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• 1 2018-04-25T01:05:08-07:00 What makes reading a graphic novel different than reading a novel? 4 plain 2018-04-25T02:05:01-07:00 Similar to the way we explore features of literature such as metaphor, imagery, tone, and rhythm, graphic novels are no different. In fact, graphic novels require us to close read in an entirely new way. Below are features of a graphic novel to look for while you are reading:
  
  Layout
  Panel: A distinct segment of the comic, containing a combination of image and text in endless variety. Panels offer a different experience than simply 
  Frame: The lines and borders that contain the panels.
  Gutter: The space between framed panels.
  Bleed: An image that extends to and/or beyond the edge of the page.
  Foreground: The panel closest to the viewer.
  Background: Provides additional, subtextual information for the reader.
  
  Graphic weight
  A term that describes the way some images draw the eye more than others, creating a definite focus using color and shading in various ways
  including:
   The use of light and dark shades; dark-toned images or high-contrast images
  draw the eye more than light or low-contrast images do
   A pattern or repeated series of marks
   Colors that are more brilliant or deeper than others on the page
  
  Text
  Captions: These are boxes containing a variety of text elements, including scene setting, description, etc.
  Speech balloons: These enclose dialogue and come from a specific speaker’s mouth; they vary in size, shape, and layout and can alternate to depict a conversation. Types of speech balloons include those holding:
   External dialogue, which is speech between characters
   Internal dialogue, which is a thought enclosed by a balloon that has a series of dots or bubbles going up to it
  Special-effects lettering: This is a method of drawing attention to text; it often highlights onomatopoeia and reinforces the impact of words such as bang or wow.