Spatiotopia in Back to the Future: When Marty Met Emmett

Spatiotopia is a concept defined by Groensteen as the way panels are related to each other in space on a page. In the comic "Back to the Future #1: When Marty Met Emmett", the panels on this specific page are all related to one another, and the first two panels depict Marty’s actions and mistakes, thus resulting in the final action, which takes up the rest of the page. The first two panels connect distinctly, as they are the same action shot separated into two panels. It is interesting that the shot of Marty, one action, is taken up through two panels, while many subsequent actions are taking place moment to moment, and occur in one panel that takes up almost the entire page. It displays the way Marty tipped over the chess piece and the dominoes, sending the rest of the objects into motion. The smaller panels create suspense, leaving the rest of the page to describe the highlighting moment, creating meaning and anticipation. The three panels connect in that they portray moments of cause and effect. Portraying the main action in one large panel rather than multiple allows the reader to stop and pay attention to the space as a whole, then breaking it down action by action before wondering what is going to happen. The reader, paying close attention to the panel, would probably notice the net under Marty’s feet, coming to the conclusion before it is told that Marty is going to be caught in the net. For this particular scene, it is more effective to portray the panel in this way as it allows the reader to conclude before the panel is over. Through this, the panel creates narrative, both as a single panel alone, as well as being connected to the two previous panels.

Further, the reader creates meaning through seemingly small but significant signs that show the kind of room Marty has snuck into. This involves an interaction with Annie Without the large panel that takes up almost the entire page the create context and background, the reader would not be able to tell the room is that of a lab so easily. The reader would only see sneak peeks that would center around each subsequent action while they were happening. In this way, meaning is created and conveyed using the space of the majority of the page rather than broken down into smaller panels. Meaning would not be as effective or impactful if the context of the laboratory complete with contraptions and mechanics were not visible in this way. Thus, the creators of this Back to the Future comic uses Groensteen’s idea of spatiotopia, both in the way the three panels connect as well as amplifying the amount of space to depict significant meaning to the story and moment as a whole.

-- Kayla Masaro