Before I continue I’m rather shocked that people find the authors egotistical. So much so I did a double take and made sure the book I read and the book reviewed have the same ISBNs.

But let me reassure you that unless you are super sensitive and able to find insult in everything but the most sugared and sweet of writings, that you will find that Gertler and Lieber are simply people like you and me with a bit more passion and hardened attitudes towards comic-making. The biography short is most likely the cause of readers’ ire but this was written by Max Collins, NOT Gertler nor Lieber. Collins doesn’t hesitate to list his achievements, but at the same time he feels it’s wrong that graphic novels (AKA fat comic books) don’t get the press. Perhaps he is using his achievements to demonstrate that comics are a good thing, but that aside he’s him and the authors are themselves.

So try not to get this mixed up if you’re going to write a scathing review.

Moving on….

~A Veritable Chicken Soup for the Novelists’ Soul~

I am currently creating a comic (graphic novel for those who don’t mind the term) and there are days where you don’t want to talk to me. This book as well as Ellis’ Everything guide to writing Graphic Novels is, let’s be honest, emotional support and panacea to calm an otherwise stark raving mad lunatic.

Let it be known, that there is no better way to sooth your novelist migraine than to listen to someone who’s been through hell and back. This book gives you a rough map of where you need to go and what you need to do along with an example path and how very very very long it’ll take you to get there. They also show you work in progresses and techniques that they used to create them. And if you’re somewhat far along, it will help give you a sense that you are on the right path when you are taking forever and slaving away on only one page. Not two. One.

However what they do NOT show you the step by step process in those ten, 30, 1000 hours you slave away. This must be a disappointment to many but honestly to write about creation in such depth will easily quadruple this book’s size and length.

~Attitude~

This book doesn’t go *too* far in this, but as a reviewer I feel compelled to say that this book absolutely adopts the correct attitude one should have when writing a graphic novel. For any artist or writer hoping to take on such a large project, what you need more than anything else is passion and confidence. Passion can never be under-stated as you will need it to mentally block out setbacks, thoughts of naysayers and other negative events in order to focus your energy on something positive (ie how fun it is to research tropical foliage in this scene). Confidence will then go hand in hand with passion to see you through to completion if these negatives actually happen and even affects your current success.

Adopting a confident attitude might seem “egotistical” to some at first glance but this is not so. The reason why people develop a self-centric air about their work is because they need to in order to remain devoted to their work. Successful graphic novelists don’t start simply from a good story shmushing it together with good art and put it out on the market with a “hope for the best” attitude. They put forth an incredible amount of effort and time weaving both word and art together into as perfect a product as humanly possible, to only come face to face with potential (and overwhelming) rejection. To overcome these and other potentially soul shattering challenges without so much as a crumb of encouragement, they need to “think big” about their story and continue remaining inspired and motivated to tell it. Along with the time spent to pitch this to prospective audiences and publishers, novelists honestly don’t have much time to wonder “if what Jim said was right and I should quit this while I’m still ahead”. If you’re going to get farther down the path of a graphic novelist you can’t afford to hate your efforts, especially before you’ve even begun. While what naysayers say may hold water at times, what you should do first and foremost is remain dedicated to your story and never put it down.

~Inflated Egos vs Healthy Self Esteem~

While I personally feel self esteem is crucial, I agree that this has gotten carried away with some artists. For the growing bunch of superstars who feel that they *deserve* the press and views because of their hard work, they’ve forgotten you, the fan. Novelists who become egotistical cannot stand critique, cannot realize that their fans (not them) are the source of their income, and cannot and will not realize they are wrong.

If you’re a fan, I urge you to be careful defending someone like this as it has been proven time and time again that fans are blind enough to follow their obsessions, even if that means off a cliff. A quick glance at recent news will prove this point.

In contrast, the two in this book are level-headed veterans who knows what works for them and what doesn’t, while remaining open-minded enough to accept critique and differences. Also throughout the book, even when Steve one advises to do something one way, Nat may heartily disagree and offer an equally valid counterpoint.

In short they encourage growth, not stagnant “this is right that is wrong” manner of thinking while adopting a confidence not often seen in the art world. Having a healthy self esteem doesn’t block out critique or differences of opinion but actually encourages it. It does, however, block out self defeating mores that come from the fear of getting a “big head”. This is probably why people feel they’re egotistical as they’re not humble. But if you are set on being a successful novelist, humility shouldn’t be your best and strongest trait. Remaining level-headed on the other hand, should be considered a valuable asset.

Lastly….

~Methods must be defined on your own~

While I think this is as perfect as a book can be on this subject matter, it is not perfect for every situation.

This book won’t make or detail an example story for you but it will encourage you to continue. It is indeed impossible to write an instructional book that can span every genre, every story and every plot device feasible for someone’s story. And there are bound to be differences in how you write or draw versus how they write or draw.

But if you are passionate enough to learn then this will prove to be an inspiration that will help you on those rainy days. The attitudes in here are solid even if the advice is not wholly agreeable. And I feel people who are getting into novel creation must be aware of what true egotism is compared to an appropriate level of self confidence.

Egotism won’t save your novel from sliding into obsolescence. Confidence will.
Rating: 5 / 5

Very well thought out and organized presentatation. It guides the artisist/novelist to-be effortlessly through every phase of graphic novel creation.

I truly enjoyed it and thought it was easy to understand even for those who are not familiar with comic book or printhouse jargon.

I highly recommend this guide as one of the best I have seen.
Rating: 5 / 5