Alternate Cover: What do comic creators do?

The world of comics can be confusing for people. Just like a movie is created by many different people, so comics are rarely the work of one person. However, unlike the movies, where I get as baffled by the credits for 'Best Boy', 'Gaffer' and 'Grip' as much as anyone else, in the world of comics - well, I'm actually able to do some explaining.

The Writer, as you can probably guess, writes the comic. This usually means coming up with the plot and script, and descriptions for what, exactly, should go in each panel. Plot and script are occasionally divided up between two different individuals. Sometimes, the artist handles the panel contents from a more general overview and the writer scripts over the completed images - this is known as the "Marvel" method, since it was employed by Stan Lee who 'wrote' almost the entire Marvel line at one point - though this actually meant handing a loose plot to artists, then scripting over their panel breakdowns.

The Penciler draws the comic. Usually on boards substantially larger than the final pages will be. Pencilers usually decide how panels are laid out, and will frequently revise the instructions given to them by the writer to best fit their own talents, interests and preferences - this is part of the collaborative nature of comics. Pencilers may also be credited for 'layouts' or 'breakdowns' - what this means is that they have created a loose, less detailed version of the artwork which has then been completed by...

The Inker. Inkers 'trace' the pencilled artwork to give the images depth and clarity, adding texture and contrast, and clean lines that can then be coloured. Computer inking is now popular, however, and the craft is considered less essential than it once was. Nevertheless, a good inker can make a superstar penciler just as a bad inker can ruin one, so for this reason, pencilers and inkers tend to form lasting partnerships. If an inker is working over breakdowns or layouts rather than full pencils, they may be credited as doing 'finishes'.

The Letterer puts all of the words actually into the comic. Every speech bubble and caption box must be typed up and positioned by the letterer, who also selects an appropriate font. Letterers are also responsible for sound effects and most other text in a comic, including the story title and credits. Most lettering is done on computers these days, although hand-lettering is still a desirable skill since it offers a more organic appearance to a comic.

The Colourist takes the inked artwork and, as the name suggests, colours it. Since colouring is practically a computer-exclusive activity now, colourists are also responsible for any computer-effects involved in an industry production, such as replicating earlier panels or adding blur or motion filters over panels.

The Editor corrals the entire workforce into getting organised between themselves long enough to create a comic. The editor is, effectively, the 'director' of a comic, although the work isn't held with as much prestige as in the movies. Arguably, the best thing an editor can do is assemble a talented team and leave them alone - or at least, appear to have done. Editors are the creator's point of contact for continuity questions, so they are expected to be fans of their own work, but they're also the point where comics meets business, and are also tasked with ensuring their product fits the company's image and values.

So, there you go. A crash course in comics-creation for you. Forgive the lack of nuance, but I was trying to keep it brief - as with any job, there are plenty of situations where the above might be true, and others where it might not be. Editors are occasionally writers, too, artists can write as well, sometimes pencilers ink and colour themselves, and sometimes they paint instead of penciling - obviously, there's more to say on the subject than can ever be said, but at least after reading this, you can pick up a comic and not be entirely confused by the credits!

James writes Alternate Cover every Monday at Den Of Geek. His previous column can be found here.