Unit One, Part 1 - Defining Sequential Art

Overview

Sequential art is a term that is often used interchangeably with comics, although as you will see soon, there is a great deal more to it than that. However, defining exactly what comics are has been a challenge to those both in and outside of the industry for many years. Will Eisner, who is one of the most renowned professionals in the field and has lent his namesake the prestigious Eisner Award, first coined the term sequential art in 1985 when attempting to define comics. In 1993, author and artist Scott McCloud built on Eisener's definition in his book Understanding Comics, referring to the medium as "Juxtaposed pictorial and other images in deliberate sequence, intended to convey information and/or to produce an aesthetic response in the viewer" (McCloud 1994). For our purposes in this course, we will be using McCloud's definition.

You may be wondering "Why does this course use the term 'sequential art' in the title instead of 'comics?'" The reason I have chosen sequential art instead of comics is because of the social stigma associated with comics. When integrating something as controversial as comics into your classroom, one must be very careful with word choice - but more on that later!

Tasks for Unit One, Part 1

To truly understand sequential art and all of its hallmarks, it is best that you view an actual page of sequential art

• Read this Comic Book Page to see an example of sequential art. When you're done, hit the back button on the browser and return to this section.

• Go to the Sequential Art Discussion Area. Create a post that explains your previous experiences (or lack there of) with comics/sequential art. Also, please answer the following questions in your post:
  • Prior to reading Scott McCloud's definition, how would you have defined comics?
  • Do you agree with McCloud's definition? Why or why not?
  • Would you make any changes to McCloud's definition?

Be sure to sign your name to your post!

Navigation

Forward to Unit One, Part 2 - A Brief History of Sequential Art and Its Relationship with Culture

Back to Unit One: What is Sequential Art?

Back to Integrating Sequential Art into an English Language Arts Curriculum

References

McCloud, Scott. Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art. Northampton: Tundra, 1993.