Graphic Novels: Comprehension of Text and Image

Research suggests that, instinctively, humans follow
a Z-shaped pattern when reading graphic novels.
Studies have also revealed that readers organize information
through Gestalt’s theory of proximity when
the panel structure is altered. This paper explores the
separation of text and image from the constraints of
the traditional comic book format. Through the utilization
of an eye-tracking system, this experiment will
examine the limitations of the Gestalt theory and the effectiveness of comprehension. The task of processing
the plot of the novels relies heavily on the efficiency
of the reader’s ability to apply context by using the
accompanying imagery and text via data collected
from saccadic patterns, fixations, and gaze analysis.
This study coincides with the idea of universal communication
by acknowledging that there are multiple
ways to comprehend information, with the expectation
of gaining further insight on the conscious and
subconscious methods of visual processing.