90 pages • 3 hours read
Scott McCloudUnderstanding Comics: The Invisible Art
Nonfiction | Graphic Novel/Book | Adult | Published in 1993A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.
Before You Read
Super Short Summary
Understanding Comics, a graphic nonfiction work by Scott McCloud, explores the history, theory, and potential of comic art, discussing its definition as "sequential art," its iconography, and storytelling techniques. McCloud examines concepts like closure, time manipulation, motion depiction, and synaesthetics, while defending comics as a legitimate and powerful art form.
Reviews & Readership
Review Roundup
Scott McCloud’s Understanding Comics is lauded for its insightful analysis of comic art, blending humor and academic rigor. Reviewers appreciate its clarity and innovative approach to the medium. Some critique it for occasional repetitiveness, but overall, it is highly regarded as an essential work for both comic enthusiasts and scholars.
Who Should Read Understanding Comics?
Readers who delight in exploring the intricate blend of art and narrative in graphic storytelling will enjoy Scott McCloud's Understanding Comics. Fans of Will Eisner’s Comics and Sequential Art and Art Spiegelman's Maus will find McCloud’s analytical yet accessible approach particularly engaging.