[Comics] Reinventing Comics II

The next chapter's a history of the various ways comics have produced art and literature. It's a chapter subtly dominated by Maus, written by Art Spiegelman. It also attempts to resolve "Who is an artist?" and in the process creates the first of several profound moments in the book.

McCloud identifies a perceived split between literature and art in comics - that literature focuses on words and the text while art concentrates on pictures. In other words, a split between content and form. In McCloud's opinion, this split is "a bit hard edged for something so ethereal ". Art and literature both contribute to our understanding of ourselves, our world and our potential. Comics are a healthy way of providing that knowledge, given they can be created by individuals rather than by the "committee led, bottom-line driven feedback loop of a single popular form (TV and cinema)".

Literature possesses qualities like depth (subtext), density of ideas, scope and realism, social and political impact and it has emotional resonance. Art has a more problematic definition. Rather than ascribing it to objects, McCloud believes art is defined through motivation. If a person is creating something solely for the joy of realising "the work" (not for profit or appreciation), then they are an "Artist". However, McCloud thinks such devotion is rare.

Finally, his description of who is an artist. McCloud sees humanity as walking in a grand parade, millions of generations long and travelling a path set by basic evolutionary needs. An artist break steps with the parade, walks away from it and simultaneously looks at the world, inside themselves and at the parade. An artist, therefore, is someone who truly sees different possibilities. The imagery that goes with this (Reinventing Comics is itself a comic) is fantastically simple.