Understanding graphic novels(comics)

Comic strip

Single idea expressed through Sequential arts and a story that unfolds across multiple panels( typically 3-5), Often appears in newspapers and magazines

Comic book

The story told through Sequential art often in magazine format and the story unfolds across multiple pages and panels or strips. Often involves multiple artists and writers for one series

When did comic books emerge?

1930s

The golden age of comic books

Lasted until mid 1950s. During this period modern comic books were born in many recognizable characters today. There was a boost in comics during World War II

The silver age of comic books

The mid 1950s until about 1970. During this time, there was the first ever comic book convention

Bronze age of comic books

Lasted until 1985. News publishers entered the scene and started making news articles that look like this and comic books tackled more mature themes

Modern age of comic books

The way comic books are today in our Generation

Graphic novels

A bound narrative with a defined story arc resembling a book length comic, comprises multiple pages, illusions and textual components work together to reveal the story

How to read a graphic novel

From left to right and top to bottom

Panel

The square or rectangle that contains a single scene

Gutters

The space between the panel

Tier

One row of panels

Spread

An image that Spans more than one page

Composition

How the panels, text, dialogue, etc., arranged on a page

Caption

Boxes containing text that may include scene settings, description, common, narration, etc.

Sound effects

The sound represented in text ; the fond, colouring, and lettering of sound effects are important to convey the sound to the reader

Speech bubble

These rounded rectangular squares that contain dialogue with a tail to indicate who was speaking

Thought bubble

These are similar to speech balloons, but show thoughts instead of dialogue. They look cloud like And circles were replace the tail to show who originated the thought

Composition of a comic

It means how many panels? How many tiers? How would you describe the layout of the elements?