teal me what you think it is

Great comics don't tend to steal all their characters from the author's favorite animes.

What makes a great comic? I don't think it's art, although it helps if you have a good grasp of anatomy and what-not. I think two important things make a comic great, though:

- An interesting story. There has to be something about your tale that's original, even if it isn't the most original idea. Even if you just go for a new twist on an old concept it has to have something that grabs people, that makes people want to care, and that makes people want to read on.

- Characters that people actually want to care about. Your characters are every bit as important as your story. In my opinion a writer can have an interesting idea and kill it with uninspired or cookie-cutter characters. Your characters need to bring your story to life in some respects. They need to have personality and verve and make a person want to read their exploits.

This is just my opinion. Please don't pelt me with stones!

Let's not be catty, guys. :]

idstudios
What makes a great comic? I don't think it's art, although it helps if you have a good grasp of anatomy and what-not. I think two important things make a comic great, though:

- An interesting story. There has to be something about your tale that's original, even if it isn't the most original idea. Even if you just go for a new twist on an old concept it has to have something that grabs people, that makes people want to care, and that makes people want to read on.

- Characters that people actually want to care about. Your characters are every bit as important as your story. In my opinion a writer can have an interesting idea and kill it with uninspired or cookie-cutter characters. Your characters need to bring your story to life in some respects. They need to have personality and verve and make a person want to read their exploits.

Yup. I agree with this completely.

Except, for exactly the reason you give in your second point, these days I'd probably put the characters first and the story second!

The most important thing in any comic is to having lots of talking animals in a fantasy setting and the word "Harkovast" in the title.
With a comic like that, you cant go wrong!

You've just got to try and be like my comic JohHARKOVASTn.

harkovast
The most important thing in any comic is to having lots of talking animals in a fantasy setting and the word "Harkovast" in the title.
With a comic like that, you cant go wrong!

I was actually make a pathetic joke/self promotion about my comic. I should've known Harkovast would beat me to it.

I dunno what truly makes a GREAT comic, because everyone has different tastes.

But like others have said, great characters, unique story, etc.

I tend to judge certain comics as a whole though. Example, I thought The Walking Dead started out great, but the past few issues have stuttered a bit in my opinion.

Does that mean it isn't a great comic? No, it's good, but I may reserve greatness status until I see how the story reaches its conclusion.

Just my take.

I think a Comic has to have a good story (thats already been said)

But I feel the most important thing in a comic is that it dosen't
stall, or get bogged down in pointless filler.

Also something I love to see, is when a twist happens, like a main
character turns their allegiance say.

I think that a comic should have characters every day people can relate to; which is why most people get drawn into comics in the first place (although it might be the art and story.)

I try to make comics that people can relate to, and I base my characters off certain characteristics that I see in people.

I dunno. I'm weird like that.

Zaymac, nobody, and I nobody, can beat me to the shameless plug/ cheap joke.
If you look I actualy got nominated for an award for it!

Saint, your comic JohHarkovastn sounds pretty good.
Something about that title appeals to me....

harkovast
Zaymac, nobody, and I nobody, can beat me to the shameless plug/ cheap joke.
If you look I actualy got nominated for an award for it!

Saint, your comic JohHarkovastn sounds pretty good.
Something about that title appeals to me....

There's just an allure in having a comic starting with J.

wow Thanks for all the replies guys

Renamon
wow Thanks for all the replies guys

No, thank YOU for making this topic.

1.) originality- a new spin on something old, etc

2.) tension

3.) memorable, distinct, relatable characters

4.) if not necessarily perfect art, clear art that's easy to distinguish and has something at least charming about it.

appeal to the reptilian brain.
http://www.crystalinks.com/reptilianbrain.html

idstudios
What makes a great comic? I don't think it's art, although it helps if you have a good grasp of anatomy and what-not.

Actually I disagree. In comics the aim is to tell a story with words and pictures so I think one should not be considered secondary to the other. Mind, what qualifies as "good" art is subjective as hell-- personally I say character art should be very expressive. Having decent backgrounds can also go a long way insofar as making the comic immersive. Also I think it's a useful to consider "what would work as a comic but not as anything else?" if that makes any sense.
As for what makes the story good idstudios and Kristen Gudsnuk just about got it I think.
Now all this is what I think makes a comic good, as for what makes it great I'm not sure that's something I can quantify. To me a good comic is well-written, well-drawn, and well-executed and a great comic is one that reminds me why I like comics in the first place.

+Decent art

+Compelling characters

+Author voice

+Hell of an awesome storytelling skill

+Decent plot

a lot of great things such as excellent art on par with awesome story telling and to capture a person's attention.

but if i have to put it all in one word, it has to be "boobies"

I think all of the above. But, in a comic, I think an interesting art style is important. Most people won't bother to get into the story if the art isn't good.

Same happens in a videogame that's not super realistic. Like Nippon Ichi games have great gameplay and a generally good story, but most of their games use sprites for characters so no one buys it.

Splash Damage
I think all of the above. But, in a comic, I think an interesting art style is important. Most people won't bother to get into the story if the art isn't good.

Agreed - but I'd place the emphasis on interesting rather than good artwork. As long as the art has the flexibility to portray what is needed without turning the reader away on first look you can have a great comic if the writing's good...

...I don't think it necessarily works the other way around, though. Unfortunately you can have all the pretty pictures in the world but if you can't manage to pull out a plot no-one will care about the COMIC. They'll just come back to look at the pretty pictures. (-_-") I don't think 'pretty pictures' = a great comic.

I guess it matters if you are a visual person, or a reader type person. I am extremely visual. I don't personally need words to enjoy a comic, as long as the art is enjoyable to me. Having said that, my favorite comic experiences have been when the writing/characters and art have come together. Moore and Bissettes run on Swamp-Thing, Millers Sin City, Claremont and Byrnes X-Men, Wolfman and Perez's Teen Titans, Buscema and Thomas's Conan run, etc..........

I'd still argue that in a really great book the story is just as important as how it's told and in the case of comics the story is told with the art. I think both are equally relevant. Another consideration that people don't seem to think about is pacing. I've read some pretty cool-looking minicomics that had neat concepts, interesting artwork and creative layouts but the pacing was terrible, the story was difficult to follow and I think it ruined the comic as a whole for me.

Well, besides all of the reasons above...

I feel that a fleshed-out world REALLY helps. Like, if the reader can't actually as if he/she was IN the comic (not exactly virtual reality), then it just feels like they're stuck in one entire place the whole time, which, in my opinion is incredibly boring.

Like in One Piece (only comic that came to mind, at the moment) do you think the characters stayed in one secluded place the whole time? No, the artist/author built upon the world they live in. He put in there the different places, the kind of people that live there, and made it really unique.

At least, I thought so.

Can one form an attachment to the characters? Does one care when the characters have their pitfalls and struggles? If there is no emotional attachment to the characters, no one will care what happens in the comic. Even Far Side understood this with its characters like the cows and such.