Graphic Novels/Comics

Transitions: Moment to Moment Moment to Moment transitions help to give a “slow motion” feel to a comic, making each second an important one and bringing each action into stark relief. A great use of moment to moment transitions is to slow down the pace of a comic and allow the reader a moment to breathe.

Transitions: Action to Action The first panel is the beginning of the action, and the last panel is the end. You may need to put panels in between depending on the complexity of the action. Shows change in physical form of subject and action performed.

Transitions: Subject to Subject Working within a singular subject or idea, this transition shows whatever might be necessary to get the idea across. Shows minute passage of time.

Transitions: Scene to Scene Jumps between large amounts of time and/or space. Often supplemented with a transitional device in the narrative voice (Meanwhile…).

Transitions: Aspect to Aspect Time may pause (compression) Freezes time to establish the mood, feeling, or emotion of a scene. Same scene, as though the character or reader is “looking around.”

Transitions: Non-Sequitur Places panels together with no relationship to each other. Scott McCloud, author of Understanding Comics, argues that non-sequitur sequences tell us something important: no matter how dissimilar two images are, when we put them together we automatically start to look for a relationship. Explains very little and readers look for the understanding themselves.

Origins Graphic novels grew out of comic books. First comic book: Famous Funnies, 1933 Superman emerged in 1938, after two sixteen-year-old boys from Ohio wrote the first Superman story with illustrations.

Manga The Japanese word for "comic," but in the U.S. is used to describe Japanese-style comics. Technically, Manga refers to Japanese comics, many think Manga refers to a style rather than the country of origin. Manga is read from top to bottom and right to left as this is the traditional Japanese reading pattern. Titles: Death Note, Full Metal Alchemist

Superhero Stories Superhero graphic novels have taken the most popular form of comics and turned what were once brief episodic adventures into epic sagas. Superhero comics are dominated by a few mainstream publishers Marvel, DC, and Darkhorse. Titles: Batman: Dark Knight Returns, League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, X-Men

Personal Narratives (Perzine) Autobiographical stories written from the author's personal experiences, opinions, and observations. Titles: Fun Home, Blankets, Lucky, The Quitter

Non-Fiction Similar to Perzine's in that they are written from the author's personal experience, but the author is generally using their own experience to touch upon a greater social issue. Titles: Pedro and Me, Maus, Persepolis