PC format talks to Tom Frame, 'THE' Judge Dredd letterer
It's not what you say, it's the way that you say it. In Comics, that boils down to your speech bubbles and how good they look.
Any piece of fiction needs a well-written script if anyone's going to take notice of it. But you might assume that actually integrating dialogue, narrative and sound into your comics is as simple as just writing the words on the page. there is, of course, a lot more to it than that.
You could either employ a professional letterer such as Tom Frame, who's had years of experience lettering comics such as Judge Dredd, or you could employ a package such as CorelDRAW! With software like that you can type out your test in a suitable handwriting-style font. arrange it so that it looks good and then paste the whole thing on to your page of artwork.
We caught up with Tom Frame at the UK Comic Art Convention. He has his own, instantly recognisable style of lettering which has cropped up in many other British comics other than Dredd.
Until recently Frame did it all by hand, but now he's created his own font taken from scanned handwriting. Tom's style is to type out each block of test on a single page, which he prints out. He then cuts out each 'bubble', draws a line around the edge by hand and then sticks it on the artwork. It's a pleasing cross between the old-fashioned way of lettering, and modern techniques.
Lettering has always been Frame's main job, but he isn't concerned that computers will make him redundant. As he told PCF: "I'm not too worried. I wouldn't advise anyone to go into lettering, but I don't think it'll disappear just yet."
The above is taken from an article : Published in PC Format May 1997 Issue 69
Current Letterers :- Annie Parkhouse, Ellie de Ville & Tom Frame
Other Letterers :- Jon Beeston, Ellie de Ville, Elitta Fell, Glib, Mary Green, Annie Parkhouse, Jack Potter, Steve Potter, Pat Prentice, Bunty Maghew, Gordon Robson, Kid Robson, Starkings, Mark King, tony Jacob
Creators/Editors
Battle
Pat Mills (editor/creator/writer)
writers => John Wagner,
artist => Carlos Ezquerra
Valiant
John Wagner
Action
Editor => Pat Mills/Geoff Kemp
writers => Jack Adrian, Steve MacManus, Gerry Finlay Day,Ron Carpenter
2000AD
Concept: Jack Adrian (18/5/75), Early development: Pat Mills
Editors: Pat Mills, Nick Landau(acting), Richard Burton, Alan MacKensie(assitaint ed), David Bishop
Starlord
Diceman
Editor: Simon Geller
Specials
Crisis
Editor: Steve McManus
Monthlies
Editor: Steve McManus
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