The Study of the Visual Structure of Comic Strips (A Case Study of the Adventures of Tintin and Spies in Persepolis)

Comics are usually a story in the form of a number of consecutive images which are often but not always accompanied by text. In terms of dimensions, these stories can include a single image up to thousands of images. In this type, each image carries an independent message, but the images as a whole complete the story and offer the reader a new image at the heart of the story from the previous images. The form of recording these images on a page follows the system of writing and pagination of books, which usually consists of a series of images in the form of paintings or photographs in horizontal directions. The comic strip in its historical journey and within the framework of the arts visually, they have acquired a specific identity and structure. This led these works to become, on the one hand, a special means of expression and, on the other hand, to constantly expand their sphere of influence and sales market. In the digital age and the rapid growth of visual media, understanding the nature of illustrated stories as a new visual language can suggest the pattern and aesthetic system of these works as well as the reasons for their appeal and success. In this regard, knowing its historical journey, knowing the leading countries in this field, the link of this art with other arts such as animation and cinema, and analyzing and knowing the graphic elements of these works can help in the objectives of research. Studying the visual structure of these stories, in addition to helping and teaching to illustrate comics, will be a great contribution to the publication and expansion of this valuable art. According to the content exposed, in this research it is attempted to study the visual structure of two examples of external and internal comics strip, and at the end, comparing the two works, highlighting the aspects of difference and commonalities. For this purpose, to examine two examples of comic strip, the adventures of Tintin are discussed as foreign examples and spies in Persepolis as domestic examples.This research has a descriptive-analytical character in terms of practical objective. The results show that one of the most important reasons for the acceptance of comics is to transform the charge of vocal energy into visual energy so that the audience can understand the message using the sequence of images. Therefore, knowing the structure and visual elements such as composition, color, rhythm, angle of view, etc. can greatly contribute to the success and popularity of these works. As in the leading countries of this industry, such as America and Japan, due to the importance of this art, a specialized area has been devoted to the training of people in universities, if we also pay attention to this importance in our country, the development of this valuable art, which in addition to spending full-fledged free time, can also be effective in the discussion of children’s education, will be of great help.