Different Setups for Stories

So, as a writer of many disciplines I often do quite a bit of research on many subjects. I find it quite necessary to know the many ways to concoct a story structure depending on which type of story you are working with. Whether it be, sequential art stories, prose, verse, screenplays, or stage plays. So here is a look at the different setups for stories in sequential art:

DIFFERENT SETUPS FOR STORIES

MINISERIES- A story or comic with a predetermined number of issues. Has two specific rules to adhere to.
                1. Have enough story for the allotted amount of pages allowed each issue. Have time for rewriting.
               2. Must be a change, development, or reverse in every issue until a climax is reached, then dénouement. Keep the story moving!

GRAPHIC NOVEL- A story in which many things happen, and many characters exist. Must keep moving up and up constantly. The reader must be constantly fed new information to help further understand the world in which the graphic novel lives.

MAXISERIES- Should have a unifying theme and continuity of plot. Must reach a conclusion that answers all plot and character questions, ties all elements together despite diversity. Doesn't have to be tightly plotted as a novel, stories can be diverse and unconnected but must tie in at conclusion. Usually twelve issues long.

ONGOING STORIES- The sort of traditional tips of comics. Deal with problems of continuity and continued stories. Three ways to write continuous stories in an ongoing title.
               1. Story Arcs- The twin of miniseries so to speak. Arc is a part of continuum though. Must have enough plot for allotted number of pages. Reintroduce characters and locales. Have fully outlined plots.
               2. The Levitz Paradigm- A grid like format that helps track main plots and sub plots in a single ongoing title or many titles. See p.101 of The DC Comics Guide to Writing Comics by Dennis O'Neil.
              3. Chart Form- A form in which many titles with the same character involved; helps track the plots and sub plots dealt with in each separate title to tie in with the one main plot.

MEGASERIES- A long continuity which stars a single set of characters and appears in several titles. Falls back on the old three-act-structure. Outline for story should be at least twelve pages long. In addition to the main plot there are usually a dozen other subplots. Should have narrative explaining the story in each issue. Every scene should point to a climax and no page wasted. Story must justify the space allotted to it.

No More F?!

It's amazing the amount of films that Marvel has made within so many years and with so many different production companies as well. Some owned by Fox, others by Sony and some true Marvel Entertainment franchises. It is astounding how well they've done over the years as well, I mean not to me, since I've been buying the comics since I was 14, which isn't that long admittedly. However these are some of the biggest movies being made now and all with A-list actors and directors as well. A few years back Sylvester Stallone made a huge deal saying how these comic book movies are killing the old action hero movies (Rocky, Terminator, Demolition Man, Rambo) and in a sense killing off the need for the old school muscled-up actors. It hasn't really, it's just made them either adapt or taken actors who were relatively known mostly for comedy (Chris Evans, Paul Rudd, Chris Pratt) or drama (Robert Downey Jr. (although, special note: RDJ can do anything), Chris Hemsworth, Tom Huddleston, Jeremy Renner, Scarlet Johansson, the lists go on) and made them transform themselves into such powerful action stars. Yet of course since they started out doing these said things, they can return to them anytime they want and still perform their craft at their pique and they bring this level of talent and introspection to these roles of comic book heroes making these unbelievable stories all the more believable. Also bringing these actors more opportunities for roles they might never have gotten if it wasn't for these superhero films bringing them such popularity. It all started in 2008. I mean sure, Marvel collaborated and made films of their characters before that, but before the brilliance that was the first Iron Man, connecting it all for the first time, we wouldn't have the world we live in right now. So, it's amazing.
With the new FF movie coming out, rebooting the franchise, it got me thinking about all of this. Then of course there is my absolute favorite character of all getting his own movie, Deadpool!! I mean, man. I am stoked. This brings to mind the fact that I heard a rumor that within the comic book universe of Marvel that there won't be a series for Fantastic Four anymore, but that the characters will instead appear randomly in other characters books. So it makes me wonder about the MCU, which of course isn't the same as the MCBU, and also about the rumors of production company cooperation too. It's all great news and it's all good fun! I am so excited for these upcoming months and years.
Let's not forget about DC as well, however they are not quite on the MCU level yet, let's just wait till there movies start hitting hard. I am looking forward to Suicide Squad and a little weary of the whole Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice movie, the whole Ben Affleck thing bugs me. I mean the trailer looks good, but I mean The Green Lantern preview looked good, so we'll see. Well, these are my thoughts. More illustration and comics from me and writing news coming soon. With pictures and everything!

Story Structure Notes cont'd

Event- 1. Events are change taking place, are always meaningful and never trivial.
            2. Creates meaningful change in life situation of a character that is expressed and experienced in terms of a VALUE <-- of="" p="" soul="" storytelling.="" the="">            3. Story VALUES are the universal qualities of human experience that may shift from positive to negative, or vice versa, from one moment to the next.
            4.Events are achieved through CONFLICTS. Change is motivated though CONFLICT.

Scene- 1. An action through conflict in more or less continuous time and space that turns the value-charged condition of a character's life on at least one value with a degree of perceptible significance. Ideally, every scene is a STORY EVENT.
           2. If a scene isn't meaningful, cut it.

Beat- 1. An exchange of behavior in action/reaction. Beat by beat these changing behaviors shape the turning of a scene.
          2. Beats are meaningful behavior changes.

More notes to come! Any questions or suggestion shoot me an email!

Story Structure

So in my desire to become a better writer and artist I am always searching for the best reference material and books out there. Some great books that have helped me are: The DC Comics Guide to Writing, Story, Writers on Comics Scriptwriting, How to Write what you Want and Sell what you Write. All of these books are invaluable to me in my writing, along with the classics and books from my favorite writers. In the spirit of free learning I figured I would share some notes here on the blog that I've made based off of my research in these books. Here is just a bit now, what I hope to do is keep sharing my notes on writing to not only reinforce them in my head but to hopefully help any would-be-writers out there like myself. Even tho I've self-published I am still looking for that mighty feeling one gets from being a writer working for a nice publishing house, here's to hoping and please enjoy the beginning of these notes! Thank you!

PART ONE: STORY STRUCTURE

The Elements of a story- a beautifully told story is a symphonic unity in which structure, setting, character, genre and idea meld seamlessly.

Terminology of a story design- 1. Tell a whole story
                                                   2. Only select a few moments
                                                   3. Tell present story while life story is also told

Structure- 1. A selection of events from the character's life stories that is composed into a strategic sequence to arise specific emotions to express a specific view of life.
                 2. Compose events to flow one after the other.

Learning things and what not

So yeah, I'm still learning and will continue to do so for the rest of my natural life for the most part. I've been studying hard now all the different pencillers and thier techniques to better myself and really paying attention to what it is I've been seeing you know? Really taking it all in and using that knowledge in my own sketches and drawings. I've been doing one big sketch a day for two days so far and will continue to do so I believe. I've been studying the Marvel Encyclopedia and all the different drawings in it and been picking one character that really strikes me as interesting and usually doing my sketch on them. I'm doing a real focus on line weight becasue that's mostly what I was told to practice on when I went to this passed months Big Apple Comic Con which was this May 2011. They told me that my storytelling was excellent (which they said is the most important part of being a comic book artist) and also that I'm very consistent with my characters from panel to panel (which is also a hard thing to keep up, two points ahead for me) but just to focus on line weight, and then the basics (i.e., proportions, perspective).

So yes that is what I'm doing! They also said to focus on whatever company I want to work for or a company that wouldn't be bad to work for just to get myself in the door. So I'm going to focus on the big two; Marvel and DC of course. I've been going through my more current comics that I've recently purchased to keep myself on the scene and picked out characters that are either popular or always popular and have written a three page story around them for each company. I also included my own original character "Ananami" copyright Mike D. Burke 2011. I'm making it so that he can fit into either universe depending on which one hires me. Here are the characters I've chosen: For Marvel; Dr. Strange, Dormammu, Wolverine and Spider-Woman. For DC; Red Robin, Batgirl and Batman. I've made it so that these stories need no dialogue as I am to focus mainly on the ability to draw a story panel to panel. One thing they also told me to focus on was the way I lead the eyes of the reader on the page, to make sure that the characters are facing the proper ways so as the story has good flow to it. Hopefully this all goes well, I've finished the story for both companies, I'm also going to put in their three pinups/covers also because from all the books I've read they say those are essential for a good portfolio as well. I'm so happy I have this new found focus now!! I'm pumped up and ready to take action, this is what it's all about!!