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Maker Comics
Maker Comics: Draw a Comic!
Maker Comics is the ultimate DIY guide. Inside JP Coovert's graphic novel you will find illustrated instructions for seven comic book projects!
The International Comics Library is in a lot of trouble! If Maggie can't come up with $500,000 in a week, Dr. Carl is going to bulldoze her grandfather's library and turn it into a parking lot! To save the day, she'll need all her comic drawing skills, the loyal library watchdog, and her new assistant (that's you!).
With Maker Comics: Draw a Comic! you'll learn to create and print your own comics books! Follow these simple steps to sketch out your story ideas and ink a comic page. Learn which art supplies are best for drawing comics--you can use a pen, a brush, or even a computer! With the help of photocopy machine, you can even self-publish your own comics and share them with your friends!
In this book you will learn how to:
write a comic script
draw a comic strip
draw and print a one-page comic
create thumbnail sketches
pencil a comic
ink a comic
print and bind a multi-page comic
The International Comics Library is in a lot of trouble! If Maggie can't come up with $500,000 in a week, Dr. Carl is going to bulldoze her grandfather's library and turn it into a parking lot! To save the day, she'll need all her comic drawing skills, the loyal library watchdog, and her new assistant (that's you!).
With Maker Comics: Draw a Comic! you'll learn to create and print your own comics books! Follow these simple steps to sketch out your story ideas and ink a comic page. Learn which art supplies are best for drawing comics--you can use a pen, a brush, or even a computer! With the help of photocopy machine, you can even self-publish your own comics and share them with your friends!
In this book you will learn how to:
write a comic script
draw a comic strip
draw and print a one-page comic
create thumbnail sketches
pencil a comic
ink a comic
print and bind a multi-page comic
128 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2019
7 people are currently reading
102 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
November 22, 2019
A very cute instructional book with a little background story to draw readers in. Personally, I think that episodic format detracted from the actual art of making comics, but I’m sure that kids will enjoy following along. Adorable drawing style.
January 23, 2024
This was a lot of fun! 😊
Read
December 31, 2025How? This is not a reivew of Maker Comics: Draw a Comic! -- but now that I know this exists, I'm putting in a request at my library.
This is instead a review of Coovert's small Ghostbusters-esque zine game, Goons and Ghosts. (And the real reason why I got it is because someone was selling it on an auction site ABOVE what Coovert was asking. (Though maybe with shipping it all evens out.))
What? It's a hack of Nate Treme's Tunnel Goons, which is very minimal: roll 2d6, add a stat, add +1 for any equipment that helps. But here, Coovert adds some fun fillips, like adding a +1 for a zinger; or only using 1d6 for the particle beam attack (so you have to work together). It seems fun, light, and genre-appropriate throughout. The batch also includes 3 short trifold pamphlet adventures: fighting a slime cult, dealing with a haunted/abandoned library, and chaos demon in a Target.
Yeah, so? Fun!
I will say, one critique I have, though, is that the book mentions how research might be an important part of the ghost hunt (with bonuses for telling the spirit about its life), and yet: there's no really worked out examples of that in the adventures and the enemies are rarely ghosts. (Only the haunted library has a human ghost that might be swayed by learning his reason for haunting.)
This is instead a review of Coovert's small Ghostbusters-esque zine game, Goons and Ghosts. (And the real reason why I got it is because someone was selling it on an auction site ABOVE what Coovert was asking. (Though maybe with shipping it all evens out.))
What? It's a hack of Nate Treme's Tunnel Goons, which is very minimal: roll 2d6, add a stat, add +1 for any equipment that helps. But here, Coovert adds some fun fillips, like adding a +1 for a zinger; or only using 1d6 for the particle beam attack (so you have to work together). It seems fun, light, and genre-appropriate throughout. The batch also includes 3 short trifold pamphlet adventures: fighting a slime cult, dealing with a haunted/abandoned library, and chaos demon in a Target.
Yeah, so? Fun!
I will say, one critique I have, though, is that the book mentions how research might be an important part of the ghost hunt (with bonuses for telling the spirit about its life), and yet: there's no really worked out examples of that in the adventures and the enemies are rarely ghosts. (Only the haunted library has a human ghost that might be swayed by learning his reason for haunting.)
October 19, 2019
Readers get an internship with Maggie and her dog Rex helping fix up and then save her grandfather’s comics library from an evil parking lot developer. To save the library Maggie has to collect a treasure map, and along the way readers learn all about how to make a comic from the art supplies comic artists use, to the planning process, to layout tips, and final production methods.
This is going to be SUPER popular with our students once our copy arrives. They already love graphic novels and drawing books, so the two of them combined is magic. The book does a splendid job of breaking down the comic making process detailed enough this could be the launching pad for the next new comic artist out there. The plot is definitely just a device to help the book flow a little easier. This is much more informational than entertainment in content, but still a great book. A definite must for school library shelves, and the perfect present for any budding artist you know. The language is simple enough for middle graders but the information is informative enough even high school and older artists could get a lot out of this. Highly recommended.
No content issues.
I received an ARC of this title from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is going to be SUPER popular with our students once our copy arrives. They already love graphic novels and drawing books, so the two of them combined is magic. The book does a splendid job of breaking down the comic making process detailed enough this could be the launching pad for the next new comic artist out there. The plot is definitely just a device to help the book flow a little easier. This is much more informational than entertainment in content, but still a great book. A definite must for school library shelves, and the perfect present for any budding artist you know. The language is simple enough for middle graders but the information is informative enough even high school and older artists could get a lot out of this. Highly recommended.
No content issues.
I received an ARC of this title from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
April 20, 2020
A DIY Guide to drawing Comic, there is a story-line. You have been given an internship to work with Maggie building her grandpa's library of comics, and along the way, Maggie will teach you how to create comics yourself. Also, there's a villain, Dr. Carl Stephens, who has acquired the lease of the building from the bank and wants to tear it down. Good thing Maggie has a piece of a treasure map from her grandfather - maybe you can help her follow the clues and Save the comics library. Maggie gives step by step instructions on drawing panels, using details to show the story, how to use captions, and writing a script; you visit an art supply star to learn about all the best pencils, erasers and pens and. how to take care of them, and so much more.
The kids are going to love this! The instructions are perfect - simple and precise. The story is engaging, but most of all it keeps the reader going through all the s=different steps to making a comic. It's not one you will have to worry about the kids writing in - each of the projects start with a blank piece of paper. I love that Maggie has the reader draw their own panels and talks about layout and design and everything. This will definitely be popular.
For this and more of my reviews, visit http://kissthebook.blogspot.com
The kids are going to love this! The instructions are perfect - simple and precise. The story is engaging, but most of all it keeps the reader going through all the s=different steps to making a comic. It's not one you will have to worry about the kids writing in - each of the projects start with a blank piece of paper. I love that Maggie has the reader draw their own panels and talks about layout and design and everything. This will definitely be popular.
For this and more of my reviews, visit http://kissthebook.blogspot.com
November 19, 2020
I think I've read them all at this point?
What a fun one this one was and still with loads of intense information that unequivocally shows you how to "make" something, in this case comics giving you a variety of ways and tools to approach it.
The girl and her dog as the narrators was fun but the back story was a little shaky. Either way, when it became about how to design folds, use panels and margins, and the kinds of graphite in a pencil, it stood out as being informative and useful. And inspiring. Any artists interested in more can use this to start and the book gives recommendations for more to follow up on. I even learned about emanata. I didn't know what the word was and now I do-- the pictorial elements that show some kind of emotion or motion.
Enjoyed the big-eyed narrator telling me how to draw a comic by showing and doing.
What a fun one this one was and still with loads of intense information that unequivocally shows you how to "make" something, in this case comics giving you a variety of ways and tools to approach it.
The girl and her dog as the narrators was fun but the back story was a little shaky. Either way, when it became about how to design folds, use panels and margins, and the kinds of graphite in a pencil, it stood out as being informative and useful. And inspiring. Any artists interested in more can use this to start and the book gives recommendations for more to follow up on. I even learned about emanata. I didn't know what the word was and now I do-- the pictorial elements that show some kind of emotion or motion.
Enjoyed the big-eyed narrator telling me how to draw a comic by showing and doing.
Read
September 12, 2024In my opinion, this is such a perfect book for me! It combines two of my favorite hobbies: reading graphic novels and drawing stories. So, when I first saw the cover, I was very excited. The plot revolves around Maggie and her dog Rex as they try to find treasures on her grandpa's map to save her comic library from the villain, Dr. Carl Stephens, who wants to replace it with a parking lot. Along the way, Maggie teaches us all about the steps of making a proper comic, from choosing materials to scanning copies. I really think that this book can be just right for anyone, thanks to its intriguing story and clear instructions. I believe everyone who loves art will adore this book.
October 28, 2019
This book caught my eye at a local comic book shop and I immediately picked it up because I had a few students in mind who would appreciate it.
I guessed right and they love it! I love it!
Very kid friendly book packed with information accompanied by adorable illustrations.
I noticed that this is part of a "How to" series of graphic novels. Probably going to check out the other titles in this series as well.
I guessed right and they love it! I love it!
Very kid friendly book packed with information accompanied by adorable illustrations.
I noticed that this is part of a "How to" series of graphic novels. Probably going to check out the other titles in this series as well.
February 18, 2020
Super detailed and uses a story line as just the background to the main plot which is learning the ins and outs of making a comic, all the way from materials needed to draw to how to scan/copy/publish the finished product. Very detailed but interesting and because it is in comic book form, it is really easy to understand and follow along with the instructions. Would be good for anyone 3rd/4th grade and up.
March 28, 2020
This series of comics that teaches kids how to do a wide range of activities is fantastic. This is the second I've read and its so practical and helpful. After reading it my kids instantly made their own comics that looked awesome! Really fun and creative set of books, and this one might be the best.
November 9, 2020
Perfectly clear step-by-step instructions on how to draw comics using different paneling and formats, as well as listing tools and terms. The subplot adventure is a bonus but was almost in danger of derailing the main content.
November 27, 2022
taught you a lot about comics and the whole process. It's not as hard as it seems! what has cool is that it also had a dilemma so it made it more fun. (I thought it was funny that it was a comic book about comics;)
January 2, 2020
3.5 stars. There is a lot of good information here, but I found it a little overwhelming.
Want to read
February 12, 2020Note: I received a digital review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
August 13, 2021
This is an informative book that uses a story for framing. Kids can learn a LOT about making comics and get guided help to do their own.
September 18, 2021
Good information; plot just ok
November 24, 2021
A good read for teens on how to make a basic comic.
August 12, 2019
I thought this was a great book. Fun and educational approach to how to draw a comic. The illustrations and flow of the book were great. The book was highly approachable for many readers.
May 25, 2019
Interesting combination of graphic novel with a how-to guide for creating costumes. I'm not sure it worked really well together though. The how-to guide just didn't work.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews