Animation in sequential art : effects of animated elements on comics through Will Eisner’s theory of narrative process

Abstract

The objective of this thesis is to answer the question of if and how cartoonist and comic analyst Will Eisner’s theory of narrative process changes if animated elements are added to the equation. Its purpose is to ascertain how the methodology of sequential art has already been used to provide desirable results in webcomics and to add constructive material to the academic discussion of the possibilities of digital comics.

The research method is a mix of discursive and qualitative analysis of the updated editions of Eisner’s book Comics and the Sequential Arts (1985) and eight webcomics by various artists. The primary sources are contextualized by cross referencing the material to relevant literature by Ian Hague (2014), Aaron Kashtan (2018) and Anastasia Salter (2014). Further cross references are made to prior bachelor’s and master’s theses by peers.

The major finding of this research is that while animation does not change Eisner’s rhetoric, it adds to its perspective of the interaction between the artist and the reader. Using animation in a comic is acceptable as long as the reader knows how to react to it. Further research should be done on the symbolic language that animation can offer, as well as the ways in which the commercial comics industry could develop its platforms to promote animated comics.