And he was right.<\/p>\n
But writing a compelling storyline<\/a> is just one of the crucial ingredients of an excellent comic book.<\/p>\n You also need to create a storyboard<\/a>, develop characters, establish what the central conflict should be\u2026 the list goes on.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re new to creating comic books, you\u2019ve come to the right place.<\/p>\n We\u2019ll show you how to make a comic book step by step and share tips & tricks to help you get started ASAP.<\/p>\n Uncover the battle raging within. Read the Biowars comic book for free!<\/a><\/p>\n One of the very first things to do while learning to make a comic book is to develop a concept<\/strong> for it.<\/p>\n After all, every piece of art starts with a good idea or concept, and comic books are no exception.<\/p>\n That’s how the BioWars comic book started, too, and it grew into a comic about the war that wages inside everyone us, between the BioWarriors \u2014 the protectors of the immune system \u2014 and pathogens<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Now, having an amazing idea is a great start, but you should develop it carefully before putting it on paper.<\/p>\n Here are the three fundamental steps<\/strong> you should follow after you come up with a concept for your comic book<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Meet the Bioverse characters!<\/a><\/p>\n If you were to join a screenwriting class, one of the first things you would hear is that\u202fat the heart of every story lies a conflict<\/strong>.<\/p>\n That comes as no surprise since conflict is only natural to human beings – and to comic book characters, too!<\/p>\n In most comics, the battle of good vs. evil takes center stage!<\/p><\/div>\n In comic books, the most common type of conflict is between the forces of good and evil.<\/strong><\/p>\n Just think of Captain America vs. Red Skull, Batman vs. Joker, Superman vs. Lex Luthor and Spider-Man vs. the Green Goblin.<\/p>\n There are plenty more examples of comic book conflicts based on superhero vs. villain fights, but sometimes, that clash between good and evil may seem old and uninspiring.<\/p>\n Instead, consider exploring your superhero\u2019s internal conflict: what\u2019s the difference between their day-to-day and their superhero persona?<\/strong><\/p>\n For instance, Peter Parker is a nerdy high school kid, often crippled with insecurities, but as Spider-Man, he is a powerful crime fighter.<\/p>\n He often questions his choices because he wants to be there for his friends and family, but he also knows that the lives of the innocent often depend on him.<\/p>\n Parker\u2019s inner turmoil sometimes turns out to be too much to handle, causing Peter to abandon his superhero persona. For instance, when others questioned the righteousness of his actions or when his close ones were sick, he resigns from being Spider-Man.<\/p>\n Thor is another example of a superhero who, as a god of extreme power, for years felt unworthy and believed he didn\u2019t earn the right to be the God of Thunder. He struggled with the feeling he had failed to make a difference in the world and found it hard to understand himself.<\/p>\n So, when creating a conflict, you can focus on describing the fight between two opposing forces, typically the protective vs. the destructive force. Or, you can write a story that describes how a superhero, be it a human, god, or mutant, struggles to make peace between their everyday and superhero personas.<\/p>\n Do you know how comic books came to be? Find out!<\/a><\/p>\n Once you\u2019ve figured out the premise for your comic book storyline, the next step to learning how to make a comic book is to decide when and where the story takes place<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Perhaps your comic book could take place in deep space or several centuries into the future. You could also place your characters in the middle of an alternate-reality steampunk world. Or, you know, the good ole Earth, perhaps Scottsdale Arizona of today.<\/p>\n The choice is all yours \u2014 what matters is that you think of a setting that complements your characters and brings out of them exactly what you want readers to see<\/strong>.<\/p>\n If you wish to take your story one step further, you could consider expanding your original comic book into a whole universe<\/strong>, as Marvel famously did.<\/p>\n In doing so, you\u2019ll be able to create even more characters and make more comic books that relate to one another as parts of a larger comic book world.<\/p>\n This is how spin-offs and crossovers usually happen\u202f<\/strong>\u2014 the storytelling potential becomes limitless when you create a whole universe or even multiple universes.<\/p>\n After you get a good idea for the storyline, relatable characters and the unique universe where the plot of your comic book takes place, it\u2019s time to dig a little deeper and decide on the main themes you want your story to reflect and the messages you\u2019d like it to convey.<\/p>\n You can create a captivating story, but if there isn\u2019t a meaningful message behind it or a reader can\u2019t learn anything from it, it\u2019s unlikely your comic book will make a real impact<\/strong>.<\/p>\n A meaningful message is to a story what seasoning is to a dish \u2014 it gives it taste and something a reader can think of and, ideally, get inspired by.<\/p>\n Why do you think Spider-Man comics<\/a> got so popular with people of all ages and backgrounds?<\/p>\n Apart from taking readers on adventures alongside the world\u2019s most popular superhero<\/a>, Spider-Man comics teach readers that\u202fanyone can be a hero<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Even if you\u2019re an average schoolkid, you can still make the lives of your loved ones just a little bit better \u2014 and you don\u2019t need to be bitten by a radioactive spider to do so.<\/p>\n What matters is that you\u2019re honest, kind, empathic and brave\u202f<\/strong>\u2014 these qualities that make Spider-Man the hero we all love, and not his ability to climb skyscrapers and shoot webs.<\/p>\n If you want your superhero story to be as inspirational as Spidey\u2019s, try to think about what you really want your story to say<\/strong>.<\/p>\n What lessons or ideas do you want your reader to take from your comic?<\/strong><\/p>\n Would you rather create a print or digital comic? This guide will help you choose! <\/a><\/p>\n We mentioned earlier that readers mostly enjoy comic books that put a superhuman spin on ordinary people\u2019s traits.<\/p>\n If it were any different, comic book characters would\u202fbe unrelatable and, likely, forgettable.<\/p>\n If you were to put aside the otherworldly qualities of your favorite comic book characters and only focus on their basic personalities, you\u2019d probably notice that you share some traits with them.<\/p>\n Superheroes, just like regular human beings, are complex.<\/strong><\/p>\n And just like you, they have their share of ups and downs. Remember when Thor got fat during his alcoholic phase?<\/p>\n But how exactly do you create a relatable superhero?<\/p>\n And what are some supporting characters your comic book should feature?<\/p>\n In most comic books, the heroes are usually the bravest and the most selfless characters.<\/strong><\/p>\n Superheroes are key characters in almost every comic book story!<\/p><\/div>\n Like you, they go through personal struggles and may sometimes feel like going back to living an ordinary life.<\/p>\n But, despite the hardship they may face, heroes always find a way to rise above their challenges and use their intellect, powers and abilities to protect their ideals and those in need<\/strong>.<\/p>\n If you\u2019ve ever read Batman comics<\/a> or watched any of the Batman movies<\/a>, you probably know how traumatized Batman is because of the tragedy he endured as a child. The past often haunts him, but still, he remains fiercely passionate and devoted to destroying evil in Gotham<\/a>, turning his pain into his power.<\/p>\n So, when you start creating a superhero for your comic book, aside from their superpowers<\/strong>, you can also depict their flaws and weaknesses<\/strong>. Their human traits make them truly relatable<\/strong>, such as anger, compassion, bravery, clumsiness, insecurities, or stubbornness<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Just think of Deadpool<\/strong>, the beloved antihero. Sure, he is immortal and super strong, but the reason why the Deadpool movies have been such a great hit is his sarcasm, self-deprecating humor and metacommentary<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Another great example of a relatable superhero is Spider-Man<\/a>. He struggles with insecurities and problems ordinary people have. Remember how anxious and self-conscious<\/strong> he gets when he tries to win Mary Jane\u2019s heart? Or how he struggles to pay rent and often gets in trouble with his boss?<\/p>\n If you were to look past any superhero strengths, you\u2019d realize that you and them are more alike than you may have thought.<\/p>\n And it\u2019s exactly those traits that regular people like you and me have that make superheroes relatable<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Want to create high-tech character designs? See the top 7 character creation software!<\/a><\/p>\n In most comic books, every heroic protagonist has at least one antagonist.<\/p>\n Just think of all Spider-Man\u2019s archrivals<\/a>, including Green Goblin and Kingpin.<\/p>\n Unlike heroes, who are willing to sacrifice themselves for the greater good, villains are usually all about getting what they want.<\/strong> And that usually means destroying everything on their path to reach their goal.<\/p>\n Nevertheless, just like the superheroes, the villains, too, tend to have a weakness that makes them vulnerable. Or they\u2019ve suffered a traumatic event in the past that\u2019s left them with an appetite for revenge and destruction.<\/p>\n Think of Doctor Doom, one of Marvel\u2019s most powerful characters<\/a>. He\u2019s an almost tragic character because he never learned how to embrace himself.<\/p>\n Despite his great intellect, he felt insecure about a scar on his face. So, he hid behind a mask and chased great power, but he never found a way to overcome his insecurities and kept committing terrifying crimes.<\/p>\n But, not all villains are just that, inherently bad and egoistic.<\/strong><\/p>\n In a lot of comic books, villains are complex characters that often blur the line between good and bad<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Think of Thanos<\/strong>, for example. He destroyed half of life on Earth, but he did so to save humanity<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Thanos knew about a Celestial growing beneath the Earth\u2019s surface. He also knew that a Celestial would emerge once it got enough energy from the people living on the planet.<\/p>\n To prevent the Emergence from happening and the subsequent destruction of the Earth, Thanos wiped half of the planet\u2019s life with a snap of his fingers.<\/p>\n There\u2019s no doubt Thanos is a villain, but the writers purposely gave his character more nuance to show how means do not justify the end, no matter how noble that end may be.<\/p>\n Meet the bad guys from the Bioverse!<\/a><\/p>\n Some comics feature antiheroes<\/strong> as central characters that are nothing like the superheroes or villains you may be used to.<\/p>\n You can have an antihero-only story or feature an antihero juxtaposed against a hero who becomes a secondary character (like Deadpool and Colossus).<\/p>\n Antiheroes aren\u2019t necessarily brave, moral, or led by the same ideals as conventional superheroes.<\/strong> They often commit horrific deeds for purely personal reasons. However, antiheroes often feel the same sense of justice as superheroes, so they do all in their power to fight off the bad guys.<\/p>\n Remember Venom<\/strong>?<\/p>\n He started off as one of Spider-Man’s biggest enemies. He blamed Spidey for all his troubles and wanted to destroy him. Over time, though, he turned from a villain to an antihero, who even teamed up with Spidey on one occasion to destroy Carnage.<\/p>\n Deadpool<\/strong> is another example of a multi-layered antihero. When we meet him, he is a mercenary hired to scare or otherwise harm his contractor\u2019s targets. He is also bullish and sarcastic even with the people he likes.<\/p>\n However, Deadpool sometimes wants to do the right thing. For example, in Marvel\u2019s Dark Ages, the supervillain Apocalypse took over Europe. The Purple Man, his ally, could gain mind control over anyone he wanted, including Tony Stark. When a group of superheroes came to face Apocalypse, the Purple Man tried to get their minds under his control, but Deadpool jumped in and shot him in the head, saving not just the superheroes but also the entire planet.<\/p>\n Venom and Deadpool are both popular characters precisely because of the complexity of their personas and the fact they constantly teeter on the line between good and bad. As antiheroes, they challenge traditional comic book narratives. Their lack of a moral compass and the reluctance to obey societal expectations makes readers gravitate toward them because they feel free to do whatever they please.<\/strong><\/p>\n Deadpool vs. Red Hood \u2014 Who Would Win In A Fight?<\/a><\/p>\n Nearly every character in comic book history \u2014 be it good or evil \u2014 has fallen in love at some point.<\/p>\n Some of everyone\u2019s favorite superhero couples<\/a> include Spider-Man and Mary Jane Watson, Iron Man and Pepper Potts, and one of the most popular LGBTQ pairs<\/a> \u2014 Batwoman and The Question.<\/p>\n Superheroes\u2019 love interests usually aid them and challenge them for the better.<\/p><\/div>\n Depending on the topic of your comic book, perhaps adding a love interest to the story may feel unnecessary. But if there\u2019s room for a bit of a love story in there, don\u2019t hesitate to sprinkle some romance on your characters to make them even more realistic and appealing to readers<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Most lead comic book characters have a companion by their side, sticking with them through thick and thin<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Sure, they help heroes fight off the bad guys, but they more than just physically aid their superhero friend.<\/p>\n In most comic books, sidekicks act as a brother\/sister or a father\/mother to a hero or a villain, offering them valuable advice and moral support.<\/p>\n However, this isn\u2019t necessarily how it should be and you shouldn\u2019t limit your imagination.<\/p>\n It\u2019s perfectly fine to have a superhero falter and the sidekick rise to the occasion<\/strong> as a way of inspiring all those kids who feel eclipsed by their siblings or friend.<\/p>\n Remember when Hit Girl was a sidekick to Kick-Ass? She was, in fact, more powerful than him and taught him how to fight. Without her, he wouldn\u2019t be able to fight criminals. Hit Girl also showed Kick-Ass how to be a regular kid.<\/p>\n It\u2019s not often you find a comic book hero who doesn\u2019t have an influential mentor at some point in the storyline.<\/p>\n Of course, we don\u2019t have to search far and wide for an example \u2014 there is hardly a better one than\u202fAunt May and the wisdom she shares with Peter Parker<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Advisors are frequently part of a hero\u2019s origin story. They encourage them to discover a meaningful purpose in their life and help them hone their powers<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Did you notice that villains never have someone to advise them and help them become better versions of themselves?<\/p>\n In fact, having an advisor is one of the things that sets the good guys apart from the bad, since most villains don\u2019t have anyone guiding them. And that\u2019s fine for plots based on the superhero vs. the villain dynamics \u2014 if all villains turned sides, who would there be left to fight?<\/p>\n In one of our previous blogs, we talked about comic book storyboards<\/a>, highlighting their importance.<\/p>\n But we cannot resist mentioning them again, because\u202fstoryboarding is one of the most useful techniques you should use when learning how to create your comic book.<\/p>\n Storyboarding is a powerful technique that can help you figure out the plot of your comic book to the last detail.\u200b<\/p><\/div>\n In a nutshell, a storyboard is a frame-by-frame outline of a scene or sequence of scenes within your comic book<\/strong>.<\/p>\n In addition to comic books, storyboarding is used in almost all genres of visual media, including movies, TV shows,\u202fvideo games<\/a>\u202fand even music videos.<\/p>\n Each storyboard frame typically includes a rough sketch of what a frame will look like, along with additional comments and directions.<\/strong><\/p>\n Storyboarding is the first step to visualizing your comic book and its elements, including characters, settings, dialogues, backgrounds, and so on.<\/p>\n But to learn about storyboarding in great depth, be sure to check out our dedicated blog post!<\/p>\n Need help designing a cover for your comic book? Read this guide!<\/a><\/p>\n When you come this far, you should have the basis of your comic book and its key elements figured out. All that\u2019s left is to start creating your comic book!<\/p>\n If you prefer pencil and paper, check out our guides on how to draw a character<\/a>,\u202fhow to draw a face<\/a>\u202f, and\u202fhow to draw hands<\/a>\u202fto help you get started with your characters.<\/p>\n Alternatively, you can use one of the three online comic book makers below to bring your ideas to life!<\/p>\n Geared towards adults and kids,\u202fMakeBeliefsComix<\/a>\u202fgives you access to dozens of colorized characters, animals and backgrounds<\/strong>. You have the possibility to create your comic strip and share your story in up to 18 panels<\/strong>.<\/p>\n This free platform also allows you to create comics in several languages<\/strong>, which is great for building a global community of comic fans.<\/p>\n The comic book maker\u2019s real upside is the simplicity of the creative process<\/strong>, allowing you to wrap things up in as little as 10-15 minutes!<\/p>\n Canva<\/a>\u202fis a free drag-and-drop platform many people use to create visually appealing projects.<\/p>\n However, not everyone\u2019s aware that\u202fCanva is also a powerful online comic book maker!<\/strong>\u202fThe platform is quite multifunctional and has a rich library of presets and layouts<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Canva also allows you to experiment with shapes, text and videos and to upload your own images.<\/p>\n The latter feature is particularly handy since Canva, unfortunately, doesn\u2019t allow you to draw within the platform.<\/p>\n Nevertheless, we recommend you try Canva out since it has enough options any beginner comic book artist may need.<\/p>\nFirst Steps To Learning How To Make A Comic Book<\/h2>\n
STEP #1: CREATE THE MAIN CONFLICT<\/h3>\n
![\"Illustration](\"https:\/\/2023.biowars.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/how-to-make-comic-book-conflict.jpg\")
STEP #2: CHOOSE AN APPROPRIATE SETTING FOR THE STORY<\/h3>\n
STEP #3: DECIDE ON THE MESSAGE YOU WANT YOUR COMIC TO CONVEY<\/h3>\n
Introduce Your Comic Book Characters<\/h2>\n
STEP #4: CREATE THE HERO<\/h3>\n
![\"Illustration](\"https:\/\/2023.biowars.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/how-to-make-comic-book-superheroes.jpg\")
STEP #5: INTRODUCE A VILLAIN<\/h3>\n
STEP #6: THINK OF LEADING WITH AN ANTIHERO<\/h3>\n
STEP #7: CONSIDER BRINGING IN THE LOVE INTEREST<\/h3>\n
![\"Illustration](\"https:\/\/2023.biowars.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/how-to-make-comic-book-love-interest.jpg\")
STEP #8: MAKE ROOM FOR THE FAITHFUL COMPANION<\/h3>\n
STEP #9: INTRODUCE THE ADVISOR<\/h3>\n
Create A Storyboard<\/h2>\n
![\"Image](\"https:\/\/2023.biowars.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/how-to-make-comic-book-storyboard.jpg\")
Choose An Online Comic Book Maker<\/h2>\n
TOOL #1: MAKEBELIEFSCOMIX<\/h3>\n
TOOL #2: CANVA<\/h3>\n
TOOL #3: PIXTON<\/h3>\n