Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud

McCloud, Scott.
Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art.
HarperCollins Publishers, Inc.:
New York City, 1993.

Creating a work that will be loved by those who already hold comics in high esteem and understood and enjoyed by readers that have never seen anything but the Sunday strips, Scott McCloud’s Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art is an introduction to a medium that is seldom given its due credit. By using a graphic presentation to familiarize the reader with the intricacies of comics, McCloud takes his readers on an in-depth trip through his “comprehensive theory of the creative process.” Using examples from across history and from a wide spectrum of artists that came before him, McCloud discusses the use of line and color, words and vocabulary, the relationship of time and space, symbols and shapes, and the endless possibilities that arise from pen and paper.

At first glance, Understanding Comics is deceptively simple. However, its content covers a wide range of topics in terminology most will easily comprehend and enjoy. McCloud’s talent as both storyteller and artist are evident in this non-fiction work. The theories explained are picked apart in the most adept way, helping the reading along with examples and recurring themes for an overall grasp of topics as part of the whole. While sometimes getting a little wordy for the casual comics reader, an enthusiast will appreciate the explanations of the more subtle nuances that make comics an art form all its own. Though some younger children (5th grade and below) may not be able to grasp all the concepts discussed, the book will be appreciated by anyone of any age that has an interest in this varied art form.

This review was originally written as coursework for a class on Young Adult literature.