Comics and the City: Urban Space in Print, Picture and Sequence

Comics and the City: Urban Space in Print, Picture and Sequence was published in 2010 by Continuum International Publishing Group. Edited by Jörn Ahrens and Arno Meteling, the volume emerged from a growing academic interest in comics studies, aiming to bridge the gap between traditional urban studies and visual culture. The collection provides a scholarly examination of how the urban environment is not merely a backdrop for narrative action, but a fundamental element that shapes the syntax and experience of the medium itself.

The text comprises a series of essays by various contributors who analyze how cityscapes are encoded through graphic language, architectural representation, and the socio-political dynamics of metropolitan life. The editors sought to categorize how different international comic traditions interpret space, ranging from European bande dessinée to American superhero narratives. The work is widely regarded as a foundational interdisciplinary text for students and researchers exploring the intersection of spatial theory and sequential art.