Ideas Supersede Form

Not to bring up a tired debate of nature vs. nurture, but rather use it to reinforce a point: Differences in perception are in part compounded by ones experiences which are inevitably going to vary from person to person. What Individuals see in a story or work of art, how they interpret it will also vary. McCloud speaks to the other side of this coin in chapter 9 of Understanding Comics, that is, what percent of the authors ideas survive the completion of their work. The edge of the coin that binds both sides (audience and author) is understanding. McCloud sees the edge of the coin as what keeps people from understanding one another, ignorance. The skill of the craftsman, the author, is their ability to effectively communicate their message to--paraphrasing McCloud--enhance understanding and make the detours useful. Regardless of what you choose to call the edge of the coin, ignorance or understanding, a fraction of it will always remain, because disagreements prevail despite the level of clarity in communication of form and content.