This month we're taking a look at some of the sites that are run by some of comicdom's best known writers. While there are many great sites dedicated to almost anyone who's ever had his or her name printed in four-color, there's just something special about one where the writer is actually involved.
place is probably my favorite out of the many I visit. Along with all the normal things you would expect to find at such a site such as a history of his work, upcoming news, etc., there is a section set up where questions may be posted. Neil takes the most frequently asked questions and answers them personally. The thing that makes this site my favorite, however, is the personal journal that he keeps. It had started out as something he wanted to do to show what it was like to be in the middle of having a book sold, published and marketed (in this case American Gods, which I highly recommend if you haven't already read). After his tour of promoting the book was over, he decided to keep the journal going. With entries on an almost daily basis, he covers everything from his current works in progress to what he did in his garden or with his kids. It's like visiting a friend and learning how his day was.
Now if Neil Gaiman is the "Mr. Rogers" of our internet neighborhood, then is the "Howard Stern". Bendis is a self-centered, egomaniac, who treats his fans like crap! He's also one of the most talented, funniest, sought after writers in the business and his fans love himÂ…as do I. His site features the usual items such as interviews, appearances, message boards and, of course, news. It also has a great "behind the scenes" area where you can see his thought process for creating a comic; in this case, the excellent Jinx. Any would-be writer will not want to miss checking out this area. Also, make sure you take a look at "Bendis Favorites," under "Jinx Links," for some of the funniest links on the web.
is another site I enjoy. Along with the usual stuff - interviews, message boards, news (do they just package this stuff?), there are two special features that stand out. One is the Article Section which features just what you think - articles written by Mr. Dixon. He covers everything from Christianity in Comics to Stupid Gun Mistakes that Every Writer Makes. For the writers out there (don't worry artists, I have stuff coming up for you next month), I suggest you take a look at his Ten Commandments of Comic Book Writing in addition to the other special feature - his Sample Scripts. He includes scripts from Nightwing, Birds of Prey, Batman and a few others. Nothing like actually seeing how a professional script is done to help in writing your own.
has made the X-Men interesting again and his site is just as good. A lot of it still seems to be under construction, but it's worth checking out just for his columns alone. You may not agree with everything he has to say, but you can't deny the passion in how he says it. His links are also worth a peek just to see some sites you would never have thought of looking for on your own.
In closing, I would like to pass on this fun little site that has nothing to do with this month's theme. CT's own Joe Singleton passed this on to me and it has to be one of the funniest sites on the web - and I mean the ENTIRE web.
made me laugh so hard, my wife thought I was reading the latest tax cut proposals again. Even if you have never seen an episode of the show before, you will appreciate this site.
