Fast Company’s Matthew E. May profiles Scott McCloud and how some of his theories of comics apply to the business world.
And as for the “invisible art,” we learned that the magic and mystery of comics does not live in what is drawn. Rather, it is the “gutter”–the white space between the frames–that holds the secret. There is nothing in the space between, yet it?s here where the real action occurs. It?s here that the reader is drawn in and engaged, because it?s here that the story is left open to interpretation. It?s here that attention is focused, here that the imagination is sparked. So it?s here that the real story takes place.
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“Well,” Scott begins thoughtfully, “In organizations, leaders who are able to lead people to a conclusion without spelling it out are practicing something very much like the gutter. If you think of the typical org chart where ideas flow from the top, that?s the more didactic conception. If you have instead an organizational structure where there?s inspiration that encourages the flow of ideas upward from the base, you might be looking at something more analogous to audience participation. More analogous to what we?re trying to create with comics.”