A Detailed Analysis of McCloud and Sousanis's Stances on Imagery & Imagination

Scott McCloud’s Understanding Comics and Nick Sousanis’ Unflattening both make strong claims regarding the incorporation of visual elements in writing. Despite their stylistic differences and modes of presenting their claims, both pieces make extensive arguments in favor of comic books as a legitimate medium of writing.

In Understanding Comics, McCloud presents his argument in the form of a literal comic book. Despite the informality often associated with comic books, McCloud challenges this pre-conceived notion by making detailed, reputable claims whilst incorporating the stereotypical cartoon illustrations of a comic book. The purpose of the book, as a whole, is to explain comics by giving it form, structure, a shared vocabulary, and generally informing readers on the medium itself. McCloud details how the abstract art of cartoons can often allow for a better expression of ideals due to their simplistic form and focus on only important details. This simplistic form also allows a broader classification of their imagery. Furthermore, this also allows more people to readily accept them and to see themselves in the artwork (hence why young children are drawn to cartoons).

In Clip 1 entitled “Animation Depicting The Hiroshima Bombing”, the bombing of Hiroshima, Japan is condensed to a three minute clip that is entirely animated. Although the characters are portrayed as cartoons, the clip’s simplistic animation allows viewers to understand and acknowledge the gravity of the event without seeing real-life death and decay. Despite the typical light-hearted nature of cartoons, this clip challenges those pre-conceived notions by incorporating detailed, gruesome imagery so that the animation doesn’t denote how catastrophic this event was (see below).

Similar to McCloud, Nick Sousanis argues that an image is not merely an illustration nor is it subordinate to words. Sousanis elaborates on the complicated relationship between words and illustrations as equal partners and components in thinking. He explores stereoscopic vision and the principles of observation as metaphors in order to define ‘unflattening’ as what he describes “a simultaneous engagement of multiple vantage points from which to engender new ways of seeing.” Although his philosophy shares many parallels with McCloud, Sousanis articulates his argument in words rather than in the form of a comic book.

In Clip 2 entitled “Hiroshima A bomb attack animated”, the imagery in the beginning of the clip is used to create a relax, subdued setting. Both McCloud and Sousanis’ arguments align in this clip because the plot is built entirely upon imagery. Without any real dialogue, ethos is created solely through animation. The clip begins with what appears to be a typical day in Hiroshima, Japan. Although the characters are depicted as cartoons, the imagery displayed in the first two minutes of the clip showcase women, children, families, etc. alluding to the fact that these individuals are entirely unaware and helpless of the catastrophic event about to transpire (see below). Since there is no dialogue being used, McCloud and Sousanis’ theories reign true as viewers watch the imagery shift before their eyes as darkness and death ensue.