Review of "Comics & Sequential Art," by Will Eisner

Review of

Comics & Sequential Art, by Will Eisner 0961472802

Five out of five stars

 This is a book where a master of the comic artform explains how to tell a story in images and a few words. Several different expressions of a specific scene, such as a backshooting in an alley are given and the differences explained. No artistic ability is needed to understand why if the figure getting shot in the back is depicted the proper way, there needs to be no text telling the reader that he was shot in the back.

 Emotional expressions are also compared and contrasted, several different facial expressions are demonstrated and how different they are in depicting the same emotion. My favorite section of the book is another expression of the Shakespearean story of Hamlet. The main character is a male in a hippie attire on the rooftop of an urban building. It opens with the classic lines, “To be, or not to be. That is the question.” He goes through the lines, expressing alternate forms of melancholy and anger, finally going down the stairs carrying a knife and a lot of anger. This is Shakespeare that the modern teen can relate to.

 Whether you are an aspiring comic artist or are just interested in how they are created, this book will pique your interest.