View source for Understanding Comics

{{short description|1993 non-fiction comic book by Scott McCloud}}
{{Infobox book
| name              = Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art
| image             = UnderstandingComics.jpg
| caption           = Cover of the original [[Tundra Publishing]] edition of ''Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art''
| author            = [[Scott McCloud]]
| editor            = [[Mark Martin (cartoonist)|Mark Martin]]
| country           = United States
| language          = English
| subject           = [[Comics]]
| release_date      = 1993
| pages             = 215
| followed_by       = [[Reinventing Comics]]
}}
'''''Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art''''' is a 1993 non-fiction work of [[comics]] by American cartoonist [[Scott McCloud]].<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Brooks |first1=Kevin |title=More 'Seriously Visible' Reading: McCloud, McLuhan, and the Visual Language of "The Medium Is the Massage" |journal=College Composition and Communication |year=2009 |volume=61 |issue=1 |pages=W217–W237 |doi=10.58680/ccc20098320 |jstor=40593531}}</ref> It explores formal aspects of comics, the historical development of the medium, its fundamental vocabulary, and various ways in which these elements have been used.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Varnum |first1=Robin |last2=Gibbons |first2=Christina T |title=The Language of Comics: Word and Image |date=2007 |publisher=University Press of Mississippi |isbn=978-1578064144 |pages=xiii, xiv, 147 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=j_S6QHAov1kC&pg=PR13 |access-date=23 June 2014}}</ref> It expounds theoretical ideas about comics as an art form and medium of communication, and is itself written in comic book form.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Manning |first1=A.D. |title=Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art (article) |journal=IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication |date=March 1998 |volume=41 |issue=1 |pages=66–69 |doi=10.1109/TPC.1998.661632 |s2cid=55872998 |url=https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1645&context=facpub|url-access=subscription}}</ref>

''Understanding Comics'' received praise from notable comic and [[graphic novel]] authors such as [[Art Spiegelman]], [[Will Eisner]], [[Alan Moore]], [[Neil Gaiman]], and [[Garry Trudeau]] (who reviewed the book for ''[[The New York Times]]'').<ref>Trudeau, Garry. "Understanding Comics—Scott McCloud", ''New York Times Book Review'' (Feb. 13, 1994), p. 13.</ref> Although the book has prompted debate over many of McCloud's conclusions,<ref>[[Dylan Horrocks|Horrocks, Dylan]]. [http://www.hicksville.co.nz/Inventing%20Comics%206.htm "Inventing Comics: Scott McCloud's Definition of Comics"] ''[[The Comics Journal]]'' #234 (June 2001).</ref> its discussions of "iconic" art and the concept of "closure" between panels have become common reference points in discussions of the medium.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Brenner |first1=Robin |title=Graphic novels 101: where to start. |journal=[[The Horn Book Magazine]] |date=March–April 2006 |volume=82 |issue=2 |page=240 |url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,url,cookie,uid&db=ehh&AN=20001403&site=ehost-live&scope=site |access-date=23 June 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Magnussen |first1=Anne |last2=Christiansen |first2=Hans-Christian |title=Comics & Culture: Analytical and Theoretical Approaches to Comics |date=2000 |publisher=[[Museum Tusculanum Press]] |isbn=9788772895802 |pages=13, 14, 23, 49 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cil7WbXg8BkC&pg=PA13 |access-date=23 June 2014}}</ref>

The title of ''Understanding Comics'' is an homage to [[Marshall McLuhan]]'s seminal 1964 work ''[[Understanding Media]]''.{{citation needed|date=April 2016}}

== Publication history ==
Excerpts from  ''Understanding Comics'' were published in ''[[Amazing Heroes]]'' #200 (Apr. 1992); that issue later won the 1992 [[Don Thompson Award]] for Best Non-Fiction Work. McCloud previewed the book at the August 1992 [[Comics Arts Conference]].<ref>[http://fac.hsu.edu/duncanr/cac_past_presentations.htm Past Presentations list at the CAC website]. Retrieved January 27, 2008.</ref>

''Understanding Comics'' was first published by [[Tundra Publishing]]; [[reprint]]ings have been released by [[Kitchen Sink Press]], [[DC Comics]]' [[Paradox Press]], DC's [[Vertigo Comics|Vertigo]] line, and [[HarperPerennial]]. The book was edited by [[Mark Martin (cartoonist)|Mark Martin]], with lettering by Bob Lappan.

=== Editions ===
==== Softcover ====
* Tundra (1993): {{ISBN|1-56862-019-5}}
* Kitchen Sink (Jan. 1993): {{ISBN|0-87816-243-7}}
* [[William Morrow Paperbacks]] (April 1994): {{ISBN|0-06-097625-X}}
* Paradox Press/DC (May 1999): {{ISBN|1-56389-557-9}}
* [[Harper Perennial]] (2004)

==== Hardcover ====
* Kitchen Sink (Aug. 1993): {{ISBN|0-87816-244-5}}
* Vertigo/DC Comics (2000): {{ISBN|1-56389-759-8}}

=== Sequels ===
McCloud has followed up ''Understanding Comics'' with ''[[Reinventing Comics]]'' (2000), in which he suggested ways for the medium to change and grow; and ''[[Making Comics]]'' (2006), a study of methods of constructing comics.

== Summary ==
''Understanding Comics'' is a wide-ranging exploration of the definition, history, vocabulary, and methods of the medium of comics. An attempt to formalize the study of comics, it is itself in comics form.

The book's overarching argument is that comics are defined by the primacy of sequences of images.{{sfn|Thomas|2010|pp=157, 170}} McCloud also introduced the concept of "closure" to refer to a reader's role in closing narrative gaps between comics panels.{{sfn|Hatfield|2005|p=70}} The book argues that comics employ [[nonlinear narrative]]s because they rely on the reader's choices and interactions.

The book begins with a discussion of the concept of [[visual literacy]] and a history of narrative in visual media. McCloud mentions, among other early works of graphic narrative, the [[Bayeux Tapestry]], as an antecedent to comics. ''Understanding Comics'' posits Swiss caricaturist [[Rodolphe Töpffer]] as in many ways "the father of the modern comic". McCloud emphasizes Töpffer's use of "cartooning and panel borders" along with "the first interdependent combination of words and pictures seen in Europe".<ref>[[Scott McCloud|McCloud, Scott]], ''Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art''. New York: [[HarperCollins]] & [[Kitchen Sink Press]]. 1994. {{ISBN|0-06-097625-X}}, pg 17.</ref>

McCloud also highlights the differences between iconic and realistic figures. Iconic figures can be compared to a standard cartoon, while realistic figures focus more on photo-quality in terms of detail. He states that Western culture is captivated by iconic images more so due to their simplicity. He provides a full comparison and breakdown of iconic and realistic images and gives an explanation of his reasoning behind this statement.

One of the book's key concepts is that of "[[Masking (comics)|masking]]", a [[Style (visual arts)|visual style]], [[dramatic convention]], and [[List of narrative techniques|literary technique]] described in the chapter on [[Realism (arts)|realism]]. It is the use of simplistic, [[archetypal]], [[narrative]] [[Character (arts)|character]]s, even if [[Contrast (linguistics)|juxtaposed]] with detailed, [[Photorealism|photographic]], [[Verisimilitude (fiction)|verisimilar]], [[Spectacle|spectacular]] [[Background artist|background]]s. This may function, McCloud infers, as a [[mask]], a form of [[projective identification]]. His explanation is that a [[Intimate relationship|familiar]] and [[Minimalism|minimally]] detailed character allows for a stronger [[emotion]]al connection and for viewers to [[Identification (literature)|identify]] more easily.

One of the book's concepts is "The Big Triangle", a tool for thinking about different styles of comics art. McCloud places the realistic representation in the bottom left corner, with iconic representation, or cartoony art, in the bottom right, and a third identifier, [[Abstraction (art)|abstraction]] of image, at the apex of the triangle. This allows placement and grouping of artists by [[triangulation]].

==Awards and honors==
''Understanding Comics'' won multiple [[Harvey Awards]] in 1994 for Best Graphic Album/Original Material<ref name=Harvey1994/> and Best Biographical, Historical or Journalistic Presentation.<ref name=Harvey1994/> In addition, McCloud won the 1994 Harvey Award for Best Writer.<ref name=Harvey1994>[http://www.hahnlibrary.net/comics/awards/harvey94.php "1994 Harvey Award Nominees and Winners"]. Hahn Library Comic Book Awards Almanac. Retrieved November 16, 2011.</ref> 

''Understanding Comics'' won the 1994 [[Eisner Award]] for Best Comics-Related Book.<ref name=Eisners1994>[http://www.hahnlibrary.net/comics/awards/eisner94.php "1994 Will Eisner Comic Industry Award Nominees"]. Hahn Library Comic Book Awards Almanac. November 16, 2011.</ref>

Author McCloud won the 1994 [[Adamson Award]] for Best International Comic-Strip [or comic book] Cartoonist. The book was a finalist for the 1994 [[Hugo Award]] for [[Hugo Award for Best Related Work|Best Non-Fiction Book]].

The Swedish translation of the book, ''Serier: Den Osynliga Konsten'', published in 1995 by Häftad, was awarded the 1996 [[Urhunden Prize]].

The French translation of the book, titled ''L'Art invisible'' and published by Vertige Graphic, won the [[Prix Bloody Mary]] at the 2000 [[Angoulême International Comics Festival]]. In addition, it was nominated for that year's [[Angoulême International Comics Festival Prize for Best Album]].

==Legacy==
Along with [[Will Eisner]]'s ''Comics and Sequential Art'', ''Understanding Comics'' is considered to form the foundations for formal [[comics studies]] in English.{{sfnm|1a1=Heer|1a2=Worcester|1y=2009|1p=xiv|2a1=Holston|2y=2010|2p=16}}

The book was called "one of the most insightful books about designing graphic user interfaces ever written" by [[Apple Macintosh]] co-creator [[Andy Hertzfeld]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.differnet.com/Books/#6 |title=Recommended Computer Books |website=differnet.com |access-date=2018-01-19}}</ref>{{undue weight inline|date=June 2014}}

== Parodies ==
''Understanding Comics'' was parodied by Dylan Sisson in his ''Filibusting Comics: The Next Chapter'', published by [[Fantagraphics]] in 1995, and later translated into Spanish.<ref>Sebastian, Trisha. [http://www.sequentialtart.com/reports.php?ID=912&issue=2016-01-18 "Filibusting Comics #1"], ''[[Sequential Tart]]'' (July 1, 2002).</ref>

It was parodied again, in Tim Heiderich and Mike Rosen's ''Misunderstanding Comics'', self-published via [[Kickstarter]] in 2012.<ref>Johnston, Rich. [http://www.bleedingcool.com/2012/07/30/kickstart-from-the-heart-misunderstanding-comics-with-tim-heiderich/ "Kickstart From The Heart – Misunderstanding Comics"], ''[[Bleeding Cool]]'' (July 30, 2012).</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Comics|Books}}
<!-- alphabetical order please [[WP:SEEALSO]] -->
<!-- please add a short description [[WP:SEEALSO]], via {{{1}}} or {{Annotated link}} -->
{{div col|colwidth=20em|small=yes}}
* ''[[Comics and Sequential Art]]'', earlier book by [[Will Eisner]] on the same subject
* [[Comics studies]] – academic study of comics and graphic novels
* "[[How to Read Nancy|How to Read ''Nancy'']]", essay on the comic strip by [[Mark Newgarden]] and [[Paul Karasik]]
* [[Masking (comics)|Masking]] – visual style used in comics 
* [[Sequential art]] – sequence of images used for storytelling
{{div col end}}
<!-- alphabetical order please [[WP:SEEALSO]] -->

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXYckRgsdjI McCloud speaks at TEDtalks about ''Understanding Comics'']
* [http://www.scottmccloud.com/2-print/1-uc/index.html ''Understanding Comics'' entry] at ScottMcCloud.com
* [http://www.hicksville.co.nz/Inventing%20Comics.htm Cartoonist Dylan Horrock's rebuttal of McCloud's definition of comics]

{{Scott McCloud}}

[[Category:1993 non-fiction books]]
[[Category:Books by Scott McCloud]]
[[Category:Tundra Publishing titles]]
[[Category:Paradox Press titles]]
[[Category:Books of literary criticism]]
[[Category:Books about comics]]
[[Category:Comics about comics]]
[[Category:Harvey Award winners for Best Graphic Album of Original Work]]
[[Category:Non-fiction graphic novels]] 
[[Category:Educational comics]]