Watchmen

Alan Moore touched some very great issues and ideas surrounding society and the anxieties involved, not to mention the superhero aspect to this comic. He basically combined the best of both worlds: Superheroes and the 1980s. It's always interesting to watch something that has already happened, but with a different, possible outcome.

To Be Continued..

Johnny The Homicidal Maniac

The style of Johhny The Homicidal Maniac resembles more of the type of art I am drawn to. As for the content I think it's very very dark, which many people can relate to, or at least find it amusing. I find the dark dry humor hilarious, as though Johnnys life is completely terrible and he only can look at the pessimistic side of mostly every situation presented to him. I think Happy Noodle Boy was my favorite part to read. It's really funny how this comic interjects with his own comic, which I feel gives me more of a sense of whats going on in that crazy brain. I also think a part of why this comics so likable is because of all the profanity and absurdities Johnny comes up with.

Something that I thought was a little different was how the beginning starts with a more depressing introduction to this little boy who is told by both of his parents to "go away", which is kind of a big deal. I guess because I can personally relate to the main character in certain aspects, I was automatically sucked into the story. Johnny almost reminds me of the villain in the Saw movies, except he does not have "good" reasons for murdering these people. He just hates humans and wants to get rid of them, but the concepts are the same.

Also, as a character, he reminds me of Emily Strange. She's a japanese character I guess and she has a website, merchandise, video games etc, but she is very dark but not as violent. Moreso like Daria, personality wise.

Continuation of The Walking Dead post

The Comic The Walking Dead was AWESOME. It was comical to me, because my friend gave me the comics to read and I had not gotten around to doing so yet and then the TV series came out. Of course, I began to watch it and now I am so satisfied that I got to read the comics of one of my current favorite shows. I read the first 5 volumes, which included: Days Gone Bye, Miles Behind Us, Safety Behind Bars, The Heart's Desire, and The Best Defense. I really enjoyed the style of all of the comics, because the show is so intense, mostly due to the creepy audio, therefore reading it was an entirely different experience. I was also surprised to be as satisfied with the illustrations of the zombies, as I was in the tv series. Even the cover of the comics are enough to draw a reader in. Something I noticed was the style of the comic depicts the story in a light, which makes the climactic parts very intense, whereas the tv series seems to be quite dramatic and intense during entire episodes.
I still experienced the intense suspenseful moments while reading, as I do while watching the tv show. Of course, if you follow the comics, the show doesn't necessarily match up, but I feel the layout of the comic causes the viewers to anticipate the next frame and what is going to happen, and then all of a sudden it happens, adding to the suspense. Whereas on tv, you get to actually see what you visualized while reading, and in detail, which for me, made the experience that much more enjoyable already having that knowledge. I certainly thought that not only did the plot made for a good comic, due to the epicness of the zombie apocalypse story, but it also made an equally satisfying show. Not to mention, the drama that happens between the group.
I enjoyed how this comic touches upon how compassionate people should be to one another and how we lack that a lot more nowadays. There shouldn't be anything drawing lines between us if we're all human, but when we become endangered so quickly, it really tests the wellbeing of man. Rick, one of the main characters, is a good example of this. Of course, there are things he has to do that are not easy or won't reflect grandly upon him, but he is a very honest person, who is a great family man and is willing to protect anyone. Aside from him being a cop, I feel like he is one of the few genuine people that you come across every once in a while throughout your life. On the other hand, there are people who are more for saving themselves then saving people as a whole, which is realistic, it is just sad at the same time. Overall, I feel there is a lesson that we should stick together and collaborate. There is no reason we should be on our own, not sharing ideas with one another, it's just limiting ourselves in the end.
Two thumbs up!!

Tiny Kitten Teeth

The visuals of this online comic are AMAZING. Not only are the bold, vibrant colors interesting to the eye, but the graphic illustrations are so creatively done. The ideas are quite simple, but the style's also elaborate for what it is. In my opinion, simplicity speaks more, than a busy graphic illustration would. Not to mention, if they gave everything away in one frame, there would be nothing to presume really..
The characters are very adorable and are quite witty. There isn't much specifically going on, content wise, throughout the comic, which was something I really enjoyed. It is still comical, speaking of more real life situations and random conversations, which is also relatable by most.

The Walking Dead

The Comic The Walking Dead was AWESOME. It was funny, because my friend gave me the comics to read and I hadn't gotten around to it yet and then the TV series came out. Of course, I began to watch it and now I am so happy that I have gotten to read the comics of one of my current favorite shows. I really enjoy the style of the comics, because the show is so intense, mostly due to the creepy audio, therefore reading is an entirely different experience.
I still experienced the intense suspenseful moments while reading, as I do while watching the tv show. Of course, if you follow the comics, the show doesn't necessarily match up, but I feel the layout of the comic causes the viewers to anticipate the next frame and what's going to happen, and then it happens SO quickly, adding to the suspense. Whereas on tv, you get to visually see what you visualized while reading, and in detail, which for me, made the experience that much more enjoyable. I definitely felt that the story made for a good comic, due to the epicness of the zombie apocalypse, as well as the drama that happens between the group. Two thumbs up!!

Persepolis

I absolutely loved the art style of this comic. I think it is very significant that she chose it for her autobiography. It gives a unique look on her life through her own eyes. Marjane Satrapi also wrote a second Persepolis, which I now want to read on my own time, perhaps over break. I think one of my favorite things about this comic was that she had her own beliefs apart from her parents and their protesting. It's nice seeing someone who isn't an adult yet have their own beliefs and strongly back them up. I also thought it was very sad and depressing when her grandmother explained to her that she used to pretend to cook so that their neighbors wouldn't question their wealth, basically. This actually happens to people, so I guess its just a harsh reality that pulls on the heart strings of the readers. Another relatable factor of this book is that she seems to go through many hardships either with her family or she has them to lean onto when in need. I can relate, as I am very close with my family and they have always been there for me when I need them the most. It is nice to hear others stories, especially through this type of visual graphic novel, because we can not only relate, but learn from these stories.

Buddha by Osamu Tezuka

This graphic novel took me quite a while to read, perhaps because it was so action packed, but the story line was not poorly constructed. I am a very visual person, so I usually enjoy more pictures than words, but in this case I felt there was SO much action going on both within the plot or within the visuals and it turned me off a little bit as I kept reading it. There would be a few pages without ANY words and it would be a duel or some exciting moment in the story, but the amount of information within the panels is so overwhelming to look at, that I was heavily depending on the text to keep focused. The story itself was not bad, but it was not my favourite at the same time. At first, I thought the woman and sons relationship was a tad strange, just a little too close for comfort. Fortunately, for the majority of this novel, his moms trying to find him so it doesn't get too creepy. I also felt like the plot was a bit all over the place, or possibly just how they set it up within the panels, as there are no transitions. It was just very hard to get into the story itself, because every few minutes you'll get into one part of the plot and then all of a sudden you're viewing his mother on her journey to find her son. I was a little disappointed that both the mother and son died, not to mention TOGETHER. Even though, I wasn't completely satisfied with this story, I still am glad I read it, because it'll broaden my graphic novel horizon.

Maus

Maus was a very interesting and engaging novel to read! I do not usually read stories or comics of a historical sense, but as I kept reading Maus, I found myself gradually getting sucked into all of the different stories within the plot. That, in particular, was a large part of why I enjoyed this comic so thoroughly. Maus has the ability to switch between multiple situations and various point of views, but still manages to flow very well. Typically, a book has multiple chapters, which are, for the most part, relatively short. Maus had about 5 or 6 "chapters" or parts and the entire book is split into two parts. I get the feeling that it was done intentionally though, because, as a viewer, it made my experience that much more exciting and interesting, which is ultimately what the artist wants. I enjoyed how the layout of the comic was simple, just alternating between two points of view. Either you're being engaged into present tense with Art Spiegelman trying to record Vladlek, his fathers', history as a graphic novel. On the other hand, they also show his fathers story as he's describing it. The imagery was so descriptive on its own, that it really wasn't necessary to constantly add a lot of text. This graphic novel was very well put together, because I usually find that the text and visuals, the two main elements, tend to compete, but are equally balanced throughout Maus.
After reading the last final panel and page, I instantly felt a sense of relief, or just satisfaction that the story had an end. As if it was not over until it's over type of thing. I had to know if he found Anja in the end or not. The actual story itself was very personal and depressing, even if you do not have a strong opinion about the issue at hand. The art style was also incredibly pleasing to my eye. I thought it was extremely clever when the style would change to show whether they were referencing to a past or present memory, along with other important indications for viewers to notice. It was a little strange, maybe just because it was very blunt and a true story, but the racist remarks and details of being in the camps were very forward ways of conveying how it was, in a realistic sense.

There seemed to be a lot of tension between the characters in the present tense after the entire war, but then they would go back to how it was and my emotions, as a viewer, would be all over the place. Finally, when I got to the last page, although I was relieved, it was still very sad how the novel ended. The tomb stone was saddening, yet throughout the book, they tend to imply that he will die when he gets older, yet it still seemed to shock me. I am very glad I read this book, it is definitely not something I would have read on my own, only because I don't usually seek that type of read. Maus was not only a first in that sense, but because it's someone who was involved, it's a very detailed story involving history and personal lives.

Gay Comix

For the underground comics, I read Gay Comix, and it was definitely a very open and blunt comic. I enjoyed how it touched upon numerous issues within the gay community, that many people can relate to, even if they are single, bi, or whichever. It was also refreshing to see different art styles for the comics, the art itself was well done, definitely blunt in exaggerating specific parts of a frame so that the viewers will see it. I feel this way about these comics, but perhaps it's just a trend throughout comics in general, but statements seemed to be quite exaggerated. For instance, "Oh what will I do if anyone finds out I'm gay! My family will KILL ME!" Phrases like that seem to be amplified, for a reason obviously, but it makes it less of a fill it in yourself, and more of a here is what is happening.

Will Eisner

Dropsie Avenue

I really enjoyed reading this comic, although it took me a while to get in the rhythm of how fast pace it was. I don't think it was the story or plot itself that was fast, that seemed to be easy to stay with, but I think it may have been that every page involved a different person(s) involving the Dutch, Irish, Jewish, and Italians, along with their situation. After getting used to it, it seemed to flow very well. I really enjoyed the art style and that it kind of fit with what the comics theme/ feel. It was refreshing watching the video of Eisner and Stan Lee, because it clears up any thoughts or questions about the comics art, plot, characters, or intentions, so I definitely feel more respectful towards him as an artist. Dropsie Avenue was not bad by any means, but the kind of story is not something I would usually read on my own time. I am definitely glad I read it though.

Blankets

Reading Blankets was an awesome experience. I could not help but get really into it and read it all in one sitting, but the style also allowed me to do so. I'm not the quickest reader, but I felt like I couldn't slow down, because there wasn't a massive amount of text on the pages, but a lot of visuals which can infer what they're saying. The story was really easy to become emotionally involved, being able to relate it to past experiences made it so personal, but I really enjoyed this book. I really want to read more comics of that style. I'm a very sympathetic person and I think because I grew up being able to believe in whatever I wanted. Of course I was baptized and went to church when I was with my grandparents, but only when I was younger, eventually they let me choose. So I sympathize that he has to deal with having it reinforced upon him continuously and that he was ostracised at camp, which I also never experienced. Perhaps, it was very exciting because it was both familiar and a new experience at the same time.

Plastic Man

I enjoyed reading the plastic man comic so much! For being a comic, it felt very animated or just a good amount of implied motion. The longer comics were very easy to get sucked into, but I really enjoy the overall plot and message of plastic man being the superhero stopping crime, but there were a few times where I kind of double taked on what they said, because I couldn't believe it. I can't completely remember, I'll have to go back and look it up but it was something you could definitely not get away with nowadays. The only issue I probably had, and this is mostly my reading skills, but sometimes I'd start reading the page as though both pages went together and would get a tad confused, just because there's so much going on in each frame, but obviously once I got the order correct it was fine, such a good read!

Little Nemo

Reading Little Nemo was very fun, although a little confusing, it all seemed to come together nicely. I kept forgetting there was an actual plot to the story, because it wasn't a continuous comic, but I really enjoyed him waking up every time. It would become very intense and I would almost forget there was anything else going on in the story and all of a sudden he wakes up...
The art of the comic was great as well, not as detailed as some of the other ones we've looked at, but still fairly detailed and the characters are very old school, almost stereotypical, with the clowns and the king and his daughter being wealthy royalty, etc. My favourite character overall would have to be Little Nemo.

Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud

Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud was a wonderful book to read. I thought it was neat that this book about comics explaining them to you is done in a comic strip style, very nifty. Before reading this book, I hardly acknowledged the effort that gets put into creating them, or the fact that EVERYTHING is done on purpose, every little detail. I think what I found the most interesting part of reading this was probably the Six Steps, in which the artist takes to create the comic. The steps include Idea/Purpose, Form, Idiom, Structure, Craft, and Surface. And not only that, but Scott furthermore discusses that these artists usually fall within two categories, depending on which step, out of the first two, they decide to take. If you usually begin with Idea and purpose, then you would be considered a great storyteller. On the other hand, if you choose Form first, then you are considered an artist who likes to shake things up, also considered pioneers or revolutionaries. So although the entire book was fascinating, that had to probably be the most interesting part for me.

Ernst

I feel as though the first image, her expression looks concerned, possibly angry. But her body language could possibly tell me different. The bird isn't alarmed, so I wouldn't think she was hopping and dancing around, I get a serious mood from this. The second image seems as though someone is mourning the loss of another. I am also wondering what the significane of the birds could be.. they are everywhere. In the third and fourth panel, I feel the bird like people become more of the evil characters in this situation. I think this as they're always around a dead human, although they are going through the ceremony of burial, so possibly they have great affection towards humans. The fifth panel seems like he is surprised or shocked at the death and I feel like the birds could possibly signify death and darkness through this graphic narrative. In another sense, it looks as though his favourite sports team just won the big game and is excited, but you can interpret it anyway you wish really. It would make more sense for him to be mourning and sad, possibly she was his wife? In the last panel, I feel as though they look tired or are stretching, perhaps dancing. After a day of dreadful events, I would be pooped as well. They also don't look overly enthused. I got the feeling throughout the entire story that birds represent darkness whether it's an event or just the mood.