The Superhero Comic: Narrative and Graphic Design
A course by Carlos PachecoComic Artist
A course by Carlos Pacheco, Comic Artist
Learn to design the layout, sketches, lighting, and finishes for comic strips
Marvel and DC comic book artist Carlos Pacheco teaches you how to integrate superheroes and extraordinary beings into an everyday world without the story falling apart.
According to Carlos, “Superheroes must move in an environment identifiable as real, in which they are the dissonant elements.” this online course, master the application of comic narrative techniques to achieve a consistent union between fiction and everyday life.
What will you learn in this online course?
13 lessons & 6 downloads
Script: reading and interpretation
15 minutes, 25 seconds
Search for reference material.
10 minutes, 8 seconds
Drawing material
6 minutes, 56 seconds
Selection of scenes and distribution in vignettes I
16 minutes, 24 seconds
Selection of scenes and distribution in vignettes II
12 minutes, 5 seconds
Sketching of the pages
18 minutes, 38 seconds
What's included in this course?
Start by getting to know Carlos Pacheco's work and biggest influences.
Then dive right into the script phase. Explore the technical characteristics of each type of script, and see how to approach the information included to transform it into the pages of your own comic.
Search for the necessary reference materials to prepare your drawing material, choose the relevant scenes based on the narration, and organize the story into panels.
Now it's time for the first physical approach to the pages of your comic—the sketching and distribution of the panels per page.
Next, with your teacher's guidance, create your first thumbnails and pencil layouts. Choose the shots, angles, and points of view, as well as the composition, lines, and lighting of each vignette, including other narrative elements.
To wrap up the course, make the final adjustments to your pages by digitizing them and adding effects and color. Although this is normally the colorist's job, Carlos discusses some previous indications you can take into account to aid comprehension using a narrative use of color.
What is this course's project?
Basing your project on a professional script provided by your teacher, create a four-to-five page comic with varied sequences that you can use as a cover letter for the many renowned North American publishers who visit Comic Book Fairs.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
Illustrators, cartoonists, designers, and all fans of superhero comics, whether classic and modern, with the desire to be part of this industry.
Requirements and materials
To take this course, you need basic-to-moderate knowledge of drawn human and animal anatomy, facial expressions, perspective, and natural drawing, as well as some basic notions of cartoon language.
Reviews
- 6 months ago
Muy recomendado para personas con conocimientos intermedios del comic. No esperes que Carlos te enseñe a dibujar o siquiera a hacer un comic desde cero. Es imposible hacer eso en un curso, y de hecho es algo que te puede llevar la vida entera aprender. No asistas a una clase de cálculo si ni siquiera sabes sumar ni restar. El valor de este curso reside en que seas capaz de ver el valor y aprovechar la experiencia de Carlos Pacheco, un artista de un legado inmenso en el mundo de los comics.
- 1 year ago
El curso está OK, pues cumple con los temas que muestra en la vista previa del curso, sin embargo, a lo largo del mismo noté que el docente fallaba un poco al momento de comunicarnos las herramientas y tips de los que habla en los videos. No se muestra como un docente amable sino como un artista con mucha experiencia que le cuesta explicar de mejor manera su conocimiento a sus futuros alumnos. También siento que quedan vacíos en el aprendizaje.
- 1 year ago
I think the dubbing can be better, too many gaps and too slow talking. I think the overall delivery and communication could be better, I find it hard to listen and keep my attention.
- 1 year ago
Muito bom.
- 1 year ago
Non male, davvero niente male
Throughout his career, he worked on collections of popular characters like Avengers, X-Men, Captain America, The Fantastic Four, Inhumans, Superman, Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, Flash, and Justice League of America.
His work was recognized with numerous awards such as the 1996 Revelation Author by Wizard magazine, Best Spanish Author by the readers of specialist magazine Dolmen, Best Spanish Comic Cartoonist by the Granada Comic Fair in 2001, and by the 2004 Fantastic and Horror Film Week in Estepona, Málaga. In addition, his own series, created alongside US screenwriter Kurt Busiek, was nominated for the prestigious Eisner awards in 2004. In 2010, he was awarded the Andalusian Comic prize at the Granada International Comic Fair.
Content
- U1
Introduction
- Presentation
- Influences
- U2
Preproduction
- Script: reading and interpretation
- Search for reference material.
- Drawing material
- Selection of scenes and distribution in vignettes I
- Selection of scenes and distribution in vignettes II
- Sketching of the pages
- U3
Production
- Realization of the page: the pencil I
- Realization of the page: the pencil II
- Final finishing
- U4
Postproduction
- Final adjustments of the pages by scanning
- Ink and color indications
- FP
Final project
- The superhero comic: narrative and graphic realization
What to expect from a Domestika course
Learn at your own pace
Enjoy learning from home without a set schedule and with an easy-to-follow method. You set your own pace.
Learn from the best professionals
Learn valuable methods and techniques explained by top experts in the creative sector.
Meet expert teachers
Each expert teaches what they do best, with clear guidelines, true passion, and professional insight in every lesson.
Certificates
PLUSIf you're a Plus member, get a custom certificate signed by your teacher for every course. Share it on your portfolio, social media, or wherever you like.
Get front-row seats
Videos of the highest quality, so you don't miss a single detail. With unlimited access, you can watch them as many times as you need to perfect your technique.
Share knowledge and ideas
Ask questions, request feedback, or offer solutions. Share your learning experience with other students in the community who are as passionate about creativity as you are.
Connect with a global creative community
The community is home to millions of people from around the world who are curious and passionate about exploring and expressing their creativity.
Watch professionally produced courses
Domestika curates its teacher roster and produces every course in-house to ensure a high-quality online learning experience.
FAQs
You’ll learn how to interpret and adapt comic scripts, plan pages and panels, gather visual references, draw realistic scenes, and apply professional techniques in sketching, inking, and digital finishing — all with a focus on visual storytelling and the superhero style.
This isn’t a beginner’s course; it’s designed for students who already have some drawing and comic experience and want to refine their visual storytelling and professional page layout skills.
You’ll need proper comic paper (like Canson Manga), pencils, fineliner pens, rulers, a lightbox or a drawing tablet, plus access to Photoshop or digital editing software to scan and polish your pages.
Basic drawing skills and fundamental comic knowledge are recommended, along with some familiarity with traditional and digital comic-making tools.
You’ll learn how to plan pages, arrange panels, compose scenes, manage camera angles, create smooth visual transitions, and highlight emotion and action through graphic sequencing.
This course focuses on visual storytelling for superhero comics, blending influences from iconic artists, professional script techniques, visual reference gathering, and developing polished pages both physically and digitally.
Yes, the course teaches you how to read, analyze, and break down technical scripts, adapting them into clear, creative visual solutions on the comic page.