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Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art (The Comic Books #1)
by
Scott McCloud (Goodreads Author)
Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art
Paperback, 215 pages
Published
April 27th 1994
by William Morrow Paperbacks
(first published 1993)
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Stian Drøbak
You don't.
You buy the book somewhere, read it, and then review it here.
You buy the book somewhere, read it, and then review it here.
Community Reviews
(showing 1-30)
Great book, but I'm too annoyed to give it four stars.
It's amateurish, but I believe if you're aware of how great a book is while you're reading it, it's not working at its best. You can go 'oh wow that's such a clever way to illustrate this idea, and the text is so effective', but it's a bit like reading an instruction manual, and nothing personal or particularly poignant. I guess the idea is to understand the basic structure and potential of comic art, but must it be so academic and dry? The ...more
Holy shit! I'm starting a graphic novel book club!! This is our inaugural book and I'm so excited!!!
We had our first meeting today, and in addition to saying terribly intelligent things about comics and eating mini-cupcakes and laughing at my dogs, we also picked a name for our (accidentally all-female) group: Jugs & Capes. I know you're very jealous.
Anyway, I was extremely impressed by this book. I can tell that Scott McCloud thinks that he is terrifically important and probably a genius, b ...more
We had our first meeting today, and in addition to saying terribly intelligent things about comics and eating mini-cupcakes and laughing at my dogs, we also picked a name for our (accidentally all-female) group: Jugs & Capes. I know you're very jealous.
Anyway, I was extremely impressed by this book. I can tell that Scott McCloud thinks that he is terrifically important and probably a genius, b ...more
Aug 04, 2008
Miss Michael
rated it
really liked it
Recommends it for:
comics fans, artists (of all varieties), future comics fans . . .
Recommended to Miss Michael by:
Matt. And Matt.
Shelves:
comic-books-graphic-novels,
gnlsd
I really appreciate that this book exists. It's nice that something was created to help people understand the language of comics, what they are, what they can be, what makes them special, and so forth.
That said, there are parts which are a little convoluted (Chapter 2, I'm looking at you), and there are parts that are a little dated by now (such as the chapter on color, which I think has come a long way since the early '90s, particularly due to the use of computers). But there are so many parts ...more
That said, there are parts which are a little convoluted (Chapter 2, I'm looking at you), and there are parts that are a little dated by now (such as the chapter on color, which I think has come a long way since the early '90s, particularly due to the use of computers). But there are so many parts ...more
I just finished reading it for my comics/YA Graphic novels class this summer, 6/16/16. What I have to add is that I have just had a fun conversation with my class about one insightful claim McCloud makes, that the simpler and more "cartoony" a comic representation is (i.e., a smiley face), the more universal it will be, the more we will say "that's me." In fiction classes I was taught to be as specific and detailed as I could be about characters and places. McCloud says that realistic depictions
...more
it's one of the best examples i've found of someone writing so specifically about a topic that the observations and implications become absolutely universal.
think about it: hamlet is completely consumed in his little world, and the stakes are all about what will happen to denmark and only denmark. and centuries later, we still perform the play and read it and think that that is us up there struggling with our problems, just with a different name.
this is what mccloud achieves here: he is so fixat ...more
think about it: hamlet is completely consumed in his little world, and the stakes are all about what will happen to denmark and only denmark. and centuries later, we still perform the play and read it and think that that is us up there struggling with our problems, just with a different name.
this is what mccloud achieves here: he is so fixat ...more
Well, I also think this book was brilliant, just like everybody else. I was like, 'how could he possible have two hundred and fourteen pages of things to say about comics?' but then I'd heard it was brilliant for so long from so many people that I gave it a shot. And it is just theory! It's like reading Roland Barthes or somebody, but in comics, which makes it easier/more fun, which I think is in keeping with Mr. McCloud's idea that comics are the best thing in the whole universe. I mean, some o
...more
Scott McCloud's love and understanding of comics is beautifully and simply expressed here. So much so that it increased my love and understanding of comics I read in the past and definitely comics I will read in the future. This book is an excellent start for anyone who wants to learn about comics, and I certainly will continue my research on this topic.
Sep 02, 2008
Christy
rated it
liked it
Recommends it for:
fans of comics and graphic novels
Recommended to Christy by:
Matthew V and the GNL
Shelves:
graphic-novels-comics,
gnl
I love the idea of this conversation more than I love the application--at least in this book. While I find the concepts themselves fascinating, I found the book tedious. The overall art and style employed by McCloud just wasn't compelling to me. I really struggled to finish this book.
But as I said, the conversation is a good one, and the concepts explored--particularly the role of the reader and the required brain work involved in reading comics--were interesting. I'm glad this book is out ther ...more
But as I said, the conversation is a good one, and the concepts explored--particularly the role of the reader and the required brain work involved in reading comics--were interesting. I'm glad this book is out ther ...more
FASCINATING book!
I'd heard excellent things about this book ever since I got into comics way back in 1993, but never decided to sit down and read it until a few months ago. It took me a week to go through it (reading a bit every night before bed), but it's honestly a pretty quick read. Most people could probably get through it in a couple of hours.
What I found in the pages of this book is an excellent explanation of what happens to us as we read comics, how our mind interprets information and th ...more
I'd heard excellent things about this book ever since I got into comics way back in 1993, but never decided to sit down and read it until a few months ago. It took me a week to go through it (reading a bit every night before bed), but it's honestly a pretty quick read. Most people could probably get through it in a couple of hours.
What I found in the pages of this book is an excellent explanation of what happens to us as we read comics, how our mind interprets information and th ...more
Aug 25, 2007
Inggita
rated it
really liked it
Recommends it for:
comic lovers
Shelves:
art-design-photography
amazing homage to an art form as old as the carved stories on borobudur temples and the papyrus scrolls of pharaoh - the unassuming geeky guide dissects the media format (worthy of mcluhan) and history of comic and walks us through its tiniest elements to be able to fully appreciate it as an art form - down to the technical and philosophical levels - not just comic but also how human mind works to allow the storytelling to happen through sequencing, line, and meaning... all the things we take fo
...more
3.5★ rounded up with indulgence for its (possible) usefulness
If a book/work can be interesting and boring at the same time, than this was it! There were some fascinating parts, with interesting, new informations, but there were also enough parts that were boring, because of the too many details and obvious clarifications.
However, it seems to me like an excellent initiative, as it could be extremely useful for those who are just getting acquainted with the comics' universe or for those who want t ...more
If a book/work can be interesting and boring at the same time, than this was it! There were some fascinating parts, with interesting, new informations, but there were also enough parts that were boring, because of the too many details and obvious clarifications.
However, it seems to me like an excellent initiative, as it could be extremely useful for those who are just getting acquainted with the comics' universe or for those who want t ...more
I have been getting into comics lately and I am quickly discovering there is so much about this medium that I do not know. When trying to review a comic or graphic novel, I find it easy to talk about plot but talking about the art is difficult. I picked up Understanding Comics because there is so much to learn and I wanted a better grasp on the art form. And it is art, it might not be as highbrow as artists like Vincent van Gogh, Claude Monet or my personal favourite Michelangelo Merisi da Carav
...more
Perhaps the best explanation of how a particular artistic medium works that I've ever seen. McCloud wrote this at a time when the artistic merit of comics/graphic novels was still in doubt in some corners, so clearly that animates a lot of the discussion. He really demolishes any doubt about their legitimacy, and in the process created quite a comic himself. Understanding Comics is one phenomenal piece of analysis and it's far more than just a treatise on one medium. His meditations on comic for
...more
A book that explains the forms and functions of the graphics media -- in the guise, naturally, of a comic book. A non-fiction comic book.
Everyone should read this elegant classic (and its two sequels), just for some basic 20th - 21st century cultural literacy. It does what the very best books do; makes you see the world differently, through changed eyes.
Ta, L.
Everyone should read this elegant classic (and its two sequels), just for some basic 20th - 21st century cultural literacy. It does what the very best books do; makes you see the world differently, through changed eyes.
Ta, L.
this book was intriguing, but also annoying. a comic book about comics! what a great idea! i wanted it to be better than it was.
ultimately, i'm glad i read it, but only to the extent it identified a bunch of interesting topics/themes that i'm now inclined to think about on my own as i read more comics (and reflect on the ones i've already read)--i.e. issues of time, motion, panel sequence, reader perception, artistic style etc. but on the whole i was not thrilled with mccloud's own exposition an ...more
ultimately, i'm glad i read it, but only to the extent it identified a bunch of interesting topics/themes that i'm now inclined to think about on my own as i read more comics (and reflect on the ones i've already read)--i.e. issues of time, motion, panel sequence, reader perception, artistic style etc. but on the whole i was not thrilled with mccloud's own exposition an ...more
I have used this with my English 4 classes and will be using it next year with my Intro to the Graphic Novel course. This is a wonderful study in how the comic form of writing works. I think the graphic novel is going to become a more and more important form of literature. Just look at the movie scene lately and check out how many derived from graphic novels, and that is not just the superhero movies from Marvel and DC Comics.
McCloud deeply and thoughtfully explores how sequential art works on o ...more
McCloud deeply and thoughtfully explores how sequential art works on o ...more
I found this book to be, in roughly equal measure, charming and irritating as hell. When McCloud was dealing with the nuts and bolts of how comics work, it was illuminating and the decision to write the book as a comic really came into its own. There were all sorts of clever ways in which he could use the very medium of his exposition to offer insight into comics. But when he launched himself into generalities about the importance of comics, the nature of artistic creation, language and meaning,
...more
Como disse um professor querido meu no intercâmbio: "if you're interested in... life in general, you should read this book". E é bem isso mesmo, porque este livro perpassa a temática teórica dos quadrinhos e arte sequencial. Fala sobre arte, nossa relação com imagens e como imagens se comportam. Vocês simplesmente P R E C I S A M ler este livro!
A fabulous and totally unexpected delight. I came to this book after reading McCloud's The Sculptor, so I already knew that he had a firm grip on how to produce an outstanding comic.
I thought I was getting an Eisner or Kirby style How-To guide for the craft and business of comics writing, and instead was treated to a brilliant treatise on art history, human perception, the role of symbols in communication, and how we use art to communicate with one another.
Understanding comics *is* a How-To gui ...more
I thought I was getting an Eisner or Kirby style How-To guide for the craft and business of comics writing, and instead was treated to a brilliant treatise on art history, human perception, the role of symbols in communication, and how we use art to communicate with one another.
Understanding comics *is* a How-To gui ...more
Sería ridículo revisar Understanding comics como un comic cualquiera (demasiado meta para mí) pero lo que puedo decir es que es un excelente viaje por la conquista del sentido visual.
Scott te da mucha perspicacia no solo en lo que a la historia de los comics se refiere sino a todos los contrastes que el medio sufre (hasta 1994) y un gran análisis de todos los "gimmicks" que un artista /escritor debe usar para transmitir su mensaje , y lograr que sea universal, McCloud intenta también darle esper ...more
Scott te da mucha perspicacia no solo en lo que a la historia de los comics se refiere sino a todos los contrastes que el medio sufre (hasta 1994) y un gran análisis de todos los "gimmicks" que un artista /escritor debe usar para transmitir su mensaje , y lograr que sea universal, McCloud intenta también darle esper ...more
Jul 18, 2007
Jennifer
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
graphic novel fans
Shelves:
graphic-novels
Even if you're not interested in comics and graphic novels, McCloud's book might get you interested. Rather brilliantly, McCloud uses the medium of comics itself for a philosophical meditation on the nature and possibilities of comics. He does reflect a little bit on the prehistoric and pre-modern origins of comics, but this is not a history lesson. Rather, he explores the specific nature of comics as sequential art and the potential of the form to explore new modes of expression. It's really su
...more
Understanding Comics is a pretty clever book, using the medium of comics to talk seriously about comics -- which is very likely to be dismissed by those who either insist comics should all be fun (and therefore if they're not interested in this, it's no good) or all comics are fun (and therefore have no serious value). That's a mistake. I hadn't heard of this before I started the Coursera course I'm doing on comics, but I don't need any prompting to take it seriously.
Possibly my favourite insigh ...more
Possibly my favourite insigh ...more
This is a book on art and philosophy disguised as a book on comics disguised as a comic book!
A brilliant must-read for any fan of comics, art, philosophy and beauty!
Ahmad Eddeeb
May 2016
A brilliant must-read for any fan of comics, art, philosophy and beauty!
Ahmad Eddeeb
May 2016
A clear overview of the form and structure of comics. Scott McCloud's deep understanding of the history and functions of art makes this an insightful and informative read.
I could spend a long time writing about this book and telling you what the book is actually about and what is included, but that is not my purpose. Rather I'm here to tell you whether the book is worth reading. What the book is about is self-explanatory as the title says it all in very plain language. Written in 1992, I had wondered whether this much-lauded book was worth reading as I thought it might be out-dated and irrelevant by this time. It is certainly worth reading and probably required r
...more
This one's a classic, of course. There were many eye opening moments to me in here. The part about the cartoon face being a representation of how we see ourselves really blew my mind, especially that when we see two dots and a line that, not only can we make a face out of it, we have to. And how the more simplistic the representation, the more universal it is to the reader. I also like how he illustrated how our minds fill in the space between panels to create our own continuity.
With comic art b ...more
With comic art b ...more
This is an indispensable and fundamentally exhaustive exploration of the comics medium presented in the medium itself. While it presents some fairly complex ideas of "how comics work" McCloud uses the medium itself to good effect to demonstrate his meaning.
I, do however, have to take issue with his strangely vociferous insistence that one panel cartoons are not comics - while I loathe the Family Circus as much as the next thinking person, I think McCloud is too hung up on the literal need for se ...more
I, do however, have to take issue with his strangely vociferous insistence that one panel cartoons are not comics - while I loathe the Family Circus as much as the next thinking person, I think McCloud is too hung up on the literal need for se ...more
I appreciated the concepts here much better my second time through. My favorite chapters were on lines and time, and how we use gutter space between panels to do our own world building and characterization of the people we're reading about. He covers a little bit about Japanese manga, too, which becomes revelatory when compared to mainstream US comics.
(But the gender essentialism and implicit sexual assault cartoon at the end of the book were still pretty gross.)
(But the gender essentialism and implicit sexual assault cartoon at the end of the book were still pretty gross.)
Much better than I thought it would be. It's not the end all be all of comic book philosophy, but it actually does introduce a lot of useful ideas with terminology. It explained why I always prefer 'simple' (abstract) art over detailed, photo-realistic art.
Dang, here I thought I knew what was up with comics - I had no idea! McCloud pushes his readers to truly consider the essence of comics, art, and how creators and readers can communicate through active participation in the act of reading comics. I was continually awed at the scope of the project that McCloud carved out for himself. This book is still very relevant (despite the 1993 publication date) and an important work - check it out!
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Graphic Novel Boo...: January Book - Understanding Comics | 1 | 7 | Dec 28, 2015 07:38PM | |
| u | 3 | 22 | May 09, 2014 03:07AM | |
| Graphic Novel Rea...: Optional Book Club Discussion: Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art by Scott McCloud - June 2013 (may contain spoilers) | 7 | 40 | Jun 29, 2013 11:48AM | |
| genre X: June Discussion: Understanding Comics + choose your own! | 4 | 23 | Jun 18, 2013 01:36PM | |
| USP (Comics): Coincidence | 5 | 3 | May 15, 2013 06:04PM | |
| Required reading for cartoonists and art historians | 5 | 115 | Dec 17, 2012 10:13AM |
Scott McCloud (born Scott McLeod) is an American cartoonist and theorist on comics as a distinct literary and artistic medium.
More about Scott McCloud...
Other Books in the Series
The Comic Books
(3 books)
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“Art, as I see it, is any human activity which doesn’t grow out of either of our species’ two basic instincts: survival and reproduction.”
—
26 likes
“...when you look at a photo or realistic drawing of a face, you see it as the face of
another
. But when you enter the world of the
cartoon
, you see yourself.”
—
12 likes
More quotes…
