How To Draw Comics The Marvel Way

There might be something more important than figure drawing in comicbook artwork, but we sure don’t know what it is! Everything is based on how you draw the characters: the heroes, villains, and the never-ending hordes of supporting stars. Superhero comicbooks are the stories of people, period!

Stan Lee, John Buscema, “How To Draw Comics The Marvel Way”

Heroes, Villains
And The Never-Ending Hordes Of Supporting Stars


If an artist paints a picture
that looks just like, say, a fern,

the artist, typically,
will step back and shrug and say something

like, “imitation world”
or “trivial illustration” and

move on to other pictures
more closely approximating

creations and image constructs
artists, typically, call art.


If a scientist
works out a recursive algorithm

that mathematically
outputs something that looks like a fern

the scientist, typically,
will lean forward, gasp and whisper

something like, “transcendence!”
or “I’ve peered into the formative

dynamics underlying
the intimate structures of space

and time and permeating
even existence itself” and

move on to redefine
academia and politics

and business and culture
and everything else the eye can see.


Okay. An artist
and a scientist walk into a bar.

The artist gets a drink
from the bartender and finds a chair.

The scientist stands by the door
and delivers a loud, long

speech, saying Crichton’s ‘Jurassic Park’
was the first mass-market

best-selling novel
about chaos theory and its impact

on real life and all those sad people
who believe Brautigan’s

‘Sombrero Fallout’
was really the first are unqualified

and misinformed and extremists
and dangerous hate-mongers

who shouldn’t be allowed
to take advantage of hard working

decent citizens
who get home from a tough day on the job

and just want to watch TV
and buy lots of expensive stuff.


The scientist eventually leaves,
shaking his head and

saying to himself
that the great mass of humanity lives

immersed in a demon-haunted
nightmare world and thank heavens

politicians and businessmen
get their guidance these dark days

from scientists who can face
and deal with life’s complexities.


The artist eventually goes home
with the bartender.

After making love
in the bartender’s quiet apartment

the artist sketches
her sleeping with her head on a pillow.

When the bartender wakes up
and looks at the sketch of herself

sleeping, she says, “But I don’t
look like that. Sleeping or awake

I’m never that peaceful.
And I’m sure as hell not that pretty.”

The artist kisses her
and explains that he draws what he sees.