"The Arrival" (Jan 15)

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 comic is how symmetrical, and how fluid the sequence of images are. As you read it, it feels like you are watch a film roll and watching the film play out as you go though the images one by one. Tan really does an effective job at creating the story, then making you figure out the story, instead of the story telling you what is happening thorough exposition. That is what makes it different from other comic books out there.

I feel that a comic can still do its job of telling a story without the writing getting In the way. I feel that words are there sometimes for exposition, telling the reader what is happening when the images themselves can do the job just as effectively.