Comics and Graphic novelsTypes

Aims:

• All of you will be able to discuss the different types of graphic narrative

• Most of you will be able to discuss genres of graphic novels and comics

• Some of you will be able to draw on examples to discuss features of graphic narratives.

Comic strips• A comic strip is a sequence of drawings arranged in panels

• Usually short at a page or less

• display brief humor or form a story, often with text in balloons and captions.

• Strips are written and drawn by a comics artist or cartoonist.

• As the name implies, comic strips can be humorous.

• Traditionally printed in black and white in newspapers

• Daily strips are smaller

• Sunday strips are larger like this one

Comics

• 64 to 96 pages

• Thinner and printed like a magazine with matte (not shiny) low quality paper

• Held together with staples

• Magazine with volumes and issue numbers (periodical)

• A comic book may contain a single story, 2 stories, or as many as 3 or 4 stories between its pages, which may or may not all have the same characters.

• Lower cost (£3.00)

Graphic Novels • A graphic novel is a book made up of comics content.

• Graphic novels are larger in content with 60- 500 pages

• Often bound like books rather than magazine style

• Higher quality glossy paper

• Usually contain a single story with the same cast

• Single publication

• Higher priced (£10)

Digital comics

• Comics or Graphic novels which you can read using a digital device.

• You can read digital comics on a tablet, smartphone, or PC using a variety of comic book readers, some of which include their own integrated stores.

Motion comics

• A motion comic (or animated comic) is a form of comics combining elements of print comic books and animation.

• Individual panels are expanded into a full shot while sound effects, voice acting, and animation are added to the original artwork.

• Motion comics are often released as short series covering a story arc of a long running series or animating a single film of a graphic novel.

• Comics are converted episodes

TASK : 30 minutes

Explain and research the different types of comic book and graphic novel with examples.

(Carry on with your report from last week)

• Comic books

• Graphic novels

• Comic strips

• Motion comics

• Digital comics

What are panels?

• How do we read them?

• Why are they different sizes?

• Are they different shapes?

• What affect does it have on the pace of the graphic novel?

How is Text used?

• Sound effects

• Speech

• Titles

• Expressions and emotion

How is the story told?

• Visually

• With written text

• Emotions

• Characters

How is colour used?

• For mood

• to create atmosphere

• For contrast between light and dark

• In comparison to other comics

• For continuity throughout

• To identify objects and characters

What do you think about the art?

• What is it? What is it about? What is happening?

• Is it a realistic depiction?

• Have any parts been exaggerated or distorted? If so, why?

• How does it tell the story?

• What is the medium of the work? (paint, pen, pencil)

• What is the shading like?

TASK: Individually write about the following in your reportUse examples that we have discussed

• panelling,

• text,

• storyline,

• colour

• visual storytelling

• The art style