Comics Art

The phenomenal growth of graphic novels and manga, along with the explosion of comics on the internet and other platforms, have given their creators unprecedented freedom to innovate. Many creators can enjoy widespread acclaim in the art world, literary circles, and through their multimedia adaptations.

Comics Art takes an international approach by tracing lines of influence around the world to provide historical contexts and contemporary perspectives for this huge current interest in the medium. Richly illustrated with many images taken from original artwork and rare artefacts, Comics Art offers a fascinating, accessible guide to some of the special properties of sequential art, such as panels, page layouts, speech balloons, and wordless or 'silent' narration.

It addresses concerns about how comics may perpetuate stereotypes and support the status quo while assessing their growing significance. Notably, through autobiography and reportage, comics have become vehicles for provocative voices often silenced in other media. Comics Art also explores the diversity of styles, media, and approaches now possible in the medium, along with the exciting developments in digital comics and comics conceived for galleries and installations.