Today’s Wonder of the Day was inspired by Steven. Steven Wonders, “how do you make a comic book” Thanks for WONDERing with us, Steven!

Do you love reading about the adventures of the X-Men? How about Superman? Maybe Scott Pilgrim is more your style. If any of these stories are familiar, you’ve likely been reading one of the most popular types of books around—comic books!

For many, though, just reading comic books isn’t enough. Do you ever dream of making your own? If so, you’re not alone. People all over the world come up with new stories every day. The process of writing a comic book can be daunting, though. Where would you begin? 

All great comic books start with a great idea. Think up an interesting main character or have an exciting adventure in mind. From there, you can build a whole cast of characters and imagine the world they live in. Then, put together the plot of your story. What is the major conflict? What events will lead to the climax? Once your idea is fully formed, it’s time to start writing. 

Before designing the visual elements of your comic book, you should write the story or script. Even starting with an outline of the story can help guide your work. Once you know the major events that will happen in the story, you can choose the layout for the comic book.

If you’re an artist, drawing your comic can be the most exciting step! When you picture your idea, does it look like a superhero comic? Does it more closely resemble a graphic novel or Anime comic? Determining the style of your comic book is very important. After visualizing the story in your head, you can finally make it come to life on paper. 

Most comic book creators sketch the comic first in pencil, then add ink and color later. This helps them avoid mistakes in the final comic. Another option is to use design software to create the graphics for your story. While creating the book, don’t forget to leave room for lettering! You’ll want to have plenty of space to add dialogue and sound effects. 

When your comic book is finished, the final step is to publish your work. Many authors sell their comics online or allow people to download portions of them for free. This can help you build a following. If you dream of writing for publishers like Marvel or DC Comics one day, this is a great way to get started. Most large comic publishers look for stories that are already popular with online audiences. The larger an audience you can build, the better.

Are you the next great comic book author? Will you one day be as famous as Stan Lee? Who knows? If you work hard on your creations, anything is possible! 

Standards: CCRA.R.1, CCRA.R.2, CCRA.R.3, CCRA.R.4, CCRA.R.10, CCRA.W.3, CCRA.L.1, CCRA.L.2, CCRA.L.3, CCRA.L.6, CCRA.SL.1, CCRA.SL.2

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