--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Comics are a sub-set of pictorial…" description: "\"“Comics are a sub-set of pictorial narrative; therefore, all comics are pictorial narratives, but not all pictorial narratives are comics.”\" — R.C. Harvey" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d69/r-c-harvey-71868_comics_comics-are-a-sub-set-of-pictorial-narrat_916469.jpg" --- # Comics are a sub-set of pictorial narrative; therefore… ![“Comics are a sub-set of pictorial narrative; therefore, all comics are pictorial narratives, but not all pictorial narratives are comics.” quote by R.C. Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d69/r-c-harvey-71868_comics_comics-are-a-sub-set-of-pictorial-narrat_916469.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d69/r-c-harvey-71868_comics_comics-are-a-sub-set-of-pictorial-narrat_916469.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d69/r-c-harvey-71868_comics_comics-are-a-sub-set-of-pictorial-narrat_916469.jpg) > ““Comics are a sub-set of pictorial narrative; therefore, all comics are pictorial narratives, but not all pictorial narratives are comics.”” R.C. Harvey ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Comics are a specific form of visual storytelling, but visual storytelling includes many other formats. **In simple terms:** Not all picture stories are comics. Key Takeaway Recognize medium differences. Themes comics visual narrative definition media studies Mood curious academic Type theoretical educational When to use this quote - graphic novels - photo essays - animation - museum exhibits Key Concepts genre theory storytelling art history Questions to Reflect On - How do new media challenge traditional categories? - What qualifies as a comic today? A Different Perspective The definition may exclude emerging hybrid forms. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Comic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comic/) [Comics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comics/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) ## Related quotes > [“Comics ... are sometimes four-legged and sometimes two-legged and sometimes fly and sometimes don't ... to employ a metaphor as mixed as the medium…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-harvey/comics-are-sometimes-four-legged-and-sometimes-two-legged-and/) R.C. Harvey > [“The confusion inherent in the word comics has been apparent to those writing in the filed for years. The word has a plural form…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-harvey/the-confusion-inherent-in-the-word-comics-has-been-apparent-to-those/) R.C. Harvey > [“... In this world, darkness is always looming on the horizon. At Gottfried, instead of avoiding the dark, we meet it head on ...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yvonne-woon/in-this-world-darkness-is-always-looming-on-the-horizon-at-gottfried/) [Yvonne Woon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yvonne-woon/) > [Many schools today are sacrificing social studies, the arts and physical education so children can cover basic subjects like math, English and science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-canada/many-schools-today-are-sacrificing-social-studies-the-arts-and/) [Geoffrey Canada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-canada/) > [I struggled with each of these studies and I was uncertain about what they meant, and often confused, and then I tried to put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jay-lifton/i-struggled-with-each-of-these-studies-and-i-was-uncertain-about-what/) [Robert Jay Lifton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jay-lifton/) > [During my study of happiness, I noticed something that surprised me: I often learn more from one person's highly idiosyncratic experiences than I do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/during-my-study-of-happiness-i-noticed-something-that-surprised-me-i/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [I would not say I was not interested in studies - it just wasn't there in me to pursue academics. I would open a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajith-kumar/i-would-not-say-i-was-not-interested-in-studies-it-just-wasn-t-there/) [Ajith Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajith-kumar/) > [The more studies that come out that talk about concussions and so forth, it makes me wonder. I wonder, more importantly than the stroke,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/the-more-studies-that-come-out-that-talk-about-concussions-and-so/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [When she became very ill with heart trouble, I saw that it would be impossible for my parents to provide for my studies, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fritz-sauckel/when-she-became-very-ill-with-heart-trouble-i-saw-that-it-would-be/) [Fritz Sauckel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fritz-sauckel/) > [The launch of phase 1 Ebola vaccine studies is a first step in developing a vaccine that could be licensed and used in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-launch-of-phase-1-ebola-vaccine-studies-is-a-first-step-in/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [To be honest, I was not very good in studies; I was an average student. I used to work hard, whether it was for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sangram-singh/to-be-honest-i-was-not-very-good-in-studies-i-was-an-average-student/) [Sangram Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sangram-singh/) > [I think it is very important for all actors to complete their studies side by side.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hansika-motwani/i-think-it-is-very-important-for-all-actors-to-complete-their-studies/) [Hansika Motwani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hansika-motwani/) > [My undergraduate studies at Brown and graduate degrees from Harvard prepared me for a multifaceted career as an actor, entrepreneur and philanthropist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hill-harper/my-undergraduate-studies-at-brown-and-graduate-degrees-from-harvard/) [Hill Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hill-harper/) > [According to recent studies, at least one star out of three is multiple.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanislaw-ulam/according-to-recent-studies-at-least-one-star-out-of-three-is-multiple/) [Stanislaw Ulam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanislaw-ulam/) > [There are a lot of times when I walk into a room and forget why I walked in there. I'm going through some studies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-mcmahon/there-are-a-lot-of-times-when-i-walk-into-a-room-and-forget-why-i/) [Jim McMahon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-mcmahon/) ## More by R.C. Harvey > [“The confusion inherent in the word comics has been apparent to those writing in the filed for years. The word has a plural form…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-harvey/the-confusion-inherent-in-the-word-comics-has-been-apparent-to-those/) R.C. Harvey > [“Comics ... are sometimes four-legged and sometimes two-legged and sometimes fly and sometimes don't ... to employ a metaphor as mixed as the medium…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-harvey/comics-are-sometimes-four-legged-and-sometimes-two-legged-and/) R.C. Harvey > [“As every schoolboy knows, comics do not stand alone at microphones in the dark. Indeed, we cannot even read them in the dark. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-harvey/as-every-schoolboy-knows-comics-do-not-stand-alone-at-microphones-in/) R.C. Harvey Explore all 4 R.C. Harvey quotes ## More Comic quotes > [Any incarnation of 'Batman' I am delighted to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-west/any-incarnation-of-batman-i-am-delighted-to-do/) [Adam West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-west/) > [I always loved as a kid reading 'Spider-Man,' and the 'Fantastic Four' would show up... it was all about that larger universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peyton-reed/i-always-loved-as-a-kid-reading-spider-man-and-the-fantastic-four/) [Peyton Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peyton-reed/) > [One of the key characteristics of the comic book medium is that it is not brought to life by just one voice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-lee/one-of-the-key-characteristics-of-the-comic-book-medium-is-that-it-is/) [Jim Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-lee/) > [I identify with Superman. I am adopted, I am an only child, and I love the idea that he comes from another world, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-singer/i-identify-with-superman-i-am-adopted-i-am-an-only-child-and-i-love/) [Bryan Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-singer/) > [Before World War II, I was living a very cloistered existence, as most cartoonists do. The work I was pouring out did not come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-eisner/before-world-war-ii-i-was-living-a-very-cloistered-existence-as-most/) [Will Eisner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-eisner/) > [If you look at Marvel Comics, there are very few Marvel characters I would like to write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-ennis/if-you-look-at-marvel-comics-there-are-very-few-marvel-characters-i/) [Garth Ennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-ennis/) > [The big problem for comic art is you don't want to overwork it. If a drawing is overworked it isn't funny. It's the spontaneity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-sorel/the-big-problem-for-comic-art-is-you-don-t-want-to-overwork-it-if-a/) [Edward Sorel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-sorel/) > [Leslie Stein's comics give readers privileged access to a complete and wholly original world of gently skewed wonders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-woodring/leslie-stein-s-comics-give-readers-privileged-access-to-a-complete/) [Jim Woodring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-woodring/) > [I've certainly seen a lot of my cartoonist friends embrace 'Little Lulu' in a much deeper way because their kids love it so much.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth/i-ve-certainly-seen-a-lot-of-my-cartoonist-friends-embrace-little/) [Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth/) > [Batman doesn't have any superpowers. He's not superhuman. He's not super. So therefore he can't be a superhero.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-silvey/batman-doesn-t-have-any-superpowers-he-s-not-superhuman-he-s-not/) [Craig Silvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-silvey/) > [When I was writing 'Black Panther,' on one level, I was angry because DC would never let me write 'Batman,' so I was doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-priest/when-i-was-writing-black-panther-on-one-level-i-was-angry-because-dc/) [Christopher Priest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-priest/) > [I was really into the first 'Spider-Man' films with Tobey Maguire, so it's pretty cool how it all came full circle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-batalon/i-was-really-into-the-first-spider-man-films-with-tobey-maguire-so-it/) [Jacob Batalon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-batalon/) > [Most men are secretly still mad at their mothers for throwing away their comic books. They would be valuable now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-rudner/most-men-are-secretly-still-mad-at-their-mothers-for-throwing-away/) [Rita Rudner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-rudner/) > [I'll only diet for a Marvel movie. I will give up bacon and waffles to be Storm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-james/i-ll-only-diet-for-a-marvel-movie-i-will-give-up-bacon-and-waffles-to/) [Janelle James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-james/) > [You've seen the first issue and what happened in the last page. Some pretty awful stuff. I don't know why I seem to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declan-shalvey/you-ve-seen-the-first-issue-and-what-happened-in-the-last-page-some/) [Declan Shalvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/declan-shalvey/) [Browse all 5,841 Comic quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comic/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Comics are a sub-set of pictorial narrative; therefore, all comics are pictorial narratives, but not all pictorial narratives are comics.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "R.C. Harvey" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-harvey/comics-are-a-sub-set-of-pictorial-narrative-therefore-all-comics-are/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Comic" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-harvey/comics-are-a-sub-set-of-pictorial-narrative-therefore-all-comics-are/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d69/r-c-harvey-71868_comics_comics-are-a-sub-set-of-pictorial-narrat_916469.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d69/r-c-harvey-71868_comics_comics-are-a-sub-set-of-pictorial-narrat_916469.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d69/r-c-harvey-71868_comics_comics-are-a-sub-set-of-pictorial-narrat_916469.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Comics are a sub-set of pictorial narrative; therefore, all comics are pictorial narratives, but not all…” — R.C. Harvey", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "R.C. Harvey", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-harvey/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Comics are a sub-set of pictorial...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-harvey/comics-are-a-sub-set-of-pictorial-narrative-therefore-all-comics-are/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-harvey/comics-are-a-sub-set-of-pictorial-narrative-therefore-all-comics-are/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```