Do comic creators make first drafts of comics like novel writers do?

[JoshRaed]

I'm working off of the idea that when I've written my final draft, THEN I'll draw the comic. But it seems as though it's generally impossible to get an objective judgement of if a comic script is well written or poorly written, because a comic script can't actually explain what the final product will be properly unless you give it way more detail than necessary in order to make it an enjoyable thing to read as it's own product. So what do comic creators do about this issue?

[CarltonIsaac]

Some of us do this -

[KevinReijnders]

I write a full script, and once I'm happy with it I make a storyboard.

A lot of folks on this site don't write a script and jump straight into boarding.

[2DLenzy]

Yep, Im one of those that jump into boards, but I have pre-written dialogue so I can track how the story flows (which is heavily dialogue-driven). Action scenes and setups (establish time/ setting, where characters are in relation, what they're doing right before dialogue/action/drama) that's all boarded in-between. Also helps to draw in dialogue and see how much of a panel it will take up (hint, if it's a lot, break up speech with a sentence or two in each bubble, or shorten what they say. There's no set rules...unless maybe you want to print, but you'll have to do more research on that (I drew my comic with NO printing in mind, not sure it would work out the way it is, might reconsider in future, we'll see, lol)
I'm converting into mobile/scrolling format, which is just panels in a stack. Not enjoying it rn, but I know if I keep at it, I'll learn "the ideal format" and give it my flair (splash pages...uh, better spacing? Gutter space(ew). Idkwtf im doing, but I'll get it eventually, or go back to full pages if i hate it)
It's gonna be sh#tty-posting until i figure ot out XD
But i love to learn!

[allisoncandraw]

I write a script and do loose sketches to figure out the composition of my panels. So I guess you could call it a storyboard of sorts

[KSlinger]

After outlining the scene and writing dialogue my first draft looks like this. This page wasn't used in the end, but doing this for a whole scene should be enough to get some feedback.

[abigaillmartin]

I write the outline of the story I want then draw the thumbnail sketches/beta dialogue, then write the final dialogue on my phone or computer.

[phantasmalart]

I make a script that some episodes loosely follow, others follow very closely! Then I do two sketches before my final piece! first a rough sketch just getting a feel for the look of the episode, then a second more clear sketch that helps make linearting easier!

[Aleksei]

Novel writers write a draft before???!!!
I didn't knew that. Upon thought, it seems obvious. Why comic artists will be the only one who do that part of the process?

Anyway, yeah. We do that. We do it when we do the script, from a little phrase and let it grow until a full chapter, then we separate the chapter per pages, and then we decide in thumbnails how the action narrated on the script will go on, and finally, we sketch the pages, ink the pages, and color the pages.

In the best case scenario, we have all the serie in our heads, the big picture. Or at least how will it end. And in the best best scenario, we have writen a loose sumary of every chapter, from chapter 1 to last chapter, so we don't loose track of everything, as we keep doing chapter by chapter. Because things can change in the road, but at least the map to follow it must be clear.

[theyrebothakilogram]

I technically don't, but the way I've gone back and rewritten so much I pretty much have

[kashmirabdullah]

I usually start with a script, but when I have the whole idea in my brain already finished, then I can start without it.

[RedLenai]

I make a rough draft, which is called thumbnail, then at the same time I make the script.
Then I make the proper comic page: sketching, cleaning, inking, coloring, lettering.

[delladz]

In the sense of first draft as in having a version 1 of the finished product that you edit and re-write until you reach the final version, not really lol

And thats probably because the process of making a comic is a lot more tedious since it involves both the writing process AND the drawing process. I'm sure published comic artists will create a script or rough storyboard to go over with editors thats considered the first draft and they edit and rework that until everyone is satisfied and then the next steps for finalization can be complete