| dc.description.abstract | The main focus of this thesis is to introduce and offer insight into the new and innovative ways webcomics build on and diverge from their print counterparts, as well as how these new tools can make telling new kinds of stories and making new kinds of comics possible. I have divided the thesis into three chapters, each with a focus on one aspect of the comics medium which webcomics bring innovations to through a new, medium-specific tool. The first chapter looks at time and motion, and how webcomics change the readers perception of the passage of time in the comic through the use of tools like the “infinite canvas”, as well as others, such as animation. The second chapter discusses composition, and how the fundamental design of the page and the structure of the storytelling is altered through the use of tools like the “infinite canvas”. Finally, the third chapter analyzes how webcomics can sometimes move away from, or outright break the conventional relationship between text and image. In concluding, I will summarize the innovations and highlight the fact that webcomics fundamentally change how comics function in their medium. | eng |