Notes on Reading Understanding Comics by Scott McClout
The Definition of Comics
The definition of comics is a huge and varied one. Master comics artist Will Eisner uses the term Sequential Art to describe comics, emphasizing that the essence of comics lies in the sequence of images that communicate a narrative. However, the term "comics" encompasses more than just this sequence. Comics as an art form can hold any number of ideas and images, and what those images represent is dependent on the intentions of the creators. The medium allows for a diverse range of creative expression, making comics a multifaceted genre.
One essential point Eisner makes is that when images are part of a sequence of only two, the art is transformed. The relationship between the images creates meaning, and it is this transformation of the art into something more—into comics—that sets the medium apart from other visual forms. This shift from individual images to a narrative flow is what defines the art of comics.
Separating Form and Content
To define comics, we must separate form and content. The medium—comics—can hold any number of ideas and messages, just like any other medium such as music, theater, or visual arts. However, the content, or the intent of the images, depends entirely on the tastes and goals of the creators. It's important to remember that while the message conveyed through comics may be significant, it should never be confused with the messenger or the medium itself. This is a common pitfall when examining comics or any art form, as it is easy to fall into the trap of assuming the medium dictates the message.
Critical Examination of Comics
All great media, including theater, literature, music, video, and visual arts, have been subject to extensive critical examination. Yet, when it comes to comics, such analysis has been relatively rare. Comics as a medium often lack the same kind of scholarly focus as more established art forms, but this gap is slowly being rectified. In the spirit of this shift, it is important to re-examine the nature of comics to fully understand their value and potential as an art form.
Expanding Eisner's "Sequential Art"
Let’s start with Eisner’s term Sequential Art to see if we can expand it into a more specific and dictionary-style definition. One potential alternative could be Sequential Visual Art, which directly links the idea of sequence with the visual nature of the medium. But then, how does animation fit into this? Is animated film simply visual art in sequence?
A basic difference is that animation is sequential in time, whereas comics use a spatial juxtaposition of images. In animation, the narrative unfolds over time, while in comics, time is suggested by the placement of images next to one another. Space, therefore, serves for comics in the way time serves film. So, a key difference is that comics are about spatial sequence, while animation deals with temporal sequence.
This leads to further refinements of potential definitions:
Juxtaposed Sequential Visual Art
Juxtaposed Sequential Static Images
Juxtaposed Static Images in Deliberate Sequence
However, one challenge with this last definition is that it could also describe written words. Words, when placed in deliberate sequence, form sentences and convey meaning, much like images in comics. This overlap between the visual and the linguistic highlights the intersection of comics with written language.
So, what about Juxtaposed Pictorial And Other Images in Deliberate Sequence? This definition broadens the scope, encompassing not just static images but also different forms of visual expression used in comics.
In most cases, Eisner’s Sequential Art remains the most useful definition, but it’s essential to keep refining and reconsidering the terms to fully encompass the vastness of what comics can be.
Shedding New Light on The History of Comics
Most books about comics begin at the turn of the century, but we can venture much further back than that—into history to uncover comics' roots. In fact, there are examples of sequential art from centuries before the advent of modern comics.
One notable example is a pre-Columbian picture manuscript discovered by Cortez around 1819, which predates much of the recognized history of comics. Additionally, the Bayeux Tapestry from France, produced hundreds of years earlier, showcases a visual narrative that bears strong resemblance to comics, even though it lacks clear panel borders. In these examples, the sequence of images tells a story, with clear divisions in the scene marked by subject matter rather than by borders.
Egyptian hieroglyphics, on the other hand, may not fit our definition of comics. While hieroglyphs are visual symbols, they represent sounds rather than meaning conveyed through image sequences. Their real descendant is the written word, not comics. However, Egyptian painting is another matter. Some of these works may seem concerned with sequence, showing locations, events, and characters grouped by subject. The sequencing in these paintings, especially when read in a zigzag pattern or from left to right, hints at an early form of visual storytelling that is close to comics, though it's not quite the same as modern sequential art.
Though the exact origins of comics are unclear, it’s worth exploring potential suggestions such as Trajan’s Column, Greek painting, and Japanese scrolls, which all show narrative progression through images in sequence. These examples offer valuable insights into the early development of visual storytelling.
The Role of the Printing Press
The invention of the printing press was a pivotal moment in the history of comics, just as it was for the written word. Mass production of images and text made visual narratives accessible to a broader audience, allowing sequential storytelling to flourish as a popular medium. The printing press enabled the creation of comic strips and graphic novels that could be reproduced and disseminated widely. This democratization of print was crucial for comics to evolve from isolated forms of visual expression into the mass medium they are today.
William Hogarth contributed significantly to picture stories, using rich detail and strong social commentary. His works were exhibited as a series of paintings and later sold as a portfolio of engravings, designed to be viewed side by side in sequence.
The true father of modern comics, however, might be Rudolphe Töpffer (mid-1800s). Töpffer established the first true interdependence between words and pictures, laying the foundation for modern comics. His unique contributions to the medium were significant, even though he considered comics a hobby rather than a career.
In the 20th century, comics began to thrive in a steady stream of “waking dreams,” and despite some resistance to recognizing comics as serious art, innovative works continued to emerge, such as Lynd Ward’s silent "woodcut novels" and Mac Ernst’s surreal "collage novels."
Reconsidering the Definition of Comics
McClout emphasizes the importance of an inclusive definition of comics. While our definition opens many doors, it also closes others. For instance, single-panel cartoons, although sometimes classified as “comic art,” don’t quite fit the definition of comics since they lack the deliberate sequence that characterizes the medium.
There is a long-standing relationship between comics and cartoons, but they are not the same. Cartoons are a style of picture-making, while comics are a medium that may employ cartooning as one of many approaches.
As comics have evolved, their definition continues to shift. While many modern comics feature a combination of words and pictures, some of the most inspiring works have not been recognized as comics simply due to the narrowness of the definition. A work like A Week of Kindness by Max Ernst, a collage novel, is often hailed as a masterpiece but is rarely categorized as a comic. The sequence of images in such works suggests comics, even without a traditional narrative structure. McCloud argues that by including such works in the definition of comics, we can begin to understand the medium’s broad potential.
Finally, McCloud challenges us to consider how comics are used in other contexts, such as instructions, manuals, and even stained glass windows. Sequential art is a powerful tool for communication, even when it’s not labeled as “comics.”
The Future of Comics
McClout concludes that comics’ future is impossible to predict using the standards of the present. The ongoing evolution of the medium suggests that each generation will likely redefine what comics can be, just as we’re doing today. And that’s a good thing. The definition of comics will continue to evolve, opening up new possibilities for expression and communication.
The definition presented in Understanding Comics is just the beginning of an ongoing process. There are countless worlds still waiting to be explored within the medium.
Our understanding of comics is incomplete and will continue to grow and shift as the medium itself evolves.