Synopses & Reviews
Everything that you will ever need to know about reading, making, or under- standing comics can be found in the three panels of a single comic strip published on August 8, 1959: Nancy, by Ernie Bushmiller.
Paul Karasik and Mark Newgarden expand their 1988 cult-classic essay (originally published in Brian Walker's The Best of Ernie Bushmiller's Nancy) “How To Read Nancy,” into a book-length deconstruction that gets down to the practical and nuanced concerns of comics language with a minimal amount of hyperbole and a maximum amount of entertainment. In terms of explaining comics, this book delivers the goods: to the aspiring beginner, the seasoned pro, the overburdened educator, and the perplexed librarian.
Each aspect of comics syntax (dialogue balloons, panel size, character design, etc.) is dissected to reveal the hidden armature.
There has never been a book that has taken such a direct approach to comics craftsmanship.
And there has never been a book that looks like How to Read Nancy. The design is simultaneously simple and sophisticated...and groundbreaking. After being introduced to this particular Nancy strip (as well as definitively versed in the Bushmiller gestalt) the reader is presented with a series of double-page spreads of the same strip...but bit by bit over the course of the book each element of the strip is stripped away until all of the secret truths of comics are finally unveiled for the eye to behold.
After How to Read Nancy, you’ll never read a comic strip the same way again.
Synopsis
After How To Read Nancy, you'll never read a comic strip the same way again Everything that you will ever need to know about reading, making, or understanding comics can be found in the three panels of a single comic strip published on August 8, 1959: Nancy, by Ernie Bushmiller. Paul Karasik and Mark Newgarden expand their 1988 cult-classic essay, "How To Read Nancy" into a book-length deconstruction that gets down to the practical and nuanced concerns of comics language with a minimal amount of hyperbole and a maximum amount of entertainment. Each aspect of comics syntax (dialogue balloons, panel size, character design, etc.) is dissected to reveal the hidden armature. There has never been a book that has taken such a direct approach to comics craftsmanship. And there has never been a book that looks like How To Read Nancy. The design is simultaneously simple and sophisticated - and groundbreaking. After being introduced to this particular Nancy strip (as well as definitively versed in the Bushmiller gestalt) the reader is presented with a series of double-page spreads of the same strip - but bit by bit over the course of the book each element of the strip is stripped away until all of the secret truths of comics are finally unveiled for the eye to behold.
Synopsis
The ultimate comic-strip deconstruction/tutorial.
Synopsis
Everything that you will ever need to know about reading, making, or under- standing comics can be found in the three panels of a single comic strip published on August 8, 1959: Nancy, by Ernie Bushmiller.
Paul Karasik and Mark Newgarden expand their 1988 cult-classic essay (originally published in Brian Walker's The Best of Ernie Bushmiller's Nancy) “How To Read Nancy,” into a book-length deconstruction that gets down to the practical and nuanced concerns of comics language with a minimal amount of hyperbole and a maximum amount of entertainment. In terms of explaining comics, this book delivers the goods: to the aspiring beginner, the seasoned pro, the overburdened educator, and the perplexed librarian.
Each aspect of comics syntax (dialogue balloons, panel size, character design, etc.) is dissected to reveal the hidden armature.
There has never been a book that has taken such a direct approach to comics craftsmanship.
And there has never been a book that looks like How to Read Nancy. The design is simultaneously simple and sophisticated...and groundbreaking. After being introduced to this particular Nancystrip (as well as definitively versed in the Bushmiller gestalt) the reader is presented with a series of double-page spreads of the same strip...but bit by bit over the course of the book each element of the strip is stripped away until all of the secret truths of comics are finally unveiled for the eye to behold.
After How to Read Nancy, you’ll never read a comic strip the same way again.
Synopsis
The authors use a single three-panel Nancy strip to explain how the medium of comics works.
Synopsis
Everything that you need to know about reading, making, and understanding comics can be found in a single strip by Ernie Bushmiller from August 8, 1959. Paul Karasik and Mark Newgarden's groundbreaking work ingeniously isolates the separate building blocks of the language of comics through the deconstruction of a single strip. No other book on comics has taken such a simple yet methodical approach to laying bare how the comics medium really works. No other book of any kind has taken a single work by any artist and minutely (and entertainingly) pulled it apart like this. is a completely new approach towards deep-reading art. In addition, is a thoroughly researched history of how comics are made, from their creation at the drawing board to their ultimate destination at the bookstore. Textbook, art book, monogram, dissection, is a game changer in understanding how the "simplest" drawings grab us and never leave. Perfect for students, academics, scholars, and casual fans.
About the Author
Paul Karasik is the co-author (along with David Mazzucchelli) of the perennial graphic novel classic City of Glass, adapted from Paul Auster's novel, as well as How to Read Nancy (with Mark Newgarden). He is also the editor of You Shall Die By Your Own Evil Creation! and I Shall Destroy All the Civilized Planets!, two acclaimed books about the Golden Age comic book artist Fletcher Hanks. He lives in Martha's Vineyard.Mark Newgarden is an acclaimed cartoonist and creator of the book We All Die Alone, the co-author (with Paul Karasik) of How to Read Nancy, and the co-author (along with his partner, Megan Montague Cash) of Houghton Mifflin's bestselling Bow Wow series of children's books. He lives in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.