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?