Caption Narration

chan · Jul 16, 2008

Someone mentioned earlier using captions for an ongoing narration.

I've been using this type of narration as well. The captions are in first person and are never more than a sentence, usually split between top left and bottom right of the page.

I have captions on probably about a quarter of the pages. They don't narrate the action, but are kind of in lieu of thought bubbles.

I feel like this type of caption use may work especially well for Young Adult, which is what I'm working on, but I know some publishers like Dark Horse don't accept caption narration.

Are caption narrations unacceptable in the graphic novel medium? Or could they find their place?

Thanks for the advice.

chan · Jul 16, 2008

In case you need something similar to compare it to, DC Comics Minx Imprint narrates Blabbermouth in this way.

Axler · Jul 20, 2008

Since thought balloons are considered passe' now, caption narration is acceptable as long as you don't have huge blocks of copy obstructing the art. Try to limit the word count of each caption to 25-30 and depending on the size of the panel, have no more than three captions per panel.

Two is best.

Idahobo · Jul 23, 2008

I've read quite a few comics that use narration captions like you've described. I seem to remember the Daredevil books, especially the ones by Kevin Smith, doing it a lot. Although it's been years since I've read those so I could be thinking of other books.

I think that if done well they can really work. The can either create an internal monologue within the main character in a way that thought bubble can't with out cluttering your page, or give the reader the sense that the main character is looking back on the events and what we the reader are seeing are just images in their mind. I'm sure there's other effects that they've been used to create as well, those are just the ones that spring to mind that I've read.

Caption Narration

chan

Hello!

chan

Hello!

Axler

Idahobo

The Eskiminja