Stories beyond words

By James Tong Feb. 12, 2025

A superhero plummets through a towering skyscraper, swiftly escaping the robotic villain that trails just behind him through the skies. The panels erupt—livid explosions and laser beams streak up above. Suddenly, the action pauses when Mom's voice cuts through, calling that lunch is ready, bringing the reader back to reality as the comic book closes and lunch awaits. With their stylistic elements, comic books serve as powerful storytelling tools by blending both visuals and narratives on each page to create immersive experiences for readers.

From newspaper strips to novels, comics have a long diverse history. One of the earliest recorded comics, “The Yellow Kid in McFadden’s Flats” comic strip published in 1895, introduced speech bubbles and sequential art. Eventually, comics expanded their selections with genres that ranged from comedy to horror, as well as the introduction of iconic superheroes, like Superman and Batman, each with unique storytelling methods and artistic styles. Superhero comics especially peaked in popularity between 1938 and 1956, as per the Norman Rockwell Museum—but their legacy lives on.

Today, superhero comics remain popular among new generations of fans, continuing their traditional epic battle features and flashy action. Originally, most superheroes were men, which attracted male audiences, but recent efforts highlighted heroic narratives for both genders, engaging a diverse audience.

Meanwhile, graphic novels and personal memoirs touch on deeper topics, such as Art Spiegelman’s piece "Maus," a biography based on his father’s experience in the Holocaust, raising awareness and connecting devastating realities into comics. Notably, manga, a Japanese comic style, has also gained popularity and is often adapted into animations known as anime. To achieve their immersive storytelling experience, comic creators integrate both text and visuals in their work: the artwork helps readers visualize settings, from sci-fi cities to fantasy kingdoms. At the same time, facial expressions and body language convey emotions. According to the Nieman Foundation at Harvard, a single panel can evoke strong emotions without words, setting a mix of art and narrative to engage readers.

"I enjoy how visuals bring the world inside comics to life, and display unique styles and atmospheres. Art makes stories immersive, and creates a tangible bridge between the panels in the story and the imagination of the reader," Junior Abhay Shukla said.

Additionally, comics were found beneficial for children’s education and cognitive development. Based on observations conducted by Outschool, an online learning platform, following sequential panels and interpreting visuals in comics can improve young pupils’ focus, literacy and attention to detail. Thus, engaging art and stories can encourage young readers to continue reading and simultaneously boost creativity. Jabari Sellars, a Harvard graduate and Intellectual Contribution Award winner for his comics and graphic novels, explained that comics correlating with

children’s interests motivate them to read, entailing greater exposure to a wider range of vocabulary and the use of literary strategies.

Additionally, layouts guide readers through the story with dynamic arrangements. Colors set the tone and emotion, such as how darker palettes are utilized to entail seriousness. Character designs are also crucial for communicating personality, themes and overall styles that add to the depth of the narrative. Among other famous characters, Tintin in "The Adventures of Tintin" wears unique cultural outfits to match the places he explores in the stories.

"The visuals in comics make them more exciting to read than a page of text. The art styles help show the story's moods, as humorous cartoons are drawn in a fun lighthearted manner, while serious novels are often depicted in black and white. For example, the panels in "Calvin and Hobbes" comics make them funnier," Sophomore Isaac Jin said.

From their early development to their diverse and widespread genres today, comics can captivate readers of all ages and backgrounds. Although many forms of reading have rapidly become digitized, traditional comics have withstood the test of time and continue to be a tool for both learning and entertainment.

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About the Contributors

James Tong

Writer

James Tong is a writer for the school journalism. He enjoys collaborating with others and this is his first year in journalism. His hobbies include swimming, biking, hanging out with friends and listening to music.