Alan Moore: escribir para cómics, vol. 1

by Alan Moore, Jacen Burrows (illustrator), Mr. Blacker (translator)

Uno de los maestros de la escritura de los cómics comparte sus pensamientos sobre la manera de entregar un guión de primera clase. El ensayo principal fue escrito originalmente en 1985 y apareció en un oscuro fanzine británico, justo cuando Moore fue cambiando el panorama del cómic moderno. Avatar lo vuelve a editar, reunido por primera vez como una novela gráfica, profusamente ilustrada por Jacen Burrows.

Alan Moore también entrega un ensayo completamente nuevo sobre cómo sus reflexiones sobre la escritura han cambiado en las dos décadas desde que el primero fue escrito. Para los fans del trabajo de Moore, nuevos escritores, o cualquiera interesado en los cómics, este libro es una mirada indispensable y fascinante en los pensamientos de uno de los maestros de la escritura de historietas.

Genres: Comics, Writing, Nonfiction, Graphic Novels, Comic Book, Essays, Art

52 pages, Paperback

First published June 24, 2003

About the author

Alan Moore is an English writer most famous for his influential work in comics, including the acclaimed graphic novels Watchmen, V for Vendetta and From Hell. He has also written a novel, Voice of the Fire, and performs "workings" (one-off performance art/spoken word pieces) with The Moon and Serpent Grand Egyptian Theatre of Marvels, some of which have been released on CD.

As a comics writer, Moore is notable for being one of the first writers to apply literary and formalist sensibilities to the mainstream of the medium. As well as including challenging subject matter and adult themes, he brings a wide range of influences to his work, from the literary–authors such as William S. Burroughs, Thomas Pynchon, Robert Anton Wilson and Iain Sinclair; New Wave science fiction writers such as Michael Moorcock; horror writers such as Clive Barker; to the cinematic–filmmakers such as Nicolas Roeg. Influences within comics include Will Eisner, Harvey Kurtzman, Jack Kirby and Bryan Talbot.

Reviews

[Louie the Mustache Matos · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a comic book fanboy for far too many years to mention, I’ve been familiar with Alan Moore’s work since the early 1980s. I am not alone in perceiving that his brilliant storytelling techniques were considered innovative back then, but here in this comic book – designed specifically to showcase what makes him great – he communicates that change is necessary, once again. Moore says that when a writer becomes comfortable, it erodes creativity. It therefore behooves the writer to become uncomfortable, change genre, technique, or style, sometimes all three. In this book there are numerous anecdotes, examples, and advice that provide perspective into narrative structure, plot design, and pacing. I really liked it, despite the fact that it is sometimes overtly academic; thusly, not a comic book in the truest sense of the phrase, more an acknowledgment that creative talent must adapt or the industry as a whole will die. This is especially relevant in this current climate of potential industry collapse, where no less than DC comics is hanging on to relevance with whitening fingertips on the edge of a cliff.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

In 1985, an up and coming comics guy wrote a series of essays on writing comics. Over time, that man became whatever the hell Alan Moore is today; this man whose work has preyed on me, made me cry, turned me on, turned me off, and even, from time to time, completely failed to hold my attention. (I started to list examples of which did which, then decided I’m not quite ready to commit those facts to eternity). Years later, the essays were compiled into a pamphlet and Moore graciously added a post script which was essentially “boy, was I naïve.”

Naïve as it may be, it’s raw, honest, and deep. Take for example his suggestion on writing horror:

“First think about what sort of things horrify you. Analyze your own fears thoroughly enough and you might be able to reach some conclusions about the broad mass of human fear and anxiety. Be ruthless about this, and submit yourself to as much emotional pain as necessary to get the question answered: What horrifies me? Pictures of little kids starving in Africa horrifies me. Why does that horrify me? It horrifies me because I can’t stand the thought of tiny children being born into a world of starvation and miserly and horror and never knowing anything but hunger and pain and fear, never knowing that there could possibly be anything other than needing food as desperately as a suffocating man needs air, and never hearing anything but weeping and moaning and despair. Yeah, well, okay, but why can’t I stand that? I can’t stand that because I like to perceive the world as having some form of just and fair order, without which much of existence would seem meaningless, and know there is no possibility of them perceiving the world in those terms. I also know that were I to be in their situation I wouldn’t be able to see any unifying design above the hunger and misery, either. So does that mean that there is no order, no point to existence, above all no point to my existence? Is that what scares the shit out of me every time I see all those fly-specked bellies on the six o’clock news? Yeah. Yeah, probably it is. What scares me is probably not what’s happening to them but what it implies concerning me. That isn’t a terribly easy or noble thing to have to face up to, but it’s the sort of wringer that you have to put yourself through in order to have any valuable understanding of the material that you are working with.” (13-14).

I can believe the man who wrote that was writing the Watchmen; who put his thumb on the fears that brooded over my generation’s childhood. Who said frankly -- this horrible thing is horrifying mostly because it what it says about me, and yes, I'm horrified by my own lack of empathy. And that yes, this is a man who made me cringe by putting a golliwog into the penultimate League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.

He also suggests that the brilliant thing that Stan Lee did with comics was moving the characters from one dimension to two. “[A]t the time this was breathtakingly innovative and seemed a perfectly good way of producing comics that had relevance to the times in which they were being produced. Progress since that point has been minimal.” (23-24)

Which was a back handed dig that made me roll my eyes, but he goes on to say “I think much of the blame for this state of affairs must rest in the largely unquestioning adherence to the dictum “If a character can’t be summed up in 15 words then the character is no good.” I mean, who says? While its certainly possible to sum up the character and motivation of Captain Ahab in a well turned phrase like ‘This insane amputee with a grudge against a whale,’ Herman Melville obviously though it appropriate to take slightly longer over the job.”

Heh. And yeah. And I do think that most of the good comic books these days have moved beyond the 15 words. I know I wouldn’t want to try to capture John Constantine, Dream, or even Batman that succinctly.

In his ending essay he said something that made me feel oddly connected to him. “Love yourself and love the world. . . . And if you want to write about something, then you must know it must understand it as fully as possible. Must love it, even if it is unlovable. Particularly if it is unlovable. Hey, now, you’re a professional writer, why not volunteer to give a talk to a group of murders and rapists over at the nearest prison? How could anyone fail to benefit in understanding from an experience like that? What could be damaged except maybe your prejudices and preconceptions. Immerse yourself in the least desirable element and swim.” (47). I’ve helped write opinions about the lawfulness of convictions and civil commitments and prison discipline for years before (and since) I actually bestirred myself to visit a prison. I shook hands with a sexually violent predator who had the same name as one of my best friends. While I can’t say that I love anyone there, walking through those gates – and out – was a thing worth doing.

And now I shall back away from this review before I start thinking too hard about the connection between drafting graphic novels and drafting court opinions. Moving on.

[Zoë Birss · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is nothing wrong with the book. However, it is fairly common good advice given in any book on writing fiction. I did pick up about three sentence's worth of new relevant advice for comic script writing. Also, for anyone who is familiar with Alan Moore, and appreciates his cranky-old-man manner regarding comics and the comic industry, the tone is to be enjoyed. There is also some good kick-in-the-pants challenge to creative people. But without Alan Moore's name on the front, there isn't really a lot to this that isn't found with greater depth and more helpful application in the works of Eisner and McCloud.

If one *must* learn about script and story writing from Alan Moore, I recommend reading some of his scripts, alongside their corresponding books. I did so, and found it helpful. However, as I've learned more about comic scriptwriting, and the broad spectrum of methods employed to create them, I've discovered that Alan Moore's scripts are kind of like diving in the deep end. He's frighteningly thorough and specific in his description of each panel in his scripts. I recommend a look at Bendis/Maleev scripts, or Morrison/Quitely instead.

In short, this is a tiny, overpriced book that reads like stream-of-consciousness advice from an old master, which, though good, can all be found elsewhere, and with higher quality.

[Samuel Edme · Rating 4 out of 5]

Synopsis: Alan Moore's Writing for Comics is a 2003 reprint of the titular author's 1985-86 essay along with an afterword reflecting upon the original essay.

My Thoughts: If you're looking for a guide to drawing comics, you will be sorely disappointed and should read Scott Mccloud's Making Comics or something else of the like. However, if you are more interested in learning about the theoretical storytelling aspect of the medium, then this would be an almost perfect fit. While certain parts felt a tad dated since comics, in general, have immensely evolved since the mid-80s both in terms of distribution methods, subject matter, and public opinion, the rudimentary literary elements to crafting a story and taking advantage of the medium in ways that cannot be emulated otherwise very much hold up for the most part. As he waxes eloquent in the essay, he also provides many relevant examples from both his and other artists' work. The afterword was a surprisingly humble (for Alan Moore at least) acknowledgment of some of his faults when he originally wrote it without being too dismissive and scathing as he is with some of his older work (The Killing Joke first coming to mind).

Final Thoughts: I'd recommend this to anyone interested in the art of writing comics as both a historical reference and a guide (just be wary of the time this was written). With that being said, my first recommendation on how to make comics will still be Making Comics which offers a wider scope of information in the theoretical and artistic aspects.

[Peter Derk · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wrote an entire column about how this book belongs on the Mt. Rushmore of How To Write books, even if you never write a comic.

It's here:
https://litreactor.com/columns/alan-moores-incredibly-underrated-writing-guide

[Brian Johanningmeier · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm a fan of Alan Moore but I don't want to read something and then be told in the Afterward to forget everything I've just read.

[?0?0?0 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Plan on writing a comic? Or any story, really? If you said yes to either of those, and enjoy Alan Moore's work, this book is essential. It doesn't have detailed layouts of his outlines or comics before they were published, but what is does include is an essay that spans through every element of storytelling, describing what works with examples from his own work and other, while showing clearly the failings of many modern comics, to asking the reader to reach for more in their work, and this is all told in the captivating voice of Mr. Moore who is as passionate as ever here. "Alan Moore's Writing for Comics" is an insightful, invaluable book for aspiring writers or fans of Moore's output.

[Krisz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good start for comic story writers and useful for other writers as well as illustrators too.
Am actually tells the logic of how he wrote one certain comic story - and then tells us this is not a good way because everything you establish is already a cliché :D

[Himani Agrawal · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
Pros:
a. gave me a deeper understanding of how best to appreciate graphic novels/ comic books - seriously, read this if you want to truly understand what it means to read a comic book and the depth of detailing a writer and illustrator go through to produce a creative which is not a. cinema or b. literature but a creative medium of its own right
b. good reference for getting to know a lot of comic book titles
c. good tips on writing as a whole

Cons:
a. since I am not a comic book writer and this is clearly for someone who wishes to start writing there is a lot of content that is virtually useless to me even in this small 50 page book
b. Alan Moore recants most of what he says in the afterword and though I appreciate the sentiment IMHO it just doesn't make sense

[Levi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Comic book writers writing about writing comic books has increased my interest in comics. This allowed some insights that were helpful in my own endeavors to do some comic book writing. There are certainly some tricks, ideas, and advice that was quite helpful, especially as a new writer.

That's where I think this works the best: as an introduction to comic book writing. I wouldn't necessarily see this as an exhaustive guide, but it helps get ideas flowing and provide examples about how to move forward with those ideas.

[Tomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book is awesome. Alan Moore is too. Not even the text is good or the thoughts that are being communicated, which are very insightful and eye-opening by the way. The book itself as a whole is great. Being without table of contents and being only forty-something pages long. No blather, no bullshit. My impression is only positive. Hooray.

[Gamal Hennessy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first thirty pages had a lot of venting and very little advice. The last ten pages are very helpful for anyone trying to understand writing for comics, especially if you already have experience writing in another medium.

[Brian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Moore talks about his technique. Advice from a master, but it's a pretty dry read.

[Matt Kelland · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's interesting, but as he says himself, the techniques are dated. Good for the basic concepts of how to approach writing, not so much as a practical primer.

[M.A. Garcias · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading four books on fiction writing in a row, trying to extrapolate what could be extrapolated from novels and film to comics, it was refreshing to get the thoughts about the writing process from a master storyteller in the medium. Reprinting essays from the 80s (when he was at the top of his DC era) and with an afterword from 20 years later where he put his own advice in question, it reads more like an inspirational piece and some behind the scenes from his most popular work, rather than giving any specific process - as he himself admits, there is no formula that applies to everyone. Short and sweet, but as full of insight as it was to be expected from one of the best writers in the history of the medium.

[Eleanor Rigg · Rating 5 out of 5]

An essay from one of the most successful and well-known comic writers on the craft. A long read, but Moore's wit makes it a hoot and there are so many tips and quotes I underlined- for context, 12 pages of notes I took from the 47 page essay!

Fantastic stuff, highly recommend to budding writers and established comic authors alike, but especially students of the discipline.

Just me being nit-picky, but the editor of my edition didn't do the most thorough of jobs proofing the afterword... but that's just me being grammatically fastidious :D

[Alec · Rating 4 out of 5]

a nifty little chin-scratcher about writing and writing comics. typically i don't go in for writings-about-writing, but alan moore is an incredible writer and so i checked it. written in a very engaging format, and like the best teachers(especially teachers in something quasi-nebulous like writing), it asks far more questions than it answers and provokes individual thought rather than teaching you the ins and outs of how moore specifically writes all his comics.

[Rebecca Fletcher · Rating 5 out of 5]

For unsure or beginning creatives—read this book. It is the neatest summary of how to create stories of substance (and not only comic books) that I have ever read. When I recommend Stephen King’s ‘On Writing’ to people in the future, I will also recommend this book as a short, supplementary read.

[Michael Lent · Rating 5 out of 5]

Meant to be read and reread. As a fellow writer, Moore's books and lectures (saw him speak at Comic-Con) remind me to aspire, ask more of myself and always digger.

[Sarospice · Rating 2 out of 5]

God. This was a slog. Not because of what Moore says or any illusions of dated advice but the way It's presented. Just white pages of typewriter font and truly arbitrary art. Guess they had no way to show the art pages of story that Moore mentions.

[Jasper O. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alan Moore is one of the absolute masters of comics writing. His original 1985 essay presented here is less of a how-to-make-comics guide, and more of a what-to-keep-in-mind-when-making-comics treatise. He discusses his own process of creating a comic step by step, but not physically, merely detailing the mental steps he has to make. That being said, the examples given are often long and detailed enough that they can serve as valuable lessons for the beginning comics writer (I know they did for me) and even the beginning artist. Moore encourages you, every step of the way, to think about what is right for you and your comic, and why. The afterword adds his more recent (early 2000s) thoughts on the essay, and there he adds some notes about what happens if you have been in the business for long, and how to prevent your work becoming samey after a while. In all, I think this should be required reading for any aspiring comics writer, provided they are willing to put in the thinking work themselves.

[Lindsey.parks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Invaluable.

[Matthew Pennell · Rating 5 out of 5]

A now 35-year-old essay, repackaged in 2003 as a slim "graphic novel" (although it's nothing of the sort). The advice is universal, though, and an hour spent reading it will be of benefit to all writers, not just those working in comics.

[Leonard Pierce · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good enough for what it is, and Moore, as the best comics writer ever, has some interesting things to say, but honestly, it's a bit bold to call this thing a book...it's really more of a pamphlet.

[A.B. Neilly · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is an article about the techniques Alan Moore used to use. It is followed by an article about how he abandoned all those techniques and you should create your own. Funny and informative.

[Green Hedgehog · Rating 4 out of 5]

Алан Мур – без сомнения талантливый человек. Автор таких общепризнанных шедевров как «Хранители», «V for Vendetta». На его счету нехилая плеяда комиксов в уже существующих циклах. И даже несколько собственных серий. Но при этом, как и у большинства талантливых людей, у него есть целый набор странностей - не всем понятный взгляд на мир, игнорирование чужого мнения и общественных правил, своеобразный свод правил, которых от придерживается. Впрочем, на мой взгляд, это нормальное поведение гениального человека. И да, я считаю, что этот человек – гений. По крайней мере о всем том, что касается создания миров, сюжетов и героев. Понятно, что книгу такого человека, посвященную тому, как нужно создавать комиксы я прочел с интересом. И надо сказать, что в ней, достаточно сильно отразилась личность самого автора.

Начну с того, что эта книга позиционируется вроде бы как для начинающих авторов. Для тех, кто только задумывается над этой карьерой. Но и для опытных писателей в этой книге есть многое, что позволит взглянуть на свою работу под другим углом. И это касается даже не только комиксов, а вообще любых произведений. Например, в самом начале своей книги Алан Мур заявляет о том, что в первую очередь любому произведению нужна идея. Да, согласен, что подобную мысль нельзя назвать оригинальной, но судя по многим книгам и фильмам, с которыми я знаком – для многих это новость. Многие из создателей считают, что главное последовательность событий, или там мир, в котором происходит действие, или герои. Но нет – первоочередная вещь – это идея.

И так последовательно Мур разбирает все составляющие произведения. Герои, мир, сюжет, отдельные сцены, динамика и так далее. Он объясняет, как не дать читательскому интересу пропасть между панелями в комиксах, как правильно выставить динамику, в чем большинство писателей ошибаются, когда придумывают характеры своим героями. И да, действительно, на многие вещи у него свой собственный взгляд, не всегда совпадающий со точкой зрения других «мэтров». В других вещах он может подтвердить устоявшиеся истины, но вкладывает в них свое виденье. Тем не менее – весь это комплекс взглядов в любом случае интересен. Даже послесловие, в котором он рассказывает о том, как, по его мнению, должен развиваться автор, или что же такое творчество и популярность.

Хочу еще отдельно отметить язык этой книги. Читается она легко (я чита�� её в любительском переводе, так что плюс тем, кто её переводил), и при этом не остается ощущения какого-то поучения, как это бывало в других руководствах по письму. Я бы сказал, что это скорее похоже на последовательные записи в блоге, в которых автор рассказывает о своих мыслях по заданному вопросу. Он не опускается до уровня читателей и не «сюсюкает» с ними, но при этом, не особо кичится своими регалиями. Ну, разве что немного и не без причин.

С этим, кстати, связан один из минусов книги. Автор проводит целую кучу аналогий с другими формами искусства. Фильмы, книги, картины, музыка и, конечно же - комиксы. Он с легкостью манипулирует именами, названиями и явлениями. Вот только, что делать тем, чья эрудиция отличается от авторской – не сказано. Приходится копаться в Интернете, составлять список – какие фильмы, книги и комиксы стоит изучить. Так что, получается, что за такой небольшой (меньше двухсот страниц) книги, тянется достаточно длинный хвост из «сопутствующей» литературы. Ну и читать от этого довольно трудно. Что имеет в виду автор, когда упоминает того или иного человека или произведение? Как это связано с темой? Пока не выяснишь – дальше читать не так интересно.

Проще говоря – книга, при всем своем небольшом объеме крайне интересна. Даже какие-то банальные вещи в изложении автора играет новыми красками и смыслами. Из побочных эффектов – хочется перечитать некоторые из работ Алана Мура, чтобы попытаться найти все изложенные им приемы в «практическом применении».

[Zander]

At less than 50 pages, Moore doesn't waste time when diving into his insights on the craft. There's a lot of similarities here to Lajos Egri's concept of the Dramatic Premise (find an idea, make it the core of your work etc) but nevertheless it is still fascinating to see how Moore has implemented it into his work. The insights into world building and how Moore weaves textures into his character's landscapes are also fascinating. While it is "about comics" it is definitely applicable to all styles of writing.

The true highlight of this treatise is the afterword where Moore reflects on it 15 years later. He reckons with what he had previously said, telling you to ignore much of it but also acknowledges that he is where he is now because of then. It's definitely worth a writer's time.

See also: The Art of Dramatic Writing: Its Basis in the Creative Interpretation of Human Motives Making Comics: Storytelling Secrets of Comics, Manga and Graphic Novels

[Samuel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is probably the shortest but most complex book on comics I've ever read. It's written by legendary writer/magician Alan Moore. Here are some of the key takeaways.

1. Decide on the main idea before you write your story, and save the plot for later. There's no limit on how long your story is - it can be fifteen words or a few sentences. Typically, a good story is a "What If?" situation: What if we age backward? What if aliens invade earth? Something like that. The nature of the idea isn't important - it can be silly or profound. However, they should engage the reader's mind.
2. The purpose of a plot is to enhance your story.
3. Have a clear picture of what your world looks like in four dimensions: What does it look like in the past, present, and future?
4. You don't have to begin with a complete view of the story - it can be an abstract thought or a vision. Given enough time, your abstract story will eventually form a coherent idea
3. Get rid of the general belief of your "average reader". You don't have to write a story to satisfy your "average" readers. Instead of thinking about public acceptance, use humanity as the common denominator. Don't waste your time tailoring your story for an imaginary reader that doesn't exist - make the idea accessible to all human beings.

[Derek · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was going to give this book four stars but then I looked back and saw how long it took me to get through a 50-page book.

There are some really good things in this book. Moore makes interesting points about writing and storytelling techniques. He is is talking about comic book writing specifically, but I think that good writing shares certain features, regardless of whether it's in a comic book or a french novel. Moore's advice could certainly be useful for any writer. He also has some useful (comic book) examples to illustrate his points.

However, the writing style did wear on me. Moore goes on multiple rambles. I actually wouldn't argue if someone described this whole book as one long ramble. That's cool in one sense because it feels like Moore is actually talking to you. (He seems to me like the kind of guy who goes on long tangents and rambles during normal conversation.) The rambling is uncool in another sense though: sometimes you read a long passage and by the end you've forgotten what the original point was.

Overall, there are some useful nuggets in this book and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to be writer- whether you like comic books or not.

[Mark Plaid · Rating 5 out of 5]

This short book begins with an essay about writing comics written by Alan Moore at the time of the publication of his innovative and groundbreaking maxi-series Watchmen. It is quite interesting to get a glimpse into the mind of a writer who changed the comic book industry as it was happening.

It's much deeper than a how-to book about writing a comic script. Moore offers some very interesting thoughts on world-building and character creation that is different from other books that offer writing advice. What really stands out is his comments on plot and the dangers of depending too much on it, which is what became a transition in popular fiction writers at the time the essay was written. Thus, the transition to character driven stories.

After the initial essay, the reader is treated to an afterward by Moore written in 2003. While he doesn't completely dismiss what he wrote before, he offers something for experienced and seasoned writers and what they can do to keep it fresh and keep a writer writing by taking risks and challenging themselves.

There is much wisdom one can take from this book, especially in the afterward, that can be for ANYONE!