<![CDATA[Comics Odyssey: Understanding Comics]]>https://comicsodyssey.substack.com/s/understanding-comicshttps://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!MXog!,w_256,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe77b2c62-9787-4e40-9a84-56e54df5c3a6_300x300.pngComics Odyssey: Understanding Comicshttps://comicsodyssey.substack.com/s/understanding-comicsSubstackMon, 22 Jun 2026 11:29:25 GMT<![CDATA[Series Wrap-Up: Chapter 9 Insights & Newsletter News! ]]>https://comicsodyssey.substack.com/p/series-wrap-up-chapter-9-insightshttps://comicsodyssey.substack.com/p/series-wrap-up-chapter-9-insightsSat, 11 Oct 2025 15:27:46 GMTGood morning, friends, and welcome back to Comics Odyssey—I’m thrilled you’re joining me today, even if it’s a Saturday release instead of our usual Wednesday slot. We’ve reached the final chapter of our Understanding Comics journey with Chapter 9: Putting It All Together, where Scott McCloud ties his thesis together with a review of key ideas—expect some of my favourite moments highlighted. I’ll also wrap up with an update on the Substack’s future, including progress on Spirit Girl 3, so stick around for what’s next!

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  • Welcome and Schedule Change (00:00:01 - 00:00:21):

  • Chapter 9 Overview (00:00:26 - 00:00:59):

  • McCloud’s Thesis on Comics (00:00:59 - 00:02:10):

  • Humility in the Narrative (00:02:21 - 00:03:25):

  • Specificity to Universality (00:03:32 - 00:04:26):

  • Closure and Participation (00:04:39 - 00:05:08):

  • The Great Triangle (00:05:11 - 00:05:37):

  • Panel Transitions (00:05:53 - 00:07:22):

  • Motion Lines (00:07:31 - 00:08:01):

  • Series Wrap-Up (00:08:04 - 00:08:19):

  • Substack Break Announcement (00:08:29 - 00:09:44):

  • Gratitude and Revenue Insight (00:09:55 - 00:11:07):

  • Spirit Girl 3 Progress (00:11:14 - 00:12:08):

  • Content Suggestions (00:12:15 - 00:12:48):

  • Closing Remarks (00:12:53 - 00:12:57):

]]><![CDATA[How Comics Turned from Gray to Glory!]]>https://comicsodyssey.substack.com/p/cracking-the-colour-code-of-comicshttps://comicsodyssey.substack.com/p/cracking-the-colour-code-of-comicsSat, 04 Oct 2025 16:20:20 GMTHey friends, welcome back to Comics Odyssey—thanks for sticking with me through week 8 of our Understanding Comics deep dive. We’re almost at the end with Chapter 8: A Word About Color, where Scott McCloud unpacks how comics evolved from black-and-white to colour, stay tuned to the end where we experiment comparing the same comic on different papers. Sorry this one’s a bit late—work and a shoulder inury threw me off, but I’m back at it now.

Click here for the archive all the Understanding Comics videos: https://comicsodyssey.substack.com/s/understanding-comics

  • Evolution of Comics Colouring (00:01:03 - 00:01:33):

  • RGB and CMY Colour Models (00:01:33 - 00:03:18):

  • Impact of Colour on Sales (00:04:00 - 00:04:44):

  • Colour Choices for Iconic Characters (00:04:49 - 00:08:05):

  • Colour Enhancing Shape (00:09:09 - 00:09:38):

  • Flat Colour in Classics (00:09:58 - 00:11:27):

  • How I Will Use Colour in Spirit-Girl Comics (00:11:27 - 00:12:00):

  • Sensory vs. Conceptual (00:13:00 - 00:13:28):

  • Comparing the Same Comic Printed on Different Paper (00:14:08 - 00:18:58):

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Preview of Spirit-Girl Inked pages below paywall.

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]]><![CDATA[Creative Archetypes: Which One Are You?]]>https://comicsodyssey.substack.com/p/six-steps-to-genius-secrets-of-thehttps://comicsodyssey.substack.com/p/six-steps-to-genius-secrets-of-theWed, 24 Sep 2025 19:10:01 GMTGood morning, friends, and welcome back to Comics Odyssey—thanks for joining me as we dive into this week’s chapter of of Understanding Comics.

I’m glad to be back in the martial arts discipline but it means cutting back on internet habits. Expect fewer appearances in Substack notes so don’t rely on that feed to stay up to date with Comics Odyssey, make sure to subscribe.

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time stamps

  • Schedule Adjustments (00:00:37 - 00:01:41): Discusses returning to martial arts, its mental health benefits, and the need to sacrifice internet usage for ,ore productive pursuits.

  • Spirit Girl Progress (00:01:46 - 00:02:51): Updates on inking Spirit Girl 3, showing progress (half or more inked), and plans for washes, whites, and lettering, emphasizing the loving process.

  • McCloud’s Art Theory (00:03:22 - 00:04:15): Skips the initial art theory section, calling it silly and wrong, while appreciating McCloud’s brilliance and inviting paid subscribers for a chat.

  • Six Steps of Creativity (00:04:28 - 00:08:14): Explores McCloud’s six creative process steps—Idea, Form, Idiom, Structure, Craft, Surface—explaining their non-linear nature with examples like comics vs. sculpture.

  • Artist Evolution (00:09:02 - 00:14:22): Discusses how comic makers evolve, from surface-focused beginners to masters balancing idea, form, and craft, using personal music/martial arts teaching insights.

  • Creative Archetypes (00:17:21 - 00:20:32): Introduces McCloud’s four archetypes from Making Comics—Classicists, Animists, Formalists, Iconoclasts—reflecting on personal alignment (Animist/Iconoclast) and inviting viewer input.

  • Future Plans (00:21:52 - 00:23:10): Teases paid previews of Spirit Girl 3, a mapping/worldbuilding project with a geography expert, and potential live streams, sparked by bike rides for block data.

music is by Futurescapes

]]><![CDATA[Words and Pictures in Harmony: The Dance That Makes Comics Sing! ]]>https://comicsodyssey.substack.com/p/words-and-pictures-in-harmony-thehttps://comicsodyssey.substack.com/p/words-and-pictures-in-harmony-theThu, 18 Sep 2025 13:02:20 GMTHey friends, welcome back to Comics Odyssey—sorry I was a day late but I'm here now. Today we're into week six of our dive into Scott McCloud's Understanding Comics, tackling Chapter 6: Show and Tell. After zipping through art history's quick hits, we'll get into how words and pictures team up (or don't) in comics, from word-specific setups where the art's just window dressing to those perfect interdependent combos that make the whole thing dance. I'll share some examples and thoughts on what it means for making (or reading) comics, so grab your copy and jump in with comments—next up is Chapter 7 on the six steps of creativity!

Comics Odyssey is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

music is by Futurescapes

]]><![CDATA[Can You Feel My Drawing? How Art Makes the Invisible Visible]]>https://comicsodyssey.substack.com/p/from-van-gogh-to-liefeld-the-secrethttps://comicsodyssey.substack.com/p/from-van-gogh-to-liefeld-the-secretWed, 10 Sep 2025 11:56:24 GMTHey there, Comics Odyssey crew! I just got back from vacation and dove into Chapter 5 of Understanding Comics, where Scott McCloud explores how lines can make invisible emotions like anger or serenity come alive on the page. I was skeptical at first, so I tried a little experiment: I drew something and want YOU to guess the emotion behind it in the comments. Can simple lines really capture complex feelings? Let’s test McCloud’s theory together!

Music for the video is by Futurescapes

for more info on iconographic composition.

Comics Odyssey is a reader-supported publication. Please consider taking out a free or paid subscription.

To get a paid subscription at a 50% discount, click here: https://comicsodyssey.substack.com/7554e18d

]]><![CDATA[How Comics Bend Time! Week 4 of Understanding Comics]]>https://comicsodyssey.substack.com/p/this-comics-secret-will-rewrite-howhttps://comicsodyssey.substack.com/p/this-comics-secret-will-rewrite-howWed, 03 Sep 2025 10:45:27 GMTHey friends, welcome back to Comics Odyssey! Today, I’m diving into Chapter 4 of Understanding Comics with Scott McCloud, and it’s all about how time works in this comics. After exploring panel transitions last time, we’re now unpacking how comics bend time in ways that set them apart from film or books—think frozen moments that stretch or shrink. I’ll walk you through some cool examples, like how a single panel can hold a whole party scene, and share my thoughts on the ways artists play with it. Stick around, toss your ideas in the comments, and let’s geek out together—I’ll be back from vacation next week with Chapter 5!

music for this video is by Futurescapes

]]><![CDATA[Who Murdered That Guy? The Mysterious Mechanics of Panel Transitions ]]>https://comicsodyssey.substack.com/p/who-murdered-that-guy-the-mysterioushttps://comicsodyssey.substack.com/p/who-murdered-that-guy-the-mysteriousWed, 27 Aug 2025 11:35:32 GMTHey friends, welcome back to Comics Odyssey! Today, we’re diving into part three of our journey through Scott McCloud’s Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art, tackling chapter three, “Blood in the Gutter.” After exploring the vocabulary of comics last time, we’re now zooming in on the grammar—specifically how panel transitions work their magic. I’ll walk you through McCloud’s take on closure and the six types of transitions, sharing some fun examples and even a peek at how I’ve used them in Spirit Girl #3. Stick around, drop your thoughts in the comments, and let’s unravel this together—see you next week for chapter four!

Comics Odyssey is a reader-supported publication. Subscribe to be first to get updates on all my videos, articles and comics.

Music for this video is provided by Futurescapes

]]><![CDATA[Why This Pipe Isn’t a Pipe: Decoding Comics’ Secret Language!]]>https://comicsodyssey.substack.com/p/why-your-brain-loves-cartoons-understandinghttps://comicsodyssey.substack.com/p/why-your-brain-loves-cartoons-understandingWed, 20 Aug 2025 10:44:22 GMTHey there, comic lovers! Welcome back to Comics Odyssey. I’m diving into week two of our chapter-by-chapter journey through Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art. This time, we’re tackling the super dense Chapter 2, “The Vocabulary of Comics.” Here, Scott McCloud breaks down the magic of icons, from Magritte’s not-a-pipe painting to the universal appeal of cartoon faces. It’s a wild ride through reductionism, spirituality, and why comics hit us right in the soul. So, grab a comfy seat, and let’s unpack this together—don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss the next installment!

Visit my ko-fi store to support Comic Odyssey: https://ko-fi.com/comicbookodyssey/shop

Music for the video is by Futurescapes.
For more about icon art, see at her substack.
Here’s another essay that might be of interest to you:

]]><![CDATA[Why "Understanding Comics" Changed Everything - My Understanding Comics Breakdown Begins! ]]>https://comicsodyssey.substack.com/p/why-understanding-comics-changedhttps://comicsodyssey.substack.com/p/why-understanding-comics-changedWed, 13 Aug 2025 11:16:25 GMTHey there, welcome back to Comics Odyssey, folks! Thanks for joining me again as we journey into the vast world of comics. I’ve got a quick update—my plan for live streams on Saturdays has been abandoned due to my first attempt crashing mid show, so I’m switching to pre-recorded videos instead. No more tech hiccups, and you can still chime in with comments or questions below since these will stay free on Substack.

Today, I’m kicking off a 9-week series through Scott McCloud’s Understanding Comics (1993), a book that blew me away when I read it for the first time in early 2000s. We’ll tackle it chapter by chapter, starting with the first one about defining comics, and I’m excited to share why it’s such a game-changer—just a heads-up, this isn’t a course, just my passion spilling out!

An update on Spirit-Girl #3. I’ve reviewed all the pages and determined there was a page missing to fill in some narrative detail. So I’ve added, yet another page. This time I really, really think I only have two pages left to pencil. Then I can move on to pencilling covers. It’s taking longer than expected but I don’t want to send out an inferior product. At this point it looks like the comic will be 27 pages long!

‘s three-part series on the Comics Code Authority starts here:

Atom Valley Bulletin
The American Comics Codes, Part A
This is a series of three posts on the American Comic Book Codes and their development. See the bottom of this article for general references used for this post, as well as subsequent posts. Specific references are also linked throughout the body of this post for your attention. Additional references will be included in the posts that follow this one…
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2 years ago · 6 likes · 2 comments · Man of the Atom



My tongue-in-cheek discussion of the CCA is here:

Music for the video is by Futurescapes.

Using Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud for educational purposes falls under "fair use" under U.S. copyright law, as it involves commentary, critique, and teaching, which are protected uses when limited to non-commercial, transformative purposes.

]]><![CDATA[Unlocking Comics' Secrets: Embark on My 9-Week Understanding Comics Adventure! ]]>https://comicsodyssey.substack.com/p/unlocking-comics-secrets-embark-onhttps://comicsodyssey.substack.com/p/unlocking-comics-secrets-embark-onWed, 06 Aug 2025 14:25:33 GMTHey everyone, good morning and welcome back to Comics Odyssey! Thanks for tuning in this week—I’m keeping it short to share some exciting news about what’s ahead. Over the next nine weeks or so, I’m launching a comics appreciation series based on Scott McCloud’s Understanding Comics, a book that blew my mind and shaped why I create and love comics. We’ll dive into its nine chapters with live streams every Saturday morning (around 8:30-9:00 AM PST—exact time TBD), where you can jump in with questions, followed by the replay as your Wednesday newsletter. Grab the book (link below, or check your local comic store or library), and let’s explore this medium together—subscribe so you don’t miss a beat!

Link to amazon for purchasing the book (I’m not affiliated in any way).

Music for video is by Futurescapes.

Samples from the book.

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