Eric Kripke, the creator of Supernatural, recently announced his decision to join the world of comics. Not satisfied with his TV characters of werewolves, he turned to comic books to introduce his new character, a superhero that isn't just all about flying and wearing capes. He calls this comic book series Jacked and it is scheduled to arrive in stores this coming November.
In an interview, he was asked about his decision to go for comic books this time after his success on TV. He said that it has been his long time desire to create a realistic story about a superhero who isn't your typical square-faced superhero, but rather someone with an acid reflux.
He said that he also thinks about airing this story on TV, but comic books is the perfect place to explore characters.
He was also asked about the difference between writing for TV and writing for a comic book. He shared that each medium of writing requires different 'muscles'. He elaborated about the difference between the two mediums by enumerating the elements used in both comic writing and screenplay. He said that in screenwriting, time is a major factor and that actors take the beat. Rhythm also plays a role in action sequences. Comic writing on the other hand relies on space. The amount of panels in a page is an important aspect, as well as the image that made the most sense in each panel. He says that the two kinds of writing do not exactly translate to each other.
He also expresses his interest in going through the challenges and learning processes that writing for a comic book series brings.
Kripke also showed his delight in working with artists and letterers instead of film crew and actors. He describes the experience as both freeing and intimidating. He admits that the freedom he feels comes from the fact that the budget in comic book writing is lesser and at the same time, the only limit they have is their imaginations. He says that on TV, you can only do so much to pull off your TV show. But in comics, boundaries do not exist.
