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Someday I'd like to spend time to identify the visual-literary devices unique to comics and put them all in a list. Something that goes beyond appropriating terms from other media, and beyond just describing the format.
Here are two examples of what I mean. I am borrowing names of poetic devices for now, but I am interested to uncover and adapt more of these, so we can finally address comics as its own thing.
McCloud may have touched on this extensively already (too lazy to check my copy)
Here's a fun one. Crowning (the original name for this device is unfortunate) and juxtaposition - my faves
A bit on discordant juxtaposition (the tweet above introduces harmonious juxtaposition)
Forepanel and backpanel. Good examples of these devices are in a lot of shoujo manga, The Prince and the Dressmaker, and Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me
Panel and/or gutter contraction
If you're coming into this thread early: my research is still in its infancy! I'm updating the thread slowly as I uncover the devices, with the hope that it'll become a catalogue for a future, more robust guide with proper examples of usage and clearer definitions.
Panel and gutter expansion. (Counterpart to panel and gutter contraction mentioned earlier in the thread)
Tracking - when following a character's motion or movement is the focus of a page layout. Thanks to Aliza Layne ( http://demonstreet.co ) for suggesting this. The ways tracking can be used in comics are so different and more flexible than film!
Architectural layout/Scaffolding/Facade: when panels or page layouts are constructed to evoke the exterior or interior of a building.
This is one of the coolest visual-literary devices unique to comics
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This is one of the coolest visual-literary devices unique to comics
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Crossing over and pop out. Blue colour pages are by Trung Le Nguyen (@ trungles) (His upcoming GN The Magic Fish is a brilliant, working example of both devices)
Note: sorry can't tag properly, otherwise I can never untag from the thread
Note: sorry can't tag properly, otherwise I can never untag from the thread
Page flip - an underrated device but so so useful for exposition, time/setting changes, dramatic effect, pacing, suspense and more! One of my faves
Found another interesting device! Ellipsis - a silent, strictly visual and single panel that functions as a grammatical ellipsis (... ) would.
Note: it's functionally different than a silent sequence of panels.
Note: it's functionally different than a silent sequence of panels.
Evocation of tone and voice via speech bubbles https://twitter.com/ladugarden/status/1292476291669688320
A thread showing how tracking actions and motion can be utilised in a single panel. Possibly a subdevice for tracking? Diagramatic tracking? https://twitter.com/tommchenry/status/1286327386259312641?s=21
Another analysis thread on how lettering can evoke sound or a mood (there’s so much to be said about lettering as a craft) https://twitter.com/shingworks/status/1298754515668054017?s=21
A new comics only device. Triptych.
A large central panel anchors events that are occurring simultaneously at its periphery (the spatial location of each event is the artist's choice).
A large central panel anchors events that are occurring simultaneously at its periphery (the spatial location of each event is the artist's choice).
