Terms and Conditions: The Graphic Novel

With this work, cartoonist Sikoryak (Masterpiece Comics) executes an interesting experiment. He takes the latest Apple iTunes "Terms and Conditions" document and displays it in graphic form, offering samples from classic comic art styles throughout. There is no story, nor are there characters. Instead, the reader is able to process the agreement on the page instead of a screen. While Sikoryak didn't write the material himself, he does break up each page with different versions of well-known art forms. Re-creating everything from Archie to Frank Miller's Sin City to Scott McCloud, the author even inserts himself into the work, talking with other legendary figures such as Steve Jobs, but the speech remains the contract, word for word. The various takes on lauded graphic works reduce the monotony of the prose, and that subtle shift is enough to keep you reading. It may be assumed that very few people have deciphered the iTunes agreement in its entirety. The graphic format makes the information easier to interpret and even comprehend.