After reading the chapters of Understanding Comics, one of the main aspects that stood out to me was when he discusses closure saying, “This phenomenon of observing the parts but perceiving the whole has a name. It’s called closure” (McCloud 63). I think that closure is something I will want to play with and explore more in the next visual narrative assignment. With the concept of closure, I think that often times when left with a gap we decided to use what we know to patch up the space and make it whole again. I like the idea of playing with this space and in some aspects of the story leaving little bits and pieces to be determined by the reader’s imagination. This also ties in with what he says about participation, stating, “Participation is a powerful force in any medium” (McCloud 69). I think that allowing room for the imagination/participation of the readers, makes the story more interesting and engaging for them.
Another aspect of the reading that stood out to me was the section about time frames. More specifically manipulating the shape of a panel with the purpose of representing a longer period of time. This is definitely something I want to incorporate into the next visual narrative assignment. I think that time is an important aspect that can add a lot to a story especially when it is a visual narrative. With visual narratives where text is kept on the minimal end, the use of time manipulation can add a lot to a story.