This book is not strictly a graphic novel, but rather a mostly serious, occasionally whimsical analysis of the artistic medium known as "comics", done, naturally, as a comic book. McCloud attempts to define the medium itself (starting from Will Eisner's notion of "sequential art") and then proceeds to define the language of the form, and examine its various facets. Contrary to my expectations, McCloud does not make any assumptions or assertions about the actual content of comics, which to some might seem a major drawback, nor does he try to evaluate the quality of any specific style or product. Clearly, he wants to transcend such notions altogether and define the parameters of what comics could be, rather than what they all-too-often are.
McCloud investigates what there is about the medium that draws us to it, without going into such story-centric concepts as plot or characterization. He really doesn't even try to establish critical standards for this medium so much as just delineate the issues, and point out some of the difficulties inherent in a form that combines both writing and pictures.
While this may sound like a dry textbook, it's really much better than that. I most appreciated those moments (and there were many) where McCloud points out aspects of the medium that I'd always taken for granted (the gutters, for example) making me really think about facets of comics that I never even realized I knew. Maybe this book isn't as much pure fun as the comics we're used to, and certainly some of the middle chapters seemed to drag, but anytime you get the chance to look at an old friend through fresh eyes, it's got to be worth the effort. A must-read for anyone serious about comics, and a virtual bible for those interested in working in the field.Get more detail about Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art.
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