Funny Comic Ideas: How to Come Up With Comic Strip & Comic Book Ideas
Some comic ideas are action-packed, full of heroes, villains and possible world destruction. And yes, those can be ridiculously fun to write. But in my humble opinion, some of the best funny comic ideas and comic stories come from real-life moments. Unless, of course, you're the next Steven Spielberg!
The story doesn't need to be completely factual. You might create a fictional story but weave in moments from real life, whether they're from your own life or someone else's. This works whether you're looking for a short comic strip idea or developing a story for a longer comic book.
My name is Aura Gold, and I've been writing comics for years. Just when I think I must have created every story possible, I'm proved wrong. Every day, my clients arrive with new and original ideas — and I'm still amazed by how many completely different comic stories can come from ordinary life.
How Do You Come Up With Good Comic Ideas?
You might have an idea for your comic story, but will it actually make a great story? The best place to start is by brainstorming all your ideas, however crazy they seem. Make a big long list and keep going. Then pick your favourites and start to flesh them out a bit.
Your ideas will probably be quite different, but the main thing you need to figure out is: what's the hook of the story? A problem to solve, a kingdom to conquer, a lost love to find, a funny twist — without a strong hook, you might not have a great comic story idea yet. Keep going until you're convinced that you do. If you aren't engaged, your readers won't be either.
I often get clients coming to me with what seems like a great idea, but once we start brainstorming together, we find there isn't actually much to get our teeth into. So don't cut corners at the ideas stage. Really put some time and energy into it. I help my clients every step of the way, but having a strong idea at the start gives us much more to work with.
Coming Up With Funny Comic Story Ideas
If you want to create a funny comic story, one of the most important things is relatability. Otherwise, no one will laugh because no one will “get it”. Not everyone has to relate, of course — it can be niche. Most importantly, you must relate to it. You must find it funny.
That's exactly why webcomics like Sarah's Scribbles, Heart and Brain and Poorly Drawn Lines work so well. They take tiny everyday experiences and exaggerate them just enough to become funny.
If you're struggling to come up with funny comic ideas, stop trying to invent something huge. Pay attention to the ridiculous things already happening around you.
My advice? Make it about something you're passionate about, whether it's your local football club, your family, climate change or fashion. It gives you the head start you need. It's always much better to create a story you would love to read than to try to come up with something you think other people will love.
Where Comic Ideas Actually Come From
People love to imagine that great comic ideas arrive like lightning bolts. In reality, the ideas worth pursuing tend to grow and grow. They keep coming back to you, the idea starts to naturally blossom in your mind, and it's almost as though your brain can't help building on it.
I had a client who wanted to create a sci-fi comic about her boyfriend, who loves sports and gambling. Now, I don't know much about sport or gambling, LOL — but strangely enough, I was invited to a casino that same week. While I was there playing blackjack (very badly), the idea started to come together. That said, it is much harder to write a story about a subject you know nothing about. I don't recommend it.
Anyhow, that idea stuck with me all week. Every day on my daily walk, I found myself building on it until I finally found the hook — the overarching storyline that made it sci-fi while also including everything the client wanted. It's such an “aha!” moment when that happens.
This was an especially difficult comic story to write and, in the end, it became a 12-page comic book. But not all comic ideas need to be so complicated — or so long.
Short Comic Strip Ideas: Keep It Simple
As I said earlier, some of the easiest stories come from real life — the moments and memories that actually mean something. But what if you're creating a very short custom comic strip, say 3–5 panels?
Strangely enough, short comic ideas can sometimes be harder to figure out than longer comic stories. With only three panels, how much can you really say?
I find that clients often overcomplicate their story, thinking they can cram several events into one comic panel. A good rule is to think of one comic panel as one action or one event.
So you could choose one really funny moment that only lasted a few minutes and build the whole strip around that. Or you could choose three to five separate events that happened months or even years apart and use each panel to jump through them — a relationship story is a perfect example.
Longer Comic Strip Ideas (10 Panels & Beyond)
When you start to create a longer comic strip, say 10 panels or more, you can include more detail and more events. I find 10 panels is a great length for most comic stories. You have space to set the scene, introduce your main character (or characters), add some action and still have room for a great ending.
I do think a longer comic is worth the effort, although it's very easy to get carried away and, before you know it, you have a 50-panel story. It's important to think about how you're going to print and display your comic before you start writing.
For example, if you want to create a 16" × 20" comic and frame it, there's no point writing a story that's 50 panels long — it simply won't fit. The format needs to work with the story, so when you're developing longer comic strip ideas, it's worth deciding roughly how many panels you have to play with before the story runs away with you.
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The best comics all started with one thing: an idea. Some were funny, some sad, some plain weird. None of them started as finished masterpieces, the themes and ideas evolved over time.
If you've been reading this blog thinking, "I've actually got a great idea for my own comic!". Well why not enter the Comic Creator Challenge! It's only $5, the price of a coffee. You submit your comic story idea and if you win we will turn your comic idea into a 1-page, 10-panel comic strip!
One winning idea is selected each month, by Make Me A Comic's founder, and Art Director, Aura Gold. The winner gets their idea brainstormed by Aura and then written and drawn by a professional comic artist and author.
Relationship Comic Ideas
I write more relationship comic stories than anything else — they are by far the most popular choice. And they are a brilliant source of comic ideas because you already have the characters, the memories and all those little moments that make the story personal.
You could tell the story of how you met, your first date, disastrous holidays, funny misunderstandings, big milestones, private jokes, or simply the everyday things that make your relationship yours.
If you're specifically thinking about creating something romantic, like a personalized comic book for your boyfriend, I go into much more detail in that blog.
You don't need to be into comic culture to love a gift like this. I think they are possibly one of the most sentimental and personal gifts you could ever give someone you love.
And if you've got this far and you're thinking you'd rather have us turn your story into a comic for you, take a look at our custom comic strips.
Superhero Comic Ideas: Creating Your Own Hero Story
I find that 10 panels is a great length for a simple superhero story. I LOVE writing these. More often than not, Dad, a husband or a boyfriend has an alter ego — usually a good guy, although we have turned people into villains before!
With 10 panels, I have enough room to set the scene and introduce the main character before getting quickly into the problem. Perhaps the city is under attack, the family has been taken hostage, or something terrible is about to happen. Our main character transforms into his superhero alter ego, takes on the villain and saves the day.
Panel 10 is the victory. Although one of my favourite ways to end these stories is with our hero back out of costume, in his PJs, asleep on the couch next to his wife, with part of his superhero suit poking out behind him.
She might say, “Busy day?”
And he's thinking, “Oh, not much. Just saved the world.”
You can have a lot of fun with superhero comic ideas, especially when you weave in real details about the person. Their job, hobbies, family, personality and private jokes can all become part of the story. I find that mixing ridiculous superhero action with completely ordinary real life is often what makes these comics work.
Pet Comic Story Ideas
I'll start by saying that dogs are ALWAYS heroes and cats are ALWAYS villains, LOL. I never suggest this to clients who come to me wanting to create a comic about their pet, but somehow, every single time, dogs and cats naturally end up playing these roles.
When I write a pet story, I love writing it from the pet's perspective. It's so much fun to capture their personality and imagine how they might speak or what they might be thinking. Even if they're in the middle of an epic battle with a villain, they're still a dog — so of course they might have to stop and smell some poop along the way.
But pet comic ideas don't need heroes, villains or huge adventures. Sometimes the best ones are based entirely on real life.
I once wrote Billie's Best Day. Billie was old and her family knew they were going to lose her soon, so I created a comic story about her perfect day to commemorate her life. It was such a touching story, and another great example of how real-life events can create some of the strongest storylines. They don't always have to be funny — sometimes the idea works because it makes the reader feel something.
How to Make Readers Feel Something
A good comic idea is only the beginning. You also need to give your reader a reason to care about what happens.
Make them laugh, cry, sit on the edge of their seat or completely surprise them — if you make them feel something, you've drawn them into the story. Sentimentality and nostalgia can be particularly powerful, especially when you're writing about real people, places and memories.
Why Every Comic Needs a Great Character
Most of the comics I write have an element of real life in them, and I usually include the recipient as a character. That makes my job considerably easier. If you're reading a comic story about yourself, you're already emotionally invested in what happens.
But perhaps you're not creating a comic for one person. Maybe you're developing a comic book idea that you want hundreds or thousands of people to read, or even thinking about creating a comic book series.
In that case, your characters have to do more of the work.
Your readers need someone they can relate to, root for, laugh at, hate or gradually fall in love with. Think about who you're writing for. If your audience is teenagers, for example, what kind of character will they recognise themselves in or want to follow?
What If Your Comic Doesn't Have One Main Character?
This is harder — and I know because I'm currently writing a historical comic about Ibiza that doesn't have one central character.
So how do I draw the reader in?
In this case, Ibiza itself becomes the thread running through the story. People are fanatical about the island. They return year after year, sometimes throughout their entire lives. That's my hook: the island, the places, the venues and the characters who have passed through them.
If your comic doesn't have one obvious main character, you need something else strong enough to hold the story together. That could be a place, a community, a period in history or one central theme.
What Makes a Comic Idea Feel Professional?
A great idea is important, but I don't think there's one type of story that automatically makes a comic feel professional. Almost any idea can become a great comic story if it's told well.
A lot comes down to how you bring that idea to life — the drawing style, the characters, the layout, the lettering and the colouring. But that doesn't mean a comic needs to be incredibly detailed or technically difficult to work. Sometimes the simplest drawings tell a story brilliantly.
Just look at the number of successful stickman comics out there. Remember Bitstrips from years ago? They were SUPER popular, yet incredibly simply drawn.
So don't spend too much time procrastinating over whether your comic idea is good enough. My advice is to just go for it. If you don't feel comfortable drawing it yourself, there are plenty of comic artists who can help bring your idea to life.
And if you'd rather have a professional team help turn your idea into a finished comic, take a look at our custom comic strip and custom comic book services.
If you have a comic idea but want someone else to create it
That's where someone like myself comes in handy. I have been working with people who want to create comics since 2012. I work with clients to develop their ideas into professionally structured comics. I am very good at storyboarding the comic for you and writing and designing the entire comic from the story to the characters to the visuals.
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