Blankets

Blankets is a beautifully real tale of a boy whose ultraconservative and depressingly average childhood leads him to draw pictures as a vessel for his huge imagination. This is the story of Craig Thompson, the author, and his first experience falling in love. This is the second time I have read blankets and it is still as fantastically raw as the first time. Thompson's style of illustration is simple which corresponds with the sentiment of the story, but it is also sketchy and whimsical. The illustrations are almost awkward, in a sense, like the characters themselves--naive and awkward. It is hard for me to comment on the story as it is based on his life, what is impressive is the amount of detail that he must remember. Some of the tender moments of childhood and horrid moments of puberty that most people likely push to the depths of their memories never to be retrieved. He finds those moments and uses them to create a story that is easy to relate to and is engaging in a way that likely everyone can identify with.
Thompson is creative in his use of space and text. Some pages are very conventional while others, intended moments, stand out by breaking with tradition. Page 321 and page 377 are particular examples of this. Page 464-467 too, without the panel borders make the events blend into one another in the way Craig likely felt the days blending into each other. Page 529 is stark and plain in a perfect way, and of course pages 540 to 543 are painfully expressive with the use of white space.
Blankets is fantastic, I can't wait till the third time I get to read it.

I Heard That- link

This is a pdf of the final draft of my comic "I Heard That."

file:///Users/CPinke/Desktop/Spring%202009/Comics/IHeardThat.pdf

Preacher

Right off the bat, Joe Lansdale's intro is sooo compelling. After reading his intro, how could anyone not read Preacher?
The attitude of Preacher reminds me of Pulp Fiction combined with Dogma. The characters are so bad ass, and they know it. The coloring in "Gone to Texas" is very muted and bland, which enhances the dull sentiment of the dreary South where the stories take place. The beginning, with the three of them sitting in the diner booth is a perfect way to set the scene and introduce the characters. I felt as if I were sitting in the booth with them based on the perspective of the drawings. Jesse and Cass balance each other well, as Cass is full of personality and vulgarity where as Jesse is a bit more thoughtful and simple. Tulip, is of course, a great female role. She is strong and independent, but she has not lost some of her feminine side, she is not afraid to be a little bit emotional and vulnerable, which adds some flavor to the constant testosterone that is everything about these stories.
I find Ennises style of writing quite captivating, not only is the dialogue totally awesome (especially the way he writes Casses accent) but the setup is so suspenseful. Often I find that I dont know what the characters are talking about and then two pages later everything will be explained. The timing, in that sense, is just really perfect. He gets the reader asking questions and then he answers them just in time, before it gets frustrating. Though the story is dark and disturbing, and everyone thinks there is no way that I would like these books, I really do!
"Until the End of the World" is even more intense than the first one. The whole story of Jesse's past is so creatively depressing. You really start to understand his character and his motivation, great that Ennis waited till the second colume to explain. By doing this, he sets a precedent that makes me feel like there are so many things about the characters that I still dont know and it makes me really want to read on. Also, the second volume is a little more colorful, which I appreciate, because there are actual positive moments that really contrast the constant negativity. Such as on pages 138-139, where Tulip and Jesse are in the bath. It is just beautiful enough to appreciate the moment without getting overly cheesy or sentimental.
The way that Dillon draws human flesh is great, too, especially because there is a lot of broken human flesh. For example on page 54 (bk.1), the last panel, his skin looks like fabric blowing in the wind. Whenever one of the characters is shot or hurt it is funny how ambivalent there facial expressions are. On page 132 (bk1) the first panel where the guy has no face, his expression is so unharmed. Or on page 174 when Coltrane puts the sword through Tulip's hand, she just looks at it, she doesn't scream or anything. These depictions make the violence almost more bearable.
A final note, the covers done by Fabry are amazing, His attention to muscles definition is phenomenal and so affective. My favorite one is definitiely on pg 32 (bk.2). This is the most creepy picture. These detailed covers really add an element to the characters that you don't get from the more cartoony depictions through the book. They are sooo creepy, and awesome.
Can't wait till the summer when I have time to keep reading!

Y The Last Man

Y The Last Man is engaging right from the start. It reminds of The Road, by Cormac McCarthy and also of Blindness, by Jose Saramago. The color palette is fairly simple, using mostly solid colors and the occasional two-tone gradient. However, this makes the full page stills at the beginning of new chapters pop-out sue to their whispy water-color texture.
As far as the story goes, I think it is very well written, especially the dialog, which has a contemporary sound to it that makes the situation seem almost plausible. I also, of course, see definite influences from Michael Chabon's Kavalier and Clay, because of the fact that Yorick is an escape artist. The characters are real, especially Yorick. By real, I mean they are believable, Vaughan did a great job with the dialog.
There was clearly a lot of thought that went into writing this, as the author covers a number of ideas that never would have occurred to me. For example, the woman discussing how all the planes went down, because all the pilots were men. Also the fact that the government and especially the republican party are comprised mainly of men.
I listened to a podcast that discussed gender and how there are species that have evolved form two species to one, because males became unnecessary for reproduction. The speakers on the podcast discussed the possibility that humans could potentially evolve to the same degree one day, this book covers that story, essentially. It does seem plausible to me that once the Dr. Mann delivered her cloned, unfathered child, that the male population could be extinct. Of course, there are may other little subplots that lead me to believe that there is a lot more to the story. I wonder what happened to Dr.Mann's clone, did he die too?
I really like these books, they are clever and unpredictable. I will certainly read on through the series.

Batman: The Killing Joke

This book was phenomenal. This may be one of my favorite comics that I have ever read. The story was interesting for me because it took a character that I am familiar with and presented a thorough back story, so unlike the past two superhero comics I read, I did not feel lost in the story. The dialog was fantastic and clever, it must have taken so much thought to come up with all the cheesy puns and jokes the Joker says! It was a very dark story, but the plot was full and suspenseful, the characters were developed and consistent, and the art was amazing.
The illustrations in this book were truly remarkable and played a big part in the story. The Joker is such a dynamic and expressively loud character that his facial expressions are key. The way that Brian Bolland captures the Joker's expressions, as well as the faces of the other characters (Barabara when she gets shot and even stern Batman), is so impressive. There is an aspect to the detailed faces that adds personality to The Killing Joke in a way that I have not found in most any other comic. He locates the most important part of a bit of dialog and imitates the expressions so that the panels correspond perfectly with the dialog that they contain.
I am very glad that I own this comic and I intend to purchase Jusge Dredd to see more of Bolland's work!

Batman: The Dark Knight Strikes Again

This comic combines superheroes from a number of older series. I have not read any of those older series and so it was difficult for me to understand what exactly was going on. I recognized the names of most of the superheroes, and the costumes, however my lack of knowledge regarding established relationships among them made reading this a bit frustrating. Sometimes I would know what was going on and then for a majority of the second book I was completely lost. I found myself again in the third book. The news casts were helpful and humorous, certainly a commentary on what our future might look like in a media sense: overly sexual and lacking in substantial content. I do not understand exactly the role of the Superchix, were they just a group of hot girls appropriating the super hero image for horny teenage boys and men of the time? Also, though it is clearly important that the president is computer generated and does not exist (I believe the real president is Lex Luthor, correct?) the book does not go into how people react to this fact other than immediate responses to the glitch during his presidential address.
To address the illustrations, I have mixed emotions. At first I was not a fan of the style of drawings. I generally do not like the mixture of hand drawings with digital components. However, sometimes the mixture of digital backgrounds and sketchy drawings was very affective. Specifically, I enjoyed the spread on pages 34/35 because of the layering of the newscasts and menial conversations over the silhouette of Batman and Superman. I enjoyed page 59 because of the simplicity of the digital components with the silhouette of Catgirl and The Atom. On the other hand, on page 80 the long panel to the left with superman I do not like because of the pixelation of the colors on his cape, which was certainly intentional, yet I find that it looks like a mistake or a cheap printing job. This is the case in a number of panels. Another example of a panel that did not do it for me is on page 118, specifically I do not like how Superwoman's shorts are blurry because nothing else is blurry and so this looks like a mistake. To end on a positive note, though, my favorite panel is certainly on page 133, the top panel, with Plastic man. Here, the use of digital coloring is brilliant, vibrant and energetic. It reminds me of "Fear an Loathing in Las Vegas", which is perfect, because the character is totally trippy and insane. Plastic Man might be my favorite character, though he plays a small part.

All Star Superman

This is my first experience reading a Superman comic book. I am confused about what goes on in this story, I feel like maybe I missed something. I know it is volume one, but it seems to me that there is a lot of information discussed that I know nothing of and should... I understand the major plot, so perhaps that is good enough. Also, maybe if I were to read on things would reveal themselves in a more comprehensible manner.
That said, I was not as engaged with this comic as I have been with past comics. This comic jumps right into a very complicated storyline without giving time to introducing the characters and relationships. So, it is hard to know who is good and bad, who to trust or suspect, and so on. Despite that, the drawings were okay. I do not like computer-colored books as much, I felt this way about We3 too. There is something more organic about a comic that is all illustrated; with these comics that have digital components it seems almost like it should be animated, or would be more complete if it were animated. There is something odd about the jagged pen lines and the ultra-smooth coloring and gradients.
Lois Lane is depicted in an interesting way. She seems to be Latino in this comic...? Which, I appreciate and think is an artistic choice, but I had the impression prior to reading this that Lois was a good, clean, American girl. The Lois in this book has a sassier side to her that kind of annoys me, actually. Perhaps my prior impression is totally fabricated though... as I said, I have little experience with Superman.
I like the rainbow coat, it reminds me of the story of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor dream coat--was this an intentional allusion?
I do not understand who Jimmy Olsen is either, especially the last panel on page 83, what is going on?!
I feel the same way about the panel on page 127 where "Nasty" tells :Ex to fix his eyebrow? What is the deal with these strange, seemingly sexual peculiarities?

Akira

Akira, though long, was a surprisingly quick read. I found it entertaining, certainly, and quite action-packed. I don't really know what to say about it in the way of analysis. The story progression is engaging because the author provides the major details about the huge bomb but the reader is gradually informed about the government endeavors and the anti-government gang. It is still unclear what exactly is going on at the end of the first volume, however this entices me to keep reading and purchase the second volume. I wonder, especially, what the number means that they assign to Tetsuo, and how he is related to those strange old-baby creatures (reminds me of Benjamin-Button!). Kaneda, as a character, is controversial because I like him but he is very frustrating. Kaneda is constantly taking risks, not obeying and even harassing Kei, he is very cocky and self-involved and I'm not sure what his goal is exactly. Especially when he finds out that Tetsuo is the new leader of the clown-gang, did he want to rescue him or destroy him? 

I like Kei, I wish we knew more about her and that she had a bigger presence in the story. Perhaps she will in later pieces.  There is a lot about the revolutionary group that I still don't know about and look forward to understanding. 

In terms of the pictures, I don't entirely understand why the first few pages are color and the rest is black and white. Despite that, the drawings lend a lot of action to the story. Akira seems to have more action than Watchmen, which may be because of the physicality of the illustrations. Yet, sometimes it was hard to determine what was happening, especially in some of the chase scenes and fight scenes. This got a bit frustrating. 

Over all I enjoyed Volume 1 of Akira as my first experience with Manga. 

We3

Someone told me that We3 was like a mix of "Homeward Bound" and the "Terminator" and that is exactly what it is. The comic is quick and entertaining, at times I felt sympathetic for the characters animals. Especially the dog, during the parts when he is scolding himself for being a "bad dog" . I like that the animals can talk a little bit, it makes it interesting in terms of the emotional aspect of the characters. The illustrations were impressive, were they done on the computer? The gradients make the drawings look digitally produced. My favorite panel is the two page spread of the animals flying in the air at night. I don't have a lot to say about We3. I was entertained for the 15 minutes it took me to read it. I'm not really sure how there can be more comics to follow, as the rabbit is dead and the cat and dog are no longer attached to their terminator parts. Perhaps I will pick up the next issue and that may provide me with a better sense of the series.

Words on Watchmen

A first impression of Watchmen: The coloring is absolutely amazing. The colorist, John Higgins, manages to take a dark story and make it so colorful and bright. The gray statue is not gray to Higgins, it is a mix of greens and purples that blend together to resemble stone. On the pages he has a common checkerboard type structure, where the corners and center box are a red hue and the other four boxes are blue. He does this with various combinations often because the different colors represent two different times or two different places at the same time. Either way, the way he uses mostly vibrant hues turns this dark story into something much more fantastical, but still dark and creepy and stunning. 

The story itself was a bit difficult to follow, as I was reading it sporadically: 3 pages on the subway, 15 pages during my lunch break, 20 pages before I go to bed, and so on. The story has many layers, following a number of characters (Rorschach, Jon, Dan, Adrien) as well as numerous stories (the excerpts at the end of each chapter, the pirate comic, the wars in the news...) which made it difficult to digest in the way that I was reading. However, the writing was very impressive, especially in the last few pages of each chapter. I also enjoyed the short quotes, sometimes by singers, that ended each chapter. There are many many allusions in the story, most of which I'm sure I didnt catch. However, I did notice numerous references to the Gordian Knot. Also, I enjoyed the consistency of the environment with the Gunga Diner wrappers and signs all about as well as graffiti that said "Who Watches the Watchmen." 

Rorschach is definitely my favorite character. He is depressed and sad, he ends up dead in the end, but he is the most consistent. Of course, I very much enjoy his costume too, though they leave it unexplained, I like that his face changes with every scene. My favorite chapter was the sixth, where Rorschach is in jail being analyzed by Malcolm. I think Rorschach's story is the most interesting and affective, the way he ended up with this costume and his perspective both were really fascinating and emotional for such a monotone man. He is quite bad ass in the jail too. 

In the end, I found Watchmen very enjoyable. Sometimes it was hard to get through, but I enjoyed the challenge. The author, Alan Moore, twisted the story in a way that left me completely unaware of how the plot would end. Too, the story ends with a moral dilemma: to kill few to save many, or do nothing and save no one? Is Adrien truly evil or his good? Is Rorschach weak because he is unable to, like Adrien says, get past the black and white of his own perspective? (I did think it was a bit abrupt that Jon kills Rorschach like that) I could certainly read this book again, and I look forward to seeing it on the big screen!

On Eisner

I'm glad that I read the two comic books before reading his bio because that allowed me to determine my own personal opinion and familiarity with Eisner before learning about his contribution to the comic world from the perspective of comic connoisseurs. It seems that in his bio they focus mostly on his artistic style and his desire to push the artistic aspects of comic books to the limit. I wonder, comparatively, how Eisner's dialog compares with other comics from his time. Also, I believe it's very possible that many of the musical and historical references he adds to his comics are ones that I don't get, so maybe that lessens my appreciation for the language he employs. I wish that I knew what thee comic books look like in color though, I feel that might add an entirely new and exciting element. One of my favorite things about Watchmen is the unbelievable use of color and Im sure Eisner was equally masterful in his use of color.

Lorelei Rox

Lorelei Rox is good taste of what The Spirit comic must be like. I do enjoy the variety that Eisner uses in his panels more than anything else about these comics. Because I'm not generally attracted to superhero-villain stories and I think the dialog is funny and unrealistic the aspect that appeals to me most is the structure and artistic style. It's true that these comics are very similar to film. I took a film course and had to story board my ideas, those story boards were similar to comic books in a way I never recognized. Comic writers must be very interested in film too, do many comic writers go into film? The close up of The Spirit's eyes on page 88 is great and full of emotion; the lowest left hand panel on page 90 has a great use of negative space where the tree is supposed to be and the panel on the top right on the same page convey's great emotion through the line-style of "Dead". My favorite drawing in this issue is on page 91, the top left, where you see the spirit and the reflection on the windshield of the road. I think that drawing is brilliant. Also, On page 92 the large box with Lorelei is indicative of a bay watch type scene with the seductive female's hair blowing in the wind, the largeness of the picture foreshadows her unsuspecting strength over the Spirit. On page 93 the zip ribbons used in the middle right box add intensity to the movements, all of the background is eliminated to portray the mind set of the two fighters. For both of them they are probably thinking of nothing else but themselves and their respective opponent. Over all Eisner does a fantastic job of combining words and pictures to convey the over-drama that seems typical to comic books. His style is very cinematic. Are all comics as cinematic as Eisner?

The Spirit Emerges

The Origin of the Spirit is a great example of a comic that sets the scene. Now I see how a comic can do nothing more than introduce the key characters and the essential plot of the series. We know how the Spirit came to be, we know that his mission is to fight evil, and we know who his first enemy is. I found the lay out to be fairly dynamic with some subtle inconsistencies that added to the story. One box in particular is quite packed. On page 24, the middle right box consists of three boxes and has obvious social implications. To start, the box to the left bleeds into this one, but for what purpose? Perhaps to emphasize the larness of the cop, or maybe to connect the subject-to-subject construction. Also this box contains three parts: a word baloon that sets the scene, a small illustration that shows the action of the cab, and then the bigger illustration that shows Dolan in the cab explaining where he wants to go. Of course the cab driver is ethnic, very obviously resembles a monkey more than a human, a direct reference to the negative opinion of raced people that remained at the time, and the cab driver stutters with an accent that suggests further stupidity. I suppose even comic book writers must have been influenced by the social prejudices of their times, but Im sure little black boys would not maintain positive self-images upon reading these stereotyped characters. Also, this aspect is just so unnecessary as far as the plot is concerned. It's simply offensive.
Anyways, other than that, which I was clearly bothered by, I thought the dialogue was cheesy and unrealistic, but I suppose that is how comics were written. A final comment about dialogue is that it seems between McCloud's book and this comic that artists tend to write in all caps nd use boldness for emphasis. What is the purpose of using all capital letters? For easier reading? The most creative part of the issue is Eisner's use of gutters and bleeds. I wonder whether the slanted boxes are representative of italics, emphasis, or movement, or whether Eisner was just playing around with style.

The Spirit Covers Reviewed

The Spirit covers seem to vary a fair amount. Three of the samples provided have the same title in style and font, however the rest are different from the others. Also, Will Eisner changes the placement and structure of his signature on all the covers. Sometimes he puts his last name to the right of his first name and sometimes to the left. On all but one of the covers he writes "The Spirit by Will Eisner". On No.26 he just has his name, faded, behind the web. My two favorite covers are the No.26 and No.28 because of the depth of the illustrations. On No.26 the web and the three characters with the woman closest and what Im assuming is the villain furthest away creates 3 layers of dimension. This layout causes the reader to feel almost like they are being sucked into the comic. The Spirit No.28 has the same effect that is created by the tunnel that extends behind The Spirit. The other thing appealing about both these covers is the consistancy of the type. Sort of like how a magazine has a signature font and style of lettering that is consistant in every issue, I think a comic series should have the same consistency. Both No.26 and No.28 have the bold serif lettering that is both angular and curvy. The other covers are less cohesive. They have pieces in the picture that don't seem to be grounded by anything. For example on "Davy Jones' Locker" cover the ripped picture of the Spirit seems out of place, this feels more like a collage, it's not as engaging. Also, I like the covers that are primarily picture and not language, the "Davy Jones' Locker" issue uses font in a way that makes the cover almost a first page, not a cover.

Understanding Comics Vocabulary

Comics: "Juxtaposed pictorial and other images in deliberate sequence, intended to convey information and/or to produce an aesthetic response in the viewer."

Cartoon: “An approach to picture-making—a style…” (21) Often used by comic creators, often describes a single panel and is a less realistic approach to drawing a subject.

Icon: “Any image used to represent a person, place, thing or idea” (27).

Splash page: a full page drawing, often including the title and credits as the first page of a comic book

Clear-line style: A style of illustrating that combines “iconic characters with unusually realistic backgrounds” such as Tin Tin (42).

Narrative box: narrative boxes are used to convey information not easily understood through thought or speech bubbles and drawings

Abstraction: a “non-iconic variety [of illustration], where no attempt is made to cling to resemblance or meaning” (50)

Pictorial Vocabulary: language (words), the picture plane (drawings/representations) and reality

Closure: “the phenomenon of observing the parts but perceiving the whole” (63).

Gutter: the space between the panels

Panel: the space where illustrations and language exist

Panel-to-Panel Transitions:
1.Moment-to-moment: requires very little closure, a small movement such as closing eyes
2. Action-to-action: a single subject completing a distinct action before and after, such as a batter hitting a baseball
3. Subject-to-subject: the movement between two different subjects while maintaining a scene or idea and requires more reader involvement to follow the flow of idea.
4. Scene-to-scene: transportation over significant distances of time and space, this requires much reader participation
5. Aspect-to-aspect: this transition bypasses time and shows the reader different aspects of a place, idea, or mood
6. Non-sequitur: no logical relationship between two panels

Mono-sensory Medium: “relies on only one of the senses to convey a world of experience” (89)

Bleed: when a panel runs off the edge of the page

Motion Line: aka zip ribbon. Represent the paths of moving objects through space (111). Often done by streaking or blurring.

Polyptych: a moving figure or figures is imposed over a continuous background to show movement. (115)

Synaesthetics: Uniting different art forms to appeal to numerous senses (123).

Word balloon: often where language that expresses a characters speech or thoughts is placed (135).

Thought balloon: internal character dialogue, usually represented in a bubble

Picture/Word combinations: page 153-155
1.Word specific: “pictures illustrate but don’t significantly add to a largely complete text”
2.Picture specific: words do little more than add a sound track to a visually told sequence
3.Duo-specific: both words and pictures send essentially the same message
4. Additive: words amplify or elaborate on an image or vice-versa
5. Parallel: words and pictures seem to follow very different courses
6. Montage: words are treated as integral parts of the picture
7. Interdependent: words and pictures go hand in hand to convey an idea that neither could convey alone

The path of the medium that is comics: page 170
1.Idea/purpose: the content of the work, the motivation, purpose, or philosophy
2.Form: the medium… comic book
3.Idiom: the genre, style or “school” of art
4.Structure: how the piece is composed
5.Craft: executing the concept, constructing the work
6.Surface: production values, finishing… the part that’s most easily appreciated

Additive Primaries: Red, blue and green that when projected together in various combinations can create every color in the visible spectrum

Subtractive Primaries: Cyan, magenta and yellow that when light is filtered out they can create any color in the visible spectrum

Understanding Comics, A Final Impression

So I have finished the Scott McCloud book and found it a very enjoyable read. I appreciate that he went through the historical background (which I discussed previously) and that he covered general theory of comics. He outlines the basic components and the many ways they can be used: a pyramid of Reality, The Picture Plane, and Meaning. The discussion of the gutter was important as well, sort of like recognizing the necessity of silence in speech or pause in song. He wants the reader to understand the place of comics in the art world, not how to create them. He talks about the variety of approaches to the comic, the different ways of showing action (or inaction) from one panel to the next. He goes into emotion, how line has a significant effect on the the reader. Sharp and angular shapes are harsh and negative, where as loose and curving lines are easier and more positive.
There is, ultimate, a whole lot to think about when writing and especially drawing a comic book that I never thought much about prior to reading this book. At the same time that the diversity in comic books is some what intimidating, it's also comforting to know that, unlike "finer" arts, the possibilities are endless, in a way. Some comics are magnificently drawn (Watchmen), some are simple cartoons (Peanuts), each are successful for different reasons, but they are both comics. Upon creating my own comic I'm excited to figure out what style works for me and to play with the techniques that McCloud discusses. I'm eager to read "Making Comics" to learn even more about construction so that I can better apply the concepts in "Understanding Comics."

Understanding Comics, A First Impression

I've read the first two chapters of Scott McCloud's Understanding Comics and am impressed with the history of sequential images that he discusses. He seems to be trying very hard to show that comics should be respected as they are associated with art forms such as the Bayeaux Tapestries and I also thought of some of Francisco Goya's isolated etchings: Saturn Devouring his Son and The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters (I really love Goya). Oddly, I felt the same way about comics that McCloud describes, when I was a kid I thought they were stupid and pointless, but after reading a Michael Chabon book Kavalier and Clay--about cousins who run a comic book industry-- I realized the amount of work that goes into a comic. It is not just about a brilliant story and fantastic art (as McCloud points out with that little anecdote involving the artists and the writer) it's about an appropriate collaboration. Also, unlike books, comics incorporate sometimes very beautiful illustrations, unlike art, comics incorporate superb writing. I wonder, why is it that comics are so often shunned? I suppose it could be the violence of many of them, but who can dislike Calvin and Hobbes? The Peanuts?