Customer Reviews
A Dated Look at Ways to Break Out of the Box That Comics Are In - By: Donald Mitchell, 07 Aug 2008 
Reinventing Comics has one strength that makes it timeless: Scott McCloud systematically explains what was wrong with the comics that were created through the end of the 20th century. When he switches over to what's needed to overcome those issues, the book becomes more idealistic than practicalin many areas. The book is particularly hobbled by a limited appreciation of how comics might blur with (and be surpassed by) electronic gaming.
His basic optimism is that the comics genre can expand to satisfy more readers' needs by:
1. Becoming more like literature.
2. Developing as an art form.
3. Providing creators with more rights.
4. Changing the industry business model to serve everyone's needs better
5. Improving public image.
6. Reducing the heavy hand of governmental overview.
7. Appeal to females.
8. Represent all kinds of people.
9. Diversifyin subgenres.
10. Employing improved digital production methods.
11. Providing digital delivery.
12. Exploring the potential of digital comics.
Basically, he sees escaping the box of limited distribution by providing online, direct distribution. This method is potentially cheaper & could provide for more creators while eliminating many intermediaries.
I suspect that some of his optimism will be "over the rainbow" for quite a while yet.
It's interesting that even the blockbuster success of so many comic-based characters hasn't helped to reinvigorate the comics business more. I think that's where he doesn't realize thatin a world of video, comics seem dated & static.
Will comics go the way of high art & become something primarily for older aficionados? I doubt it. Comics are like candy to boys of a certain age. Comics help them to dream. Can comics go beyond that heritage? It's possible, but is it likely? Books like this one will have to do more than point the way: Breakthrough success is needed to draw an audience & more inspired creators.
I hope Mr. McCloud is right. I still like comics.
Highly readable but ultimately disappointing - By: , 31 Oct 2000 
Scott McCloud was always going to have a hard time topping the inspired, revolutionary 'Understanding Comics', & it is perhaps no surprise that this follow-up does not entirely manage to do so. It's certainly highly readable, with McCloud's likeable approach & unquestionable intelligence coming through on every page. But whereas 'Understanding' was a cohesive, tightly-structured study of the language, conventions & underpinnings of comics, 'Reinventing' fails perhaps becausein the end it attempts to do too much. The best sections, containing McCloud's theorising on the potential for various forms of digital / online comics, work so well because of the author's infectious enthusiasm for his subject. Other topics, such as a discussion of the woes of the current comics industry & the need for wider cultural representationin the medium, lack this enthusiasm & suffer for it. I suppose the best way to sum it up is to say that whereas 'Understanding' not only fired me up with the desire to create comics but also gave me concrete tools & things to think about, 'Reinventing' did moderately well at the first aspect, but did little regarding the second. Certainly worth reading if you're interestedin the future possibilites for the medium, but not the classic it's predecessor was.
