Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art

Throughout Understanding Comics, McCloud compares comic art to fine art in order to show that it is wrong not to consider comic art as “real” art. What are the main points of comparison that he makes? Is his argument persuasive? Has he left out any important elements of a solid argument, or made errors in logic? Has he provided sufficient evidence? Now that you have finished his book, do you agree that comics are a “real” art form?

Teaching Suggestion: This prompt can be answered in writing or through discussion and can be tailored to your individual teaching situation by requiring a more or less thorough analysis of McCloud’s argument. You might allow students to decide for themselves what the “important elements” of an argument are, for instance, or conversely, you might ask them to use the criteria at sites like this one from Purdue.

Differentiation Suggestion: Students with attentional and executive function issues may benefit from using a graphic organizer that identifies exactly what they need to search the text for: premises that support McCloud’s argument and evidence that supports these premises. Once they have filled out such an organizer, they can use this to consider whether there are holes in McCloud’s argument.