The Dc Comics Guide to Writing Comics

Rating:
Summary: GREAT BOOK FOR BEGINNERS
Review: If you're a beginner when it comes to writing, as I was, then this book will be of great help. The author, Dennis O'Neil, has been writing comic books for a long time and has worked on some of my favorite Batman stories (such as the critical and commercial success "No Man's Land" series). In the book, O'Neil discusses different types of writing formats, such as plot-style and full-script, as well as the basic three act structure used in everything from screenwriting, playwriting, (and yes) comic book writing. On the downside, it's a little short and can be read through quickly. But don't let that stop you from buying it. There's a lot of information within its pages for people who don't really know the basics of comic book writing.

Rating:
Summary: A bit uninformative.
Review: It's a great book on the theory of comic book writing, but it never mentions how the editors always like to change the script once you submitt it. I should know. I once wrote a story for a major comic book publisher but they ended up publishing the story after I went through half a dozen rewrites.

Rating:
Summary: The best how to writing comic books I ever read.
Review: Maybe many people will think this book is concern about just to DC characters fans, WRONG!!!!The writing of the scripts are superb and each one of them could be use for any comic book writer for any super hero of their own. I find this book invaluable for the comic book writer. Thanks a lot DENNIS OÂ'NEIL.

Rating:
Summary: how to be a superhero hack
Review: This book concentrates on how to write simple stories on a deadline. While the author acknowledges many times that there is 'more than one way to do anything' he still trots out all the tired cliches that give comics a bad name. On the plus side, the examples of different writer's scripts alongside the finished pages really helped me come to grips with the formatting issues involved in writing comics. This book is worth buying for the structural tips, but if you write like O'Neil suggests all the time, you won't be writing much of any worth...

Rating:
Summary: Nixx Pixx Tixx on Kixx Flixx Chixx
Review: This book, written by legendary comics writer/editor Dennis O'Neil, is the first in a series of 'how to' books being released by DC comics. The fact that DC recently decided to suspend their policy of accepting unsolicited writing and art submissions seems to contradict the encouragement of these guides, however. Still, the information provided by Mr. O'Neil is valuable nonetheless, in that it collects, in an organized manner, all the basics for a solid foundation in comics writing. Even so, the insights are not anything particularly new, especially if you have any previous writing education. But, it is the organization of these simple facts 'all in one place' and by such a knowledgeable pro like Denny O'Neil that I feel may add a bit of confident relief to any aspiring writer. I would recommend it at least on the grounds of it's technical accuracy and the 'official' tone it carries as being published by an actual giant of a comics publishers such as DC. Please note, however, that although I have read the book, I am completely full of (...).

Rating:
Summary: Add This to the Reference Shelf!
Review: This is one of the best references a writer interested in the field should own. I'm currently working on a script to submit to a publisher. Already it helped me avoid a couple of the common pitfalls. The author provides excellent insight reinforced with illustrations on writing for the genre.

Rating:
Summary: A 101 Course for Comics Writing
Review: When I heard this book was coming out, I was very excited. No other book, to my knowledge, was specifically devoted to writing in the comics medium. One nice aspect of the book is the presentation of the printed comic page along with the scripted text. While the book is tight and focused, it is still just an introductory course. Anyone reading this book will still want to do further research, as the text suggests. However, O'Neil's prose is witty and engaging, and the book is an entertaining read. My few complaints aside, this book is a complete pleasure to read.

Rating:
Summary: Very helpful, but I did expect more.
Review: When I saw this book, I thought it would be a great way to pick up some tips ... and it was, but not as many as I had hoped for. It's great for beginners, but for anyone who has been at this a while (like myself), it seems pretty dumbed down. Another bad thing is that I expected a book and I got what looks like a trade paperback comic. It's fun to read, but I just think there is more to be said. This book focuses more on format & structure than content. And even at that, O'Neil (an outstanding writer) spends half his time saying how there are more than one ways to do anything, and this way may not be the right way for you. HOWEVER, I was able to get a few useful tips and pointers from its 128 pages. Personally I feel that if you can get JUST ONE useful tip from it, then it's worth the .... And I did get several, so I'm happy with it. But don't look for writing tips on how to make compelling characters (there is a breif bit about it, but not much). This book is more about style and format. But at the end of the day, I would certainly recommend this book to anyone who wants to write comics. Format & structure are very important. As I said, if you can get just one tip from it, you've got your money's worth!