Comics Studies Workshop — Cross-Positional Reading: Visual Contexts, Narrative Logics, and the Uses of Comics

This semester, the course organized the Comics Studies Workshop—Cross-Positional Reading: Visual Contexts, Narrative Logics, and Symbolic Construction, featuring Assistant Professor Chou Wen-peng from Chung Yuan Christian University, with Associate Professor Wang Kai-hong from NTHU’s Institute of Taiwan Literature as moderator. The workshop consisted of two sessions held at the Wang Mo-ren & Chou An-yi Literature Hall and NTHU College of Humanities and Social Sciences. Its objective was to equip students with the analytical tools needed to read comics as a visual narrative medium and to understand the interplay among symbols, images, and contextual cues.

The first session introduced the visual logic and symbolic system of comics, examining paneling, effect lines, motion lines, and the mechanisms of symbolic “extension” and “reduction.” Students learned how comics manipulate perception and emotion through simplified or exaggerated visual elements. The second session extended the discussion to “visual context” and the “four temporal axes” of comics, demonstrating how static images can represent layered temporalities. Through examples such as JOJO’s Bizarre Adventure, Bleach, and My Home Hero, the workshop showcased how fonts, colors, panel arrangements, and onomatopoeia collectively shape narrative rhythm.

Through guided image analysis, comparative case studies, and independent interpretation, students strengthened their multimodal reading skills and deepened their understanding of symbolism, visual culture, and narrative construction. The workshop enriched the course’s interdisciplinary connections across literature, visual media, and cultural studies, while cultivating students’ ability to navigate contemporary, multi-layered reading environments.