Tue Jun 3, 2008 5:29PM6 comments ›
Tue Jun 3, 2008 — by Van Jensen
Review: 'Drawing Words and Writing Pictures' by Jessica Abel and Matt Madden
The cartooning couple debuts a user-friendly comics textbook
If you pay much attention to news about comic books, you know that the industry is seeing a boost in popularity that's translated into comics becoming an accepted field of study at venerated institutions like Stanford and elsewhere.
As comics make the transition into classrooms it only makes sense that a formal textbook would soon follow. Fittingly enough, it's a pair of comics creators and instructors -- Jessica Abel and Matt Madden, who are also married -- that created the first textbook, Drawing Words and Writing Pictures
The 280 pages of advice on creating your own comic is largely an introduction to comics newcomers, with explainers on basic concepts and terms. From there it progresses into fundamental skills, from page layouts to creating characters to creating finished quality art.
There's a world of information the book never gets to, but then it's essentially a course book for Comics 101. It does have tons of references to more advanced learning materials, though, which comes in handy.
While the book is designed to be used in the classroom, Abel and Madden have crafted it so that anyone getting into comics can gain a lot from it. Just on my own, I had a lot of fun going through their exercises and picked up more than a few new tricks. It's also very well designed and exceptionally visual-friendly.
I wouldn't call Drawing Words the Holy Grail of comics, but it's an excellent place to start, a great primer on a terribly complex medium.
Van Jensen is a former crime reporter turned comic book journalist. Every Wednesday, he braves Atlanta traffic to visit Oxford Comics, where he reads a whole mess of books for his weekly Reviews. Van's blog can be found at graphicfiction.wordpress.com.
Publishers who would like their books to be reviewed at ComicMix should contact ComicMix through the usual channels or email Van Jensen directly at van (dot) jensen (at) gmail (dot) com.
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Comments (6)
Mike Gold (5:59 PM on Tue Jun 3, 2008)
Ms Abel has long been one of the preeminent practitioners of that which is referred to as independent comics -- a misleading term which generally means you own it, you paid for it, please look at it. She's opened a lot of doors for the medium, and I can't think of anybody more appropriate to be so involved in producing this tome.
Russ Rogers (8:30 PM on Tue Jun 3, 2008)
It's interesting that you should review this. I was just thinking that it would be nice if ComicMix did a ComicMix Six on "The Six Best Non-fiction Books About Creating Comics!" What books would you include on the list? Here's a start:
1. Understanding Comics, by Scott McCloud
2. Comics and Sequential Art, by Will Eisner
3. The System of Comics, by Thierry Groensteen
4. Drawing Comics is Easy! (Except When It's Hard), by Alexa Kitchen
5. How To Create Comics, From Script To Print, by Danny Fingeroth and Mike Manley
6. Panel One: Comic Book Scripts by Top Writers
Like any ComicMix Six, my list isn't intended to be diffinitive, but just get the ball rolling. Should Drawing Words and Writing Pictures make the list? How do the comics writing guides of David, Moore and O'Neil stack up against each other?
mike weber (12:05 AM on Wed Jun 4, 2008)
Certainly anyone who aspires to be a comic creator should read the Eisner; the McCloud doesn't speak to me the way that it does to many, but it's obviously a valuable resource, too.
Anonymous (3:09 PM on Fri Jul 18, 2008)
Good list. I've never heard of #2 or 5. I'll have to look for them.
I'd also add:
7. The Complete Idiot's Guide to Creating a Graphic Novel, by Nat Gertler and Steve Lieber
8. Perspective! for Comic Book Artists, by David Chelsea (just because it's an entire book devoted to a topic that most of the other books don't emphasize enough: drawing backgrounds)
-- Bob
Van Jensen (8:41 PM on Tue Jun 3, 2008)
I honestly haven't read many books on making comics. In fact, this one may be the first. I think Drawing Words works very well as a primer, so for people who are fairly new to comics, it's a good bet.
I kind of wish I'd had it when I started making comics. Lots of trial and even more error.
Chris Ullrich (2:06 PM on Wed Jun 4, 2008)
Sounds like an interesting book. Nice review Mr. Jensen.