There can't be many who claim to write for calcium-enriched blingmeister Mr. T, but Chris Bunting is among that privileged few. Chris's medium of choice is the comic book, through which he crafts new adventures for the T and that other timeless hero, Action Man. Yes, really.

His professional comic work began in just 2003, but already he's made a name writing for both major-league licenced characters and some more niche projects, such as the comic adaptation of fantasy novel The Lexian Chronicles. Chris has also shared his insider experiences in How to Break into Comics, itself published in comic-book narrative form.

Obviously enthusiastic about his subject, we asked Chris to share some insights into this exciting and surprisingly flexible literary form.

Great Writing: How is writing comics different to working in other media?

Chris Bunting: The answer to that could run on to more space than you've room for!

Comic books differ in many aspects from the audience to the page rates to the production values to the characters to the market place. There's even great differences within the comic industry itself.

The major difference is probably regarding the fast production rates of comic books, meaning that the creators (and publishers) generally have to work much faster and to tighter deadlines than those in other media. But as with most such factors, with this comes advantages: for example, this can make comic books far more topical and relevant than most other media. A film that takes months if not years to produce can't be as topical and up to the minute as a comic book.

Other differences include the collaboration element. While this is also relevant in TV, film and theatre, in novels, short stories etc, it's far more the author's own personal vision. That's not to say that comic books, TV and film are any weaker for it. I often think it can even give them an edge in that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.

There's also the factor of not only working alongside art but working as one with it, which I believe is unique to comic books, animation and illustrated prose works included.

GW: What appeals to you about the medium?

CB: The pace, the flow, the grace, the action, the ability to use laser-accurate dramatic impact at any given time, the beauty of the art. It's a very unique storytelling medium, and oftentimes one picture can really speak a thousand words.

The collaboration, because as I said above, the whole is always greater than the sum of the parts.

The feeling that the comic book medium is one of the final frontiers of storytelling.

And always, always the characters.

GW: Can comics effectively convey a variety of dramatic genres? Can realism be done well, or is there always a sense of making things 'larger than life'?

CB: All kind of genres have a home in comics nowadays, from horror to western to slice-of-life.

Some of the alternative comic book publishers have realism in comics and/or ‘non-larger than life' titles, and tend to fair well with it too.

Don't forget that such works as Sin City and On the Road to Perdition began life in the sequential medium.

So it can certainly be done, although by no means always easily or successfully. Realism can also be present in the most spectacular super hero title ... it comes down to characterization, tone and creator. A point to remember here is that most comic books today, even the mainstream titles, are written by adults for adults.

The bar of realism or maturity is often raised as due to the age group of the audience it must be raised. And sometimes it becomes more trashy and disrespectful of the original source material on which it's based and ultimately less fantastical. It just depends, and I'm veering off onto another issue here altogether.

Perhaps it boils down to a question of what exactly is meant by realism, or can realism ever truly be present in fiction at all? 

After all, making things larger than life is all part and parcel of the illusion of escapism, and even a medium such as that of the novel - one celebrated for its variety of dramatic genres and its sophistication - will employ the technique.

It's an odd fact, but a character dressed in a bright red jumpsuit won't look out of place in a comic book, but you transfer that to the silver screen and it'll just look crass. Part of a response to this was Bryan Singer's reworking of the X-Men costumes in the movie adaptations, going so far as to make a direct, proud, reference to it with the line about yellow spandex.

In this respect, comics are open to, and indeed make a success, of larger than life elements.

GW: It is strange to be writing for characters so well-known that they overshadow your identity as a writer?

CB: Very astute question! Frankly, it doesn't bother me in the slightest. It's not really relevant who the story is by, as long as the reader enjoys it and is entertained.

When I was a kid, I never use to give a second thought as to who was writing or drawing the comic, I'd just have a great time reading it. That's the main thing. The characters should be the real stars while the creators should act as a conduit.

The credit boxes (captions) that comic books run are usually enough to appease the creator's ego, or at least give credit where it's due.

And to get the opportunity to write characters that eclipse you, well, that's a fantastic thing.

GW: How much input does a writer have into panel layout?

CB: That varies from publisher to publisher and even then from title to title and creative team to creative team. It can also come down to the writer's personal choice and style. Some writers will prefer looser scripts, other far more detailed.

However, a lot of comic book writers now write in what's known as "full script form", in which they write the script panel by panel. I wouldn't want to write a comic script any other way. I'm incredibly detailed in my scripts with both description and dialogue. I can even put in notes right down to the lighting or some very tiny, minute detail.

But then you need to give the artist room to move and do their stuff - which they tend to know how to do far better than the writer - so it's all a learning, collaborative process.

For example, I work very closely with Neil Edwards, artist of Mr.T, and he always finds a way of taking what I've suggested and making it even cooler.

There's a shocking cliffhanger in an upcoming issue of Mr.T in which I described in the script the final page - a splash page in which Mr.T finally comes face to face with his mystery assailant that he's been plagued by - in detail, and in particular the angle it's to be played from so as not to give away too much. This angle was from behind the assailant looking at Mr.T. But when Neil came to pencil it, he flipped it so that it's the opposite, so we're looking from behind Mr.T at a full body shot of this person, who still remains partly concealed. And it works a thousand times better and looks a thousand times cooler than my suggestion. And not content to simply beat that, Neil then included a smaller, second panel on the page of a close-up shot of a shocked Mr.T, which is really the cherry on the cake. It meant me re-tinkering my script (the dialogue to be exact) slightly to fit in with the art, but it's well worth it.

While this also shows just how involved a comic writer can be in the panel layout, going so far as to rework his/her script here and there to accommodate and play to the art which is already based on his/her script, it also shows that it strengthens the story to go back to it, post-illustrating, to take into account what the artist brings to the table.

Another example came from a story I did with artist Kit Wallis called Out of the Box about a boxer called Billy "The Bear" Green being faced with corruption and foul play. In my original script on page 5: panel 2, I wrote:

2. Close-up of Billy, shocked.

BILLY: YOU WANT ME TO TAKE A DIVE?!

However, when I saw Kit's final art, he'd captured such an incredible expression on Billy's face for that panel that I felt no dialogue was necessary. In fact a big ugly speech balloon in that panel would detract/distract from the great moment. So I removed the words completely and left it as a silent panel. But I was left with a problem: We needed to make it absolutely clear to the reader that the guy Billy was talking to, Louie Jones, wanted Billy to take a dive. It was a vital piece of exposition to the story. So I shifted the dialogue to the following panel and had Billy's trainer, Mack, says "You want him to take a dive!?"

The other advantage that came from this was that it added to Mack's protective personality and father-like stance in relation to Billy.

GW: How does writing for a licenced character compare to writing for original characters?

CB: As long as you love the characters and enjoy writing for them, they're both equally enjoyable to write.

There are other perks with licensed characters. For example, I've always found it an honour to write Action Man, having loved both comic books and Action Man toys when a kid.

With Mr.T, you're writing the adventures of a living legend that everybody - even outside of comics - knows. There's not many characters that you could tell people that you write about that they'd recognise (beyond the big Marvel and DC icons), so it's a nice feeling.

On the flip side, you feel that you've far more responsibility as these are established characters that people know and love. Not only don't you want to disappoint these fans, you need to approach things in a fresh way.

Obviously with licensed characters, you have more boundaries, or at least guidelines.

The big exception to this is The Lexian Chronicles, which is based on a novel by Harry Gallan. The publisher allows me incredible, I mean incredible, Carte a blanche. Fortunately, they really understand both comics and novels, and know that this flexibility leads to a far stronger end product. They understand that there are differences between the prose form and comics, and I'm very grateful for their trust and faith.

Another advantage of writing licensed characters is of course recognition and almost guaranteed sales. Let's be honest who in the United Kingdom hasn't heard of Action Man, and who worldwide hasn't heard of Mr.T?

With that said, The Lexian Chronicles is the exception. It's based on a successful novel, but one that isn't in the public or the comic book buyer's conscience. That's not to say it shouldn't be, because it's a great novel, but it's not widely recognised. So it's a unique licensed project in that respect because I doubt few, if any, other comic book writers are in this situation that I am with The Lexian Chronicles: a marketed licensed project that few people are aware of to begin with. Therefore I must urge people to try it. The story is fantastic, and the artwork by Inaki Miranda and Eva de la Cruz is quite extraordinary.

And a good lesson for anyone interested in being a writer in comics is to compare the novel to the comic book to see what I've done and why.

GW: When writing for an established character, is it difficult to take into account potentially decades of continuity?

CB: That's often the name of the game in this business.

Part of a direct reaction to this has been Marvel's highly popular "Ultimate" line of books.

That aside, continuity is really one of the fabrics of the medium, and isn't only important, but is also arguably necessary. The soap opera quality of comics is often a strength rather than weakness, and a good writer will always respect what has come before while bringing in a fresh approach/direction.

As a writer, you're expected to do research, and for a comic writer the main research is what's come before. Besides, how much fun must it be for the writer who has decades of stories and characters, basically a huge established toy box, to play with!

I think the final word on this must be that the welfare of the story must outweigh the concern of continuity. I once heard one of the creators of TV sci-fi sitcom Red Dwarf say that they'd often forgo continuity if it meant by doing so they were able to write in a really good line or joke. Which to me makes perfect sense.

Saying this however, a good story and continuity aren't necessarily mutually exclusive.

GW: How does working for an independent compare to working with Marvel UK?

CB: Marvel UK (now Panini Comics UK) has been amazing to work with on Action Man, and I haven't a bad word to say.

The big difference with some "indie" publishers is that you may need to be more hands-on to make sure everything stays on track. With the bigger players like Panini Comics, you can do your bit (in my case, the script) send it on to them, sit back and let them take care of the rest. Basically, you get to focus exclusively on your writing and micro-manage that rather than have to worry about (for example) the lettering or colours, which you may need to at a small outfit. But this will vary from case to case.

To be candid, another advantage of a bigger publisher is bigger exposure and sales which means a more secure and longer lasting title for the writer. And obviously a bigger publisher can pay bigger page rates. While I don't mean to sound mercenary by saying that - you should enter this field out of love for storytelling above everything else after all - when writing is your bread and butter, you may well need to consider these things.

Tying directly into this, larger publishing houses also tend to have a very successful and professional business strategy/plan, whereas many small publishers think that the internet alone will carry them onto bigger and better things. Which invariably it doesn't.
All this brings to light a very important fact: that you need to know about and study the field you want to work in above and beyond the actual writing alone. Knowing about the different disciplines and aspects involved, such as the business side, will help you along the way.

GW: How does the process start? Would a writer first pitch a script, or is it always a collaborative process?

CB: This varies from publisher to publisher, creator to creator.

Now you might be thinking, "boy, this guy is vague with his answers! All he says is everything varies from publisher to publisher", but let me tell you something: I recently asked a large selection of successful comic book pro writers whether a comic book script should be typed double-spaced. There really was no agreement because the comic industry is still in development, and there are no uniform rules. This applies equally to just about every aspect, including how the process starts.

Simply put, almost everything in producing comic books varies, depending.

From personal experience the process most frequently (but not always) begins with a collaborative process, that being myself and an artist teaming up on a project and pitching it to a publisher. This was exactly how I got Pirate Queen accepted.

In other instances, such as Mr.T or How to Break into Comics, I've pitched the project to the publisher. The publisher accepted and then (often with assistance from said interested publisher) tracked down a suitable artist.

Regarding the process in general, you soon discover - or learn to - look beyond your own writing and take into account the style, tastes and approach of the artist too. This means that you can tailor your writing to the artist's strengths, or alternatively even provide them a real challenge because let's be honest, easy can be boring!

GW: Do writers and artists tend to work as a team? Do you find yourself working better with particular artists?

CB: Touch wood, I've thoroughly enjoyed working with every single artist so far, and each one is a distinctively different experience and talent.

The styles and approaches of Inaki Miranda of The Lexian Chronicles to Jeff Borneman of Pirate Queen to Kit Wallis of How to Break into Comics are a million, million miles apart, yet each produces fantastic, professional-level work.

Comic creating is a very team based process, and you quickly learn to put aside your ego. You can't for example call all the shots like you would in a novel. And if you want to call the shots then go and write novels because in comics it's all about collaboration.
I've said it before: a great script with weak art results in a poor comic book, as does great art with a weak script. A good comic requires a balance.

GW: What do you make of the spate of Hollywood adaptations of comic books? Can the medium translate successfully to film?

CB: I think a more pertinent question is: why aren't these blockbuster films, which are reaching a huge non-comic mainstream audience, having a significant impact (read: boost) on comic sales?

Back to your question: yes I think that the medium can translate well, but never directly and exactly. They're still two very different mediums, with many different techniques and requirements, despite them both being visually orientated.

It all comes down to who's handling the film production, and why: To make a quick buck from a pre-established fiction with a pre-established presence, or for genuine love of the comic book and the characters that it's based on.

Bryan Singer proved how elegantly it can be done with the X-Men. Tim Burton did Batman justice, while the first two Superman films remain real greats.

What also intrigues me is how these adaptations can often lead back into comic book and/or novel adaptations based on the movie. Some serious postmodernism at work! I guess it opens up the question: can the film medium translate successfully to comic books?

GW: How does the money work? Do you get royalties like a novelist would?

CB: You've guessed it: This varies from publisher to publisher! (The last time I'll say that, promise!)

While it will also vary from agreement to agreement, royalties aren't unheard of in comic books. However, probably with a few very notable exceptions, they're nowhere near the royalties that novelists or TV scriptwriters get. Simply put, comics can't and won't pay as well as TV, film and novels.

If you're entering this field with the sole intention of making millions, you probably shouldn't bother. Like I said earlier, you should be entering this game as much out of love than anything. Sometimes you even have to take little to no pay in order to even get published.

And while it's a great industry full of great people, be wary! Like any walk of life or any other industry it has its cowboys and rogues. Because it's COMICS people entering it still see it through the rose-tinted spectacles they did when they were a kid. But remember, it is a BUSINESS.

Like I say, sometimes it might pay you to work for free, so to speak, but nonetheless don't let yourself be exploited. Yet don't be too proud to work for peanuts in order to get your work published and gain you experience and build your writing résumé.

You'll need to feel your way, and go on your instincts in your head and gut. If the publisher is making next to nothing (ie. a small press outfit) and/or you're only doing a bit of work (a short comic story or two), then fine, I'd recommend not bothering about payment: get some free comp copies. For example, I did this with small indie British publisher Accent UK, a great bunch of guys in it for love not money.

However, if the publisher is clearly marketing its product on a large scale (ie. through retail outlets and/or large distributors) at a significant RRP price, and you're investing a large amount of your own time and energy, then tread more cautiously. And never be too shy to ask for a contract.

I've had my fingers badly burnt, and this was even when I had a strong contract signed and sealed. With most things, it's a learning experience, and you'll learn more by doing than by anything else: just like with the actual comic writing!

The cowboys and rogues are in the minority fortunately, and it's a small, enclosed industry, so therefore relatively easy to ask around and find out background on who you're working for, so all being well you'll never have a cross word to say about anybody. Now here comes the but...

But with the comic book marketplace like it is (it's been worse, but it's not great), don't expect to have money pouring in unless you're especially talented or lucky or both.

That's worth remembering as we head into your final question...

GW: How does a struggling writer break into comics?

CB: By buying my new comic book, "How to Break into Comics" from Antarctic Press!

On a more serious note: Many creators get noticed by starting small and working their way up, which is probably analogous to many other fields and industries.

Others become successful in TV or film or novels and then get invited in or almost walk straight in. My website's premise has always stated:

writers who work in both hollywood and comics tell how the latter is by far the more difficult to break into

...and this appears to be the case as successful directors, novelists etc come into comicdom (and relating to the previous questions, a field whose remuneration certainly cannot compete with the one that they come from).

I remember one successful comic writer saying aim for small independent publishers first, as let's be honest, if they won't publish your work, chances are you're not ready for the big time anyway.

I would also recommend any course that helps you develop the craft of writing whether it's a journalism course or creative writing.

You can't even pitch the same way as an artist. A quick glance can give a busy editor an idea if an artist's work/portfolio is suitable, whereas with a writer's dense script or even wordy synopsis, more time and attention is required, and remember the key word with an editor is "busy". So it's tough - very, very tough - to break in, make no mistake about it.

Then the toughness factor increases tenfold when you're faced with rejections.

I also truly believe that you shouldn't just want to write for comic books and only comic books. Your overall storytelling techniques and skills will suffer from this as will your influences, as chances are you'll only read and study comic books which can lead to a recycling of ideas (even if unintended) and a recycling of styles. If you enjoy storytelling, which you should anyway if you want to write comic books, then study the form of everything: novels, radio, movies, TV etc. This will only help your writing of comics.

The likelihood of any new, untested writer getting straight in on a Batman or X-Men title is very little to none. I'm happy to stand corrected here, but I can't see any big publisher entrusting a valuable property to an untested creator. Plus established creators can almost be a brand name in themselves, just as a novel author can be, with their own fan following too.

So there are a lot of reasons a big publisher might only go for an established name. And if they're established it tends to mean that they're experienced, reliable and of course, very good at what they do.

And why are they? Well partly because they're practiced. Which is the final and arguably most important piece of advice that a new writer can get. In How to Break into Comics I list this as one of the "three P's" all of which are necessary to succeed in comic book writing:

1. Practice
2. Perseverance
3. Persistence

To see some of Chris's work and check up on his latest musings, visit the Journal of a Comic Book Writer. Chris's guide to breaking into comics is available from Antarctic Press, or possibly behind the Dalek standee in your local comic shop.