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sarrowsmith10
Mar '20

So I'm realizing that my new comic https://tapas.io/series/The-Chevalier10 has very few characters. The cast is really minimal compared to my other long form comic Goblins of Razard. Does a small cast bother people? Should I be looking to expand the characters? I'm just so focused in on the few interactions that I haven't given much thought to introducing other characters as it doesn't really feel needed right now.

Thoughts?

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    Mar '20

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    Mar '20
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joannekwan(ง ˙o˙)ว here to help~
Mar '20

Nope! Only have as many characters you need to tell your story!
Especially if a large part of your story is about these few characters and their relationships and dynamics with each other.
You wouldn't want to bloat the story with extraneous drama or contrived events just to shoe-horn in a character that the story doesn't need.

Many of my stories have limited casts:
Erie Waters = 4 people, 1 dog, Sarota Springs = 5 people, Secunda = 4 people.
and my one-shots have even fewer with 2 each.

KRWright
Mar '20

Introduce as many characters as the plot needs. I'm working on a webcomic with an artist and we literally only have two characters in the entire piece. I've written novels with a main cast of 4 (plus 3 antags) which I consider to be quite large and unwieldy. IMO, small casts are better because you get to know the characters intimately.

irene_addler
Mar '20

I prefer fewer characters so I don't get really confused, honestly.

fnflgbtcomics
Mar '20

I have to agree that a small cast isn't a problem as long as that's what benefits your story. Our current updating comic mainly focus on two main characters, although there are others - we don't really follow the others around or explore their backstories too deeply. In this case, it's been more successful than one of my other comics with a larger cast, possibly because we focus on characters that the readers have known the whole time and (probably) enjoy seeing the most of.

JerrodStorm
Mar '20
irene_addler

This. My comic only has two main characters. The rest are either occasionally recurring characters, characters that only remain relevant for a few episodes, or throw-aways. The fewer the characters, the easier it is to keep them straight! :smile:

PaulDevers
Mar '20

I feel like too few isn't an issue, as long as those few are engaging enough! I don't mind it one bit, personally! I'm actually writing a comic that only has two main characters right now myself! So, I hope it's not a bother to anybody anyways. XD

kitschensyngk
Mar '20

Have as many characters as you want, but know when to say when. You don't want to bog down your readers with a whole bunch of names to learn, or risk having less interesting characters monopolize your story.

Karmillina
Mar '20

I feel like it's the opposite of a problem. If there is a role that none of your current characters can't fill, that's when you could say you have to make some more. But if your cast is clearly defined then that saves a lot of time and confusion.

kurakart
Mar '20

As someone with a comic with a cast of 2 characters I feel personally attacked 🤣

Seriously though, just use however many you need to tell your story.

spadedigsbutts
Mar '20

It’s always about quality not quantity. If you have a small cast and they all have things to do and participate in the story, you’re good. A story only needs so many relevant characters so it’s really about how you develop them individually

Elixiink
Mar '20

I don't have problems with small or big casts. Although the thing about big cast is that it can be very overwhelming when too many characters are introduced all at the same time.

But as long as each character serves a purpose to the story then they're relevant.

I had casting problems in my story few weeks ago and I tried to fix it by taking out the each character (mostly one at a time) just to see if the story would change in any way in their absence. If it did, they're relevant but if it didn't, they aren't that relevant.

Although I don't think this method applies all the time. They don't always have to change the plot to be relevant. They can be used to set a tone or teach the main protagonist something (directly or indirectly) for character development.

But if they're just "hanging around" and going with the flow then they'd seem pretty bland and unnecessary. To me at least.

IdiotWithPencil
Mar '20

My very first comic was almost a 24 cast story and it was HORRIBLE, I was forgetting interactions, couldn't find time to show character development or progressing relationship ugh.

my second one had about 5 and it was a lot more manageable and I felt more fulfilled from it (got about 95 subs in 1 year which to me seems good enough for a newcomer) and right now I'm making a story with 6 characters and focusing only on 2

so yeah smaller cast to me is so much better as a writer, as a reader I also prefer small knit cast. It feels more personal and fleshed out when you don't have to struggle so much with giant relationship dynamics or who is betraying who or in love with who

sarrowsmith10
Mar '20
joannekwan

Yah, I guess so. The main characters are pretty focused on each other, there just hasn't seemed like there was time to include anyone else. But I guess that's okay too.