Buying Quote by Mark Waid
“Comics are expensive. Don’t make me resent the money I spend buying yours. Every single moment in your script must either move the story along or demonstrate something important about the characters — preferably both — and every panel that does neither is a sloppy waste of space.”
About This Quote
Source Interview: Comic Book Writing Tips, 2015
A comic should use every panel to advance plot or reveal character; otherwise it wastes space and money.
In simple terms: Every panel must serve story or character.
Key Takeaway
Eliminate unnecessary panels.
Themes
storytelling
efficiency
visual narrative
Mood
critical
analytical
Type
instructional
professional
When to use this quote
- script editing
- budget planning
- artist collaboration
Key Concepts
plot development
characterization
panel composition
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you decide if a panel is essential?
- What balance between plot and character feels right?
A Different Perspective
Readers may still miss subtle cues if panels are too sparse.
![“Usually, you get a script and you have the whole story. All the acts are there, for a play. You know what happens in the first, second and third acts, and you know how it starts, where you go and where it finishes. [With American Horror Story: Asylum], it's a whole new experience. I don't know…” quote by Jessica Lange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/3e5/jessica-lange-7297_american-horror-stor_usually-you-get-a-script-and-you-have-th_2413393.jpg)
