On the interaction between layout and narrative in the processing of comic strips

Unlike typical written prose, visual narratives can be arranged in various ways on the page. Recent theoretical frameworks predict that narrative structure and layout both involve hierarchical structures which are constructed with similar processes. While experimental research has begun to look at how comics layouts are perceived and affect reading comprehension, they have yet to probe the interaction between narrative structure and layout. To this end, we describe two experiments where we display the same comic strips in each of three different layouts, while also investigating the influence of narrative structure. In Experiment 1, self-paced reading times show effects of both the layout on the screen and the narrative structure. In Experiment 2, eye-tracking reveals how attention moves between panels. Regressions-which move the eyes back to a previously inspected panel-are common but happen less often when panels are interrupted by a layout line break. Regressions were also less likely to move across a narrative boundary when it co-occurred with a line break. This shows how layout choices can affect scanning between panels, and potentially change how the narrative is processed and segmented. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).