This volume contains two sections: "Theory and history," an explanation of comics as a medium and an overview of its evolution, and "Reviews and commentary," a diverse examination of creators and works. The second section spans Will Eisner's pioneering efforts as well as the groundbreaking modern comics by the Hernandez brothers, Chris Ware and Alison Bechdel.

Theory and history: What comics are, and what they aren't ; Auteurs, the history of art comics, and how to look at ugly drawings ; What's good about bad comics, and what's bad about good comics ; Superheroes and superreaders ; Pictures, words and the space between them -- Reviews and commentary: David B. : the battle against the real world ; Chester Brown : the outsider ; Steve Ditko : a is a ; Will Eisner and Frank Miller : the raconteurs ; Gilbert Hernandez : spiraling into the system ; Jaime Hernandez : mad love ; Craig Thompson and James Kochalka : craft vs. cuteness;- Hope Larson : the cartography of joy ; Carla Speed McNeil : shape-changing demons, birth-yurts and robot secretaries ; Alan Moore : the house of the magus ; Grant Morrison : the invisible king ; Dave Sim : aardvark politick ; The dark mirrors of Jim Starlin's Warlock ; Tomb of Dracula : the cheap, strong stuff ; Kevin Huizenga : visions from the enchanted gas station ; Charles Burns and Art Spiegelman : draw yourself raw ; Why does Chris Ware hate fun? ; Alison Bechdel : reframing memory -- Afterword: The rough wave and the smooth wave.