How to read a Comic Book

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How to read aComic Book
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Comic terms.

• Panels Images are usually laid out within
  borders, known as panels.
• The layout of the panels can be in a grid, MAUS
  being notable for utilizing an eight panel grid,
  of four rows and two columns. Occasionally an
  artist will use larger panels that break the
  format of the grid to emphasize specific acts or
  points in the narrative

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Example of a panel
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Panel frames

• Panel frames The border or edges of a panel,
  when drawn, are termed frames. These are
  normally of rectangular shape, but this shape can
  be altered to convey information to the reader.

• Cloud shaped panels can indicate a flashback or
  dream sequence, while one with jagged edge can be
  used to convey anger or shock

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• A panel with out a frame is used to convey space.
  The frame itself can be formed by the image, for
  example, a scene can be framed by a door frame or
  by binoculars.

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A Bleed

• A full bleed is usually used on a comic book
  cover, and is when the art is allowed to run to
  the edge of each page, rather than having a white
  border around it.
• Bleeds are sometimes used on internal panels to
  create the illusion of space or emphasize action

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Splash page..

• A splash page, sometimes referred to simply as a
  splash, is full page drawing in a comic book. A
  splash page is often used as the first page of a
  story, and includes the title and the credits.

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Interior splash

• Splashes that are not the first page of a story
  are sometimes called interior splash pages.
  Interior splashes may or may not include titles
  and/or credits.
• A panel that is larger than others on the page is
  called a splash panel.
• A splash that appears across two pages of a comic
  book is called a two-page splash

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Interior splash
Splash
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Two page splash from a Japanese anime
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Speech/Thought balloon

• The speech balloon, also known as a speech bubble
  , is a graphic used to assign ownership of
  dialogue to a particular character.

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Speech/Thought balloons cont

• Bubbles, which represent an internal dialogue,
  are referred to as thought balloons.

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Speech/Thought balloons cont

• The shape of the balloon will indicate the type
  of dialogue contained.

Whispers are usually represented by balloons
drawn broken line.
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Balloons cont
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Motion lines/Speed lines

• Motion lines, also known as speed lines are lines
  that are used to represent motion.

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Gutter

• The gutter is the space between borders. Action
  in comics happens in the gutters between panels.
  The reader, therefore, creates the action in this
  white space. Think of a gutter as the readers
  part of the page to fill with his own imagination.

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Gutters
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Emanata

• Emanata A visual metaphor used as a shortcut in
  comics examples being the light bulb above a
  characters head to indicate an idea.

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Emanata cont

• The indication of sleep by a saw cutting a log or
  a line of zzzzz, and the use of dotted lines to
  indicate a line of sight, with daggers being used
  instead of dotted lines to indicate an evil look.

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