While most people at Keystone Comic Con 2019 came to see Tom Holland, I met someone equally as famous. Daryl “DMC” McDaniels is a hip-hop artist most people know from songs like “Tricky” or the “Walk This Way” cover. As one of the pioneers of the genre along with Joseph “Run” Simmons, he has a large fanbase. Nowadays that includes another medium in his own comics publisher “Darryl Makes Comics”. I even got the opportunity to go to a panel he appears in with his words on comics and musicians.
Do Musicians Just Like to Make Money?
In my Underrated Image Comics page, you’ll find some comics created by known musicians like Jane Wiedlin or Rob Zombie. Heck, if anyone’s heard of or saw Umbrella Academy, they might know about Gerard Way of “My Chemical Romance”. A few of these series serve as stories or even sequels to their albums. As such some people are under the impression that this is just appealing to comic fans. From the words of DMC though, that is definitely not the case.
Darryl in his youth read a lot of comics, holding it very closely to his love of hip-hop. Heck, he got his first turntable and mixer at a comic book sale. For Darryl, the music and comics that pushed him into the mix is what empowers him. It’s essentially the same for some of these other artists. They don’t go into comics cause there’s some easy money; they do it cuz they love comics.
How Does Writing Music Translate to Comics?
Music might be a different sense unlike the visual nature of comics; but that doesn’t mean they don’t share a couple of elements. In one of my earlier posts, I mention how pacing is an essential part of timing and first impressions. The same applies to music. If you ever listen to songs on the radio, there are patterns and tempo. It’s what allows them to be so recognizable. For comics meanwhile panels and dialog fill most of that role. Comics have a unique way of displaying sensations. Some of the best can be found in a few Daredevil comics. With the title character being blind, visual audio implementations are a given. They also give a powerful touch of tricking the mind to hear sounds.
The same can also apply by adapting the visuals into songs. Skin & Earth by Lights is a comic series synthesizing with a music album. The songs provide the general themes while the comics bring the album to life. Each issue plays like a song; the end of every song transitions into a new part of the comic’s story. It’s a very personal work where Lights puts all of her feelings into something. Some editions even come with download codes for the songs the issues are based on. Overall, it’s an experience that people really enjoy.
Comics with Soundtracks?
In recent times, some creators get the opportunity to incorporate music into the comics. Perhaps the most prominent is Murder Falcon. The creator, Daniel Warren Johnson, may not be a professional musician but he did write and co-perform its soundtrack. Johnson displays music at its most powerful with accompanying visuals. The entire comic is like watching a death metal album in full effect. All of that is just icing on the cake for its emotional story though. A few creators even take the opportunity to create vinyl records to show their devotion to the mediums.
Still when it comes to implementing music into comics there are some flaws. People read at their own pace so the music might outpace them. Just imagine pausing a song to try and get that sensation right. A few webcomics including some on LINE Webtoon and Tapas attach music onto some chapters. This is certainly a very impressive method; however people’s tastes can differ and they don’t come with some options. And what if the reader is deaf?
Musicians Really Love It!
In any case, comics are a very flexible art form where some effects can blend with one another. Music is just one of many forms of expression these artists can use. If their hearts are in it, they and many others can push the mediums to their fullest. I certainly think some comics can do better with music. Only time can reveal when all of this happens.
Thanks for coming and as always remember to look between the panels.