Whether you are drawn to penciling, inking, writing or coloring, making your own comic book can be an immensely fun and rewarding experience. Comic books are popular in countries all over the globe, and there are comics for just about any taste. Whether your passion is for mature content, political thrillers or classic stories about superheroes in capes, there may be an audience for your work. If you are getting ready to make a comic book, there are some things you'll need to keep in mind while you develop your ideas.
Genre
The most important decision you need to make is what genre your comic book will be. Is it a story about superheroes or every day life? Is the story a mystery, a romance, or a thriller? Once you have selected the genre of your story, you can begin to create characters and plots. The genre sets the whole tone for your comic book and influences character design and dialogue. Above all, the genre should be something you are passionate about.
Audience
Another consideration is your target audience. For example, if you are writing a romance comic, your audience could be kids (readers of comics like Archie and Betty and Veronica). But there are mature readers who like romance that's a little more PG-13, and some readers who like very explicit love scenes. Make sure you know your target audience, and write/draw appropriately.
Workload
You'll need to assemble a team to divide up the workload. A comic book needs a writer, a penciler, an inker, a colorist and most importantly of all, a publisher. If you have the talent, you can take on all these roles and try self-publishing. If you work with a team of people, you'll need to figure out how each person will be compensated for their assistance. You will also need to set up a publishing schedule (monthly, bimonthly or quarterly) You can also submit your comics to a bigger publisher.
Characters
Once you understand your audience and have selected a genre, it's time to assemble your cast of characters. Your characters should be complex, with both appealing qualities and major flaws. Your characters need to be people that your audience can relate to. Avoid large casts of characters. Try to start out with no more than six major characters (you can always add more slowly over time). Your character design is just as important as the words that come out of their mouths. Avoid characters that are too similar to each other. For example, a good group of characters for a new comic book about a team of superheroes might have five main characters, each with very different super-powers and personalities, and one supervillian.
Format and Plot
You will need to decide what format you will publish in, and that will help define your plot structure. For example, if you only have the funds to publish one-shots, each story will need to be completely self-contained. If you have a larger budget, you might consider publishing as a graphic novel, or monthly in an open-ended, ongoing series.
Each issue of your comic should have a clear story line that presents an obstacle for your characters to overcome. Each issue should end with a cliffhanger or some revelation that makes your reader want to buy the next issue to see what will happen next. In each issue, strive to reveal something new (the origin of one of your characters, a secret love affair or a new villain) Take the time to read back issues of your favorite comics and make notes about what makes your favorite issues so effective.
