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{{Infobox book {{Infobox book
| name = Comics and Sequential Art | name = Comics and Sequential Art
| title_orig =
| translator =
| image = casa-cover.kwill.png | image = casa-cover.kwill.png
| caption =
| author = ] | author = ]
| illustrator = Will Eisner
| cover_artist =
| country = United States | country = United States
| language = English | language = English
| series =
| subject = ] | subject = ]
| genre =
| publisher = Poorhouse Press | publisher = Poorhouse Press
| pub_date = 1985; 1990 (Expanded Edition) | pub_date = 1985; 1990 (Expanded Edition)
| english_pub_date =
| media_type =
| pages = 164 (Expanded Edition) | pages = 164 (Expanded Edition)
| followed_by = ]
| isbn = 0-9614728-1-2 (Expanded Edition)
| oclc= 24083231
| preceded_by =
| followed_by =]
}} }}
'''''Comics and Sequential Art''''' is a 1985 book by American cartoonist ] that provides an analytical overview of ]. It is based on a series of essays that appeared in ''The Spirit'' magazine, themselves based on Eisner's experience teaching a course in sequential art at the ]. It is not presented as a teaching guide, however, but as a series of demonstrations of principles and methods. Eisner draws examples from his own work, including several complete stories featuring ] (listed below). A 1990 expanded edition of the book includes short sections on the print process and the use of computers in comics. '''''Comics and Sequential Art''''' is a book by American cartoonist ] that analyzes the ] medium, published in 1985 and revised in 1990. It is based on a series of essays that appeared in ''The Spirit'' magazine, themselves based on Eisner's experience teaching a course on comics at the ]. It is not presented as a teaching guide, however, but as a series of demonstrations of principles and methods. A 1990 expanded edition of the book includes short sections on the print process and the use of computers in comics. Eisner followed with a companion volume, '']'', in 1996.


==Content==
''Comics and Sequential Art'' is well regarded in the community of comics professionals, garnering praise from the likes of ], ], ], and referenced and expanded on by ] in '']''.


In contrast to earlier books on comics, which focused on specific aspects such as drawing anatomy, Eisner's book takes an overall approach, devoting different chapters to different aspects of comics. A revised edition included a chapter on computer techniques. To demonstrate many of the concepts the book introduces, Einser provides a ten-page adaptation of the "]..." soliloquy from ]'s '']''.{{sfn|Schumacher|2010}}
Eisner wrote a companion volume to ''Comics and Sequential Art'', '']'', which was published in 1996.


==Book contents== ==Publication history==


Since the 1970s Eisner had been lecturing on comics at the ]. He was unable to find a textbook that focused on theoretical aspects of comics, and began writing essays based on the subject for ''The Sppirit'' magazine; these essays came to form the basis of ''Comics and Sequential Art''.{{sfn|Schumacher|2010}}
===Foreword===
"Traditionally, most practitioners with whom I worked and talked produced their art viscerally. Few ever had the time or inclination to diagnose the form itself... As I began to dismantle the complex components... I found that I was involved with an 'art of communication' more than simply an application of art."


==Legacy==
===Chapter 1: 'Comics' as reading===
In the first chapter Eisner demonstrates that comics have a vocabulary and grammar in both prose and illustration. He refers to an article by ] in the ] (August 1977), expanding the term "reading" to mean more than just "reading words".


Along with Scott McCloud's ''Understanding Comics]]'' (1993), ''Comics and Sequential Art'' is considered to form the foundations for formal ] in English.{{sfnm|1a1=Heer|1a2=Worcester|1y=2009|1p=xiv|2a1=Holston|2y=2010|2p=16}} Eisner followed up the book in different ways: he expanded the "Expressive Anatomy" chapter into a book with the same title two decades later, and followed up the book itself with '']'' in 1996.{{sfn|Schumacher|2010}}
===Chapter 2: Imagery===


==References==
This chapter includes the complete Spirit story, "Hoagy the Yogi, Part 2", originally published March 23, 1947, demonstrating the use of pure imagery (visual pantomime with only incidental text) to tell the story of Ebony's adventures with Hoagy the ].


{{Reflist}}
===Chapter 3: "Timing"===
Compositional and internal timing are demonstrated in the complete Spirit story, "Foul Play", originally published March 27, 1949. Compositional timing is used to determine when to reveal events in the story for maximum effect (e.g., surprise), whereas internal timing is used to suggest short or long periods of time within a panel (e.g., using a dripping faucet). This establishes a "time rhythm".


==Works cited==
===Chapter 4: The Frame===
This is an extensive chapter devoted to the use of one of the basic tools of the comics artist: the frame. As well as many extracts, including examples of splash pages (an Eisner trademark), this chapter includes several complete stories and chapters:
* the Spirit story, "The Amulet of Osiris", originally published November 28, 1948, demonstrates the use of frame shapes and open frames, in an adventure starring the bumbling officer, Sam Klink
* a chapter from ''Life on Another Planet'' (Chapter 7: The Big Hit), originally published August 1980, demonstrating the use of the page as a metapanel, in this case supporting the narrative in following different threads in the story
* the Spirit story "Two Lives", originally published December 12, 1948, demonstrating the super-panel as a page in the parallel stories of Carboy T. Gretch and Cranfranz Qwayle
* the Spirit story "The Visitor", originally published February 13, 1949, demonstrating the use of perspective (where the panel is oriented in relation to the subject) for dramatic effect (in this case not going "hog-wild" before revealing the twist in a ] story)


{{Refbegin}}
===Chapter 5: Expressive Anatomy===
This chapter covers gesture, posture and the face. "Hamlet on a Rooftop", originally published June 1981, demonstrates the use of all three, casting ] famous ] from '']'' in a modern urban context.


* {{cite book
===Chapter 6: Writing & Sequential Art===
|last1 = Heer
|first1 = Jeet
|last2 = Worcester
|first2 = Kent
|editor1-last1 = Heer
|editor1-first1 = Jeet
|editor2-last2 = Worcester
|editor2-first2 = Kent
|chapter = Introduction
|pages = xi–xv
|title = A Comics Studies Reader
|url = http://books.google.com/books?id=9LUYhG9qO_8C
|year = 2009
|publisher = University Press of Mississippi
|isbn = 978-1-60473-109-5}}
* {{cite book
|last1 = Holston
|first1 = Alicia
|editor-last = Weiner
|editor-first = Robert G.
|title = Graphic Novels and Comics in Libraries and Archives: Essays on Readers, Research, History and Cataloging
|url = http://books.google.com/books?id=Xo-QYdfL9DoC&pg=PA9
|year = 2010
|publisher = McFarland
|isbn = 978-0-7864-5693-2
|pages = 9–16
|chapter = A Librarian's Guide to the History of Graphic Novels
|ref = harv}}
* {{cite book
|last = Schumacher
|first = Michael
|title = Will Eisner: A Dreamer's Life in Comics
|url = http://books.google.com/books?id=VdO5dKiPchQC
|year = 2010
|publisher = Bloomsbury Publishing
|isbn = 978-1-60819-524-4
|ref = harv}}


{{Refend}}
Eisner considers the relationship between text and image, and writer and artist, including the use of scripts and dummies.

===Chapter 7: Application (The Use of Sequential Art)===

Eisner divides sequential art into two broad categories: instruction and entertainment. (His further subdivisions are Entertainment Comics, The ], Technical Instruction Comics, Attitudinal Instruction Comics and ].)

====See also====
* ]s
* ]s
* ]

===Chapter 8: Teaching/Learning Sequential Art for Comics in the print and computer era===
This chapter gives an overview of skills required for successful sequential art, including drawing skills (e.g., perspective), general knowledge (e.g., how everyday devices work) and comics-specific techniques (e.g., balloons). It also covers the printing process, the use of computers to create print comics, and electronic comics. (The latter is covered in more depth by McCloud in '']'', including electronic publishing and payment.)

==See also==

{{Portal|Comics}}

* ]'s '']'' (1993)

==External links==
* , a short, mostly critical review of ''Comics and Sequential Art''
* ]


{{Portal bar|Comics}}
{{Will Eisner}} {{Will Eisner}}


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Comics and Sequential Art
AuthorWill Eisner
LanguageEnglish
SubjectComics
PublisherPoorhouse Press
Publication date1985; 1990 (Expanded Edition)
Publication placeUnited States
Pages164 (Expanded Edition)
Followed byGraphic Storytelling and Visual Narrative 

Comics and Sequential Art is a book by American cartoonist Will Eisner that analyzes the comics medium, published in 1985 and revised in 1990. It is based on a series of essays that appeared in The Spirit magazine, themselves based on Eisner's experience teaching a course on comics at the School of Visual Arts. It is not presented as a teaching guide, however, but as a series of demonstrations of principles and methods. A 1990 expanded edition of the book includes short sections on the print process and the use of computers in comics. Eisner followed with a companion volume, Graphic Storytelling and Visual Narrative, in 1996.

Content

In contrast to earlier books on comics, which focused on specific aspects such as drawing anatomy, Eisner's book takes an overall approach, devoting different chapters to different aspects of comics. A revised edition included a chapter on computer techniques. To demonstrate many of the concepts the book introduces, Einser provides a ten-page adaptation of the "To be or not to be..." soliloquy from Shakespeare's Hamlet.

Publication history

Since the 1970s Eisner had been lecturing on comics at the School of Visual Arts. He was unable to find a textbook that focused on theoretical aspects of comics, and began writing essays based on the subject for The Sppirit magazine; these essays came to form the basis of Comics and Sequential Art.

Legacy

Along with Scott McCloud's Understanding Comics]] (1993), Comics and Sequential Art is considered to form the foundations for formal comics studies in English. Eisner followed up the book in different ways: he expanded the "Expressive Anatomy" chapter into a book with the same title two decades later, and followed up the book itself with Graphic Storytelling and Visual Narrative in 1996.

References

  1. ^ Schumacher 2010.
  2. Heer & Worcester 2009, p. xiv; Holston 2010, p. 16.

Works cited

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