The Opportunities of the New Infinite Canvas A Comparative Study of Graphic Novels and Scrollable Webcomics

Abstract

Siden appen Webtoon kom til det vestlige markedet i 2014, har digitale tegneserier i et rulleformat blitt populær verden over. Det digitale formatet skaper mange muligheter for tegneserieforfattere til å lage kreative og oppslukende tegneserier man ikke har sett før i den tradisjonelle tegneseriesiden. Likevel utpreger tegneserier med sideformat fremdeles som den standardiserte og mest studerte tegneserieformen. Denne oppgaven sammenligner to webtegneserier og to grafiske noveller for å finne hvilke muligheter og restriksjoner som er i begge formene, for å finne ut av hvilken form som vil være foretrukket formatet videre i vår digitale hverdag.

Since the app Webtoon came to the western market in 2014, a scrolling-based format in digital comics has reached global popularity. The digital format creates many opportunities for comic creators to make creative and immersive comics which has not been seen before on the traditional comic book page. Still, the page-based format is perceived as the standard form of comics as it receives the most attention from scholars. This study compares two webcomics and two graphic novels to find opportunities and limitations with each type of comic, with the intent to figure out which will be the preferred format going forth in our digital world.