While comic books are visual, they are still a partnership between a writer and an artist. For this snippet, you will need to describe a page of action and dialogue. If, sometime later, an artist (maybe you) draws your page, brilliant!
The page we’re looking at is full of action, and action pages in comics have rules. The example is a fast-moving chase that ends with the hero being thrown off a car. They’re still pictures, so how do you make a comic page feel like that?
- Keep the dialogue light. Your eyes slow down when you have to read, so an action page stays visual to keep your eyes and brain moving quickly.
- Add sound effects. Sometimes done with words over the action (POW! BLAM! SMASH!). This example uses dialogue as sound effects (BRRRR--!, --GNNH--).
- (Almost) every panel is a BIG action. Hawkeye hits the car! Windscreen smashes! (Pause to show electro-arrow) Henchman electrocuted! Jumps cars! Struggles! Smashes! Hits ground! Black. The story rockets along and you’ve got to keep up.
