accessing comics

ways to access comics

print

iPhone

desktop

tablet 

e- comics

how is the comic industry catering to tablet users?

• There are apps and devices which make comics accessible digitally, such as CLZ comics, Kindle, ComiCat and Comicology which sorts comics into different genres to make it more accessible.

how has the medium been adapted to e-readers and the screen sizes and resolutions?

• Its been adapted so it's compatible with a variety of devices using interactive media features.

Conventions: comics us images and drawings to depict emotions, actions, text

Emotions, sounds and movement is represented in comics through speech bubbles (the shapes will differ depending on the emotion) as well as punctuation and colours/ fonts. 

The script

Very different from film/ TV script

You must state what is happening on the specific panel using words to describe the picture and then the dialogue that would feature in the comic. 

You need a title page and then you describe the action for each panel and each page (you should do 6 to 10 pages)

Title, name, setting, page 1- panel 1, 2, 3, 4, etc. 

A sequence of frames, similar to a film, conventions needed: uses of shot distance (ELS, LS, MS, MCU, CU, ECU) and angle (high, straight, low, canted) zoom in/ out; shot reverse shot; eyeline match.

Direction: left-right, top-bottom (in Western culture)

Black and white or colour

Comic strip structures

Micro- structures: inter-frame relationships; shot-reverse- shot, repetition, contrast, Q/A, non-sequitur, flash-forward/back. 

Macro- structures: narrative structures; comic strip narrative structure is often similar to that of the mainstream film and television e.g. Todorov's narrative stages (equilibrium, disruption of the equilibrium, reinstatement of the equilibrium), utilise Propp's character types (hero, heroine, villain, helper, etc.)

Elements

• Title
• Sound effect
• Symbols
• Speed/ motion lines
• Gutter
• Panel/ frame
• Speech bubble
• Bleed- out of the panel
• Text is all in capitals

Panelling

• You need to state why you are making these choices and link them to comic conventions and the intended effect on the audience.
• You'll need to justify your use of panelling alongside screenshots and justifications.

Focal points

A focal point is a technique used to draw the attention of a reader to a key moment within a story. You can have multiple focal points throughout your comic storyline.