Making Comics: Storytelling Secrets of Comics, Manga and Graphic Novels by Scott McCloud

Making Comics: Storytelling Secrets of Comics, Manga and Graphic Novels Reviews

• 
  Aaron

  The frustrating thing about how authoritative McCloud is is the fact that he's essentially right about everything. I've read it half-a-dozen times, and I'm doing the chapter exercises, and I'm very angry about how correct he often is.
• 
  Ярослава

  Жила-була і переклала (для Рідної мови).
  
  Від автора "Зрозуміти комікси" - книжка про те, як створювати комікси (теж у форматі коміксу, власне кажучи): як вибудовувати взаємодію між словами й малюнками у творі, як композиція кадру впливає на кінцевий ефект, як між собою відрізняються різні регіональні традиції, які інструменти обирати для малювання, тощо тощо. Дуже дотепно.
• 
  J.G. Keely

  I really enjoy Scott McCloud. He is insightful and funny and his analytic method is always useful in dissection of concept. I find that the conscientious author tends to be the superior author, and for this reason, McCLoud is indispensable.
  
  Another thing that is refreshing about McCloud is that he takes the medium very seriously, and reminds us, as creators, that we have a responsibility to the art to do everything we can with it, and not simply accept the given standards.
  
  In a lot of ways, this book feels like an update of Understanding Comics, but with a greater mindfulness of the creator, and less for the pure history and development of the art. 'Making Comics' is an inspirational work which avoids treading the ground of other 'how to's, instead focusing on asking 'how might you'?
  
  
  My Suggested Reading In Comics
• 
  Carlos

  Scott McCloud propone con Making Comics una visión para aspirantes a profesionales del cómic que ojalá todos leyesen. También sus lectores, ya que proporciona un marco de referencia nada dogmático pero inestimable para comprenderlos y valorarlos. Y lo hace con màs claridad expositiva, espíritu didáctico y modestia que ningún ensayista de cualquier tema que haya leído nunca.
  
  Sólo por esta lección sería obligado, pero además sus reflexiones son acertadas, ¡y sentatas!. Autor de la apreciada y exitosa Understanding Comics, con la que inauguró esta serie teórica, McCloud insiste en que el libro no es una manual sino una reflexión sobre el medio, también para él mismo. Bien podría serlo. Un ensayo/manual/reflexión sobre la técnica de creación de cómics, explicado como un cómic que insiste en el aspecto de comunicación del proceso. Además de un repaso a narrativa, expresión, detalle, texto y otros aspectos más técnicos, hace una impecable argumentación en su sección sobre géneros y abordaje que es totalmente extensible a cualquier otro medio. Y que otros medios podrían aprovechar mucho.
  
  Cuántos quisieran tener tan claras en lo fundamental, en este u otros formato de narración como McCloud, que parte de una regla básica: no hay reglas pero en realidad quieres que te entiendan.
  
  ¿Para cuando un volumen sobre guión?
• 
  Kellan Gibby

  Honestly, I don't really know how to review a book like this, so all I'm gonna say is... I absolutely loved it. It entertained me, it taught me something, and it inspired me. It also had some really great art by Scott McCloud here and there. I have nothing bad to say about it.
  
  Read this whether or not you actually have an interest in making your own comics. You'll learn a lot about how the medium works, and it'll make you appreciate your already favorite books even more.
  
  R͟E͟C͟O͟M͟M͟E͟N͟D͟E͟D
• 
  Ashley

  I really loved this book. I can't count the times that McCloud said, "A complete understanding of this topic is beyond the scope of this book, buuuut let me do all the hard work and give you the highlights." And so he did. I am a theory-minded person so his breakdown was particularly helpful to me and those who think in more abstract terms. But of course the entire book is one big comic so there are tons of illustrative pictures and comparisons for those who want to see a more concrete example! I highly recommend this book for those interested in creating comics, especially if you've had no formal training. (I'm not sure how much of this ground gets covered in art classes, because as a writer, I am a complete novice to the art side.)
  
  I'm going to go find all McCloud's comics now.
• 
  Bruce

  This is the third in Scott McCloud’s nonfiction trilogy on the semiotics of sequential art, nee, comics. All three books consider comics literacy: how comics “work” from the standpoint of cultural reference and mental shorthand. His first book,
  Understanding Comics, makes this an explicit theme and is essential reading. His follow-up,
  Reinventing Comics, tries to turn the idea on its head by suggesting a variety of experimental forms. As such, the book is a curious exploration of counterintuitive narrative and artistic approaches an artist might deploy while still using the basic comics tropes of sequenced illustrations and text arranged in (and out of) framed borders. It’s a well-intentioned effort, but not nearly as insightful, useful, or interesting.
  
  This, McCloud's latest metawork, represents the author’s version of a how-to guide for aspiring artists. However, in lieu of a more traditional "draw Snoopy like a professional artist" approach, McCloud's subject matter is purposed to promote conscious, authorial decisions about story and style, subdividing what he regards as the most important-to-master aspects of the media in the service of communicating with emotional impact. Over five sections he illustratively addresses: (1) coherence (respectively achievable via appropriate pacing, shot selection, balance between realism and abstract representation, textual content, and page layout); (2) figure drawing (with a focus on Jungian emotional classification as interpreted by the muscles of the face and basic posture); (3) the interplay of images, words, and words as images in showing vs. telling; (4) the function of landscape and perspective; and least of all, (5) the strengths and weaknesses of various tools of the trade (an aspect of the book most likely to become obsolete). The work concludes with an essay about literary form and the increasing cross-pollenization of manga, superhero, independent/underground, and Euro long-form styles that would be right at home as an art appreciation appendix in the first book of his series.
  
  You don’t need to be a comics wannabe or devotee to appreciate this, irrespective of whether you are persuaded by all of McCloud’s analyses. One of his farther-fetched fancies is an entertaining passage that translates psychologist
  Paul Ekman's six emotional "primaries" into expressive colors you can mix for variation and shade for intensity (joy + sadness = pity, anger + sadness = betrayal, etc.). (Both illustrations from page 86)
  Strictly from a drawing standpoint, I'm not sure how practical the idea would be as against capturing your own face from a mirror or selfie, but you can
  play with the app someone built to animate the idea if you have an iPhone and a dollar. Whatever. Making Comics reveals the author as a talented artist and master essayist in his element unpacking the ways and means of visual communication, replete with delicious examples. It won’t take you long to read, and is well worth your time.
  
  Incidentally, for a broader taste of Scott McCloud's work in this area check out the author's companion Chapter 5½,
  published contemporaneously and exclusively online (but IMHO not quite as good as the rest of the book).
• 
  Tamahome

  
  I'm not going to make comics, but I still find it interesting to read about storytelling. Remember, symmetry means life.
  
  All done. If you liked
  Understanding Comics, it's pretty much more of the same. Plus he references a ton of indie comics and they're indexed in the back. He also has
  Reinventing Comics, but that seems to be unpopular, heh.
  
  
• 
  Erin

  (I don't do stars.)
  
  Not an artist, not a cartoonist. I just love reading guides for creative activities that aren't my own.
  
  Making Comics concerns itself with decisions about the form that can happen organically or chosen deliberately. As a "happen organically" type, I really appreciate anything I can soak up on the other side. The section on Stories for Humans should be required reading for anyone who tells them. The rest is excellent for any writer who wants to take on the challenge of thinking MUCH more visually.
• 
  Toby

  I got this book when I was really young, and it's what got me into comics. I have to get a new copy, because the one I have is falling apart from so much reading, re-reading, and referencing.
  If you want to get into writing and/or drawing comics, this book is essential. Every time I read it I notice a new gold nugget of information or philosophy that inspires me to go and make more comics.
• 
  Owen Townend

  Scott McCloud has become the go-to guy for comic book theory. This is a title well-deserved as he has proved in not one but three accessible books dedicated to showing and explaining this exciting and still relatively new artistic medium.
  
  I was educated by his first nonfiction title Understanding Comics and Making Comics goes into even greater detail on how to apply what I learnt. The most creditable part of McCloud's teaching style here is his honesty. He is not claiming that there is one perfect approach; if there is one then he hasn't discovered it for himself yet. Instead he only aspires to show every method of characterisation, storytelling and world-building that he can think of so that both he and his readers can learn their own way. There are no hard rules in this book but there are plenty of handy tips.
  
  While most of this is written with the artist's perspective in mind, McCloud does also have some invaluable suggestions for writers, especially when it comes to forming a healthy writer-artist relationship. The trick here is to avoid one-upmanship and instead make sure you do what is best for the comic book or graphic novel that you will eventually create.
  
  I'm not sure if I will ever write a comic book myself (I'm fairly certain I won't draw or ink one) but I am very glad to have Making Comics in my home library just in case. As such I recommend it to those aspiring to the craft, preferably with an early draft of your own comic book ready for improvement.
• 
  Alicia

  So many notes! I kept either taking pictures of certain pages and balancing taking notes on paper to internalize and reflect on what he was sharing. Truly a "storytelling secrets", he's like the magician giving away the secrets but we all benefit-- how else can you better discuss comics, manga, and graphic novels if you don't have some basic understanding and that's what he does with intelligence, humor, and aptitude.
  
  I was blown away by this one.
• 
  Jaymin Ewens

  This has been extremely helpful in broadening my understanding of all the things that go into comics. It's nuts. I have a much deeper appreciation for the comics, manga, and graphic novels I love. Hopefully it will give me a better foundation for future projects.
• 
  Maya Dworsky-Rocha

  As good as I remember.
• 
  Joey

  Great! A fantastic deep dive into the inner workings of comic creation.
• 
  Zareen

  I've said it before and I'll say it again: Scott McCloud is a genius. Every page blew my mind with his incredible insights. Somehow a book on the mechanics of comics-making managed to make me laugh and cry.
• 
  Jonathan

  Libro predecesor de "Entender el cómic". Si en la primera versión el autor nos hablaba de la esencia interna del cómic en este segundo volumen nos muestra los elementos necesarios con los que contamos para contar nuestras historias de una manera clara, humana y profunda. La importancia de la combinación equilibrada entre las palabras y las imágenes para conseguir un mayor efecto.
  
  Dentro del libro nos describe conceptos para narrar historias humanas y crear personajes creíbles y que nos marquen. Desde el diseño de estos personajes, pasando por las expresiones faciales, su anatomía y el lenguaje del cuerpo. Como crear mundos y escenarios que encajen con la historia y los personajes, enfatizando en la importancia del uso de la perspectiva para una completa inmersión dentro de estos.
  
  En los últimos capítulos del libro nos describe más en detalle cómo funciona la industria del cómic, siempre desde su visión personal, así como las herramientas y técnicas, tanto tradicionales como más actuales que se usan a la hora de la realización de los cómics. Reconociendo que nuestras herramientas más importantes fundamentales son nuestra mente y nuestra mano.
  
  
  En definitiva "Hacer Cómics" complementa de una manera perfecta el primer libro del autor "Entender el cómic".
• 
  Roman Vynohradov

  «Створити комікс» Скотта Макклауда стала наступною книгою з теорії коміксів, написаної вищезгаданим автором, яка вийшла українською. Це трохи дивно, бо фактично вона третя від цього автора.
  
  На відміну від мальопису «Як зрозуміти комікси» який був написаний для широкого кола читачів, «Створити комікс» розрахований більше саме на художників та авторів коміксів. Звісно, любителі цього виду мистецтва теж можуть почерпнути для себе багато цікавого, але це окремі частинки. Мені, наприклад, як звичайному читачу, який фанатіє від мальописів, було неймовірно нудно у розділі де розповідалося про те, як намалювати обличчя персонажів, та як працює міміка. Я, просто нахуй, вмирав від йобаної нудьги. Але коли оповідь йшла про створення місця, де відбуваються події, то я не встигав рахувати час, бо він якось пролетів дуже швидко. Це було не просто цікаво та захопливо розказано, а й дуже пиздато намальовано. Так само й в розділі, де автор говорить про вибір кадрів та ракурсів, при побудові сітки фреймів. Це теж цікава річ, яка допоможе не лише авторам придумати щось пиздате та нове, а й читачам для того, щоб більш цілісно «відчувати» події, які відбуваються на сторінках. Чим крутий цей мальопис – це теорія, яка відразу показує практичні приклади. І це пиздато, бо набагато легше сприймається та засвоюється, ніж сухий текст.
  
  Ті, хто читав «Як зрозуміти комікси», той знає, що автор дуже добре годен гратися з малюнком. Те ж саме і тут. Різноманіття ілюстрацій вражає, як і різноманіття їх подачі. Тут як самі малюнки можуть змінюватис�� залежно від стилістики, яку потрібно показати, так і фрейми та їх контури. Правда місцями Скотт пройобується й ліпить щось не дуже відповідне до тексту, який йде в цей момент, але загалом все дуже й дуже пиздато.
  
  Всім тим, хто хоче малювати (навіть не обов'язково комікси) рекомендую. Тут багато чого можна почерпнути (на мою повністю профанську думку). Також цікаво буде тим, хто знайомий з цим видом мистецтва та хоче дослідити його закулісся. Всім іншим краще за цей твір не братися, а якщо й буде бажання, то краще спочатку пробувати попередню роботу авто��а – «Як зрозуміти комікси».
  
  Сюжет: ха-ха, смішно) який в пизду сюжет у нонфікшні?)
  Малюнок: 9/10
  Оцінка: 8/10
  
  #ррцз #безцензури #комікс #коміксрецензія #нонфікшн #скоттмаклауд
• 
  Art

  This is an excellent book for anyone interested in writing comics and wants some tips and tricks to help them on their way. I am personally working on creating my first comic book and though I have had years of art education and lessons in how to draw I have never learned anything about incorporating that into a narrative structure. So this book was exactly what I was looking for.
  
  Unlike most books about making your own comic this is not a how to draw book. It is very firm in it’s view that you can create comics in any way that you choose, but it attempts to cover fundamental things which all comics creators will need to consider including choice of images, creating characters and worlds and notes on tool favored by different artists.
  
  This is Scott McCloud’s book and so is not the only way to do things but I found that it gave me plenty of food for thought and let me understand things better where I had been relying purely on intuition. Plus my nerdy heart loved the expanded noted at the end of each chapter including a whole page about pens! I could read about art materials for hours.
  
  I will probably pick up one of his other non fiction books at some point. He uses the comic book format to explain points very effectively. The format makes sense for a book about comics but I am sure that it would also work well for other non fiction topics and my dyslexic brain found it really easy to understand (though I would disagree with it’s use of only uppercase letters, but that is a minor quibble and a personal thing).
  
  So yes, a very useful book. I would recommend reading through it slowly and maybe doing some of the exercises at the end of the chapters (not cram it in less than a week, like I did, but I have a deadline looming).
• 
  Sofia

  Being rather new to the comics world (I only started reading them more steadily last year), I was eager to know more about the medium, and various online searches kept pointing to
  Understanding Comics The Invisible Art (also by Scott McCloud) as a great starting point. Unfortunately, at the time I set out to buy it it was unavailable, so I settled for this one instead.
  
  I have to say I loved it! It really opened my eyes to a lot of details I was missing, or rather, things that I was aware of on an unconscious level, but which make a huge difference when you're aware of them. Even if you don't actually want to "make" comics, this is still a great book to further your understanding of them. My appreciation for the medium and the amount of work that goes to each page certainly improved.
  
  If I had to find something wrong with this book, it would be that it only scratches the surface on most points - but then again, the book describes itself as a starting point, and throughout the book you get many pointers from the author to further your knowledge of what's being discussed. Also, one has to keep in mind that this is only one of the three books Scott McCloud wrote on the subject, so what's missing from this one is probably explained in the others (which I will definitely be checking out).
  
  I also love that this was written and presented in comic book form. It makes it a very fun read, while still being informative. Overall, it was everything I expected it to be.
• 
  Joshua

  Scott McCloud always reminds me why I love comics, and this book is no different. The fact that I lead a MakerSpace for kids and teenagers about making comics on the same day I finished this book was also a delightful bit of serendipity.
  
  Unlike his previous two books (UnderStanding Comics and ReInventing Comics) Making Comics does not explore the culture relevance of the medium of comics, nor does it attempt to validate the form as a legitimate medium. Instead McCloud leads this book with the idea that the reader probably has already read these books, or else already believes comics to be a worthwhile medium. And from there he provides the reader with a toolbox. This metaphor is used purposefully because often while reading it I felt like I was receiving one unique tool after another and whether it was advice for character designs, atmosphere designs, drawing equipment, Software programming for digital sketching, drafting, etc. Every page of this book was beautifully and carefully constructed to reflect the argument McCloud was making. This book is the work of a human being compelled by passion to make something great, but also to pass along the wisdom of a lifetime learned.
  
  Scott McCloud is likely to fall into the same company as Will Eisner who fought for comics as a worthwhile form of art, and Making Comics is proof of that. McCloud, like Eisner, like me, and like so many of the people who pick up comics and disappear have been waiting for books like this. It's not just an empty guide of "how-to's," it an opportunity share a familiar passion.
  
  I loved this book all the more for it, and can't wait to see it's effect on the next generation of comics artists.
• 
  Eric

  This is an excellent book for anyone who is interested in making comics, or just learning about the theory behind them.
  
  
  Scott McCloud lays out the fundamental building blocks and questions behind creating a comic, and covers them in depth. He eschews questions of technical execution and personal style in favor of theory and design.
  
  He covers communication, pacing, framing, and transitions in excellent detail. His chapter on the tools available is more brief, but gives a beginning cartoonist enough information to help decide where they would like to make their first forays.
  
  The chapters on words and writing are similar to those on art. Rather than a step-by-step manual on how to do it, he presents the groundwork on what to do, and how to approach it.
  
  Throughout the book, the focus stays steadily on the comics medium. Art and words, working together to tell stories. This single-minded focus makes the book more valuable to a comic artist than a more general treatise on art of creative writing.
  
  Along with his earlier work,
  Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art, Making Comics is an excellent resource for understanding or creating your own comics masterpiece.
  
  As an aside, the book also clued me in to some other, non-mainstream comics work that I am already enjoying checking out.
• 
  Juan Bosco

  Si hay algo evidente en los libros que Scott McCloud ha escrito acerca de los cómics es que de verdad ama a ese medio. Este libro parte de los principios, análisis y teoría expuestos por McCloud en Understanding Comics para explicar ahora cómo se hace un cómic.
  Desde las ideas abstractas e intuitivas como el ritmo y fluyo de la historia, hasta los aspectos técnicos del dibujo y las herramientas que se usan para crear una página de cómic. Todo explicado de la manera más lógica posible: a través de páginas de cómic. Este libro es tanto una guía para comprender cómo se hace un cómic como es un cómic en sí mismo, lo cual le da un toque de sinceridad por parte del autor y hace fácil de entender algunas ideas que sólo es posible comprender del todo al verlas en acción.
  Además, hay algunas breves lecciones de historia, de estilo y nuevas teorías acerca de cómo funcionan no sólo los cómics, sino cómo funciona la gente los hace, retomando las ideas de Carl Gustav Jung como punto de partida.
  Una lectura instructiva y amena en especial para los que disfrutamos de leer cómics y vemos en ellos una oportunidad para crear algo de valor humano.
• 
  Kazen

  A wonderful look at what goes into a comic, from perspective and line to story and style. I learned a lot and gained even more appreciation for an art form that I already respected.
  
  The ebook version is not recommended, however. I read an epub from my library using Overdrive on an iPad and the text was a tad too small to read comfortably. The notes after each chapter were written in McCloud's lettering font and it translated to ALL CAPS ALL THE TIME in the file. Annoying to say the least.
  
  My favorite part was his look at Japanese manga, as I have more experience with that than North American comics. (I started reading the panels in this comic right to left, I'm so well trained.) It was neat to see his take on the Japanese industry and how it's melded with American comics over time.
  
  Run out at get this book (a paper copy!) if you have any interest at all in comics - you won't be disappointed.