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  • Book
  • © 2019

Comics as Communication

A Functional Approach

Palgrave Macmillan
  • Offers a substantial, comprehensive and theoretically-based framework for writing and thinking about comics
  • Serves as the first text to present a theory of comics based upon multimodal systemic-functional linguistics
  • Includes extensive use of illustrative materials ranging from comics materials to graphs and charts

Part of the book series: Palgrave Studies in Comics and Graphic Novels (PSCGN)

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Softcover Book USD 119.99
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Hardcover Book USD 119.99
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Table of contents (9 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xix
  2. Introduction

    • Paul Fisher Davies
    Pages 1-32
  3. Representing Processes in Graphic Narrative

    • Paul Fisher Davies
    Pages 63-95
  4. Cohesion and the Textuality of Comics

    • Paul Fisher Davies
    Pages 169-202
  5. Coda: Metaphor, Magic and Making Meanings

    • Paul Fisher Davies
    Pages 243-276
  6. Conclusion

    • Paul Fisher Davies
    Pages 277-283
  7. Back Matter

    Pages 285-338

About this book

This book explores how comics function to make meanings in the manner of a language. It outlines a framework for describing the resources and practices of comics creation and readership, using an approach that is compatible with similar descriptions of linguistic and multimodal communication.

The approach is based largely on the work of Michael Halliday, drawing also on the pragmatics of Paul Grice, the Text World Theory of Paul Werth and Joanna Gavins, and ideas from art theory, psychology and narratology. This brings a broad Hallidayan framework of multimodal analysis to comics scholarship, and plays a part in extending that tradition of multimodal linguistics to graphic narrative.



Authors and Affiliations

  • University of Sussex, Brighton, UK

    Paul Fisher Davies

About the author

Paul Fisher Davies gained his Ph.D. at University of Sussex, where he has also been a lecturer and student mentor. He teaches English Language and Literature at East Sussex College in Lewes, UK. As well as studying and writing about comics form, he creates graphic narrative stories and scholarship.

Bibliographic Information

Buy it now

Buying options

Softcover Book USD 119.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book USD 119.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access