WEEK 4: The Graphic Code of Comics

Comics are essentially a set of graphic signs used to tell an artist's story. These signs are unique to comics - they've evolved over time, and are easily understood by most readers on a broad spectrum of literacy. Surface efficiency is more important than underlying complexity - sometimes less is more in the world of comics.

To create a comic page, an artist selects, renders and arranges codified elements (visual and lingual content, sound effects, symbolic icons, etc) to make a narrative for the reader.

To read that narrative, the viewer must make connections to decode both visual and lingual signs. They must also understand how to navigate the page. There are three levels on which a reader can approach the page:
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• Level of Page: to appreciate the composition.
• Level of Strip: to appreciate the style, and the use of the strip as an intermediate ellipse in the narrative.
• Level of Panel: to engage in visual and textual content, present anchorage, and the transition between panels.

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COMPONENTS OF A COMIC PAGE

​THE MULTIFRAME

The multiframe is essentially the spacio-topical system of the page; the interrelation between all the frames involved. This definition was suggested by Thierry Groensteen, along with the idea of the hyperframe (the delineated space of the page).
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PANELS

Panels are sequential frames for visual content; they keep the rhythm of the comic, giving it its vital heartbeat.

​The relationship between panels is fundamental - not only for abutting panels, but to others in the multiframe. Panel coordinates provide narrative punctuation and formulaic order for the reader.

GUTTERS & NEGATIVE SPACE

Gutters are the spaces between panels; together with the page margins, they make up the comic's negative space.

Despite its title, negative space is still 'active'. The positive (drawn) space only partially tells the story - the negative space represents an opportunity to invoke the reader's imagination, give closure, and essentially make the narrative whole.
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SPEECH/THOUGHT BUBBLES

​The appearance of speech and thought bubbles is an evolved code. For example, pointed bubbles indicate the text is 'spoken by', and dotted bubbles indicate it is 'thought by' - the contouring of both the bubble and its text can effectively convey emotion and volume.

It is important to note that text bubbles should not be seen as an object or hole within the picture.
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FLOW & TRANSITION

Comics, unlike other narrative forms, often feature the past, present and future occupying the same space. Groensteen describes this in his writing about plurivectorial flow. The reader's eye traverses and rewinds across panels and pages - unwanted deviation can be countered using control strategies.

To control narrative flow and reader direction, you can utilise:
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- key panel coordinates.
- page breaks and cliffhangers.
- the use of negative space.
- different transition types to show passage of time.
​- etc.

The transition types themselves are as follows:
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• Moment-to-Moment: small lapses in time - little closure needed.
• Action-to-Action: different actions / same scene - some closure needed.
• Subject-to-Subject: different subjects / same scene or idea - requires reader involvement.
• Scene-to-Scene: geographic location, significant movement of time and/or space - requires deductive reasoning.
• Aspect-to-Aspect: scene-setting, no apparent shift in time, showing different aspects of the same scene.
• Non-Sequitur: no logical relationship between panels.

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 CASE STUDY: 'SWEET TOOTH' by Jeff Lemire
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Jeff Lemire, in studio

​Jeff Lemire is a Canadian comic book author and artist. After originally studying at film school, deciding it didn't suit his solitary nature, Lemire switched tracks to forge a career in comics. He has a very particular style; with a dark approach to storytelling visualised in bold ink linework, he excels at incorporating a psychological horror element into much of his work.

Lemire has worked for numerous well-known publishers (including DC, Marvel and Dark Horse) and has produced a wide range of comics. However, 'Sweet Tooth' arguably remains his best-known work.
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inkwork by Lemire

right to left: screenshot from the 'Sweet Tooth' Netflix adaptation, Jeff Lemire, artwork from the 'Sweet Tooth' comic series

'SWEET TOOTH'

cover art of Lemire's 'Sweet Tooth', Book One

​'Sweet Tooth' is a post-apocalyptic work of fiction that fluently merges fantasy with horror. Set in a world ravaged by a deadly virus, the remaining human population struggles to survive; blamed for the onset of the virus, the mysterious hybrid generation are persecuted. Gus, a young deer-boy hybrid, is the key to the past and future.

A lot of Sweet Tooth fans have been introduced to the series via the recent Netflix adaptation, which garnered a huge number of viewers during the Covid-19 pandemic (ironically apt timing which probably boosted interest in the concept). Lemire's comics have sat on my bookshelf since long before the TV adaptation. Although I'm a huge fan of how Netflix has tackled the series so far, there's just a beautiful, macabre something to the comics that can't be recreated.
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PAGE ANALYSIS
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I have always been fascinated by the masterful art of graphic novelling; even at a mere glance, a comic can convey such complexity and make it feel effortless. The underlying graphic code is what allows this. Saying that, it felt odd to pick apart the whats and hows of something so subconscious; as if writing instructions for how to walk. You can find my rough scribblings for this task in the notes section.

Below, I will be focusing on these two pages in Book One of the Sweet Tooth series. This scene takes place very early in the comic, towards the beginning of the issue, with a page turn separating it.

At first glance, the reader can appreciate the scene on three different levels. At page level, we get instant effect from the composition; at strip level, we gain a greater understanding of how the scene transitions; at panel level, we can appreciate the use of style and content to emphasise storytelling and tone.

​Like any other semiotics analysis, we can observe each page in terms of denotation and connotation, for both visual and linguistic content. 
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VISUAL CONTENT
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Let's take it literally first.

​The first page sports a full bleed panel, almost like a background - it takes up the entire page, and is overlaid towards the bottom by two long, smaller panels. In the larger panel, we see Gus being approached by a stag in the forest. In the smaller panels, we are shown the eyes of both subjects respectively.

The second page is comprised of two panels; one showing the stag being shot in the head (from Gus's perspective), the other showing Gus looking down at the now-dead stag (from ground perspective).
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Now let's read into the connotations. 
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There are only two subjects here; Gus and the stag. They are relatively small compared to their surroundings on the first page. The size and sparsity of the full-bleed panel infer a sense of privacy, telling us the interaction is slow and suspenseful - right away, we know this scene is an important moment.

The genetic similarities between Gus and the stag are obvious, but this goes beyond simple denotation. More than "they both have antlers". This is a symbolic moment in which Gus effectively stares down his own reflection, as inferred by the eye closeups - he and the stag are two sides of one coin, both the same and different simultaneously. Gus' hybrid features emphasise that he is the link between the animal and human worlds, reinforced by their literal 'meeting' in this scene. Considering Sweet Tooth's concept of human extinction and hybrid succession, he may also represent the link between the Earth's past and future (and the key to its survival).

Another striking element of that first page is its lighting; it is stark and dramatic, creating an intense atmosphere. The light's golden hue suggests a certain holiness that, when paired with the woodland setting, may prompt us to consider the Garden of Eden. The light's source being placed behind the stag also supports a sacred theme, bearing similarity to religious imagery in which the subject is approached by a god or holy messenger. 

It is important to note the interaction too. If we look at Gus, we can see his hand is raised tentatively; his body language signals that he is wary, unsure, perhaps a little afraid. In contrast, the approaching stag's gait leads heavily with his head; he is calm, confident and purposeful. Running with the idea of a celestial encounter, the stag may be a symbol of higher power - a messenger silently giving Gus his task. Gus is also situated in the shadow cast by the stag, which could reinforce religious hierarchy and the idea that animal preceded both human and hybrid in evolution.*
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* these points actually foreshadow a plot development later in the series, detailing Gus' link to the Inuit deer god of hunting Tekkeitsertok 

The main effect of the second page is its contrast to the first, particularly regarding colour palette, speed and volume (yes, volume). Previously, as mentioned, the colours were very natural - dark, muted greens and browns that created a sense of nature's peace, devoid of man and weapon. The sudden introduction of vibrant blues and reds feels like being forced into blinding light, into a dangerous reality - like a deer in the headlights. You can almost feel the gravity of Gus' realisation as he is exposed to man's violence; you can almost hear the ringing in your ears from that sudden gunshot. The stark change in angle is effective in conveying the sudden drama of this moment.

Note also that the deer's expression doesn't change; it remains calm, both before and after its death. Revisiting the concept of hybrid succession, this could reinforce the idea that nature is about to give way to a new era - judging by Gus' innocent expression of shock, we can assume this new era is the right path to a peaceful Earth. The background detail of the shovel and graves here adds to the idea of 'burying the past'. 
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LINGUISTIC CONTENT
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There are no linguistics whatsoever on the first page. As much as words are often a key element in comics, sometimes less is more. We have already noted the sense of private, slow-moving sanctity in the first page - the lack of wording further emphasises the silence of this sacred interaction, almost imitating a churchlike atmosphere.

In addition, the lack of words on the first page greatly increases the effect of the sudden onomatopoeia on the second. 'BLAM' - the sound of the bullet piercing the skull of the stag in the silent forest, loud and sudden and startling. The placement of the text behind the head in a red, spluttering typeface adds to the shock by resembling blood spatter.

TRANSITION & FLOW

​The interrelationship between the panels in these two pages is vital in maintaining the heartbeat throughout.

The white of the stag's eyes serves as a focal point in all panels - this is what guides the reader's eye effectively through the scene - with the negative space suggesting the passage of time accordingly. The lack of gutters on the first page is our first example of this; the placement of the eye panels within the full-bleed panel emphasises that all three are taking place simultaneously, and the drawn-out interaction suggests a longer time frame. On the second page, the two panels are equal in size and separated by a slanted gutter; this is a visual representation of the split moment ​in which the stag is shot, reinforcing the rapid speed of the incident.

With regards to transition, I believe you could say a few different types are used in this scene:
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• Subject-to-subject: the movement between the panels showing Gus' eyes and the stag's eyes in sequence.
•  Moment-to-moment: the panel-per-moment movement through the scene (Gus meets the stag; eye contact; stag is shot; stag falls to the ground).
• Action-to-action: the movement between the panels showing the stag being shot and falling to the ground.

CONCLUSION
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To summarise, I believe it is clear on analysis that Lemire is going for a sacred atmosphere in this scene. There are obvious connotations of a religious epiphany, and references to the failure of man as a species - we can see that Gus is the link between the Earth's disturbed past and its new, peaceful future.
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LECTURE NOTES