Abstract comics are a practice of comic creation that I haven’t paid enough focused attention to, in my reading and in my own drawing.  While I admire artists like Gary Panter and Richard McGuire’s (and basically everybody short of Alex Ross) ability to use abstraction in their comics, there remains a core of narrative in most of their work.  Recently, through the ideas of people like Andrei Molotiou and Tim Gaze, I’ve been exploring some truly abstracted comics, and it’s been a real revelation to me.

a panel by Ibn al Rabin

Molotiu has edited an anthology due out from Fantagraphics, titled simply Abstract Comics, which should be an amazing book to look at.  He’s recently re-launched his blog (with the same title), and there is some pretty amazing stuff up there, presentation and links to works, discussions of the work, and even exercises to use in the classroom or at the drawing table.

page by Geoff Grogan

The next issue of Action,Yes will have a good deal of abstract comics work featured in it, including contribution from both Gaze and Molotiu. (Tim Gaze has already sent us his survey of abstract comics, and it’s pretty amazing; I think it will open a lot of eyes to the possibilities of this medium that some of use spend every day wrangling with and sweating over and crying about and wondering what we can do with it next.)