Suggestion for my artist friends--when laying out a scene, leave some space for the locator caption in the upper left-hand corner of the first panel. Even if it's not in the script, it'll probably be added later by editorial.
Clayton Cowles
@claytoncowles.bsky.social
Eisner-winning comic book letterer. Works on Batman, Uncanny X-Men, The Power Fantasy, and more! Cowles rhymes with Knowles. Profile pic art from Star Trek #27 by Mike Feehan & Lee Loughridge. linktr.ee/claytoncowles
Fresh newsletter is live! Remember, Cowles rhymes with Knowles. buttondown.com/claytoncowle...
020: VC's Fiancée Cowles
Her ring is an heirloom; mine was on sale at a pewter emporium. We’re off to the races! The soft hiatus continues. I have 193 working hours ahead of me for...
buttondown.com
A week & change to go on this campaign and we are well into “Free stuff for everyone!” territory. Come have a look see!
Goats Flying Press@goatsflyingpress.com · 4w agoWE’RE LIVE ON KICKSTARTER: The Fables of Erlking Wood by @juniba.bsky.social & @adityab.net is an Eisner-award nominated fantasy folklore graphic novel. We’re launching a second printing for a softcover edition at a great low price but GREAT high quality! Come pledge today! 🐻🦊🐐
When I'm looking for artists to hire for comics work, I need to see sequentials, but so few artists post their pages. I know it doesn't get the engagement on socials, but having a link to a portfolio site with pages is so useful (to me).
Finished this yesterday! Great ep!
Matthew Klein@matthewklein316.bsky.social · 2w agoHear why @chrissamnee.bsky.social has had a goal of working on Batman since he was six years old and what it’s been like achieving that dream on Batman & Robin Year One! #comics #comicbooks #batman #podcast podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/c...
Here's how I suggest dealing with that: Do your thumbnail layouts. Block in the lettering. Adjust the layouts to better fit with the type, and only THEN do your tight pencils and finished art.
Silf the Honeypot Ant@silf.bsky.social · 2w agoGod that last one is my foe. I neeeed to learn how to make space for speach bubbles.
Okay, Steve- Here's my comic writer version: YOUR COMIC SCRIPT CRITIQUE @stevelieberart.bsky.social
Steve Lieber@stevelieberart.bsky.social · 3y agoFollowing up on my portfolio critique list: Any of you comics writers who teach feel like coming up with a list of 12 Things You Would Probably Tell an Aspiring Writer about their Comic Script?
A friend just posted this list of mine on the other site for her comics students, so I thought I should post it here as well.
THREE is really good and really overlooked, LIKE ALL MY BOOKS. By me, Kieron Gillen, Jordie Bellaire and Clayton Cowles. 2013 Softcover TPB still out there and available for purchase. Image Comics. Recommended.
I remember worrying about how to make this page work. In the end, it just took lots and lots of thumbnails until I found the right compositions.
And do not put in placeholder text or “TBD”. Your script should be done. If the editor requires changes, that’s different. But, honestly, editors should edit a script before it goes to a letterer.
Ron Marz@ronmarz.bsky.social · 4w agoAlso always worth mentioning: the first draft of lettering is NOT your opportunity to make sweeping changes. You fix mistakes at that stage, you do not rewrite your script. Letterers get paid once. Treating a lettering draft as a rewrite draft is stealing time and money from the letterer.
Literally every single thing about working with Ro and Ted is The Best but the way they account for lettering in the layouts stage is The Extra Best Best.
Ted (& technically Ro)@brandtandstein.com · last mo.Pro tip: always start a set of layouts by dropping in the dialogue for the page. You will be served so well by knowing exactly how much space you have, and knowing you have definitely left the letterer (even if it’s also you) enough space to work
Please, stop filling your scripts with hard returns. Please. Thinking about a hard return in the middle of a sentence? Take a moment. Really think it through.
I just finished reading the first arc of FML by @kellysue.bsky.social, @davidlopez.me, Cris Peter & @claytoncowles.bsky.social. God I love this comic. Had to draw some fan art!
Fresh newsletter went live on Wednesday, but I wasn't around to post it! In which I hope I sound reasonable instead of arrogant. buttondown.com/claytoncowle...
019: Show them why they should have hired you
First, a couple of announcements. Coming this September, Amazing Venom—continuing the story of symbiote-bonded Boomerang from Web of Venom #1! Good ol’...
buttondown.com
My first book with a full sentence title! Yippee!
Heather Antos@heatherantos.bsky.social · last mo.This fall from @idwpublishing.com's IDW DARK comes... YOU'LL NEVER LEAVE THIS PLACE ALIVE Creative: @jacksonlanzing.bsky.social @collinkelly.bsky.social & Heather Vaughan @bloody-disgusting.com with the exclusive bloody-disgusting.com/comics/39572...
I had the immense fortune of seeing Waiting For Gal Gadot this week and I had a great time. Jake Thomas wrote a play that reflects the time we're living with in a smart, sharp, and very funny way. His performance alongside the rest of the cast rules Support local theater, and see this show!
Jake Thomas@jakefromcomics.bsky.social · 2mo agoL.A.! Looking for a fun Saturday afternoon tomorrow? There are a few tix left for the 2pm WAITING FOR GAL GADOT, the Fringe show everyone's talking about! Wednesday's show sold out, so get 'em while you can! www.hollywoodfringe.org/projects/133...
LMAO Reed pop just increased the price of NYCC Pro badges by $40. $180 all-in for a pro badge SDCC? Remains FREE for professionals. Reed Pop is a garbage profit guzzling greedy corportation and that is that.
💙💙💙 JACE IS BACK BABY. Sorry for the delay (completely out of my hands tbh). Hopefully you find the second chapter worth the wait. #magicthegathering #mtg #fantasy #comics #comicbook
Liam McGuire@liammcguire.bsky.social · 2mo agoNew at Comic Frontier: A first-look preview at Magic: The Gathering: Untold Stories – Jace #2 by @michaelwconrad.bsky.social @caitlinyarsky.bsky.social, #AlexGuimarães @claytoncowles.bsky.social @darkhorse.com www.comicfrontier.com/p/exclusive-...
#StarTrek Fonts: The Thread This thread is going to cover the official typefaces used for on-screen titles and marketing materials etc. Not in-universe graphics, alien scripts or any of that. Feedback and corrections welcome! Please check ALT text for additional context. 🧵 [001/???]
![FONTS! [the word rendered using different iconic Star Trek fonts]](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:mvd4njlxajan7j67vrfhunzv/bafkreie3ax5cnjzvibvirg3yfoxzcezus2lv72ze6p6qsancazmdrza7hy)
Just a reminder that I’ll be at the National Archives tomorrow and Saturday! I’ll sign books after my events!
Chris Eliopoulos@chriseliopoulos.com · 2mo agoThis Friday and Saturday, if you’re in the Washington D.C. area, I’m going to be doing draw-a-longs at the National Archives Foundation’s Spirit of Independence Festival! It’s free and fun, so come on by! archivesfoundation.org/spirit-of-in...
Fresh newsletter is live! In which I talk about captions AGAIN. buttondown.com/claytoncowle...
018: Six-time Eisner nominee Clayton Cowles hurt his hand on his pants
You heard me. On Saturday, May 23rd at 1:06 p.m. EST, I tripped up the stairs, scraped my hand on the seam of my pants, and it HURT. Signed, Clayton, age 38....
buttondown.com
What I (and any artist who’s very vocally anti-AI) are saying is that the struggle is important. Failure is important. You learn through these things.
"Our Kryptonite" by @bradmeltzer.com @pepelarraz.bsky.social Matthew Wilson & @claytoncowles.bsky.social is my favorite of the 2026 Marvel/DC crossover stories so far. It's dynamic, character-driven and full of heart.
