The Invisible Art (Turtleback School & Library Binding Edition)

My brother was interested in comics. My brother loves to draw comics. My brother made me promise to read this book. I am now interested in comics. I now love to write comics. This book changed my life and gave me a new hobby. Too bad every subject in life couldn't be put in Scott McCloud's perspective. WOW!!!

This book is an excellent, entertaining, and easy read for anyone interested in art, not just comics. It analyzes the visual society of comics and other art in nearly every aspect imaginable in a splendidly playful fashion, that will surprise even the skeptics. No wonder it features in French comic recommendation lists and catalogues.

If you browsed to this page and you don't have this book, you should probably buy it. In my (and others') experience, the book will subsequently travel through your circle of friends because its appeal is universal, making it hard to put down.

Easy and enjoyable read. I love that it went beyond simple understanding of comics, into overall symbology and communication. I feel like this should be amongst the list of books people should to read to graduate college. It's this interesting and I realize I sound a bit crazy for the college statement.

McCloud knows his stuff, and his stuff is comics. Never have I read the words of a man who loves comics as much as I do (if not more!). He has a very objective approach though, and treats comics as it should be treated: its own medium. And by using a comic format for the entire book, he further legitimizes the art form. And despite his high-minded approach, he also does not fall into the pitfalls of insulting the genres that have dominated the comic scene. He is not just a grumpy old man with a narrow view on what can make comics great. He pushes for improvement and evolution in the art form, but not by smashing the stepping stones to get there.

Overall, a great and informative read. It was hard to put down. Thank you very much, Mr. McCloud.

McCloud has written other books, but this is the best. It distills his ideas into one simple codex. It is a textbook for work in the graphic arts. As an architect, I found his discussion of "closure" fascinating, as we also deal in this same issue and may mean different things, but the concept is the same. The parallel with children's books is also fascinating; they have a lot in common.

This book has really helped me to understand coomics like never before. I am an artist and I am considering creating and publishing my own comic book, with the help of this book, it will be a whole lot easier to do so. Because, I now understand not just the mechanics of creating a comic book, but I understand the art of comics as well.

Thank you.

This book is wonderful, the dynamics of comics is much clearer, completely interesting and uniquely complex. As an artist I can certainly apply the knowledge I've gained by reading this.. Comic! Also I got this book in an incredibly reasonable time and it was in perfect condition. Thank you the store and 'book seller', you've been wonderful.

I have just finished reading this graphic novel for my class. Scott McCloud breaks down and helps new and old comic readers analyze and appreciate the craft. He brings in new concepts to thing about to better appreciate what makes comics amazing.

I bought this book for a college class, and after years of illustrating, watching cartoons, and reading manga (and essentially studying them as I watched & read), I can honestly say that I already knew most of the information in this book. I may not have known exact vocabulary terms, but I was aware of the ideas behind them. Some of the historical aspects were new to me though.

I didn't plan on buying this, because I try as much as possible to avoid getting books for classes, however, I plan on creating my own graphic novels in the future so I figured it would be helpful. And it is. It's a good resource to have for anyone, illustrator or writer, who has desires to make comics.

From front to back, this book is informative and helpful. Anyone interested in visual literacy should read this.

Keep an eye out for what McCloud shows you about "the invisible art." That's what happens in the empty space between comics frames.

McCloud offers a straightforward explanation of graphic representation (more helpful than - or in tandem with - Plato's Cave Allegory), as well as a logical case for the inclusion of comics (along with other non-canonical works) within the larger realm of literature.

i bought this book for my boyfriend who writes and illustrates graphic novels. he LOVES this book! apparently i am the "best girlfriend ever" for getting this book for him. he said McCloud explains so many interesting ways of writing/interpreting comics that it has inspired him to write a new comic.

so, yes! it's as good as everyone says it is!

I know little to nothing about comic books or graphic novels. However, I chose to use comics and graphic novels to teach Romeo & Juliet. Thus, I had to take a crash course. This book was AWESOME! It was a quick, easy read that was packed with information. I learned more than I needed too, but enough to feel comfortable with teaching the basics. This book is a must for any teacher or even anyone interested in the art of Comics.

Absolutely great and a must have for anyone wanting to get into comic books. McCloud opened my eyes on why a lot of comics are the way they are. This will definitely help you if you're looking to create your own comics.

If you want to really understand comics, there are three books you simply must own. 'Understanding Comics' by Scott McCloud, 'Comics and Sequential Art' by Will Eisner, and 'How to Draw Comics the Marvel Way' by Stan Lee. In that order.