I vividly remember the first graphic novel I ever owned. It was Batman “Son of the Demon” given to me by my best friend on my 7th birthday. I loved Batman. I loved the TV show with its crazy crooked angles, I loved the t-shirts with his face that filled my closet, and I even loved the bed sheets covered in his logo with the matching Joker pillow cases. Yet even with all this, I had never owned a single Batman comic. Until now.
The cover was dark and slick to the touch. It was thick in my little hands, more so than any regular comic, with Batman’s snarling face staring at me, daring me to open the book and dive inside. The story it held was an amazing tale of global peril filled with unflinching violence and sex. I have no idea how his mom allowed him to buy the book let alone give it to me, but I will always be thankful for a gateway into this new world.
Within this one-shot tale I learned that comics could contain all the intensity of the hardcover books I adored, turning what had previously been a disposable form of entertainment into an obsession. I still have this book—many, many years later—its cover beaten and pages well read. Every so often I pull it out for a stroll through my memories, reliving the moment I first read it.
Since then I’ve wanted to create something which carried that kind of power, a compelling story that not only entertained, but introduced you to a completely different kind of experience. I believe comics continue to hold this power through their mixture of words and art, luring readers to places other narratives can’t go.
After several false starts I’m finally going to try and make a comic book. I want to share my experiences—the learning process, the hurdles and the frustrations—with fellow creators as we all pursue that lovely dream we had as kids.
If you found this post useful then consider following us on Twitter or joining our Facebook page. Also feel free to share our articles using the handy buttons below.
