Limitations and Advantages of Comic Form

In comparison to a traditional story or novel a comic provides the reader with a level of visual context normally unavailable, and therefore comic artists unlike traditional authors, hold greater agency in controlling the way a story is told. Similar to filmmakers, comic artists supply visual cues, although comics also provide one the means to easily reference what has been read and what has yet to be read, permitting further clarification. Through the explicit visual depiction of characters and setting not possible using merely textual description, comic artists are able to create characters that are more or less relatable to readers. Although readers still undertake the process of closure, in which anything could happen between panels, stagnant visuals are supplied for readers to relate to. Depending on the story comic artists can alter panel shape and size to control the pace of reading, and subsequent feeling elicited, much like the function of music in a movie.

The limitation of a comic also lies in its strengths. Much like discovering the actors in a film adaption before reading the book, comics do not allow readers to conceptualize characters without the aid of visuals. Although we may all hold a unique interpretation of the original Superman we all think of the identical costume, and although our interpretation of Little Nemo may vary we all think of the same little brown haired boy in white pajamas.

Altogether comics provide a balance of image and text not offered by other mediums. Though some comics are more text heavy and others contain almost no words at all, the separation of a story into individual panels provides readers a unique experience of reading. Comics are not better than other mediums because they are different, but hold advantages in that they strike a balance between reader and author.