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Writing Comic Strips

© Dave A. Law

While writing a comic strip is similar to writing comic books, there are some distinct differences. The key difference is that you are restricted to the space of the strip to tell a "complete" sequence. Traditionally this space is a strip of 3 or 4 panels (daily strip) or two tiers of 3 or 4 panels (Sunday strip). Web comic strips allow the ability to go beyond this using either a traditional format or some sort of hybrid of comic strips and comic books. However, this is a topic for another day. Regardless, there is still the need to tell some story within the confining space. This is one point that many amateur comic strip writers fail to completely grasp or understand, and the reader ends up with only part of a sequence but not necessarily enough to care to read future installments. Due to the fact that strips are typically only viewed one at a time, published at best one per day, you need to keep the readers attention, and as such what you tell has to have a definite beginning, middle and ending.

Gag strips are easier to write in this format as they lend themselves to telling a complete sequence starting with the introduction, the setup and then relaying of the gag in sequential panels. What is more difficult is writing a continuing strip, as there is really no setup and no clear ending as the story due to the fact that it is intended to be told across several strips rather than one. The way to get around this is to end each strip with a cliffhanger, a reason for the reader to want to read the next strip. How much of a cliffhanger would depend upon the style and genre of the strip. The idea is to simply leave the reader with the question of what will happen next.

Here's an example of how to do this:

Start by establishing the scene.

Panel 1: Art Directions: Establishing shot with a long overhead view deep within a jungle. Cries for help can be heard echoing through the trees. No one else is about.

Dialogue: Helen Collins; "Help!!! Someone, help me!"

Add a bit of action.

Panel 2: Art Directions: Closer view to one section of the jungle where a woman tied to a tree is seen as she struggles to get free.

Caption: "Don't be stupid, Helen Collins thought to herself..."

End with a question in the reader’s mind. In this case, what is going to happen to the woman?

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