Scripting comics: an example

I read the Director’s Cut version of issue one of The Silver Surfer: Black the other day, and I found a set of bonus features at the back. These included a three stage illustration of every page in the comic: first with pencils, then with inks, and finally with full colours.

However, Marvel also included the full copy of the script by Donny Cates; the first time, I think, that I have ever read a complete script. It includes scene setting, location descriptions, panel descriptions and dialogue.

Donny Cates has a long standing professional relationship with the artist, Tradd Moore, and the script reflects this. It has asides and references to other comics that they have worked on. Nonetheless, it clearly shows how a writer constructs a script for a nineteen page comic book story.