Graphic Novel Vocabulary

squares or rectangles that contain a single scene

• border

• panels

• frame

• gutters

words that show sound is happening

• dialogue word balloons

• sound effect

• captions

• thought balloons

What is the blank space between panels called?

• gutter

• panel

• splash

• spread

One single frame or box that usually contains a single scene or image

• gutter

• panel

• splash

• spread

An image that spans two or more pages

• gutter

• panel

• splash

• spread

One single frame that is an entire page

• gutter

• panel

• splash

• spread

Shows what a character is saying

• thought bubble

• speech bubble

• onomatopoeia

• narrator box

shows what a character is thinking

• thought bubble

• speech bubble

• onomatopoeia

• narrator box

symbols that help show character emotion

• onomatopoeia

• emanata

• bleed

• captions

an image that extends beyond the edge of a page/panel

• onomatopoeia

• emanata

• bleed

• captions