Flow arises when some or all visuals elements of the page are used to establish the best reading order as intended by the creator.

Think of flow as the path a creator constructs using one or many elements that guide the eye around a layout.

The most important element in flow is speech balloons (lettering), followed by panel arrangement — though visual hierarchy and value hierarchy are important too.

Visual Hierarchy

The arrangement of elements in an image that guides the eye around a predetermined path. In comics, this includes the lettering and panel arrangements, in addition to other elements like characters, positive/negative space, foreground and background, repetition, and placement of objects. All the elements work together to form a composition.

Value hierarchy

The creation of visual hierarchy based on the relationship between colours of different elements.

Repetition of a motif across multiple panels can also create flow.

As well as the placement, posing and eyeline of characters.

Flow has a shape. Common shapes are left to right, up to down, zigzags, curves, and geometry, among others.

The flow, as well as the shapes of the panels and gutters, are zig-zaggy, evoking the action of a sword fight. Cosmoknights, Hannah Templer.

Flow can incorporate rhythm.

The flow at the bottom set of panels follows the rhythm of a bouncing head. Lumina, Kaeti Vandorn.

Flow can be evocative.

The undulating flow evokes the motion of dancing. M.Y MAVI.

Flow is commonly linear. Non-linear flow does exist, but less so.

Two, branching paths. The World in Deeper Inspection, Reimena Yee.

Flow is utilised in tracking, and core to the structure of many comics layouts, particularly transitional curvature and geometric composition