Writing Graphic Stories


Lesson 2 Assignment 5-2


Target


  Assignment

Creative Graphic Stories


The best way to learn to write is to read first. The next step is to write...and write...and write... You have seen this yourself, if you reflect back to your early learning. Before you began to write letters, you had to learn what they represented.  Before you wrote words, you probably listened to others read stories, and were shown pictures from the books to help you better understand what was happening, and what the words meant. (Oooooh...picture books are another form of graphic story!)

SO, before you begin creating your own graphic story, it might be best to take a look at some more good examples of this format.

Where to find engaging, well crafted graphic stories?

There are many great examples of graphic stories available online.  HOWEVER caution is advised when searching for these, as many of them contain inappropriate sexual content or extreme violence. 

When it comes to graphic novels, just like regular text, there truly is something for every taste. Here are some graphic stories you can read online, that you might find interesting: 

Short stories:
There is an annual contest called the Observer/Cape/Comica graphic short story prize which results in some excellent graphic stories:
  • The River by Alexis Deacon is set in an earlier time, and has a great twist at the end. It won the prize in 2014.
  • If You're so Wise, How Come You're Dead? might require some background familiarity with classic composer Beethoven and Mexican artist Frida Kahlo. This story won the prize in 2017.
  • Dennis and June emphasizes acceptance and presents an interesting view of a future society. It was a runner up in 2017.
  • Isabel Greenberg created an unusual tale of star crossed lovers in Love in a Very Cold Climate to win the prize in 2011.
    Longer stories:

  • Coraline is a well reviewed novel by Neil Gaiman and you can read the graphic novel adaptation.
  • An original story set in the United States during prohibition, Lack-A-Daisy has cats as its characters.  Artist/author is Tracy Butler.
  • Anya's Ghost, created by Vera Brosgol, is a coming of age story of a teenage girl and a ghost.
  • Reman Mythology is now a graphic novel called Rema, created by Amy Kim Kibuishi and published by Scholastic, but you can read the original online version here.
  • Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol has been adapted to this format.
  • If you are familiar with the old tv cartoon Astro Boy you might enjoy this multi-volume manga graphic novel series: Pluto
  • American Born Chinese has been critically acclaimed ever since it was created in 2006.
  • Ada Starfield is less of a comic than the stories above, but it is an engaging story and has rich images.
  • Cardboard, one of the novel choices in this course, is a full length graphic novel. Other full length graphic novels you may have read include The Invention of Hugo Cabret, The Hobbit, Smile and The Little Prince.