Gipi’s Graphic Chronotopes: Space-Time in Graphic Novels
Abstract
Bachtin’s notion of chronotope certainly is related to the literary realm, but is it possible to ‘translate’ it into the genre of graphic novel? The term ‘graphic novel’ already outlines a strict connection between literature and comics. Both novel and graphic novels are structured around a complex narration, where each element reveals to be connected to each other and where the chronotope functions as a sort of narrative ‘glue’. However, graphic novels are strongly structured around the graphic element, and this is the reason why formal categories are very important in the definition of the chronotope in comics. We could start from the following question: which formal devices are used in order to create a space-time effect in comics? Starting from McCloud’s ideas and re-reading them through the Bachtinian literary chronotope, we will try to answer this question utilizing as major case-study Gipi’s works.
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References
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