MORRISONCON: Morrison, Kirkman & More Talk Writing Process, The Big Two

[CBR News]

At MorrisonCon, Jonathan Hickman, Jason Aaron, Robert Kirkman and J.H. Williams III joined Grant Morrison to discuss writing techniques, the up-and downside to working at Marvel and DC & more.


Full article here.

[Icemizer]

The only cliffhanger a comic needs is the last page of the issue. Being forced to build in something at the end of every page just sounds like out dated thinking. Cant think of a time I have ever not read a comic all the way through and I have been reading a long time 30+ years. I turn the page because there is a next page and I want to see whats on it, not because the previous pages last panel held any kind of cliffhanger moment.

[capuga]

The only cliffhanger a comic needs is the last page of the issue. Being forced to build in something at the end of every page just sounds like out dated thinking. Cant think of a time I have ever not read a comic all the way through and I have been reading a long time 30+ years. I turn the page because there is a next page and I want to see whats on it, not because the previous pages last panel held any kind of cliffhanger moment.

I don't think they are talking about full on cliffhangers every page. But a story telling technique that builds tension and interest. When you open up 2 pages it's hard not to take in at least a little bit of the imagery that's on both pages. So if you have someone shooting and you want to build a little tension as to the result of that shooting, you can't have it on the left page with the answer on the right page. Because readers will see the results at the same time. Make them fearful (interested) in turning that page to find out what happened. It's a matter of keeping the pace and story flowing and interesting, not really keeping people from putting down the comic mid-read.