Understanding Comics is a book about comics--illustrated and written in a comic format! I think this is an ingenious format for a book on comics to express its point.
The comic itself talks a little bit about the history behind comics, then moves into why we see cartoons and recognize cartoon humans as actual humans. It discusses the difference between the "messenger", in this case the format of comics, and the "message". One such analogy it makes is between the cartoony face and the realistic face. He claims, as according to the theory, that the realistic face distracts from the messenger. Instead, by simplifying the imagery, we focus on the concept instead. This allows the audience to more easily identify with the characters. I see this often, I feel, in character design for shows. Usually, the main character is a simpler design compared to side characters. Many times it's stated that people relate more to a normal main character because they can see themselves being similar to the MC.
It also discusses some of the ways that comics in the East have developed differently than comics in the West. Another topic mentioned is how comics are looked down upon as compared strictly to writing and visual art.
One of my favorite parts discussed was how there are different types of image and panel juxtaposition in comics. The book really brings to light how these elements in comics really work together, and when we're reading we are barely aware of them!
But, while I thought the content was good, I actually had a difficult time reading the comic itself. I didn't think the transitions and panels were very fluid or coherent. It felt jarring to me as compared to other comics I've read in the past. A lot of the time, I felt almost lost within the space between panels. Moving from one to the next confused me as sometimes there wasn't a clear sense of what direction I was moving in or going towards.
The comic itself talks a little bit about the history behind comics, then moves into why we see cartoons and recognize cartoon humans as actual humans. It discusses the difference between the "messenger", in this case the format of comics, and the "message". One such analogy it makes is between the cartoony face and the realistic face. He claims, as according to the theory, that the realistic face distracts from the messenger. Instead, by simplifying the imagery, we focus on the concept instead. This allows the audience to more easily identify with the characters. I see this often, I feel, in character design for shows. Usually, the main character is a simpler design compared to side characters. Many times it's stated that people relate more to a normal main character because they can see themselves being similar to the MC.
It also discusses some of the ways that comics in the East have developed differently than comics in the West. Another topic mentioned is how comics are looked down upon as compared strictly to writing and visual art.
One of my favorite parts discussed was how there are different types of image and panel juxtaposition in comics. The book really brings to light how these elements in comics really work together, and when we're reading we are barely aware of them!
But, while I thought the content was good, I actually had a difficult time reading the comic itself. I didn't think the transitions and panels were very fluid or coherent. It felt jarring to me as compared to other comics I've read in the past. A lot of the time, I felt almost lost within the space between panels. Moving from one to the next confused me as sometimes there wasn't a clear sense of what direction I was moving in or going towards.
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