By Cheung, Man Wai (DrMaster Publications)
ISBN13: 978-1-59796-069-4
I’ve seen a lot of “How To…†books in my time and this new edition of a tract first published by ComicsOne Corp. in 2004 is definitely one of the best; although I have to say right from the outset that this is not about the specific creation of Japanese style Manga.
This book reveals the creative philosophy and secrets of comics produced for the Hong Kong market, and, superficial resemblances notwithstanding, there’s a world of difference. Almost exclusively a martial arts themed industry, the Hong Kong drawing style concentrates on a (relatively) representational interpretation of the perfected human form, more akin to the superhero anatomy of Burne Hogarth, Gil Kane and John Romita Senior, than the expressionistic abstractions and formulations of Manga or the edgy East/West amalgam that typifies the Manhwa of South Korea. Western superhero artists could learn a lot from this book.
The book itself covers all the accepted basics, Conceptualisation, Drawing and particular effects, Character Design, Illustrating Scenarios, (you and I would call it drawing the script), Scriptwriting for Kung Fu comics, and even proper speech-balloon placement.
Their chapter on Perspective is one of the clearest that I’ve ever seen, and does the reader the decency of baldly revealing that getting it right is actually damned hard work, and that it really does matter: something a lot of books – and tutors – are pretty reluctant to admit.
Superbly, copiously and relevantly illustrated throughout, the book also contains a tutorial section and an extensive gallery-come-swipe-file. In fact my only quibble (and there’s always one) is that the entire interior is in economical black-and-white, whereas the crowning glory of the comics themselves is lush and lavish multi-media colour. It’s a shame a glossy insert wasn’t in the budget.
© 2005 DrMaster Publications Inc.