'Reading' comics and graphic novels

Abbott noted some important differences between comic art and other two dimensional art. Mainly that the comic, unlike other two dimensional art - incorporates both text and image as the whole work. Rather then just the image. Both text and imagery are used to narrate or tell the story of the comic. That to view a comic..... as one views a painting - with a comic one reads the comic both comprised of imagery and text.
I definitely think that the images within a comic should be considered a fourth language. It is not only the text that tells a story in a comic. Nor is it only the imagery that tells the story. It is the combination. And each element holds its own. Neither can be used without the other to narrate a comic - or it would not be a comic. But the visual element tells a story - much like the Mona Lisa tells a story. It is a powerful element within the comic, it is utilised as a communicative tool - and should be classified its own language.
The relative space given to images and texts within a comic is considered by Abbott to be compositionally balanced even though the image may appear to dominate the text. He thought that the text decides where you looked at the comic image. That image and text are used to direct the readers eye, from singe frame and from frame to frame, by steering via patterns of perception.
The representation of Time in the comic form is manipulated by text and image to achieve its results. Time manipulation in particular was created through the multiple frames where one could discern the actual movement. Little Nemo in Slumberland by Winsor McCay is a great example of this. He would draw frames say of a bed on long spindly legs walking down the street amidst the high rise buildings, and his use perception and angles and slight variation which depicted the movement - all played part in time manipulation. It was fantastic. Each single frame was drawn. There were no programs to create this effect. Text would also be incorporated into the representation of time. You could start a sentence in one frame and not finish it until the 7th frame onward... or visually draw the text (like a sound) over several frames.... there was so much scope to manipulate time. These were some of the the ticks of the trade in guiding the reader through the comic. It's progression could be gaged and the pace set through text and imagery..... creating dramatic tension and slowing or speeding up time. Panel and page size, format, image and text are all used to control the pace and progression of the story.