Literature of Comics and Graphic Novels

Jan 29: “Nemo in Slumberland” From reading some of the stories from Nemo in Slumberland, I really felt the kinds of stories reminded me of the kinds of stories written in the time period. Even though the Nemo stories were from the early 1900s, some of the storylines are straightforward, and some of the stories aren’t. I really felt that the Demo stories were innovative, especially for its time. It really helped future comic storytellers create interesting stories. In Nemo, the stories range from the supernatural to the mundane, which was right at home with the time period. It’s also surprisingly similar to the kinds of stories in modern comics. There are storylines that continue from issues to issue, and are used to continue an ongoing plot lines. And ome are just there for a single issue. Honestly, I enjoy reading stories like these. It’s interesting to read stories from early time periods, seeing how writers used characters, compared to how they are portrayed in stories today. S...

“Understanding Comics”; Scott McCloud When reading Scott McCloud’s Understanding Comics , I really liked his explanation about the power of art styles in comics, as well as transitioning. It explains how comics don’t have to be bonded into a single arts style, open to several, endless styles and interrelation to illustrating a story. I related it to how illustrations of today, whether it be from advertising, from movies or on TV, more simplified arts styles have really taken over and have become its own thing. When McCloud explains both the art style and transitioning, he talks about how looking at how to properly transition those images can help the story move even more. An aspect that McCloud discusses is the art style in some comics. He discusses how simplified drawing styles can be affective. In the story, the narrator, McCloud presumedly, begins by examining and telling the reader what a comic is, and how adding sequence makes the story move. At one point, McCloud talks about...

Jan 15: “The Arrival” From wheat I had learned from reading The Arrival, It’s impressive how little is actually shown in the narrative, as well as how much it showcased visually. I really felt that this was a great story for not only people who normally read comics, but also those who may not. I feel that the illustrations can do more for people that reading speak/ thought bubbles. Shaun Tan story of an immigrant traveling to a new city who encounters new strange, fanatical creatures roaming amongst the town. The illustrations are the real stars of the story, and Tan uses them all, without words, to give the reader a an interesting story. For explain, you have images of the immigrant walking around the town and having the shadows of the creatures on the walls behind said immigrant, and have it toward of him. This also gives the creature the sense of scale and power that the viewer can get immediately once viewing the illustration. Another interesting method that Tan uses in the co...

“A Week of Kindness” In the first panel of Max Ernest’s A Week of Kindness , the image seems to be about a person who looks like she is performing on the street, with a rooster on top of an orb. The rooster may also be part of the performance. In the send image of Kindness , a cloaked figure in father looks down upon a resting figure on a bed or table. The closed figure may be doing something to the resting figure as its hand seems to be glowing/ and or on fire. In the third image, two figures, who look like a walking roosters look upon the resting fire, who is now in a casket in the ground, with a naked female figure.The upside-down cross may indicate satanism, or alchemy. In the fourth image, the two put the name female figure on a large stone table, looking like they might put her in the ground like the previous figure that put in there. The location looks like a barrier where they would do these sort of rituals. There’s another naked figure, and it may be the next ...