Play and Possibility on the Comic Book Page

This chapter argues for the significance of Pérez’s stylistic contributions to comics, defining them as a conscious effort to stretch what is possible on the comics page. How Pérez does this is two-pronged. First, the chapter traces his efforts regarding the layout of the physical comic book page, demonstrating temporal and spatial effects his art could achieve. Second, and more significantly, the chapter presents Pérez as embracing and maximizing the possibilities of comic book narratives. It argues for his significant contribution here in not only building storyworlds around his characters but embracing the fantastic nature of these worlds. In both efforts, Pérez follows Jack Kirby, particularly in the conveyance of an experience of the sublime in the worlds he builds.