Abstract
This dissertation compares the visual languages, graphic structure and morphology of contemporary South African comics with comics from America, Europe, and Japan, using Neil Cohn’s (2013) Visual Language Theory (VLT). Visual Language Theory explains how the structure and cognitive processes involved in a visual language are presented and understood in comics. The study aimed to identify the unique characteristics of South African comics and to determine whether there was a distinct visual language in the sampled South African comics.
A literature review contextualises South African, African and international comics from America, Europe and Japan by exploring their developmental history, production methods and visual styles to highlight transnational influences. A content analysis of 14 purposive sampled contemporary South African comics was completed by applying a coding framework based on Cohn’s (2013) outlined categories to compare graphic structures (visual style) and morphology with visual language systems identified for American, European and Japanese comics. The coding framework also captured the carrier types used in the South African sample, such as speech balloons, thought balloons, sound effects and captions, and the surface manifestation or outlines used around the balloons. Furthermore, the most frequently used close-classed visual morphemes (signs or symbols) for international comics were identified, such as the !-upfix, plewds (sweat drops around the head) and motion lines. Finally, statistical tests were used to compare the frequently used morphemes between South African comics and international comics.
The results reveal that visual languages from international comics were present in the sample. However, South African comic artists use various visual styles, and use morphology more frequently related to motion events, suggesting that South African comics show similar patterns to American and European comics when using close-classed morphemes. These results contribute to the studies on South African comics and provide a coding framework for future research on South African comics and visual language.