1. DGMD S-72 Graphic Storytelling: Comic Book Art and Narrative
#6: Layout for Action: The Story of a Fight, Anatomy of a Punch
Dynamic Poses and Action Lines
In-class Prompt #4

2. Action and Story From “How Comics Work, The Fight Scene”:
There are many kinds of action sequences, but for our purposes today let’s talk about the fight.
From “How Comics Work, The Fight Scene”:
"Every fight scene should be story-based, ideally part of the comics’ larger plot. It should also act as a mini-story in itself. It should set goals for the characters involved, it should build and be paced in a compelling manner, and it should be character-driven."
A good fight sequence is a mini-story in itself, with stakes and rising action. What are some of the ways we can raise the stakes in a fight?
In other words, what can happen in a fight that increases the intensity of the action, driving it to a conclusion?

3. Action and Story
There are many kinds of action sequences, but for our purposes today let’s talk about the fight.
A good fight sequence is a mini-story in itself, with stakes and rising action. What are some of the ways we can raise the stakes in a fight? Combatants can:
Change weapons
Encounter increasingly difficult terrain
Get attacked by more people
Use bystanders as shields
Get increasingly hurt
Run away/Hide
Find Hidden Strength (enter Avatar State)
Reveal evil plans
See a beloved person, place or thing destroyed
Save a beloved person, place or thing
Creatively use Terrain against the enemy

4. Layout For Action: The Story of a Fight
The film “The Princess Bride” uses fight sequences to build towards each plot climax in game-like scenarios: fight increasingly powerful minions until each boss battle. In Act 2 Wesley battles Vizzini’s two lieutenants before battling Vizzini, and each fight is its own story with goals, rising action, and twists that raise the stakes.
The first fight is with Inigo Montoya, the swordsman. What are the goals of each character in this fight? When and how are the combat stakes raised?

5. Layout For Action: Setting up the Move
Action in a visual medium is often most effective if the audience is prepared for it.
In animation, we call this anticipation: a movement before the intended motion, in the opposite direction.
Consider, for example a person crouching down before leaping upwards.
Or, as in the sequence to the right by Dave Gibbons from the original Watchmen, an entire page of 8 panels all lead to Rorschach climbing the wall.
How do each of these panels prepare the reader for this action?

6. Layout For Action: Anatomy of a Punch
Meet Saitama, the main character in One Punch Man, a manga comic and an anime with a problematic premise: what if there was a hero so powerful that they could destroy anyone or anything with a single punch?

7. Layout For Action: Anatomy of a Punch
A punch, like any significant visual action, has three parts in animation and film:
Anticipation
Action
Follow-Through
If there is only one frame for each part, and the same frame size for each part, then there is no emphasis, and therefore little impact.

8. Layout For Action: Anatomy of a Punch
How is the timing and emphasis changed in the punch shown in these shots (from the animated show)?

9. Layout For Action: Anatomy of a Punch
Here is an example in a comic (Ms Marvel, drawn by Takeshi Miyazawa)
How is emphasis expressed in the punch in these last three panels?

10. Layout For Action: Anatomy of a Punch
In comics, because of the reader’s ability to suspend time by lingering on a frame that is large or exciting, the artist can often just show part 2, the punch itself.
Anticipation is frequently skipped, and often the follow-through can also be missed, as in these examples.

11. Layout For Action: Anatomy of a Punch

12. Layout For Action: Anatomy of a Punch

13. Layout For Action: Anatomy of an Action
Do the three parts of a move in shots: Anticipation, Action, Follow-Through

14. Layout For Action: Editing a Fight
The youtube series “Every Frame a Painting” by Tony Zhou is a webseries about film editing, an art with a direct connection to the visual storytelling of comics.
One of his more famous videos is about the filmmaking of Jackie Chan, especially comparing the editing of fight sequences in his Chinese vs his American films:

15. The Rhythm of Action
Like in Jackie Chan’s films, a well-designed fight sequence in comic has a rhythm. Consider this page from Daredevil.
Note the repetition, showing a new impact with each panel, creating a steady beat. Then note the direction of the impact in each: right, left, left, right, each time using an available limb.
Note the antagonists, who start as two, and then two enter in panel two, and are dispatched, one each, in the next two panels.

16. DYNAMIC POSE 1: Pick Your Moment
Every action has multiple potential poses, each a part of the motion. Which do you choose– the understated frame, or the most dynamic?
An example from Stan Lee, in “How to Draw the Marvel Way”:

17. DYNAMIC POSE 2: Go With the Flow
When designing an action pose (and every pose can be an action pose!) look for the core curve line that flows through it.
Note the blue lines through these poses: in the curve of the spine, in the thrust of the limbs. How much of each body contributes to the body curve?

18. DYNAMIC POSE 3: Push Your Poses
Push your poses! With two characters, put one in front and one behind. If they are side-by-side, lean one in. Try lifting the camera below or above the character, or close up to a head or hand. Twist a body. Example from Stan Lee, in “How to Draw the Marvel Way”:

19. DUTCH ANGLES
The camera angle can add a lot to pose, emphasizing the angle of motion, disorientation, and impact.
A “Dutch” angle is one that rotates the camera along its body axis, like a head tilt.
Consider these panels from Stan Lee’s “How to Draw Comics the Marvel Way.” In each pair, the first is the flat shot, and the second is a more dynamic camera angle.

20. ACTION LINES: What moves?
Scott McCloud’s take on motion lines to emphasize movement

21. ACTION LINES: Where do they use them?
Drew Johnson’s impact and muzzle flashes.
Jack Kirby's light-filled energy lines at site of impact

22. In-Class Prompt #4
Each class we have multiple exercises to explore the concepts, an optional Jam Comic, and a Prompt. The Prompts are time limited, just 15 minutes plus the break.
TODAY’S PROMPT:
“In 6 Panels, Enter through one door and Exit through another”

23. HOMEWORK #5: Personal Narrative Text
(Time in-class to catch up): TEXT: In one paragraph describe the story of a character (human, animal, robot, etc.) entering a space, moving through it, finding something, and exiting changed. Text only! This can be as mundane or explosive a story as you like. Do they enter happy, and leave frightened? Do they start angry, and leave laughing? Do they fall into the space, and walk out as if nothing happened?

24. HOMEWORK #6: Personal Narrative Text
(Due on Piazza Tuesday, an hour before class) PAGE: In 1-3 pages, at least 6 panels, show a character (human, animal, robot, etc.) entering a space, moving through it, finding something, and exiting differently. This can be as mundane or explosive a story as you like. Do they enter happy, and leave frightened? Do they start angry, and leave laughing? Do they fall into the space, and walk out as if nothing happened?