A Comic Book About Comic Books

When I first understood the concept behind Scott McCloud's Understanding Comics I immediately thought of an episode of "Seinfeld" where the character of Kramer publishes a coffee table book about coffee tables. Kramer's book did exactly what it set out to do, inform the likes of you and me about the coffee tables of the rich and famous while providing a centerpiece to the dull and lifeless table which inhabit most living rooms. Scott McCloud's book is extremely unique by not only following the same formula as Kramer's masterpiece, but also succeeding along the way.

Understanding Comics allows the reader to grasp the concepts laid out by McCloud by reading, but more importantly being a student of design, by visually displaying tremendous amounts of examples utilizing the very techniques which he is teaching. This book is fun to read which I rarely say but am proud to mention every time I cross paths with a piece of literature, in this case a comic book, whereas I enjoy the reading process.

The abundance of humor ties in with the concepts he successfully attempts to portray. The simplicity of the book allows for even the most stubborn of readers to sit down and actually enjoy. Only a few moments come to mind where rereading was necessary, but excluding those instances, the entire book was a breeze.

Even though this book primarily dives into the world of comics, the ideas can be employed in numerous facets of design. The idea regarding a simple line or technicality of a shape having the power to induce the reader or target audience to feel a certain emotion is rather remarkable. It's compelling how something so small and minute as a single line can have such a profound impact.