Here’s what I mean. You can cheat in a short story or novel. Distract the reader—with all your fancy language, deep thoughts—from realizing that nothing is actually happening. But in comics? Shit needs to happen and happen fast. All six cylinders blazing. You’ve got a panel with two dudes sitting at a table, and then another ten panels with the same two dudes sitting at the same table, it doesn’t matter how insanely smart your dialogue is, there’s probably a problem. I learned a lot writing those first few scripts. And I’ve become a better novelist because of comics.
prose writer Bejnamin Percy (who’s writing comics now), interviewed by Warren Ellis for the Orbital Operations email newsletter last November. full issue archived here.
Hector Lima 