Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art

From the moment it was published 25 years ago, Understanding Comics set the standard for something that had hardly existed before it came along: the theory of comics. (And that it was done as a comic book itself made it all the more enjoyable and effective.) If you're the sort of person who likes to take apart the art you love to see how it works, McCloud's earnest and practical analysis will expand your mind. What happens in the spaces between panels? Why do we identify so easily with blank faces like Charlie Brown's, Tintin's, and Nancy's? There's no better guide to the magical combination of pictures and words, whether you're already a comics fan or are curious about cracking their storytelling code.