Someone in a group of making comics asked “How do you make your characters seem realistic?”

This is actually a thing I’ve thought and talked about a lot, and had some general thoughts that I’d like to expand on later.

I’d substitute “believable” for “realistic,” though. A character doesn’t have to have any connection with reality to be believable.

My advice:

Establish the rules of the world you've created, which can be as fantastic as you want them to be, and make sure your characters exist within those boundaries. Keep them consistent in their motivations and outlooks, and don't have them act in ways that contradict what's already been established about their character. Do your best to give them their own unique "voice," and stay consistent in how you approach their dialogue.

A comic book story is like a house of cards, and as soon as you take a reader out of a story by violating the established rules of your world, or by having someone act out of character versus what's been established, that entire house will come tumbling down.

I'd also suggest creating a basic backstory for your character, even if you never address it directly. Whatever helps you "know" the character well enough that he or she will lead you through stories, because you understand how they would respond to conflicts.

In short, know your characters, know the rules of the world they inhabit, and don’t violate what’s been clearly established.