Graphic Storytelling and Visual Narrative

Written by: Will Eisner

First line: The telling of stories lies deep in the social behavior of human groups--ancient and modern.

Why you should read this book: Written by the master, this is the resource for understanding the space in which graphic storytelling takes place: not merely at the intersection between words and images, but within a field that spans all of human history. Eisner highlights this last fact by allowing a storytelling caveman to communicate salient points in concise panels that deconstruct the art of storytelling and then put it back together to highlight human psychology as well as art. Detailed, but without extraneous information, this is the perfect guide for those seeking to understand the elements that come together to create a successful comic.

Why you shouldn't read this book: You're a hack.