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brevoortformspring:

>Hey, i know writing styles change over the years and storytelling evolves but why do we not see narration in comics anymore? The little text boxes in the corner of pages helping set the scene for the reader. Is it because modern writers feel they dont think readers need that kind of exposition anymore as the 1st page summary of the previous issue is enough? Whilst im at it, speech bubbles and characters talking very rarely appear on front covers anymore..how come?>

As you say, it’s really a matter of reader and writer tastes changing. In terms of narration, as comics have become more cinematic, the use of an omniscient narrator trailed off, and became seen as a bit old-fashioned. And word balloons on covers have been considered somewhat childish for as long as I’ve been in the business.

Like everything, though, these are both tools in the creative toolbox, and can be used well or used poorly. Neither of them is intrinsically bad or good–it’s the purpose to which you put them and the skill with which you apply them.

Read Vision. It has narration and it’s used fantastically.