Reinventing Comics: The Evolution Of An Art Form.pdf !!BETTER!!

How Scott McCloud Reinvented Comics in the Digital Age

Scott McCloud is a comic artist, writer, and theorist who has been exploring the medium of comics for over three decades. His groundbreaking book Understanding Comics (1993) was a comprehensive analysis of the visual language and history of comics, as well as a manifesto for their artistic potential. In his follow-up book Reinventing Comics (2000), McCloud took a visionary look at how comics could evolve in the new millennium, thanks to the power of imagination and technology.

Reinventing Comics is divided into two parts: the first part examines the current state and challenges of comics as an art form and as a business, while the second part explores the possibilities and implications of comics in the digital realm. McCloud covers topics such as creators' rights, diversity, public perception, online distribution, interactivity, and infinite canvas. He also provides examples of innovative and experimental comics that push the boundaries of the medium in terms of form and content.

McCloud's book is not only a visionary guide for comic creators and readers, but also a reflection on the nature and future of storytelling in general. He argues that comics are a unique and powerful medium that can express any idea, emotion, or experience, and that they can adapt and thrive in any environment. He also challenges comic artists and fans to reinvent comics according to their own vision and passion, and to embrace the opportunities and challenges of the digital age.

Reinventing Comics is a must-read for anyone interested in comics, art, or storytelling. It is a book that celebrates the diversity, creativity, and potential of comics as an evolving art form.

One of the most influential and controversial ideas that McCloud introduces in Reinventing Comics is the concept of the infinite canvas. He argues that the traditional format of comics, constrained by the physical dimensions of paper and printing, limits the expressive potential of the medium. He proposes that digital comics can break free from these limitations and create comics that can expand in any direction and dimension, creating new possibilities for visual storytelling and reader interaction.

McCloud illustrates this idea with his own webcomic Zot! Online, which he created as a companion to Reinventing Comics. The webcomic consists of 16 chapters that explore different aspects of the infinite canvas, such as spatial, temporal, branching, and fractal comics. McCloud also showcases other examples of infinite canvas comics by other artists, such as Daniel Merlin Goodbrey, Jason Shiga, and Demian 5.

McCloud's concept of the infinite canvas has inspired many comic artists and theorists to experiment with digital comics and to rethink the possibilities and limitations of the medium. However, it has also been criticized by some as being impractical, gimmicky, or elitist. Some argue that the infinite canvas sacrifices readability, accessibility, and coherence for novelty and spectacle. Others claim that the infinite canvas ignores the historical and cultural significance of the traditional comic format and its conventions.

Despite these criticisms, McCloud's vision of the infinite canvas remains a provocative and influential idea that challenges comic artists and readers to imagine new ways of creating and experiencing comics in the digital age. a474f39169