How to create comic book characters?

Thinking about Polish comics, it is impossible to ignore the category of heroes, especially those who have passed into the history of the genre, effectively creating a native pop culture canvass. Among them there are also those who have successfully gained international fame, which only confirms that we have the potential to bring interesting characters into the world.

From Thorgal...

Polish comic book heroes are not and are unlikely to be the type of characters we know even from Marvel comics. There's nothing wrong with that, because the Polish comic book scene, on the other hand, can boast - despite the shorter and somewhat more complicated development of the genre - quite a variety of character types. In the absolute top tier of Polish comic characters, Throgal must undoubtedly be mentioned, although this one is half Polish. The drawing came from the hand of the almost legendary Grzegorz Rosiński, but the author of the character is, of course, Belgian Jean Van Hamme. This Belgian-Polish marriage turned out to be extremely successful, because the descendant of the Star People, created in the 1970s and raised by the Vikings, still excites the imagination today, and the character himself is simply an icon of popular culture.

...After Kajko and Kokosz

Van Hamme's Thorgal had a much more mystical pedigree than our indigenous warriors, namely Kajko and Kokosz. Janusz Christa's humorous comic, set in Slavic climates, is often compared to Asterix and Obelix, meanwhile, it turns out that Christa began drawing his comic before Goscinny and Uderzo's characters saw the light of day.

Rather, it seems, as Michal Lorek argues, that the creators simply followed a similar trajectory, referring to a somewhat mythical world, casting as heroes a tandem built on contrasts. The catalog of Polish comic book characters would not be complete without Tytus, Romek and A'Tomek by Papcio Chmiel. Here, by the way, you can see another trend characteristic of Polish comic scriptwriters - heroes appear in duets or tercets (Jonka, Jonek and Kleks), less often as an outstanding individual with superpowers. From the historical, but also not without a didactic element, characteristic of communist literature, we still have Kapitan Żbik, who is nowadays a kind of retro model of a comic book superhero, who - how else - is one of us. He's just great at his job, so there's no question of any secret powers, because there was no room for such fancies in a socialist country, either.

A hero without a cape

This, of course, is not a full collection, after all, we have Yans, created in the duo of Rosiński and Duchateau, there is Funky Koval (Polch, Parowski, Rodek) and his detective team or Baranowski's Professor Nerwosolek, and this is only a smattering anyway. What is noticeable, however, is a considerable peculiarity of Polish characters, their ordinariness, mediocrity - at least at first glance. There is less secret power/medical or genetic experiments in them, more cleverness, intelligence or skill. Interestingly, although they differ significantly from each other, all of them in some way have already passed into the history of Polish comics. So how to create an interesting character, when it may seem that "everything has already been"?

How to create a character - a comic book writer's guide

Probably, in fact, "it has already been done", but it is no disrespect for a comic screenwriter to know literary themes and toposes. The most important thing is that he knows how to create new and original worlds from them again and again, populated by equally original characters. However, in order to cope with such a challenge, the author of a comic script must, when constructing a character, answer several questions.

1. Purpose and Motivation.
Define the hero's purpose and motivation. Is it to fight crime, uncover secrets, or defend the weak? Purpose and motivation form the basis of a character's traits and give meaning to his or her actions.

2. Background and history.
The character's life story should be consistent and interesting. How has he been influenced by past experiences? What events have shaped his character?

3. Unique Characteristics and Abilities.
Give the character unique physical or mental characteristics, or equip him or her with unique skills. These can be either superpowers or unusual character traits that set the character apart from others.

4. Internal Conflict.
Introduce an element of internal conflict that makes the character multidimensional. Emotional or moral conflicts add depth to the character.

5. Relationships with others.
Plan the character's relationships with other characters in the comic. Whether friends, enemies, or family members, relationships always influence the shape of the character and the direction of their development.

6. Character development over time.
Allow the character to evolve as the plot progresses. Changes in the character can come from events experienced, relationships with other characters, or goals achieved.

7. Balance strengths and weaknesses.
Avoid over-idealizing the character; allow your character to have both strengths and weaknesses. This makes the character more realistic and easier to relate to.

8. Interesting visuals.
Design an easily recognizable look for the character. Visual uniqueness helps make the character memorable to readers.

9. Dialogue and Speech Style.
Create consistent and character-specific dialogue. The way a character speaks is a great tool for outlining the character's personality.

10. Surprising plot elements.
Introduce surprising moments or twists that affect the character. This makes the protagonist more unpredictable and keeps the whole story exciting.

Remember, the key is to balance all of these aspects to create a character that is both intriguing and realistic for comic book readers.