This article will review Geiger 80-Page Giant #1, released on the 2nd of February 2022, created by Geoff Johns as well as make comparisons between what makes a great comic book and Geiger 80-Page Giant #1. The comic book industry is experiencing a revival in popularity thanks to the major success of blockbuster movies based on comic book characters.
What makes a Great Comic Book
Some of the greatest comic back issues ever written follow a structure and adhere to certain rules. Certain key aspects have to be present in order to produce a great comic book.
Panel
Comic book pages are usually made up of one or more panels. Panels are illustrations per page and often come with a border. The main goal of these panels is to move the story forward. Panels include the actions of the characters as well as speech bubbles.
Speech Bubbles
Speech bubbles contain the dialogue of each character. Each speech bubble will have what is known as a tail. The tails point to the character who is speaking, making it easy to follow dialogue and understand who is saying what. These speech bubbles can be found inside the panel and close to the character whom the dialogue belongs to.
Caption
Captions offer the narrator an opportunity to provide context regarding what is happening in each of the panels. The box is always separate from the rest of the panel.
Tier
A tier can be described as single rows of panels.
Gutter
Gutters are the spaces between panels. And, gutters are very important to the spatial aspect of the layout. The gutters can be large or small and are crucial for readability. Larger gutters make it easier to read and understand what is happening in each panel by separating the panels.
Spread
The spread refers to illustrations that are spread over multiple pages.
Splash
A splash can be found at the beginning of a comic book. It covers an entire page and sets the mood for the story that follows.
Let’s start with the splash in Geiger 80-Page Giant #1. From the very first page, the mood is dark, poignant, and has the ability to deeply move the reader. All illustrations that follow the splash set the same mood and live up to the same expectations.
The visuals, dialogue, and plot ignite the imagination and are aesthetically pleasing. The characters are diverse enough to carry weight in the story along with plot and visuals. Geoff Johns did an outstanding job of telling these stories. In terms of layout, speech bubbles, and panels, the story is exceptionally easy to follow and engaging. The colors are selected well and help to make the story come alive. The dialogue and plot easily draw the reader in and allow the reader to be pulled into the storyline.
These stories are told well, with attention to the smaller details, that can easily hook a reader