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Kat
May '19
1

Hi all, so... I'm asking for help again! I'm having a heckin' time coming up with a title for my comic and my ideas are feeling all dried up by now, so I'm turning to you creatives! How do you even come up with titles? I could use some help.The story is a fantasy/mystery/bildungsroman suitable for most ages. A young boy discovering magic tries to lift a curse, but finds more sinister powers lurking in the dark.

Strong elements in the story are magic, transformation, the moon, spooky woods, spooky/weird children, light and dark, fear and courage, humor and heaviness.

Every title I've thought of so far makes the story sound like it's either Romance or Horror, which it just isn't, and I don't want to use the protag's name in the title either. Here are a few development images that kind of help set the mood for the comic, if that helps; it's meant to be fun, whimsical, and kind of eerie. If you've ever read Jeff Smith's "Bone," the simultaneous cuteness and creepiness there is kind of the vibe I'm going for. Any help is much appreciated!

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    May '19

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    May '19
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IndigoShirtProd
May '19

What are some example titles that you've come up with, and can you give a short synopsis from the plot. Sometimes only looking at themes and reoccurring symbols can lead to vague, generic titles, especially if the story isn't yours. :sweat_smile:

GamerPrincessXI
May '19

XD, I wanna say into the woods. But, that's already been a movie.

Maybe try

Kooks & Spooks

ar-ninetysix
May '19

I only have the one idea lol

Macabre and Merry

You get your more adult creepiness in one word and your child-friendly lightheartness in the other, the deathly implications of a word contrasted by a very cheerful one. Me, personally, a title like that reminds me of the overall tone of the Addams Family, like PG-rated dark humor

Zin_Trollborn
May '19

Lemme think... magic, transformation, children, and mystic stuff.
I'd take a look into mythology, into the different gods and creatures symbolism.
Your story is about spooky stuff, it makes me think about the Samain feast of celtic mythology (old version of halloween if I can say it like this XD ) so you can look up about it to get name ideas, you have also a lot of things about transformation in different mythologies.
Also animals. Some of them embody mystical features. Like moths, owls, cats and I dunno what. Look up for their latin name it can make you come with something as well.

TimCaloweh
May '19

-Sinister Games
-Smiling Shadows
-Playing in the Dark
-The Midnight Bloom

Kat
May '19
IndigoShirtProd

Good point. XD Well my initial desired title was just "Witch Boy." But I found out there's a recent Scholastic graphic novel publication under that same title, and I kind of want to work for Scholastic soooo that's definitely out. I've also considered "Moonflight," but flying is kind of a lesser part of the story, but the title is okay I guess. Another idea I've had is "The Uncanny Ones" or "Uncanny Children," because the weird kids the protag encounters are a huge part of the story. I don't know how well those titles flow or how non-Freudian they sound though.

Here's a rough but more detailed synopsis than in the first post: "In a remote house in the woods and left alone, twelve year old Ethan Warrick discovers magical forces and makes a terrible mistake. As he tries to undo the damage and understand the world of magic, he finds that there are more sinister forces at work than he'd imagined. Accompanied by a cranky moth Familiar, He encounters mysterious children and a deadly curse lurking in the dark woods." IDK, hope that is helpful. :slight_smile:

@GamerPrincessXI: "Into the Woods" would be a perfect title if it wasn't so dramatically taken. XD Thanks!
@ar-ninetysix : I like the thought process there. It does sound a bit too, well, macabre than what I'm going for, though there are definitely creepy and adultish themes in there, so I think this is a good track for me to consider!
@Kazsup: Definitely sounds like some kinda erotic fiction... XD
@sprite_1ww: I think you're on the right track, thanks!
@Zin_Trollborn: Ooh, good ideas. Animals are also really important to this story so I think I'll pursue that line of thought and see where it goes!
@monotone_ink : Good starts, thank you!
@TimCaloweh: Those are fun ones for me to consider! Thanks for replying! :slight_smile:

KelheorRegular
May '19

In the deep woods
From darkness we come
The colours of night

or swap any present noun to magic/moon :sweat_smile:

IndigoShirtProd
May '19
1
Kat

Thanks for the synopsis. Okay here are a few:
"Folly of the Forest Freaks."
"When Destiny Meets Darkness"
"The Uncanny Children Beyond the Dark Wood"
"Moonlight Fright"
"Curses and Children"
"The Unfortunate Curse of Ethan Warrick"
That's all I have. Hope this helps.

nathanKmcwilliamsIn the making of Bunneh The Rabbit
May '19

I saw the moth in one of the images and all I thought of was
"Hovering Between Light and Dark"