Joe - I discovered your Substack a month ago and I have devoured literally every post. Thank you for paying it forward with such a profound education for us.
I read tonight’s post and then couldn’t sleep. Because this is how my mind works now, I jotted down the below in response (NOT a pitch, just to see if I could map it based on what I’ve learned from you and others):
Act I: Spider-Man is effortlessly stopping a robbery, webbing the getaway van and apprehending the criminals with ease…but internally he’s reeling from all of the recent hits he’s taken lately (his ex is Venom? He got punched into space and replaced by Ben?! Etc). He is thinking about how no matter how hard he tries, things continue to get worse year over year. But robbery thwarted. Only one problem: he got there too late. The van had sideswiped a car and he comes across a teenager whose dad died because he wasn’t there.
Act II: Now, of course, that triggers something in Spidey because of dear old uncle Ben. We see him go toe to toe with one of his rogues gallery and really taking it out on them. No quips. No lightness. Just a broken man who has now been pushed over the edge. The villain lies unconscious and Spider-Man falls to his knees. A voice from off panel goes, “Spidey. Are you okay?”
Act III: this is where the internal conflict from before is spoken – but the voice from off panel is one of a crowd of people who are there. Not to praise Spider-Man. We’ve seen that before. They’re there to say that they also have gone through it. That this is actually a really human thing, to wonder if things can get better in today’s world. Someone who works in climate change feels this way. A man making minimum wage and it not covering the basic needs for his family is feeling it. You get the idea. “So how do you keep going, knowing that things aren’t necessarily going to get better?” asks our hero. Wise voices from the crowd share how important it is to lean on those that you love and draw strength from them and have hope that tomorrow’s going to be a better day. Remembering his loved ones and knowing he’s not alone, Spider-Man goes off with a smile, defeats another member of his rogue‘s gallery, and tells them that he believes that they too have the potential to get better over time. He has hope once more.
Thanks for this article! I've never considered pitching in a serious way, but what you outlined makes sense.
You've supplied me a very practical new brain map on building reader trust with consistent deposits in the story account. I'll be thinking about this example for years and testing things against it.
I suspect this is part of why some TV shows have been having more problems in the streaming era. Much shorter series/seasons mean that they don't get the chance to build up the credit that they need to be able to perform the dramatic twists and bombastic presentation that a finale is seemingly deemed to require.
Of course that's on top of a lack of balance of emotional storytelling and spectacle, and the chance to develop nuanced characters and relationships thanks to the shorter running times too.
Your work on Wolverine Origins and Snyder's work on Batman Court of Owls validate your theory on pulling in their audience to establish trust. Both of you removed the collective blankets from our eyes and revealed an entirely new possibility and we were hooked on the new lightning in a bottle. We had no choice as leaned in closer and whispered around backgammon tables, "I want more...."
Seriously though, as one of those who handed you random comics at a convention (MegaCon), you gave sage advice. It helped me tighten up my writing. Thank you.
Every comic writer has that moment where they switch from
"I'm building this 30+ issue epic and I don't have an artist attached but I've got a bunch of scripts"
to
"I have written a four panel comic, paid an artist 50 bucks to make it (or learn to draw yourself, or had an irl friend draw it for free), and it is going in my portfolio."
It was honestly a pretty gratifying step of the process for me because it was when I went from having things to tell people about to having things to show people.
The epic reset the Marvel Universe stories you often get pitched; I find the same thing is happening with podcasts.
People with no social media presence, no defined podcast concept just assume if they start a podcast they can instantly book celebrities. Celebrities always go on podcasts, right?
This creative life is a road trip; it takes a while to reach your destination. Sure you can take a flight and get there faster but there’s so much adventure you miss on a direct flight.
I read Alan Moore's "Anatomy Lesson" in the 80s and my spontaneous reaction was, "Brilliant. Of course! It makes perfect sense, given what we've read before."
Joe - I discovered your Substack a month ago and I have devoured literally every post. Thank you for paying it forward with such a profound education for us.
I read tonight’s post and then couldn’t sleep. Because this is how my mind works now, I jotted down the below in response (NOT a pitch, just to see if I could map it based on what I’ve learned from you and others):
Act I: Spider-Man is effortlessly stopping a robbery, webbing the getaway van and apprehending the criminals with ease…but internally he’s reeling from all of the recent hits he’s taken lately (his ex is Venom? He got punched into space and replaced by Ben?! Etc). He is thinking about how no matter how hard he tries, things continue to get worse year over year. But robbery thwarted. Only one problem: he got there too late. The van had sideswiped a car and he comes across a teenager whose dad died because he wasn’t there.
Act II: Now, of course, that triggers something in Spidey because of dear old uncle Ben. We see him go toe to toe with one of his rogues gallery and really taking it out on them. No quips. No lightness. Just a broken man who has now been pushed over the edge. The villain lies unconscious and Spider-Man falls to his knees. A voice from off panel goes, “Spidey. Are you okay?”
Act III: this is where the internal conflict from before is spoken – but the voice from off panel is one of a crowd of people who are there. Not to praise Spider-Man. We’ve seen that before. They’re there to say that they also have gone through it. That this is actually a really human thing, to wonder if things can get better in today’s world. Someone who works in climate change feels this way. A man making minimum wage and it not covering the basic needs for his family is feeling it. You get the idea. “So how do you keep going, knowing that things aren’t necessarily going to get better?” asks our hero. Wise voices from the crowd share how important it is to lean on those that you love and draw strength from them and have hope that tomorrow’s going to be a better day. Remembering his loved ones and knowing he’s not alone, Spider-Man goes off with a smile, defeats another member of his rogue‘s gallery, and tells them that he believes that they too have the potential to get better over time. He has hope once more.
Thanks for this article! I've never considered pitching in a serious way, but what you outlined makes sense.
You've supplied me a very practical new brain map on building reader trust with consistent deposits in the story account. I'll be thinking about this example for years and testing things against it.
Great nugget of advice here. Gonna share this around to my fellow up-and-comers so no one has to learn the hard way.
I suspect this is part of why some TV shows have been having more problems in the streaming era. Much shorter series/seasons mean that they don't get the chance to build up the credit that they need to be able to perform the dramatic twists and bombastic presentation that a finale is seemingly deemed to require.
Of course that's on top of a lack of balance of emotional storytelling and spectacle, and the chance to develop nuanced characters and relationships thanks to the shorter running times too.
If Act VI doesn't contain at least one Peter David story...well, I'll just keep reading.
I kinda realized this fairly early on. Which is why I'm focused on writing my own stories that are simple and straightforward like you suggested.
Your work on Wolverine Origins and Snyder's work on Batman Court of Owls validate your theory on pulling in their audience to establish trust. Both of you removed the collective blankets from our eyes and revealed an entirely new possibility and we were hooked on the new lightning in a bottle. We had no choice as leaned in closer and whispered around backgammon tables, "I want more...."
I hope you're going to collect The Invisible Language of Visual Storytelling, even if it's only as an ebook.
Outstanding as always!
It's funny "Anatomy Lesson" immediately popped in my head as the exception to the "nobody wants your big idea" rule, and then there it is!
What if it's Iron Man instead of Spider-Man? LOL
Seriously though, as one of those who handed you random comics at a convention (MegaCon), you gave sage advice. It helped me tighten up my writing. Thank you.
A.I. image heading?
Yeaah it looks like shii.
Can’t freaking believe that u are promoting ai
Every comic writer has that moment where they switch from
"I'm building this 30+ issue epic and I don't have an artist attached but I've got a bunch of scripts"
to
"I have written a four panel comic, paid an artist 50 bucks to make it (or learn to draw yourself, or had an irl friend draw it for free), and it is going in my portfolio."
It was honestly a pretty gratifying step of the process for me because it was when I went from having things to tell people about to having things to show people.
So you didn’t pitch One More Day as a major shake up to Spidey? The character’s DNA remained intact?
The epic reset the Marvel Universe stories you often get pitched; I find the same thing is happening with podcasts.
People with no social media presence, no defined podcast concept just assume if they start a podcast they can instantly book celebrities. Celebrities always go on podcasts, right?
This creative life is a road trip; it takes a while to reach your destination. Sure you can take a flight and get there faster but there’s so much adventure you miss on a direct flight.
I read Alan Moore's "Anatomy Lesson" in the 80s and my spontaneous reaction was, "Brilliant. Of course! It makes perfect sense, given what we've read before."