Over the course of this last semester, we’ve learned not only how to construct and draw a comic, but also how to analyze their components. Broad themes address ‘is it a comic?’ and ‘what does it communicate?’ I thought I’d apply this to a random webcomic to see the results of my learning in action. I selected an XKCD comic from a few days ago.

Desert Island

Firstly, I wanted to make sure this fit Scott McCloud’s definition of a comic, which is that they are “juxtaposed pictorial and other images in deliberate sequence, intended to convey information and/or to produce an aesthetic response in the viewer."[1] This particular comic is a single panel picture that has been overlaid with text in the form of dialogue. The text is intended to convey information on the character’s thoughts while the picture conveys an alternate truth to the words. This is designed to produce a humorous response in the viewer based on the ironic juxtaposition of information.

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References

  1. McCloud, Scott. "Setting the Record Straight." Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art. New York: Kitchen Sink Press, Inc., 1993.