How to Write a Horror Scene in a Comic Book
Drawing from Real Life and Imagination
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Jen & Sylvia Soska
How does one go about writing a horror scene in a comic book? Everyone knows what it feels like to be frightened, to be in a scary situation, or even interact with a terrifying individual, but how does that translate onto the page? It all starts in the imagination. A lot of drawing from real-life experience and building on it.
If you are religious, this could be thinking of old-world evil like demons, the damned, and devils. The evil that is ever present and brings darkness into the hearts of men & women. If you have survived trauma – and many fans of horror have – there might be disturbing moments or recurring horror that you endured that haunts you. You may even be a worrier, an anxious or macabre soul, who is always on alert for all the things that could go wrong. It may always be the worst-case scenario through your eyes in your mind.
All of this is fodder for the creative endeavor. What scares or scars you will most likely also have that effect on your readers.
Building the Scene in Horror
Before pen goes to paper – or fingers to the keyboard – allow yourself to daydream these horror hypothetical situations, characters, and occurrences. Create the scene in your mind. Every story is about how and when you distribute information. This should come gradually; first, make the environment and situation real. Always, when telling a story, come late and leave early.
Example:
‘All of those night shifts were starting to take a toll on Sarah; she had fallen asleep on her commute. She woke up on the bus, groggily looking out the window, and she realized not only did she miss her stop, but she also had no idea where she was now. She had never seen any of the sights that she was passing by; it looked like some kind of ghost town, covered in fog. The bus stopped, and she saw something large, inhuman, limping through the darkness towards the vehicle. She bolted to her feet, moved past the empty seats all around her to the driver, only to notice that there was no driver. She was completely alone. Alone, except for whatever is outside the bus coming towards her. It was then that the door to the bus opened, causing Sarah to jump. She stifled a scream to not alert the creature.’
We meet our protagonist, we learn who they are as the story progresses without wasting time on unimportant details, and we are instantly thrust into the situation – she does not know where she is. She is alone, there is something in the darkness, and she is now forced out of safety to deal with this situation.
Panels & Horror
The Importance of Pacing
The culture we exist in consumes entertainment more instantaneously today. Due to the mediums of entertainment, the average viewer and reader want stimulation with a faster frequency and tune out of boredom much more quickly.
Have an epic 700-page novella that introduces your main characters in the third and fourth chapters? You might want to reexamine your pacing. You want a hook from the very first page that makes your audience want to invest their time to continue engaging with the story you want to tell.
Creating Real Characters
Who are the people in your story? One great pitfall many new writers fall into is perfect protagonists based on a morally superior, grand-sized version of how they see themselves. Everyone else is written as lesser than and severely flawed in comparison because this is now not a writing assignment but rather an exercise in fantasy fulfillment based on ego. Maybe a few well-meaning friends will say this is good writing, but it’s shallow, and all readers will be disengaged.
Clive Barker wrote Pinhead as a deeply flawed, completely evil character lacking in all admirable qualities, and guess what? He is one of the most highly celebrated figures in horror literature. Men and women adore him. He has been in novel, film, and comic form and will no doubt see many different forms in the mediums of entertainment because he is so fascinating.
We all have flaws. The people you love and admire also have flaws. This is the fate of man, but it is what essentially makes us human. Look inward, look at those around you, look at the people you come into contact with in your life, and remember those flaws. Those characteristics are a wonderful way of making the characters in your stories very real and relatable.
Example:
‘James was a shrewd man. Having had to work hard for everything in his life and rising to the occasion, he didn’t feel the need to coddle those around him. Quite to the contrary, he felt struggle was one of our greatest teachers. You either drown or swim. Not everyone is meant to succeed at everything. A muffled scream from downstairs brought him back to the present. He thought he had to do more to soundproof the basement, even though his farmhouse was miles away from anyone else, and that, perhaps, he worked too hard. He deserved a little treat after working so hard. The scream was accompanied by a crash. Someone was misbehaving. He sighed heavily as he rose from his seat, picking up a machete. He would take care of the situation, then head to the hardware store for extra supplies.’
Writing is a Muscle
Becoming a good writer takes practice and application. It is a muscle to be worked out constantly. Many aspiring writers claim that there is not enough time in the day for their vocation, so they simply do not practice their craft. That is a cop out.
Set aside an hour a day to write. Even if you stare at the blank page or screen for the entire hour, at least you are getting into the habit of making that time to write. And you know what? Somedays the creativity will flow, and you’ll be there for hours writing and getting your ideas down on the page.
In the creative arts, you will have to learn to make yourself be creative and work even when the inspiration doesn’t hit you, you don’t feel set up for it, or the words don’t seem to come. Allow yourself to write crap. Really. Write a shit scene to get to the one you are excited & inspired to write. You can go back to edit what wasn’t up to snuff earlier, and sometimes, with new eyes, you aren’t so unhappy with what you were able to contribute in that state.
Why Are You Writing?
Lastly, why are you writing? Is it because you have stories in you? Because you want to better understand the world and even yourself better? Those are great reasons.
If you want to write because you are unhappy and want to emulate others’ accomplishments to raise your value, then go to the gym, do things to raise that self-esteem, but also work hard to gain skill in the craft. Take art in to put art out. Watch movies, read books, and go out in the world to experience life.
Anyone can write, but not everyone can write well, nor can they find an audience for the stories they want to tell. Even if you don’t feel particularly special, there is only one you, and that is a pretty damn good jumping-off point in the creative arts. The arts are the expression of your soul.
What is unique to you? What makes you different from those around you? What makes you the same? Take those experiences and build them into fiction. Have a reason behind your stories overall.
Example:
For example, Bloodruth is about doing the right thing in overwhelming situations. That no matter how insurmountable the evil that stands before you, in God’s light and love, there is nothing you cannot overcome.
Final Thoughts on Panel Pack
Every person is made up of stories. Who you are, where you came from, what you want to do with your life, your fears, your dreams – they are all worthy exploration for the creative narrative.
Now do the scariest thing of all and get started. Don’t ask for permission, don’t do it because you want fame and fortune, but be vulnerable and share your heart and soul by placing it on the page, and see what happens.
Happy writing, and I hope to get to read your stories!
