Alex Spencer

(I mean in terms of 'considering craft' here, but also I guess a little bit 'authorial intent'.)

Craft can absolutely be a good and useful thing to consider, but I don't think it should be a checkbox to be ticked in a review.

Not saying you're suggesting this, but: that closes off other valuable approaches, like crit-as-autobiography, momentism...

Agreed -- and this is all just my own feelings towards it (which are niche). I was referring more specifically to plot-focused reviews...

...which leave the art as it's own section/paragraph. To me one informs the other etc etc.

Fair. I'll cop to slightly fluffy thinking... Trying to weigh it all up while being aware that I've definitely been guilty of this at times.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, it comes down to angle: what makes this thing special? That might not be best served by close reading.

Oh absolutely. I agree. We're all coming at it from different points of view. My type of comic writing has it's niche, as do others...