COMIC LETTERING | Ian Young Writes

LEARN ABOUT LETTERING SERVICES

Comic book lettering is one of the most important aspects of sequential art. When done correctly, it should never be noticed. Good lettering should never pull the reader out of the story. Confusion in reading direction, misaligned text, and distracting sound effects can ruin the reading experience despite the quality of the artwork or story.

Lettering is the icing on top of the complete experience.

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Speech balloons indicate what a character is saying. Caption boxes may indicate date, time, and/or location, narration, or the inner thoughts of a character. They have largely replaced thought balloons.

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Masking allows words, signs, and sound effects to appear behind the artwork, without the artist needing to do the work themselves. Useful to show depth within the panel. Typically, if it's words, it's the letterer's job. Things like street signs, store signs, newspapers fall under the responsibility of the letterer.

The classic onomatopoeia of comics. Most art can get away without it, but sound effects add the auditory input comic pages lack. Whether is it a THUD, BAM, or KA-BOOM, sound effects are a staple of the comic experience.

From the forthcoming comic by creator Aaron DeViller. Inks by Leo Rocha.

SPLASH PAGES

Splash pages are single paneled pages where the entire tone of the comic is established. Some show the lone hero in a heroic stance, while others are used to highlight those involved in the comics creation.

The cover is the eye-candy of the comic book. It's what will draw in the reader's eye, bring them over to the rack, and get them to pick up your issue. If anyone is going to display your comic, it's the cover that's going to be seen. Equally, having a good-looking cover title logo is a must!

Learn what makes a great comic book cover from cover artist E.M. Gist.