Comic Ideas: How to Brainstorm Comic Book Ideas

Comics are a visual art form of storytelling pairing images with text. They are often presented sequentially in panels, self-contained frames that tell one story beat (for example, one moment, one look, one establishing shot of the scenery). While graphic novels typically have one cohesive storyline, comic books can follow one character—such as Marvel’s Spider-Man and Captain America or DC Comics’ Batman and Superman—through various stages and scenarios.

Traditionally, comic book artists design works for print. Today, many creators publish comic series online, known as webcomics. Either way, the medium is conducive to innovation and artistic expression, allowing comic creators freedom to experiment with the real estate on each page and create dynamic comic book characters.

A comic book comprises several elements, which all work together to communicate visual storytelling. Features of a great comic book include:

1. 1. Caption: This box is separate from the rest of the panel; comic book writers typically use these to provide context for what’s happening through a narrator's voice.
2. 2. Gutter: This is the space between the panels. These spaces can be large or small, impacting how easy it is to read the pages.
3. 3. Panel: A panel is the comic’s starting point: it represents one illustration on a page, usually surrounded by a border. A comic book page has one or more panels. Each comic panel moves the story along by depicting an action with figures and speech bubbles. Writer Neil Gaiman says, “When you get to comics, you have a whole different area of territory...We get to use the pictures and the words to try and do things inside the head of the reader that you might never be able to do in prose or in film.”
4. 4. Speech bubble/balloon: These contain the characters' dialogue and appear inside the panel. Each balloon has a “tail,” which points to who is speaking the dialogue. Comic book creators usually stick to a uniform speech bubble, white in color, for clarity and consistency.
5. 5. Splash: A full-page illustration at the beginning of the comic book to introduce the story and establish the setting and mood.
6. 6. Spread: A spread is an illustration or series of images spread over more than one page.
7. 7. Tier: A tier is a single row of panels. Cartoonists will fill their book with multiple tiers, which can each act as short chapters.

Think of a short story idea that would work well visually: You want large, easy-to-define moments, larger-than-life characters, and a lot of dialogue. If you are already working on a novel, try adapting your characters and setting to comic form as a creativity exercise.

When brainstorming comic ideas, simplicity is critical. Think about the grand opening, the big plot points, the climax, and the resolution. These should be rather straightforward: Ask if you’d be able to explain these ideas to a five-year-old, and when you’ve achieved simplicity, sketch out your panels.

Beginners can follow the tips below to come up with their own comic book or comic strip:

1. 1. Be specific. No matter what comic book idea you head for, specificity is critical. Create a clear world, well-defined characters, and a solid narrative that speaks to your main character’s hopes. If you are going to create a superhero, give them a special gift and unique weakness to set them apart.
2. 2. Give your protagonist a want and a problem. Needs and obstacles work well together, leading to funny punchlines and clean resolutions.
3. 3. Play with opposites. If you want to create a comedic story, try playing with opposites: Characters who look different in stature but are friends nonetheless can create visual contrast and humorous effects. Set them out on adventures and see what trouble and fun they find.
4. 4. Start with a short comic. Comic books can be any length; starting with a funny comic strip can be a solid introduction to building up to longer comic strips or comic book ideas.
5. 5. Use your imagination. Think of extraordinary settings and strong, powerful emotions like love, death, anger, good, and evil. Let your imagination run wild with what you want to envision if you create something fantastical.

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