An outline for a story, whether it be a one-shot or a serialised epic, needs a strong foundation. The building blocks that will become your comic must be able to stand firm on the themes, concepts, story beats and character moments explored in your outline. “I need an outline?” you ...
Outlining the foundation of your webcomic
Emma_Clare at 12:00AM, Jan. 15, 2021Protagonist, Antagonist and Villain
Banes at 12:00AM, Jan. 14, 2021
Over the past couple weeks I watched and loved Cobra Kai. There are multiple articles that I could write about this show.
It's an ensemble cast, and I guess Johnny and Daniel could be called co-Protagonists. I actually think Johnny is the Protagonist, Daniel the Antagonist and Kreese is ...
When Nothing Is Normal
Tantz_Aerine at 12:00AM, Jan. 9, 2021
Usually when building a character, we go for their general personality in terms of traits, the routine/general behavior they would display, the routine/general things that would interest them and so on.
If you are writing a slice of life story, or a sitcom style series, or anything that ...
Dat MASK, tho
Banes at 12:00AM, Jan. 7, 2021
Masked, Unknown Characters
Fiction, certainly in the movie/TV/comics visual mediums, are full of characters whose identities are hidden by masks.
On The Mandalorian, the title character follows a strict creed that says he is not supposed to let another living being see his face, so he always wears ...
Back From The Dead
Tantz_Aerine at 12:00AM, Jan. 2, 2021
So we've talked often about how letting a character die in a story is something that should be used very frugally, because once death occurs, it should be permanent. In most settings, death shouldn't be something that is reversible. If not, it will lose its impact, and the ...
Remember to Be Kind (to yourself)
Tantz_Aerine at 12:00AM, Dec. 26, 2020
So it's Christmas Day when I'm writing this- yesterday for you reader reading these lines.
Anyone who knows me, knows I've been running full speed for quite a bit of time, doing my best to meet every deadline, every obligation and responsibility I got, business, family, and ...
Handwaves, Explanations and Just-Go-With-Its
Banes at 12:00AM, Dec. 24, 2020
The long-running series Supernatural just came to an end and I enjoyed the last couple episodes. Even though I haven't seen the last few seasons and don't plan to, I knew the series fairly well from its first 6 or 7 years. I could say more about this ...
Exploiting Death
Tantz_Aerine at 12:00AM, Dec. 19, 2020
When a character the story's cast and audience identify and are familiar with dies, the effect is, or should be, monumental.
Not only because that effectively ends that character's journey (and arc), but also because as an event it has immediate ramifications for all the surviving characters.
First ...
The Crime Genre
Banes at 12:00AM, Dec. 17, 2020
Many of the conversations online that concern “genre fiction” generally mean sci/fi, fantasy and horror. This stuff is distinguished from “mainstream” genres like contemporary dramas and comedies, and period pieces that are…well, dramas and comedies. it also doesn't include big genres like romance and psychological thrillers.
The ...
How to Retcon
Tantz_Aerine at 12:00AM, Dec. 12, 2020
Retconning has a bad reputation.
Usually because it's done in big IPs and franchises when writers change and decide to drastically alter the development of a plotline, and do it by changing established canon about the characters or the history of the setting. Usually it's sloppily done, dealt ...