Sequential Art: Interdisciplinary Approaches to the Graphic Novel

This academic collection offers a rigorous examination of how graphic narratives have evolved from disposable entertainment to respected artistic medium, bringing together interdisciplinary perspectives on comics, manga, and sequential art. The essays critically engage with both the production techniques and cultural reception of visual storytelling formats, tracing their thirty-year transformation into forms as culturally significant as literature and cinema. Rather than treating graphic novels as a monolithic category, the book explores the distinct characteristics and cultural positions of various sequential art forms while acknowledging their shared narrative language.

What distinguishes this volume is its refusal to treat graphic storytelling as a singular phenomenon, instead examining the unique conventions and reception histories of manga, comics, and graphic novels as distinct yet related forms. The collection will resonate most strongly with students and scholars of visual culture, media studies, and narrative theory who seek substantive analysis beyond surface-level appreciation. These essays collectively demonstrate how sequential art has developed its own sophisticated vocabulary for addressing complex themes, ultimately making a compelling case for why these forms deserve serious academic consideration alongside traditional literary and cinematic works.