There are several methods of digital comics creation. One is the use of a pressure sensitive Graphics Tablet and a computer Graphics Program . Panels are drawn using the pressure sensitive stylus, handled in much the same way as a pencil or pen, but the lines are drawn in the image editing software, producing a digital file.
Other approaches include drawing in Vector Graphics applications, with or without a tablet, allowing for the manipulation and revision of lines after they are drawn, and the use of 3-D Computer Graphics applications to create characters and backgrounds. Some digital comics include various combinations of these techniques.
The first digital comic was ''Shatter'' , written by Peter Gillis and illustrated on the computer by Mike Saenz. ''Shatter'' appeared simultaneously as a one-shot special and as a backup feature in First Comics ' ''Jon Sable'' title in 1985. It was published in its own 14 issue series from 1985-1986.
''Shatter'' was initially drawn on a first-generation Mac using a mouse and printed on a Dot-matrix Printer . It was then photographed like a piece of traditionally drawn black and white comic art, and the color separations were applied in the traditional manner.
''Shatter'' artist Mike Saenz went on to create ''Iron Man: Crash'', the first digital Graphic Novel in 1988.
''Batman: Digital Justice'' was published by DC Comics in 1990, and introduced a more sophisticated blend of computer graphics techniques.
''The Black Diamond Effect'' was created and published by George Peter Gatsis in 1991-1992 and 1998, incorporating all the 3-D rendering and 2-D techniques of that time that mimic an animation still. Generated 3D characters and graphics, scanned and enhanced line art by painting it on the computer, as well as on the printers end of the production, the actual linescreen of the covers were controlled to such a degree, that you end up with 2 to 3 different linescreens on the same page. All of this created an image library of over 500 elements that were brought together in a layout program which made on the fly creative changes a breeze.
Mike Saenz and Norm Dwyer created ''Donna Matrix'', the first digital graphic novel utilizing 3-D rendering, in 1993.
Other comics began to appear, both on CD-ROM and in printed form, that utilized computer graphics to manipulate or add to traditionally drawn comic art, and more all-digital comics were published as improvements in software and computing power made this art form more practical.
- June, 1985: ''Shatter'', written by Peter Gillis and illustrated by Mike Saenz, appears as a backup feature in ''Jon Sable: Freelance'' #25, and ''Shatter'' Special #1, published by First Comics.
- December, 1985-1986: ''Shatter'' continues as a 14 issue series by First Comics. Mike Saenz leaves after 2 issues. Other artists include Steve Erwin and Bob Dienethal who drew traditional art on board that was digitized, and Charlie Athanas who re-established the practice of creating the comic directly on the computer.
- 1988: ''Iron Man: Crash'', the first digital graphic novel is published by Marvel Comics . Drawn by Mike Saenz.
- 1990: DC Comics publishes ''Batman: Digital Justice''. Artist and writer Pepe Moreno uses a combination of 3-D modeling, vector illustration and CAD programs in addition to image editing software like Photoshop, using a Mac II with 16-bit color.
- 1991: ''Victor, Vector & Yondo'' by Ken Steacy is published as a CD-ROM comic by Sanctuary Woods Multimedia. Although this is not a digital comic, it features an early use of digital special effects (Photoshop twirl filters) applied to traditional comic art. It was published as a print comic in 1994 by Fractal Comics Group.
- 1991-1992: ''The Black Diamond Effect'' by George Peter Gatsis was generated using 3D and enhanced by scanning and painting, using all the various graphic formats of that time, composed in a layout program.
- 1992: DC Comics publishes ''The Hacker Files'' written by Lewis Shiner and illustrated by Sutton and Buckingham, the last two issues of which incorporate digitally created art.
- 1993-1994: Dark Horse Comics publishes ''Version'', an English language printing of the traditionally-drawn Manga by Hisashi Sakaguchi, with all-digital (3-D CGI ) cover art by Jack Harris.
- August 1993: Mike Saenz creates ''Donna Matrix'', computer generated graphic novel with 3-D graphics, published by Reactor Press. This is the first 3-D CGI graphic novel.
- June, 1995: '' Argon Zark! '', a digitally created Web Comic , appears on the Web, drawn by writer/artist Charley Parker with a graphics tablet in Painter and Photoshop.
- 1995: ''Sinkha'', a multimedia graphic novel featuring sophisticated 3-D rendering is created by science fiction artist Marco Patrito and published on CD-ROM by Mohave.
- Fall 1996: ''Sinkha'' is published as a comics story in the Heavy Metal Fall 1996 Special.
- 1998: ''The Black Diamond Effect-Syntax E.R.R.O.R.'' by George Peter Gatsis continued the story, with much better graphics, but still using the same techniques from 1991-1992.
- ''Eye of the Storm'' by Jon Knowles, Shane Caudle, Randall Ryan and Brian Sellers (December, 1994). Hybrid: painted characters with 3-D backgrounds, digital effects. Rival Productions
- ''Mr. Punch'', by Neil Gaiman & Dave McKean (September, 1995). Hybrid: mixed media, digitally manipulated. DC Comics
- ''Neuro Jack'', James Chambers and Erika Taguchi (1996), All-digital. Big Entertainment
- '' Astounding Space Thrills '', by Steve Conley, (1997). Hybrid: ''inked'' in Adobe Illustrator. Image Comics / Web comic
- ''Blue Loco'', by Mark Landman (1997). All-digital. Kitchen Sink Press
- ''The New Adventures of Abraham Lincoln'', by Scott McCloud (1998). Hybrid: penciled on paper, "inked" in Photoshop with 3-D backgrounds. Homage Comics
- ''The Dome: Ground Zero'', by Dave Gibbons & Angus McKie (1998). All-digital. DC Comics
- ''When I am King'', by demian.5. All-digital Web comic
- ''Delta Thrives'', by Patrick Farley , (2002). All-digital Web comic
- ''Return of the Green Skull'', by Joe Zabel. All-digital Web comic, part of moderncomics.com
- '' Cass Corridor '', by The Hungry Ghost. All-digital Web comic
- '' Hulk: "Lonely Man" '', by The Hungry Ghost. All-digital Web comic
- Moreno, Pepe & Gold, Mike (Introduction) (1990). ''Batman: Digital Justice'', DC Comics
- Parker, Charley (1997). ''Argon Zark!'', Arclight Publishing
- McCloud, Scott (2000) ''Reinventing Comics'', pp. 140, 165, Paradox Press
- Withrow, Stephen (2003). ''Toon Art: The art of Digital Cartooning'', pp. 12-21, 45, 118-119, 170-171, 174-175, 184-187, Watson-Guptill
- Gillis, Peter & Saenz, Mike (June-November 1985). "Shatter", ''Jon Sable: Freelance'', issues #25-30, First Comics
- Gillis, Peter & Saenz, Mike (June 1985). ''Shatter Special'', First Comics
- Saenz, Mike & Dwyer, Norm (August 1993) ''Donna Martix 1'', Reactor Inc.
- Patrito, Marco (Fall, 1996). "Sinkha", ''Heavy Metal Special''
- Landman, Mark (1997). ''Blue Loco'', Kitchen Sink Press
- Gatsis, George Peter (1991-1992, 1998). ''The Black Diamond Effect'', The Black Diamond Effect Inc.
- Harter, Maurice (1997) "Comics" , ''Lightworks''
- Szadkowski, Joseph (July 1, 2000). "Digital Production Comes of Age in the Comic World" , ''Animation World Magazine''
- "Comic ceator: Mike Saenz" , Lambiek ''Comiclopedia''
- "Peter B. Gillis Biibliography" , ''True Stories''
- Athanas, Charlie "Comic Books: Shatter Issues #9-14" , ''Burning City''
- Patrito, Marco (Fall, 1996). "Sinkha" , ''Heavy Metal Special''
- Landman, Mark (1997). ''Blue Loco'', Kitchen Sink Press
- "The Black Diamond Effect" , ''Syntax E.R.R.O.R.'', George Peter Gatsis
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