Read up on the art form. Scott McCloud's Understanding Comics, I think is a great place to start.
The next would be what sort of comic are you trying to write? A superhero comic? A four panel web comic? A manga? A graphic novel? All these have slightly different goals and conventions, knowing which one you want to work in helps focus what you want to do.
The next is work on drawing. Or learn to write for other mediums. Most people who have jobs writing for comics either started out doing their own or moved over from something else. Drawing also some also helps you understand what the artist is doing and will help you to write for that medium.
Just do it. Make a bad comic with bad writing and bad drawings. Then work to make it better. It amazes me how when you look at comics where people were just starting often have a spark of talent but not the fully realized craft, and then realize how much they learned by doing. The vast majority of people have to hone their craft. Just do it.
I believe typically these lengths are measured in "panels"-- but I'm not an expert in writing/publishing comics so take with a grain of salt.
Though I'd also note that the webcomic/webtoons that are the most popular these days-- maybe only in my circles? --aren't always short "comic strip" style comics; they're much more like traditional comics or manga with chapters that can be quite long.
If you're particularly interested in the essential nature and structure of comics, you might look into reading Scott McCloud's <em>Understanding Comics</em>. I'm sure it's a bit outdated now, but I believe it's considered a fairly seminal work on the medium.
Understanding Comics - The invisible Art by Scott McCloud
hands down the best book about how to communicate in a visual medium. Invaluable for anyone who regularly creates powerpoint presentations.
This was on many 100 best books of the 20th century lists! It is a favorite of mine. Enjoym
Understanding Comics - Scott McCloud - A sublime description of not just comics, but visual media and human interpretation. I recommend it for anyone considering game design. It's an excellent study of psychology, perception, immersion, pacing, and intent. I'll stop gushing - just get it!
Ok one more note: I just moderated a panel on combat design, and the panelists there nodded emphatically in agreement that this book has been highly influential on them as game designers.
The book "Understanding Comics" is a great book for story writing and world building beyond just comic books. It guides through story development. It's a really good resource for anyone in a field related to storytelling, like gaming or film making.
Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art by Scott McCloud can easily be applied to what you're talking about.
Seriously buy this book ($14 on amazon right now)- such good info storytelling/design in "panels" and in general
You might want to check out this book, Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud. It does a good job of explaining panel layouts and breaking down the techniques writers/artists use to convey concepts like the passage of time. But generally, yes you want to read top to bottom, left to right.
How long a book takes to read is going to depend greatly on how dense it is and who's writing it. A Grant Morrison book will likely take you longer to read and actually understand than something by Scott Snyder or Peter Tomasi. As you grow an appreciation for the art you may find yourself taking the time to stop and appreciate the details on the page more as well.
History and development of art in general? eeeeeeeesh I do not know. there are so many different styles and histories. I would say just encourage and provide opportunities. If she is like me or any of the million art weirdoes out there, art will just become a natural extension of her day to day. If I had to pick one book that was enlightening to my understanding of a small subject but also can be applied to a larger subject, it would Scott Mclouds Understanding Comics.
http://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Comics-Invisible-Scott-McCloud/dp/006097625X
that actually maybe more relevant than a history of fine western art.
Pretty much everything "right" and "wrong" with comics can be summed up with "SAVE THE CAT".
Every story arc written in a nice 3-act package, with a fun cliffhanger on that final page.
I hate quite a few comics (superheroes/cape books) because of that. I admire writers that break these "rules". Ales Kot's ZERO is a prime example of a story that says 'fuck you' to conventional plotting.
Sorry, I'm in a pissy mood but to answer your question with the supposed "right" of comic book creation/conventions:
Miyazaki's name has already been thrown around a lot in this thread, and will probably get thrown around a lot more. His stuff is just so well rounded. Ebert gave what I believe was his sole nod to anime as an art form by adding Spirited Away in his "Great Movies" list. I'm not an anime nerd by any stretch, but I've always felt as though his list was a little short in that department. At the very least I would add to it Akira which was of course quite well done, but also played a big part in the rise of American interest in anime.
One interesting fact is that more than film, anime does owe a great debt to another art form called manga. There have been comic book movies that closely draw from certain story arcs, and everybody here probably knows about the similarities of story boarding to comic books, but anime, as a genre, consistently draws from and is converted to manga.
If you want to get really deep in understanding anime as an art form it's worth looking at how the manga for Akira or Ghost in the Shell differ from their film, and in the latter case, even televised versions. Of particular note is "the Walt Disney of Anime" Osamu Tezuka's manga series Kimba the White Lion whose imagery was unapologetically lifted by Disney in one of their most profitable films, The Lion King. Scott McCloud's book Understanding Comics is a very readable introduction to the art form of comics which achieves depth without the forbidding obscurity that mars many similar works. I had a friend who was TAing a design course, and this was one of their textbooks.
If you're interested in this stuff, it adds an extra layer of enjoyment to the reading experience. I highly recommend this comic. It's a comic about how comics work and it's also a light, fun read. It's pretty hard to gain insight just by raw saturation (reading != studying), it's easier if you know what to look for.
Try taking a look at Scott McCloud's 'Understanding Comics' (or the more in depth 'Making Comics'). It probably covers a lot of the same things as the textbook you mentioned, only it's laid out in actual comic form. It's easy to digest, explains the importance of a lot of the different visual aspects of comics, and how they relate to the goal of telling a story.
Good luck!
http://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Comics-Invisible-Scott-Mccloud/dp/006097625X
Understanding Comics changed the way I look at many things, including video games. A book like this should be done on games as well.
You don't need to learn to draw to make good drawings. You must understand aesthetics and composition first. One book that has been incredibly helpful is Scott Mcclouds understanding comics and it's sequel. Learning how to transition between panels and show action is more difficult than the art.
I went down the wrong path when I wanted to draw comics. I just borrowed those stupid 'learn to draw' paperbacks and mindlessly copied everything from my favorite superhero comics and manga. If I hadn't had a awesome art teacher, I might never have grown out of that stage. I stopped trying to draw cartoons and focused on figure drawing, traditional art and read up on art history. I wanted to write an draw comics so I signed up for a few drama and acting classes so I could get a feel for how the human body moves in different situations and body language.
All good comic artists study more than one form of art. Don't limit yourself to one particular art form or style.
I just wanted to give you some more resources, Scott McCloud's books on understanding comics, and on drawing comics. It has probably been over 10 years since I read them, but I found them really interesting for the perspective that he brings as a comic book artist, as well as the way he brings across these concepts in a really digestible format as his books are comics as well. They are more about the comics than the writing, but if you have the money to spare (or maybe have a library that has them? or you could try finding them used). I should point out that for comics, writing and drawing aren't 2 separate things because you need to have that visual storytelling be on point as well.
There is also a third one, but I haven't read that.
I am sure there are some resources out there for drawing manga as well. Just off the top of my head I don't know any about writing it though. There is this book about writing comics, I haven't read it so idk how good it is but Alan Moore himself is extremely legit (Watchmen, Swamp Thing, V for Vendetta, etc.).
Here's the amazon link for anyone interested:
https://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Comics-Invisible-Scott-McCloud/dp/006097625X
There's a lot of great resources on designing comics if you look around online. My personal introduction to a lot of this theory was Scott McCloud's Understanding Comics and Making Comics, two terrific books that are basically just nonfiction essays about the comics medium-- and of course, they're comics themselves.
My favorite major class was Compilers taught by Jan Prins. He still teaches it! COMP520. It's really fascinating to see how a program can take another program in a language like Java and translate it down to machine language.
My favorite non-major class I don't remember the name of but it was on graphic novels out of the English department. It was fascinating and the subject matter of the graphic novels selected was fantastic: Holocaust, Palestine, Systems, and then a great book on how graphic novels are made which I feel is one of the best visual communication books I've read by Scott McCloud: https://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Comics-Invisible-Scott-McCloud/dp/006097625X
Well, it's been a long time since I got started, and things have changed a lot. But for starters you'll need your own website, and a domain to go with it. I personally find ComicFury to be a nice server, it's free and it has website-building tools, though some people find them to be too cookie-cutter. There are also webcomic collectives like Web Toons, though there are pros and cons to that as well.
I'm also an oldschool pen-and-paper man, so I'm not sure how much advice I can give in this age of tablets. But some tips which I'm sure still hold true are to sketch constantly, get into the habit of making thumbnails to plan your pages, and plan your story as well! Try to know more or less what kind of message you want to send. What's the moral going to be?
Another little trick I've discovered, which has been crucial to my work, is to look at your art in reverse. We tend to be biased in our perception of left versus right, and oftentimes you may draw something which looks great at first, but which looks all wrong when you hold it up to a mirror! I'm always picking up my paper and holding its front to the light so I can see it backwards, and it's helped me improve overall as I correct for skewed vision.
Also, make sure you have a healthy understanding of the basics. You can draw in a very stylized, iconic, cartoonish fashion, but believe me, a firm understanding of human anatomy will help you no matter how goofy or simple your figures may look. It may be a very good idea to attend life-drawing sessions and buy a few anatomy books. When you understand something from the bones up, you'll be a greater master of depicting it to any degree.
Drawing can be deceptively complicated. You might think drawing a door is simple, but if you take the time to really look at a door you'll see it's a whole lot more nuanced than just a rectangle with a knob! And that goes for everything, from bodies to buildings to the very art of art. I gained a lot of insight from the work of Scott McCloud, and if you really want to hone your craft I recommend Understanding Comics. You might also look up Alan Moore, and Will Eisner. Heck, there are plenty of great books out there by great masters!
See, one of the best things you can do is what you just did; Look for advice from others. Setting aside the legends of the traditional industry, there are plenty of more contemporary experienced artists working right now online and willing to teach what they know. I glean a lot of wisdom from the likes of Raven Perez and Yamino on Twitter (though if you look them up be advised that they tend towards adult content, especially Raven). Yamino recently put out a guide to making "Zines", and Raven has fiery opinions on mainstream stuff that you may not always agree with, but his points are always food for thought. And beyond advice, there's a world of inspiration you can get just from browsing the artists of Tumblr, or Twitter, or wherever you want to look. I know social media can be the Devil's App, especially the Bird lately, but it's still the best way to put yourself out there, which you'll really need if you want to start a Patreon campaign to help support yourself while you work!
I also found going to conventions to be a great way to connect with other artists. That was a big focus for me after I finally started putting my comic into print via KaBlam, though that was in the days before the Pandemic. Like I said, things change.
In any case, be receptive to input, don't dismiss criticism out of hand, and know that as you work you will improve. It's a healthy sign when you look back on older things you've done and see them with a more critical eye.
Speaking of health, take care of yourself! Sit in a comfy chair designed to support you, take regular breaks to get up and walk, try to avoid all-nighters, eat right, maintain good posture, and don't sit too close to the screen! Try to place your computer monitor high, about eye-level, so that you won't have to tilt your head to look at it! Stuff like that. After 20 years of doing this my neck and back and arms tend to ache something fierce if I'm not careful.
That's about all I can come up with off the top of my head. I hope this helps, and good luck!
Hey, have I got a book for you, homie.
https://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Comics-Invisible-Scott-McCloud/dp/006097625X
comic books use a format sort of like film scrips. samples here among other sources online https://www.scriptsandscribes.com/sample-comic-scripts/
you can potentially supplement scrips with storyboards/sketches
this is a go-to book for the genre: https://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Comics-Invisible-Scott-McCloud/dp/006097625X
I took comics as a college course, and this was our first "textbook"
https://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Comics-Invisible-Scott-McCloud/dp/006097625X
You’re gonna want this book: understanding comics
— an editor
Oh yes. I know that feeling of futility all too well. I made a comic about it.
The nice thing about art, one of the defining attributes of art according to people like Scott McCloud, is that art doesn't need to have a purpose. It can just exist for the sake of existing.
Depending on what field of STEM you get in to, there are plenty of ways to merge art with it. I mean somebody has to design to GUI for that software afterall. The Magic Schoolbus was all about teaching various science principles through art and words.
Have you read "Flowers for Algernon"? Many schools assign it, so there's a chance you have. If not, it's one that I always rec, especially to people who are used to finding it easy to learn. (Pdf I linked to is 23 pages.)
Many people love Poe (myself included). If you've not yet read "The Tell-Tale Heart", that's definitely worth a read imo. It has the additional virtue of being short. The pdf I linked to is only 4 pages.
Since you get into shows, you might really enjoy video poems. They're valuable on their own, but in your case they may also serve as a segue to pure print.
This is one I really like that uses work by Walt Whitman.
In some courses, I assign constructing video poems to my students. They've created high-quality work. Some are stunning. I wish I could share them, but for privacy reasons I'm going to go with nah for that. ;) They're so good though! I haven't found public examples on YouTube that I like as much.
I assign that early in the semester before we've read much. Their own identity shines so brightly. Many are amazed at how good they are at making a poem their own, at giving it a host to enter the world through. For many people who are more visually inclined, it's the merging or juxtaposing of image and word that makes literature really come alive. Music and sound can aid the words too. You might enjoy making your own video poem. It might help you get more into lit afterwards, make it easier to feel a connection with the words.
Oh! And you might like graphic novels too. Maus is a classic that's been in the news lately due to a school district banning it. <em>Understanding Comics</em> is a classic introduction to this genre, but it's also an exceptional intro to literature in general. I highly rec it.
this is a book I see reccomended everywhere but haven't read myself. The most accessible analysis imo is Strip Panel Naked on Youtube, very easy watches and always super interesting.
> 1) What is World Philosophy Day to you?
Very little. Mostly it's an excuse to send marketing emails out reminding our students/colleagues that we exist and that philosophy is super interesting. I can imagine it might be fun to make it into something more, but I'm not really sure what that would look like.
> 2) What do you view is the role of "Pure" Philosophy in the modern academic world? ... Thus, one could view modern Philosophy as the study of those "left over questions" which have not yet been developed into fields of their own. However, any philosopher I've interacted with have pushed back on this articulation, without really offering an in depth counterargument. I'd like to hear your thoughts on this.
I'm not going to make any friends by saying this, but I think it is with good reason that most academic philosophers primarily teach. Maybe, if I work very hard and am very lucky, the very best bits of my scholarly work will someday form a tiny piece of a cultural evolution toward a better world. But I wouldn't bet money on it. The Western canon is vast and important, and just ensuring that the rising generation doesn't forget all the important things we've learned is an enormous undertaking. I really relate to Ars Longa, Vita Brevis a lot.
If I'd had a different upbringing, maybe I could be contributing right now to research on human longevity or cybernetics or space travel or fusion or any of a hundred projects that I regard as warranting greater priority than philosophical research. But I do think that the important research is either unlikely to happen, or likely to happen in ways that are bad for humankind, if something like the post-Enlightenment West stops existing. So while I am certainly expected to conduct original research, and I do my best at it, I very much regard my position as primarily one of cultural maintenance.
If I happen to come across any great insights into one of those "leftover questions," like--great! But it's not something I would put on my bucket list.
> 3) What importance would you place on the Philosophy of X to practitioners of X, when X is a given (non-philosophical) field of study?
Again--my views on this seem to be pretty far from the party line, but I would say it depends a lot on what that practitioner wants. Actually, I think the best reflection I've ever read on this question is by Scott McCloud, in Understanding Comics. Chapter 7 of that book, in addition to furnishing one of the best definitions of "art" I've ever seen defended in print, offers six "steps" of understanding art. He says:
> "Pure" art is essentially tied to the question of purpose--of deciding what you want out of art. This is as true in comics as it is in painting, writing, theater, film, sculpture, or any other form, because the creation of any work in any medium will always follow a certain path:
> 1. Idea/purpose > 2. Form > 3. Idiom > 4. Structure > 5. Craft > 6. Surface
These things layer atop one another, so by the time you get to a finished "product," the final step is what n00bs think is the whole enchilada, so to speak. They might imitate great artists, but there is a "hollowness" to their work, because they are simply operating at the surface level. As they improve, they pursue craft, only to discover that craft will only get you so far, you must also compose your work in certain ways...
The chapter tells a few short stories of comic artists "breaking through" to higher levels of craft, until they reach the level of "Idiom"-- at which point further progression demands an answer to the question,
> Does this artist want to say something about life through his art or does he want to say something about art itself? And does he have anything to say at all?
The answer the artist arrives at determines whether they then direct their art toward an external purpose, or devote themselves to testing (and perhaps expanding) the limits of art itself.
I do not know how conscious McCloud was, when he wrote this, of the fact that "art" is a word we apply to many things that are not the aural or visual arts. You are correct that science used to simply be "natural philosophy," but the very oldest "science" was knowledge as distinct from art which was practice. Today we do not make such a clean distinction between the rational and the empirical--most people don't grasp that "pure science" is often several steps removed from technological application. But to try to tie this all back together--
Practitioners of X can likely get along just fine without any "Philosophy of X." But thoughtful practitioners will often find themselves doing "Philosophy of X" as they grow in their vocation. So it can be useful, in the interest of not re-inventing the wheel, to have at least some grasp of what others have said on the matter. Learning how to work in a lab is as far as some people go: "lab techs" who know to insert slide A into microscope B are doing science, but it's only the surface of science, or maybe the craft. To really structure and manage lab work, one needs a grasp of the structure of science, a sense of why certain things are done a certain way. And to improve on those things, the very idiom of "science" might sometimes need to be challenged--and so on up the chain.
Like comic book artists, probably many very good scientists, famous ones even, never get above step 3 or 4, and that's okay. But you're right: a lot of what you do is inherited from people doing "Philosophy of X," so if you want to better understand what you're doing, and possibly improve upon it, "Philosophy of X" may prove quite valuable to a practitioner indeed.
Check out Scott McCloud's <em>Understanding Comics</em> if you haven't already There is a whole section devoted to the flow of time in there and it is a very informative and fun read to boot.
Art 21 has an episode about Time specifically https://art21.org/watch/art-in-the-twenty-first-century/s2/time/
Q1- depends on the manga or book
Q2- depends on the manga or book
Q3- depends on the manga or book
This post is so vague, I'm not sure what you're actually trying to get at. If you're looking at the difference between eastern and western storytelling there are resources out there.
Same with how comics work when compared to other mediums.
Otherwise, I don't know how to help you.
Some books you could look into:
Scott McCloud's Understanding Comics
https://smile.amazon.com/Understanding-Comics-Invisible-Scott-McCloud/dp/006097625X/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=understanding+comics&qid=1617061629&sr=8-1
Will Eisner's Graphic Storytelling and Visual Narrative
https://smile.amazon.com/Graphic-Storytelling-Visual-Narrative-Instructional/dp/039333127X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3VYAUKPWFNVSY&dchild=1&keywords=will+eisner+graphic+storytelling&qid=1617061695&sprefix=will+eisner%2Caps%2C213&sr=8-1
In my opinion this is as good as it gets if you want to dive a little deep but also have it be very accessible and something you will actually read and not simply intend to forever without doing so:
Amazon link but I promise I'm not a shill
And then follow up with this one
Eisner himself wrote a series of books starting with [this one] which is fantastic but I honestly think it is more rewarding to read if you are already familiar with comics a bit, as opposed to an introductory primer.
Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art by Scott McCloud is a book that basically gets into what makes comics work as a medium and it is done in a very intelligent and very compelling way.
Runner Up status goes to How The States got their Shape by Mark Stein which gets into the history of why the state boundaries are what they are, and it goes into a lot of neat pieces of history that don't really get focused on in history classes.
The best book on how comics work, for my money, is Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud. That would be followed up by Making Comics from the same author. It's a little theory-heavy but it's amazing. I'd say it's good for 14 and up, or maybe a little younger. This would get him a fantastic background in how comics work and how to create them in general. The first book is literally used as a textbook in some college "Comics Appreciation" type classes. The coolest thing about it is that it's a comic itself, and it demonstrates the things it's talking about right there on the page.
If he's younger, and/or he really just wants to learn to draw superheroes, How to Draw Comics the Marvel Way is really good on the fundamentals. It's old-school (most inkers don't use a brush anymore, they use computers), but the fundamentals haven't changed all that much.
Here's a more modern one from DC that looks pretty good and has good reviews, though I haven't read it.
To you I highly recommend <em>Understanding Comics</em> by Scott McCloud. It's not manga, but it is a comic about the mechanics of comics.
Your gut instinct is correct in regards to setting explicit expectations.
However, the onus is typically on the writer to pay for the art. If you build relationships with collaborators, you may eventually decide to split the risk. But there is a greater demand for artists than there are writers and, as such, the writers have to add incentive to make working on their book viable.
Artists don't necessarily need writers to grow in their craft. But writers eventually need to see their work translated into art to better understand the mechanics of the medium, to learn how to best communicate their ideas to the reader via the artist and to have a product to show future employers. By telling potential collaborators you are willing to pay them, you instantly give you and your project a leg up on those competing for your artists' time and talent.
With that being said, paying out of pocket should not scare you off from this venture. Many artists will work for incredibly reasonable rates, especially if you are honest, cool and have good ideas. But offering a rate shows both that you are serious about your art and that you respect the art your collaborators bring to the project. If you're looking to dip your feet in the water, I know /r/ComicBookCollabs occasionally has events that groups creative teams. That may be a good place to start.
Perhaps most importantly, don't let the potential costs of collaboration keep you from writing. While the comic book medium requires art for publication, there's nothing keeping you from learning about storytelling, character development and the basic mechanics of the medium on your own. You may grow fastest with great contributors; but you won't grow at all waiting for them to come to you. All of that aside, if you don't have a script for collaborators, they won't have anything to collaborate with.
On a slightly different note, if you haven't read it yet, Scott McCloud's <em>Understanding Comics</em> is a great place to start thinking about some of the nuts and bolts of sequential art. While some of the techniques he talks about may have more direct application for an artists, it is essential for writers to have an understanding of the medium's strengths and limitations. Understanding Comics provides this in an incredibly succinct, yet thorough manner.
For like, a legitimate guide, you can read this! I know it's not exactly what you asked for, but it's a comic about comics, and it's really interesting!
Actually there are entire textbooks about literary and critical analyses for comics. EDIT: For example, http://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Comics-The-Invisible-Art/dp/006097625X
It's a serious comic book. Also known as a graphic novel. "Comic book" means the artwork and text are in a certain style, not the content.
http://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Comics-The-Invisible-Art/dp/006097625X
Try this, it's a great book http://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Comics-Invisible-Scott-McCloud/dp/006097625X
Please read this, it is WONDERFUL!
There are only so many plots, it is difficult to find a 'new' one. There is even a computer program based on this fact: Dramatica. All serious works can be seen a derivatives of Shakespeare. Every sit-com episode can be found in the Flintstones. They are even trying to codify this at tvtropes.org. Please write anyway. Saying you can't write from an idea that's been used before is like saying you can't play chess because someone has already won a game! And finally, read understanding comic. He has a very nice way of explaining forms of art in general. (one of the best books I ever read, even if it is a 'comic')
So please don't be sad. If you have something to say, say it. Write, make, create, do. We need more creative people helping the rest of us see the world anew!
>Anything we do that isn't mating or surviving is art. Anything that comes out of boredom.
This is an awesome quote and, while possibly overly broad, covers the gist of what I am trying to get at. 'Art' should not be a category that creates an institution of censorship and should be so ubiquitous as to render it meaningless. This way everyone can equally talk about any medium without being shot down for it not being 'art'.
I will have to take a look at this book, thank you for this.
EDIT: Do you mean McCloud or is it actually McLeod?
Are you only looking for superhero comics? If you're looking to branch out, kick it a bit old-school (aka the 90s) and are college age or older, I highly recommend Peter Bagge's no-longer-being-made, 30-issue run of "Hate" (collected now in Buddy Does Seattle and Buddy Does Jersey.
I only say, "college age" not because of any raciness (although there is a little from time to time), but mostly because the stuff in it really resonates once you start to have to put up with the nonsense of being a freshly-minted adult. Stuff like Hate has largely inspired a lot of the soap-operaish self-published webcomics today; what distinguishes Hate (besides being a pioneer) is that Bagge is a superior artist & storyteller to almost everyone else doing it online today.
Not really the same thing at all, but Understanding Comics is a really great read - a study of the art of comics, written in comic-book form. It's one of those books that, I think, will really make you appreciate the comics you already enjoy.
Finally, you may want to give Love and Rockets a try. It's sprawling, has little to nothing to do with superheroes, but has some great female characters (to the point where I can't even remember any really memorable male characters). The characters and nature of the stories change dramatically over the run of the series, to the point where you would never even be able to see what the later books have to do with the earlier ones, but if an ongoing narrative is your thing, check it out.