Should We take Comics Seriously?

Many people say Comic books aren’t novels and that we shouldn’t take them seriously. Why? Because they have too many pictures; any books with pictures shouldn’t be taken seriously. Right? Absolutely not.

In McCloud’s Book, “Understanding Comics,” he dives into the message: there is more that goes behind comic books than many people think. Once you read his book, you’ll have a great understanding about comics and realize there is more depth behind comics. I know I did. McCloud wants us to take visual communication seriously. He wants us to see comics as part of a varied world with infinite possibilities and potential. He not only wants us to think about comics but wants us to know that a comic can move beyond its own constraints and limitations using space. Comic books are not static but are mobile. He talks about how a comic works and the definition of comics.

Just like every book, there is a reason it was written, novels have plots and storylines. Comics have narratives. They tell a story whether it relates to life or something like McCloud’s book, tells you what lines and spaces between boxes mean, the history of it, and understanding why the author and artists use these markings. For example, the designers depicts motion by blurring the background, use lines, or present the background as constant where two boxes show the character or the objects at different locations. A lot of thought goes behind these boxes. I did not really understand why comic book writers use boxes to separate their story and why a bigger box or a thicker line between each box meant something. Reading McCloud’s book, “Understanding Comics,” was not only enjoyable but made me think about comics in a new light.