Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud was a fantastic explanation of the mechanisms behind comics and how we the viewers process sequential imagery. I loved his explanation of why more realistic images tend to be more particular and therefore less relatable to the viewer, and how we as humans tend to project ourselves into more relatable characters. I also loved his breakdown of how we process time in a medium like comics, and all of the potentiality that the medium has. Not only was the information in the book fascinating, it was also a highly effective, visually appealing comic in and of itself. Strangely the book was published in 1994, and i feel like the only graphic novel I've read that really pushes the concepts he elucidates to the max, is Promethea by Alan Moore. Promethea goes above and beyond the artistic call of duty, stretching time, space, and the readers mind, with its graphic storytelling techniques. Ensuring that what is being read is both felt and experienced by the reader first had.
A Contract With God A powerful work of storytelling. Even with how little it visually showed and verbally explained about that time period, the simple yet effective storytelling techniques shed a powerful light into the world of the thirties. The layout and information on each page stayed true to the essential items needed to convey the story at hand, while the expressions and designs of each character involved were perfectly fitted to that characters particular nature. The flow of the stories themselves was also really interesting. It starts off very regal and true, then gradually starts to slip down into degradation, whizzing past horrible defiling moments, building up into this final orgiastic climax, and then finally ending with one boy “Willie” standing on the edge of his balcony, pausing after being given his new set of family expectations, and reflecting on all that happened over the summer. Blankets I love how expressive and powerful Thompson...
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