Comics and Sequential Art
Encyclopedia
Comics and Sequential Art is a 1985 book
by Will Eisner
that provides an analytical overview of comics
. It is based on a series of essays that appeared in The Spirit magazine, themselves based on Eisner's experience teaching a course in sequential art at the School of Visual Arts
. It is not presented as a teaching guide, however, but as a series of demonstrations of principles and methods. Eisner draws examples from his own work, including several complete stories featuring The Spirit
(listed below). A 1990 expanded edition of the book includes short sections on the print process and the use of computers in comics.
Comics and Sequential Art is well regarded in the community of comics professionals, garnering praise from the likes of Michael Chabon
, Neil Gaiman
, Jeff Smith
, and referenced and expanded on by Scott McCloud
in Understanding Comics
.
Eisner wrote a companion volume to Comics and Sequential Art, Graphic Storytelling and Visual Narrative
, which was published in 1996.
in the Harvard Educational Review
(August 1977), expanding the term "reading" to mean more than just "reading words".
.
from Hamlet
in a modern urban context.
, Technical Instruction Comics, Attitudinal Instruction Comics and Story Boards
.)
, including electronic publishing and payment.)
Book
A book is a set or collection of written, printed, illustrated, or blank sheets, made of hot lava, paper, parchment, or other materials, usually fastened together to hinge at one side. A single sheet within a book is called a leaf or leaflet, and each side of a leaf is called a page...
by Will Eisner
Will Eisner
William Erwin "Will" Eisner was an American comics writer, artist and entrepreneur. He is considered one of the most important contributors to the development of the medium and is known for the cartooning studio he founded; for his highly influential series The Spirit; for his use of comics as an...
that provides an analytical overview of comics
Comics
Comics denotes a hybrid medium having verbal side of its vocabulary tightly tied to its visual side in order to convey narrative or information only, the latter in case of non-fiction comics, seeking synergy by using both visual and verbal side in...
. It is based on a series of essays that appeared in The Spirit magazine, themselves based on Eisner's experience teaching a course in sequential art at the School of Visual Arts
School of Visual Arts
The School of Visual Arts , is a proprietary art school located in Manhattan, New York City, and is widely considered to be one of the leading art schools in the United States. It was established in 1947 by co-founders Silas H. Rhodes and Burne Hogarth as the Cartoonists and Illustrators School and...
. It is not presented as a teaching guide, however, but as a series of demonstrations of principles and methods. Eisner draws examples from his own work, including several complete stories featuring The Spirit
The Spirit
The Spirit is a crime-fighting fictional character created by writer-artist Will Eisner. He first appeared June 2, 1940 in "The Spirit Section", the colloquial name given to a 16-page Sunday supplement, distributed to 20 newspapers by the Register and Tribune Syndicate and reaching five million...
(listed below). A 1990 expanded edition of the book includes short sections on the print process and the use of computers in comics.
Comics and Sequential Art is well regarded in the community of comics professionals, garnering praise from the likes of Michael Chabon
Michael Chabon
Michael Chabon born May 24, 1963) is an American author and "one of the most celebrated writers of his generation", according to The Virginia Quarterly Review....
, Neil Gaiman
Neil Gaiman
Neil Richard Gaiman born 10 November 1960)is an English author of short fiction, novels, comic books, graphic novels, audio theatre and films. His notable works include the comic book series The Sandman and novels Stardust, American Gods, Coraline, and The Graveyard Book...
, Jeff Smith
Jeff Smith (cartoonist)
Jeff Smith is an American cartoonist, best known as the creator of the self-published comic book series Bone. His current series, RASL, focuses on an art thief who hops through dimensional barriers, hiding out on various parallel worlds.-Early life and education:Jeff Smith was born in McKees...
, and referenced and expanded on by Scott McCloud
Scott McCloud
Scott McCloud is an American cartoonist and theorist on comics as a distinct literary and artistic medium...
in Understanding Comics
Understanding Comics
Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art is a 215-page non-fiction comic book, written and drawn by Scott McCloud and originally published in 1993. It explores the definition of comics, the historical development of the medium, its fundamental vocabulary, and various ways in which these elements...
.
Eisner wrote a companion volume to Comics and Sequential Art, Graphic Storytelling and Visual Narrative
Graphic Storytelling and Visual Narrative
Graphic Storytelling and Visual Narrative is a 1996 book by Will Eisner that provides an academic overview of comics, a companion to his earlier book Comics and Sequential Art....
, which was published in 1996.
Foreword
"Traditionally, most practitioners with whom I worked and talked produced their art viscerally. Few ever had the time or inclination to diagnose the form itself... As I began to dismantle the complex components... I found that I was involved with an 'art of communication' more than simply an application of art."Chapter 1: 'Comics' as reading
In the first chapter Eisner demonstrates that comics have a vocabulary and grammar in both prose and illustration. He refers to an article by Tom WolfeTom Wolfe
Thomas Kennerly "Tom" Wolfe, Jr. is a best-selling American author and journalist. He is one of the founders of the New Journalism movement of the 1960s and 1970s.-Early life and education:...
in the Harvard Educational Review
Harvard Educational Review
The Harvard Educational Review is a peer-reviewed academic journal of opinion and research dealing with education, associated with the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and published by the Harvard Education Publishing Group. The journal was established in 1930.Since 1945, editorial decisions...
(August 1977), expanding the term "reading" to mean more than just "reading words".
Chapter 2: Imagery
This chapter includes the complete Spirit story, "Hoagy the Yogi, Part 2", originally published March 23, 1947, demonstrating the use of pure imagery (visual pantomime with only incidental text) to tell the story of Ebony's adventures with Hoagy the YogiYoga
Yoga is a physical, mental, and spiritual discipline, originating in ancient India. The goal of yoga, or of the person practicing yoga, is the attainment of a state of perfect spiritual insight and tranquility while meditating on Supersoul...
.
Chapter 3: "Timing"
Compositional and internal timing are demonstrated in the complete Spirit story, "Foul Play", originally published March 27, 1949. Compositional timing is used to determine when to reveal events in the story for maximum effect (e.g., surprise), whereas internal timing is used to suggest short or long periods of time within a panel (e.g., using a dripping faucet). This establishes a "time rhythm".Chapter 4: The Frame
This is an extensive chapter devoted to the use of one of the basic tools of the comics artist: the frame. As well as many extracts, including examples of splash pages (an Eisner trademark), this chapter includes several complete stories and chapters:- the Spirit story, "The Amulet of Osiris", originally published November 28, 1948, demonstrates the use of frame shapes and open frames, in an adventure starring the bumbling officer, Sam Klink
- a chapter from Life on Another Planet (Chapter 7: The Big Hit), originally published August 1980, demonstrating the use of the page as a metapanel, in this case supporting the narrative in following different threads in the story
- the Spirit story "Two Lives", originally published December 12, 1948, demonstrating the super-panel as a page in the parallel stories of Carboy T. Gretch and Cranfranz Qwayle
- the Spirit story "The Visitor", originally published February 13, 1949, demonstrating the use of perspective (where the panel is oriented in relation to the subject) for dramatic effect (in this case not going "hog-wild" before revealing the twist in a science fictionScience fictionScience fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
story)
Chapter 5: Expressive Anatomy
This chapter covers gesture, posture and the face. "Hamlet on a Rooftop", originally published June 1981, demonstrates the use of all three, casting Shakespeare's famous soliloquySoliloquy
A soliloquy is a device often used in drama whereby a character relates his or her thoughts and feelings to him/herself and to the audience without addressing any of the other characters, and is delivered often when they are alone or think they are alone. Soliloquy is distinct from monologue and...
from Hamlet
Hamlet
The Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, or more simply Hamlet, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1599 and 1601...
in a modern urban context.
Chapter 6: Writing & Sequential Art
Eisner considers the relationship between text and image, and writer and artist, including the use of scripts and dummies.Chapter 7: Application (The Use of Sequential Art)
Eisner divides sequential art into two broad categories: instruction and entertainment. (His further subdivisions are Entertainment Comics, The Graphic NovelGraphic novel
A graphic novel is a narrative work in which the story is conveyed to the reader using sequential art in either an experimental design or in a traditional comics format...
, Technical Instruction Comics, Attitudinal Instruction Comics and Story Boards
Storyboard
Storyboards are graphic organizers in the form of illustrations or images displayed in sequence for the purpose of pre-visualizing a motion picture, animation, motion graphic or interactive media sequence....
.)
Chapter 8: Teaching/Learning Sequential Art for Comics in the print and computer era
This chapter gives an overview of skills required for successful sequential art, including drawing skills (e.g., perspective), general knowledge (e.g., how everyday devices work) and comics-specific techniques (e.g., balloons). It also covers the printing process, the use of computers to create print comics, and electronic comics. (The latter is covered in more depth by McCloud in Reinventing ComicsReinventing Comics
Reinventing Comics: How Imagination and Technology Are Revolutionizing an Art Form is a 2000 book written by comic book writer and artist Scott McCloud...
, including electronic publishing and payment.)
See also
- Graphic Storytelling and Visual NarrativeGraphic Storytelling and Visual NarrativeGraphic Storytelling and Visual Narrative is a 1996 book by Will Eisner that provides an academic overview of comics, a companion to his earlier book Comics and Sequential Art....
- Will EisnerWill EisnerWilliam Erwin "Will" Eisner was an American comics writer, artist and entrepreneur. He is considered one of the most important contributors to the development of the medium and is known for the cartooning studio he founded; for his highly influential series The Spirit; for his use of comics as an...
- Understanding ComicsUnderstanding ComicsUnderstanding Comics: The Invisible Art is a 215-page non-fiction comic book, written and drawn by Scott McCloud and originally published in 1993. It explores the definition of comics, the historical development of the medium, its fundamental vocabulary, and various ways in which these elements...
- Scott McCloudScott McCloudScott McCloud is an American cartoonist and theorist on comics as a distinct literary and artistic medium...
External links
- Comics and Sequential Art (Simply Comics), a short, mostly critical review of Comics and Sequential Art