Halo 3 Webcomics

I at first thought of making a How-to about how to make something original, but it ultimately boils down to “Has it been done before, and if it’s actually lame, what can be done to make it not lame?”

Then when I was almost done the strangely long guide (almost 700 words, which is surprising, considering the fact that the subject is…)

Okay, I’m done with backstory now. The point is: I erased the work I did to replace with an even better idea: Making a plan for your comic’s story. It’s actually pretty easy. Here’s the first step:

Open up some text-writing application, like Microsoft Word, or Notepad, or something like that. If you lack any of that (... how is that possible?) then don’t fret. Just grab a pencil and paper. If you lack the applications, or pencils and paper, or ANY writing skill, I suggest going to school before attempting something like this.

Anyway, start off with the thing that will allow you to identify it easily: The Title. Also be sure to save it as what you wrote in the title.

Example: if I’m writing the Drawl Origins plotline, I call it “Drawl Origins Plotline”. If you have more stories, repeat step. If you have too many, just put it all into one document and call it “SUPER-AWESOME COMIC PLOTLINES” or something along those lines… Or you can call it “HolyJunkie sucks”, because you can. In fact, I’ll probably give no dollars to whoever actually calls their “general plotline list” as “HolyJunkie sucks”, takes a screenshot of it, and then shows it on the forum.

Of course, it won’t achieve anything, but it’ll be fun… Okay, back off the irrelevance wagon.

Anyway, after the title, put in a Character list: Example:

DEAD:

• Jakob Meredith


• Usne Racot


• Colonel Harrison


• Frank


• Lars


• Jon


• Helen


• Rled Kajalee


• Philip Mason


• James Kordak


• Nurse


• Sate


• Advent


• Yoral


• Assorted survivors

Next, you write up the location. I’ll use DEAD again as an example:

The planet DEAD is based in is a pretty resource-rich planet. If the effort is put up, a single entity can survive on the planet. It’s not majorly covered in ocean, giving more land for sentient creatures to cultivate. All in all, a resource-rich planet that has yet to be discovered by either the Humans or Covenant. (This is a nutshell, by the way)

After that, you type out a list of the Prologue, Chapter 1, Chapter 2, all the way to “Final Chapter” or “Epilogue”. Once you do that, you start writing out a general chapter synopsis for each chapter.

Once you have the general idea, you can work on the details. In my case, I can’t really work on the details unless I actually get the characters on Halo 3 and position them. It’s then that I start getting the real details, mainly because I have the visual.

Again: Example via DEAD.

Prologue: N/A

Chapter 1: Jakob awakens after crash-landing from Anthroforge. Begins land-based exploration of new planet. Ambushed by Usne, saved by Frank and Lars. After a bout of schizophrenia, Jakob splits from the two and attempts to take on Usne. Due to underestimation, Jakob is downed easily. Usne was about to finish off Jakob when Colonel Harrison saves Jakob with a flamethrower. Harrison leads Jakob to Survivor Base Crete

Chapter 2: They arrive at Survivor Base Crete, a Forerunner facility that has been proven to be Usne-proof.  Whether it’s the fact that it’s high on a cliff and an island that I doubt anything, let alone Usne, would be able to reach, or some other happenstance, I actually don’t care that much. It just works, lol. Anyway, Harrison and Frank discuss Jon and Helen’s find. Harrison then takes Jakob to Nurse. Jakob and Nurse exchange background stories (takes a while). Harrison and Jakob then join Lars to fly to Helen and Jon’s position.

Chapter 3: They arrive at the “abandoned Covenant Arctic Base”. The only place that hasn’t been searched is an underground Forerunner facility below the base. The Crete Survivors don’t yet know about the Forerunners, considering they’re been out of the war for over six years. One year before the discovery of Halo (in the Haloverse.) Usne arrives, and wounds Harrison before retreating again. Jakob, unsure of how to get Harrison out of there on his own, is helped by the only survivor of the Arctic Base, who hid in the Forerunner Facility to avoid Usne. Said Elite is Rled.

I won’t get into any more details and stuff, but that’s the actual chapter synopsis I wrote for DEAD. I would show all of the others I have, but I don’t think I want to. Nyah nyah, lol.

Being able to write is a must. If you need help writing, just randomly type stuff… preferrably in a language people can understand. If you just randomly bash your hands on the keyboard, you’re not learning anything. You get actual technique if you do it right. That’s something Kung fu taught me.

Anyway, HJ signing off with his ever-so useless reports of How-to guides.
-HolyJunkie.