A Journey Through Understanding Comics. The Invisible Art by Scott McCloud

The invisible art that transformed our perception of comics

Have you ever wondered why comics have that hypnotic power that captivates you between their panels? What makes a sequence of images and words capable of conveying such complex emotions and elaborate narratives? Perhaps the answer lies in one of the most revolutionary treatises on this medium: Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art, a work that not only explains comics but does so using its own language.

Published in 1993, this work by Scott McCloud broke paradigms and established new ways of understanding the so-called “ninth art.” Throughout this article, we’ll explore how this book transformed our understanding of comics and why, almost three decades later, it remains an indispensable reference for both creators and readers.

The giants upon whose shoulders a theory was built

Will Eisner is one of the most popular names when it comes to learning about the arts of comics language. The proposal of sequential art and its grammar, the juxtaposition of word and image as characteristic of comics, and the emphasis on visual communication from both narrative and emotional perspectives linked to people’s psychological constructs and culture moved more than one artist who was beginning to take their first steps in the field. Of course, his influence couldn’t be missing on another of the industry’s most important theorists, Scott McCloud, well-known for his 1993 book Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art.

“You could see Eisner as the big bang. His approach to full-page compositions and panel-to-panel storytelling influenced decades of comics, both stylistically and in narrative terms, that came after […] He was the tuning fork for several generations that followed him. That’s why it was even more amazing when he began creating graphic novels that, in many ways, moved away from that particular narrative approach and embraced a different aesthetic model.”

Eisner’s influence on McCloud is undeniable, but what truly distinguishes the latter is how he managed to democratize knowledge about comics, making it accessible to all kinds of audiences. Are you passionate about sequential art? Discover how to master its fundamentals here. Complex concepts become understandable thanks to his ability to explain them visually, using the medium itself as a vehicle for communication.

From sequential art to deliberate sequence: a new definition

Scott McCloud is famous for his work with Marvel and DC but also for his highly didactic books. To talk about comics and teach about the resources that can be used to create them, he uses that same language creating a very fluid and entertaining meta dynamic for audiences not deeply immersed in this world. Thus, his work not only consists of stimulating practice but also contributes to attracting more people to comics through an idea as original as using its own code.

In this way, we learn about this art by reading it and, at the same time, seeing how the author applies his own suggestions and perspectives on different tools to his pages. On the other hand, and no less importantly, both he and Eisner were the authors with the greatest impact when it came to giving comics a solid theoretical framework that had a great repercussion both within the community and outside it.

There are continuities and ruptures between them; while the “Father of the graphic novel” gave a definition of comics from the position of Sequential Art, that is, art in order, McCloud distinguished it as: “Juxtaposed pictorial and other images in deliberate sequence, intended to convey information and/or produce an aesthetic response in the viewer.”

This seemingly simple definition revolutionized the way we understand comics. McCloud considerably expanded the boundaries of what we can consider comics, including artistic manifestations that date back thousands of years in the past. His vision allowed us to understand that sequential graphic storytelling is not a recent invention but has been part of humanity’s communicative DNA since ancient times.

Challenging prejudices: the fight against the infantilization of the medium

Beyond the fact that in recent years, both Eisner and McCloud have been attributed “errors” in their hypotheses, this does not detract from the fact that their theories speak of an era and the first immersions in the academic field of this language, marking the way for those who would follow them, both supporters and detractors.

There is a great common point between both artists that has to do with confronting the infantilization of comics, which were referred to as a mass product of poor quality with superficial stories. One of the most memorable anecdotes in this regard presents us with a scene in which Eisner spoke about the artistic value of comics with Rube Goldberg and remembers the occasion like this: “[He] told me that what I was saying was nonsense. He said, ‘Come on, kid, you’re a vaudeville artist.'”

This struggle for the recognition of comics as a valid artistic form is perhaps one of the greatest legacies of these pioneers. In an era where comics were considered reading for children or entertainment material without cultural value, both Eisner and McCloud dared to defend their complexity and expressive potential. Enhance your artistic expressiveness and break the conventional limits of drawing here.

Understanding Comics: A journey of self-discovery in nine chapters

While Eisner gave a rhetorical twist by relating comics and literature, McCloud in Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art manages, in nine chapters, to historicize the origins of comics, its definition, vocabulary, the transitions from panel to panel, and proposes six types of jumps between them, the ways of working with emotions, and what Eisner called the “grammar” between word and image, color, and the place it can occupy.

This book took McCloud nine years of planning and fifteen months of writing in which he originally captured all his knowledge to unravel and guide others between panels. Despite the fact that he was, along with others, paving the way for the study of comics, this does not mean, at all, that he uses a formal or strictly academic tone; rather, his appearance in the metacomic makes him look cool, relaxed, and friendly.

This adds presence to the reading since it seems that, by breaking the fourth wall and looking directly at us, he is giving us a totally manageable class. This may be due to his journey through alternative comics with Zot, where humor and parody went hand in hand.

The structure of the book is particularly ingenious: McCloud takes us by the hand from the most basic concepts to the deepest reflections on the medium. The first chapter establishes definitions and sets the conceptual framework. In the following ones, he explores iconography (how we represent ideas through images), closure (the mental phenomenon that allows us to complete what happens between panels), time and movement, the expression of emotions, the interaction between words and images, and finally, a reflection on comics as an art form.

The masters’ endorsement: Eisner applauds McCloud

Even Eisner expressed his support for McCloud’s publication effusively: “BRAVO! Understanding Comics is a historic dissection and intellectual consideration of comics as a valid medium. His employment of the comic art form as a vehicle is brilliant. Everyone… anyone interested in this literary form should read it. Every schoolteacher should have one.”

This endorsement was no coincidence. Eisner, who had already gained recognition for elevating comics to new artistic heights, saw in McCloud’s work a natural continuation of his own mission. Both shared the vision that comics not only deserved to be taken seriously but also possessed unique qualities that distinguished them from other forms of expression.

What makes McCloud’s book particularly valuable is its ability to analyze the language of comics from within, using its own resources. As we can see on the introductory page, McCloud puts himself as narrator and protagonist making fun of himself within the industry and, probably, anticipating the criticism he would receive.

And he was right, since, despite having Will Eisner’s support, many labeled him pretentious, unnecessary, and boring. Equally, it caused a great stir by complexifying the categorization of his work. Understanding Comics… is a comic but also a reflection, an essay; should they create a new genre or consider it a hybrid? The purists of comics were not very happy about it, and this assured McCloud publicity that gave him space to complete a trilogy with Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art (1993), Reinventing Comics: How Imagination and Technology Are Revolutionizing an Art Form (2000), Making Comics: Storytelling Secrets of Comics, Manga and Graphic Novels (2006).

The six types of transitions: a revolutionary visual grammar

One of McCloud’s most significant contributions was the identification and classification of six types of transitions between panels, which form the basis of graphic storytelling. This taxonomy has been widely adopted by creators and theorists:

1. Moment to moment: Shows a progression with minimal changes, slowing down the action and creating tension.
2. Action to action: Presents a single subject in progression of distinct actions, the most common in Western comics.
3. Subject to subject: Moves us between different elements of the same scene or idea.
4. Scene to scene: Transports the reader across significant distances of time and/or space.
5. Aspect to aspect: Shows different facets of a place, idea, or atmosphere, common in Japanese manga.
6. Non sequitur: Presents images with no apparent logical relationship, challenging the reader to find connections.

This classification provided a precise vocabulary for analyzing narrative strategies in comics. McCloud observed that Western comics tend to primarily use action-to-action transitions, while Japanese manga incorporates more aspect-to-aspect transitions, which partly explains the differences in narrative rhythm between both traditions. Expand your narrative repertoire and discover how to implement these transitions in your illustrations here.

Cognitive closure: the power of what is not shown

Another fascinating concept that McCloud explores is that of “closure” or cognitive closure. It refers to our mental ability to complete incomplete information, to see the parts but perceive the whole. In comics, this constantly occurs in the space between panels (the “gutter”), where our brain constructs the actions that are not explicitly shown.

McCloud argues that this active participation of the reader is what makes comics such a powerful and unique medium. Unlike film, where the illusion of continuity is provided by technology, in comics it is the reader who must mentally create that continuity. This explains why scenes of violence or terror can be more impactful in comics than in other media: when it is our imagination that completes the action, the effect can be deeper.

This concept has been fundamental to understanding how graphic narrative works and has influenced creators of all genres, from superhero to autobiographical. The decision of what to show and what to omit is perhaps one of the most important skills that a comic creator must master.

Iconic abstraction: less is more

McCloud devotes considerable attention to analyzing how different levels of abstraction in drawing affect our perception of characters and stories. He introduces the concept of the “triangle of visual representation,” whose vertices are reality, language, and the pictorial plane (pure abstraction).

According to McCloud, the more simplified or cartoonish a face is, the more we identify with it, as our mind completes it with our own experiences. Conversely, a face drawn with great realism is perceived more as “the other,” as something external to us. This observation explains why iconic characters like Mickey Mouse or Charlie Brown have such simplified designs: they are “masks” into which any reader can project themselves.

This principle has been applied with great success in countless creations, from Japanese manga (which often combine simplified characters with detailed backgrounds) to contemporary graphic novels. Explore the different levels of abstraction and find your own visual style here.

The dance between words and images: seven types of combinations

McCloud analyzes how words and images can interact in comics, identifying seven main types of combinations:

1. Word specific: Images simply illustrate what the words say.
2. Picture specific: Words function as a soundtrack for a visually dominant sequence.
3. Duo-specific: Words and images convey essentially the same message.
4. Additive: Words amplify or elaborate on the image, or vice versa.
5. Parallel: Words and images follow seemingly different courses.
6. Montage: Words are treated as integral elements of the image.
7. Interdependent: Words and images communicate an idea that neither could convey alone.

This classification offers creators a framework for thinking about how to optimize the interaction between text and image. McCloud considers that the interdependent combination represents the highest potential of the medium, where text and image function as inseparable parts of a cohesive whole.

It is fascinating to observe how different authors and traditions have favored different types of combinations. For example, classic American superheroes tended to use duo-specific or word-specific combinations, while more experimental authors have explored parallel or interdependent combinations with surprising effects.

Time in comics: dilation and compression

One of the most intriguing aspects that McCloud explores is how comics represent time. Unlike film, where time is determined by the speed of projection, in comics time is fluid and elastic, controlled by both the creator and the reader.

McCloud points out various mechanisms that affect our perception of time on a page: the size and number of panels, the presence or absence of dialogue, the use of borderless panels or full-page bleeds, and even the shape of the panels (an elongated panel tends to be perceived as representing more time).

This control over time allows comic creators effects impossible in other media: they can compress hours into a single panel or expand a second over several pages. They can make different timelines coexist on the same page or even in the same panel.

This temporal flexibility is perhaps one of the most distinctive features of comics as a medium, and creators who master it can achieve extraordinary narrative effects. Master the techniques to manipulate time in your visual narratives and take your creations to the next level.

Color as a narrative and emotional element

McCloud dedicates an entire chapter to exploring how color affects our reading experience. Beyond its decorative function, color can communicate moods, establish atmospheres, define spaces, and enhance the emotional impact of a story.

In his historical tour, McCloud observes how technical and economic limitations have influenced the color palettes used in different eras, from the first Sunday supplements to current sophistication. These restrictions often led to creative solutions that became stylistic conventions.

Particularly interesting is his analysis of how different traditions have developed color systems with different purposes: the system of saturated flat colors in American comics, aimed at capturing attention; the expressionist use of color in the European tradition; and the sophisticated color economy of Japanese manga, where a touch of color can have a dramatic impact in a mostly monochromatic environment.

McCloud invites us to think of color not as a superficial addition, but as an integral component of the visual language of comics, capable of transmitting subtle information that complements and enriches the narrative.

The digital revolution: anticipating the future of the medium

Although Understanding Comics was published in 1993, when the internet was just beginning to become popular, McCloud already envisioned how digital technology would transform the medium. In his next book, Reinventing Comics, he would develop these ideas in greater depth, but already in this first volume we can see his interest in the possibilities that would open up on the horizon.

McCloud anticipated many of the changes we have witnessed: the democratization of creation and distribution thanks to digital tools, new forms of storytelling that take advantage of the possibilities of the digital medium (such as the “infinite canvas” that transcends the limitations of the physical page), and the opening to new audiences and genres.

What’s surprising is how many of his predictions have come true. Webcomics have become an art form in their own right, platforms like Webtoon have popularized formats specifically adapted for reading on mobile devices, and the barriers to entry for new creators have been dramatically reduced.

At the same time, McCloud never fell into technological determinism: he understood that technology alone does not guarantee better stories or more meaningful art. His vision was always that new tools should be at the service of human expression and effective communication.

The impact on new generations of creators

It’s difficult to overestimate the influence that Understanding Comics has had on creators who emerged after its publication. For many artists who were starting their careers in the 90s and 2000s, McCloud’s book was a revelation, a manual that allowed them to understand the tools at their disposal.

Authors as diverse as Craig Thompson (Blankets), Alison Bechdel (Fun Home), Brian K. Vaughan (Saga), or Tillie Walden (On a Sunbeam) have acknowledged McCloud’s influence on their work. It’s not a stylistic influence—their styles are notably different—but conceptual: a deeper understanding of the possibilities of the medium.

Additionally, the book has transcended the realm of comics to influence graphic designers, filmmakers, educators, and visual communication professionals in general. His ideas about iconic abstraction, for example, have informed the design of user interfaces and characters in video games.

Perhaps most significantly, Understanding Comics has helped legitimize the academic study of comics. Today there are university programs dedicated to comics, and McCloud’s book remains required reading in many of them. Ready to apply this knowledge? Find practical resources to develop your own stories here.

A meta-artistic manifesto: the book that explains itself

In his first pages, Scott dedicates these two panels to us:

With the typical work desk and a categorical statement, he warns us that he is about to break many of the preconceptions that existed at the time to mark a turn with respect to the way of understanding comics.

This direct and challenging introduction establishes the tone of the book: McCloud does not simply intend to educate, but to transform our vision of the medium. The revolutionary aspect of Understanding Comics is not only its content but its form: a book that uses the language of comics to analyze that same language.

This meta-referential quality gives the book a special coherence. McCloud doesn’t just talk about the power of juxtaposing images or transitions between panels; he demonstrates it in the very structure of his work. He doesn’t just describe how cognitive closure works; he makes us experience it on every page.

By becoming a character in his own book, McCloud establishes a direct relationship with the reader. He is not a distant voice pontificating from academic heights, but an accessible guide who walks alongside us, sharing his enthusiasm and discoveries. It’s like having a conversation with a passionate friend who happens to be extraordinarily insightful.

The enduring legacy: almost three decades later

Almost 30 years after its publication, Understanding Comics remains relevant, and this is no coincidence. What McCloud offered were not simply techniques or tricks, but a deep understanding of how visual communication works, of how our minds process sequential images to construct coherent narratives.

These fundamental principles have not changed, although styles, technologies, and markets have evolved. In fact, in the era of information overload and omnipresent visual communication, McCloud’s ideas about the effectiveness of iconic language are more pertinent than ever.

However, the greatest merit of Understanding Comics may be having demonstrated that rigorous analysis is not at odds with accessibility and enjoyment. McCloud showed us that we can be analytical and passionate at the same time, that theory can be at the service of practice, and that understanding an art better only increases our ability to appreciate and enjoy it.

In a world where more and more people are interested in creating comics, whether professionally or as a form of personal expression, the conceptual tools that McCloud offered us remain as valuable as on day one. And for those who simply enjoy reading comics, the book provides a behind-the-scenes look that greatly enriches the experience.

The invitation remains open

At the end of his book, McCloud invites us to see comics not as a genre or a style, but as a medium with unlimited possibilities. He encourages us to explore uncharted territories, to experiment with new ways of telling stories, to break conventions when necessary.

Almost three decades later, that invitation remains open. Comics have evolved in directions that perhaps not even McCloud could foresee, finding new audiences, exploring new themes, adapting to new platforms and technologies.

But what remains constant is the essential nature of the medium: that intimate dialogue between creator and reader, that dance between the visible and the invisible, that magic that happens when static images come to life in our minds. Take the first step in your creative journey and turn your ideas into impactful visual stories.

Understanding Comics showed us that this magic is neither accidental nor mysterious: we can understand it, analyze it, and, most importantly, we can master it to create works that move, entertain, and inspire. That knowledge is perhaps the most valuable gift that Scott McCloud has left us, and that’s why his book remains, almost thirty years later, essential reading for anyone interested in the ninth art.