this journey:

Read:

1. How Comics Work — Dave Gibbons. I should start by saying that Watchmen (by Dave Gibbons and Alan Moore, the author of the next book on this list) is my favorite comic story of all time. So picking up this book was obvious, and wow did it not disappoint. Gibbons did an excellent job of sharing his expertise in a very fluid and digestible manner. He broke down how to come up with a character or universe, how to put that storyline into sections that can be drawn into panels and issues and ultimately how to take that one idea and make it a full-fledged comic book. This book was engaging from start to finish and, in my opinion, a must for anyone looking to become a comic book author or artist (or both).
2. Alan Moore’s Writing for Comics — Alan Moore. Like most of Moore’s work, this book has received mixed reviews. It’s basically a short journal of his opinions on the comic book industry and what it takes to become a successful writer in the medium. If you’re a fan of Moore, or if you’re looking for an opinionated and specific take on comics authorship, give this one a shot.
3. Growing Gills — Jessica Abel and Level Up Your Life — Steve Kamb. I’m coupling these books together because while they’re not specifically comic book-related they’re both excellent resources for getting off your ass and doing creative work that you want to do. Growing Gills is definitely more of a workbook that can help you step by step to get off the couch and work on that creative project you keep pushing off. Level Up Your Life is a great resource for realizing you’re a badass inside and you can do all the stuff you set your mind to.

Currently reading:

1. The Everything Guide to Writing Graphic Novels — Mark Ellis. Great little handbook that I found for free on Kindle Unlimited.
2. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay — Michael Chabon. This is a historical fiction novel that’s similar to the story of the creators of Superman, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. It’s an interesting take on what it means to create a fantastical superhero universe during a time when that didn’t exist in the world.
3. Making Comics: Storytelling Secrets of Comics, Manga and Graphic Novels — Scott McCloud. Nearly every list of books to read for aspiring comic book creators includes this book. Scott McCloud is one of the ultimate authorities on the subject, having also created other titles Understanding Comics and Reinventing Comics. This book covers everything you want to know about writing, drawing, and overall creating comic books. It’s a must read.

Panel excerpt from McCloud’s Understanding Comics

Next on the list (in no particular order):

1. Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art — Scott McCloud. As mentioned above, anything McCloud writes on the subject is a must. Looking forward to this one.
2. The War of Art — Steven Pressfield. Pressfield has written several books about creativity, art and how to accurately express what’s inside of you that you’re itching to put onto paper. I’m very excited for this.
3. The DC Comics Guide to Writing Comics — Dennis O’Neil and The DC Comics Guide to Creating Comics: Inside the Art of Visual Storytelling — Carl Potts. I’m putting these two together as they’re very similar topics, but seeing as how DC Comics have been a huge inspiration for me, these should be great reads.
4. Kirby: King of Comics — Mark Evanier. Fun fact, I’ve owned this coffee table book for almost 5 years. I bought it randomly at an estate sale and never opened it up. No clue why, but now seems as good a time as any to read about the history of a comic book legend and pioneer.
5. Words for Pictures: The Art and Business of Writing Comics and Graphic Novels — Brian Michael Bendis. Bendis is a comic book legend so reading a book where he shares his insights and secrets? Count me in.
6. Graphic Storytelling and Visual Narrative — Will Eisner and Comics and Sequential Art — Will Eisner. Speaking of legends, it doesn’t get much bigger than Will Eisner. I read his graphic novel The Plot: The Secret Story of of the Protocols of the Elders of Zion this year and it was excellent, so I’m assuming these books will be great reads as well.
7. From Krakow to Krypton: Jews and Comic Books — Arie Kaplan. Seeing as how I’m Jewish and obsessed with comic books, I believe this to be a must-read. Makes sense.
8. The Art of Comic Book Writing: The Definitive Guide to Outlining, Scripting and Pitching Your Sequential Art Stories — Mark Kneece. This seems to be like a handy textbook for the industry. Looks good to me.
9. Creating Comics From Start to Finish: Top Pros Reveal the Complete Creative Process — Buddy Scalera. Don’t know much about this book, but from what I’ve seen online it has some good tips from top writers.
10. And for much further down the line… The Complete Guide to Self-Publishing Comics: How to Create and Sell Comic Books, Manga and Webcomics — Comfort Love. Can’t wait to get the point where I need to read this book. Fingers crossed we make it there sooner rather than later.

And that’s it! If you have any other books you think I should check out, let me know in the comments. Make sure to check out the next chapter in this series where I break down the comic books we’re reading to help in creating our own character and universe.