Questionable Comics is a series where Dan Hill surveys professionals from every corner of the comics industry about their methods and experience. Up first is Tini Howard, a prolific comics writer who has accumulated credits at Top Cow, Vertigo, Black Mask and Boom, and also writes about comics for Teen Vogue and Paste.
What current projects are you working on?
The Skeptics (Black Mask Studios), Power Rangers: Pink (BOOM!), an upcoming Magdalena series from Top Cow, and a Shade: The Changing Girl backup!
Use one word to describe how you work:
Constantly. (Meaning both— I’m always working and I’m always thinking about my work.)
What’s your workspace like?
I have an office that I’m in the process of re-doing, so I do a lot of writing from comfy chairs in my house, or occasionally, my bed. My favorite space to work is my backyard, near my garden, cool weather, a glass of wine.
What do you listen to when you work?
I make playlists for everything I do, and listen to them to get ramped up. I’ll play one song over and over until I get a scene right! When I need total focus I’ll listen to calming ambient stuff.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
I can’t remember who first said it, but it’s that “Sometimes, nothing feels worse than writing, but nothing feels better than having written.”
How do you get into writing mode?
I shower, drive, or go for a long walk. Do something that actively prevents me from writing to make myself want to write!
A page from Tini Howard’s new Black Mask Studios series The Skeptics with art by Devaki Neogi
Full script or Marvel method?
Full script. I love the real estate of plotting out a page. It’s like arranging an altar, to me.
What’s one thing you wish you could improve about how you work?
The ONE thing? Uh. There’s a lot. I wish I was better at realizing the space between over-explaining and under-explaining.
When’s the best time to work?
Early morning. I hate that it’s true but it is.
Who do you consider to be inspirational creators in your field (classic and modern)?
Alison Bechdel. Grant Morrison. Alan Moore. Annie Wu. Mariko Tamaki. Steve Orlando. Tom King. Chelsea Cain. Spike Trotman.
Joshua Williamson is a veteran comics writer who has helmed series for Image, Marvel and now DC and Vertigo
What current projects are you working on?
Nailbiter for Image Comics, Birthright for Skybound/Image Comics, The Flash for DC, Frostbite for Vertigo.
Use one word to describe how you work:
Busy?
What’s your workspace like?
I have a home office that I work out of. I have a desk, a couch, a small chair and a huge bookshelf with a TON of books and toys, statues, etc. It’s been a bit of a mess lately. I recently put a TV in there but it’s never on. I forget it’s there most of the time. I mostly work out of a writing chair with my laptop that I have that allows me to get really comfortable when I dig in. I have a laptop tray with a fan built in to keep the heat of the laptop from cooking me alive. My wife will make fun of me because she’ll walk into my office and I’ll be in that chair with my headphones on with a hoodie up, and working on my laptop. It looks like I’m in a small space shuttle about to take off.
I have stacks of comics and notebooks around. Glasses of water and coffee. At the end of each week I clean up my office but usually by mid-week its a mess again. I mostly don’t notice because I get lost in the work. My desk has notebooks and notepads on it but that’s really it. I don’t keep too many toys on my actual desk. But since my office is full of comics and I have a bunch of art on the walls I’m constantly inspired.I don’t keep any magical totems around because at the end of the day all I need is my notebook, my laptop and to be left alone.
What do you listen to when you work?
Each book I work on gets its own playlist that I build as I develop the story.
Then I listen to two stations on Pandora: Film Scores and EDM. Two different but at times similar types of music but if I hit my much desired flow with the work it just becomes white noise. The real goal is when the music stops and I don’t notice. That I’m so in the flow that I’ve been writing for hours and it’s been silent.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
That is difficult to nail down. I’ve been very lucky to be around a lot of creators much smarter than I.
I think it’s “write a book you’d buy.”
How do you get into writing mode?
I threat it like a job. I get up in the morning, make coffee and get to work. I answer a few emails and then do a solid four hours of uninterrupted writing. BUT I also do a LOT of notebook work and planning things out before I start on the laptop.
The notebook work is key to me. I’ll go for walks the day before, sometimes a drive, but I’ll get all the ideas, structure and some lines of dialogue in that notebook. In my head… I have to visualize the comic. As if I were holding it in my hand. I can see the page turns and how the comic plays out and the aspects of it that excite me and would turn that book into a page turner. Once I have that I can start writing. I’m a bit of a workaholic so I’m not even sure if I really have a writing mode? Is it fair to say I’m always in the writing mode?
A page from Joshua Williamson and Jason Shawn Alexander’s new Vertigo series Frostbite
Full script or Marvel method?
Full script. It helps me develop the story and ideas more as I go. Helps me see how the story will be told. But I try to communicate with the artists much as possible to make sure it’s a collaboration.
What’s one thing you wish you could improve about how you work?
Patience? Taking my own advice? I noticed that when I try to rush or I force it or get caught up in my own head with bullshit, I’m not as happy with the work. But when I let myself take a deep breathe and let it come on its own organically I’m happier. I get anxious about an idea and it’s not the same. I like taking my time and planning ahead. I’m always searching for the flow. The calmness that comes from confident writing. I have days where I hit that beat and its great… if I could get that everyday that’d be awesome.
When’s the best time to work?
I’ve noticed I get the most work done in the morning. I used to be much more of a night owl, but now I really try to get the most writing done first thing. So I’ll write from 8am to noon or 1pm depending on how well I’m doing. Then I take a break, deal with the business of comics and do some lighter writing for a few hours. Then I do some notebook work to help plan for the next day. But those morning hours are the most intense.
Who do you consider to be inspirational creators in your field (classic and modern)?
Bendis, Kirkman, Geoff Johns, Jason Aaron, Peter David, Frank Miller, Carl Barks, Don Rosa, Mark Waid, Jack Kirby, Brubaker, Warren Ellis… and Garth Ennis. Oh and Brian K Vaughn. And many many more. Sort of studying their work in a way. I’ve been reading comics my whole life and I feel like I’ve always been a student of the medium. So I’ve taken in from a lot of different creators and comics over the years. Whenever I really like a book I’m always l thinking “how did they do that?”
Leave a Reply