This comic series was introduced to me years ago by a history teacher I had in high school. I never read it before but its always been on my list. I'm glad that I've finally had the opportunity to read this because I love it. I'd really like to read the whole series when I get a chance. Religious story lines are something that almost always interest me. I like to read peoples' different interpretations or twisting of possibilities in the ways of organized religion. I think this story in particular has a very interesting twist and way of personifying the heavenly beings.
The way the story starts of is really nice because you get formally introduced to the characters involved giving you an intimate portrait of them right from the get go. I think that's an important tool to use when you're embarking on a story that can become so complex. Its important for the reader to know where their characters are coming from so that they can better understand their reasons for the things they do.
I think its very interesting that the writer included a 'Saint of Killers'. The fact that heaven uses a ruthless murderer to round up the escaped beings from heaven is an interesting concept to me. Mostly because religion, specifiacally Catholicism isn't supposed to be about murder, it says so right in the Ten Commandments "thou shalt not kill". Yet even over the course of real history the Church has killed countless people outside of the religion for not being believers. I think this story is an interesting commentary on the contradictory nature of organized religion in the present and throughout its existence as a whole.
Monday, December 7, 2009
Acme Novelty Library
These comics are really wonderful. The humor is adult in nature but told by a child character. One of the first things that came to mind was Stewie from Family Guy. Stewie and Jimmy are virtually the same character, they even look similar, with a similar hate for their mother! I think that the stories are written well for being humor. I think many times writers that try to be funny can be very unsuccessful in comics because they try so hard with it. This just seems to flow naturally as if its the way the writer would actually speak.
I absolutely love the story where Jimmy is a delusional old man and buys the back scratcher then thinks about walking up to random young women and using it on them. That whole story, how he tries to call his dead mother and he finally gets through. Soon after she starts showing up at his house but you never see her face. Later Jimmy tries to commit suicide by shooting himself and it doesn't work. All he can say is "Jeez, that's weird, I thought it would work." And then he just walks around with a band aid on his head to cover up the hole. Its this goofy story juxtaposed against this streamlined art that really amuses me. I love the artist's illustration style, its a type I've personally always been drawn to. I like the cleanliness of it and how seemingly simple it is, yet its so technically well executed that the average person just can't do that type of precise work. Heck, I don't even know if I could.
Returning to the similarities of Jimmy and Stewie... I wonder if Stewie was actually inspired by the character of Jimmy Corrigan. To me the similarities are so obvious that it would be hard for me to believe he wasn't. Both are 'geniuses' even though they're both just little boys with incredibly vivid imaginations. They both also have a real attitude like they know how smart they are and aren't afraid to show it. I think its fair to say that their resentment for their mother is very similar too. Stewie tries to kill his mom in many episodes of the show and while Jimmy doesn't really try to do that, he still calls her a bitch and disobeys her. But the second something goes wrong they both just really want their mommy.
I absolutely love the story where Jimmy is a delusional old man and buys the back scratcher then thinks about walking up to random young women and using it on them. That whole story, how he tries to call his dead mother and he finally gets through. Soon after she starts showing up at his house but you never see her face. Later Jimmy tries to commit suicide by shooting himself and it doesn't work. All he can say is "Jeez, that's weird, I thought it would work." And then he just walks around with a band aid on his head to cover up the hole. Its this goofy story juxtaposed against this streamlined art that really amuses me. I love the artist's illustration style, its a type I've personally always been drawn to. I like the cleanliness of it and how seemingly simple it is, yet its so technically well executed that the average person just can't do that type of precise work. Heck, I don't even know if I could.
Returning to the similarities of Jimmy and Stewie... I wonder if Stewie was actually inspired by the character of Jimmy Corrigan. To me the similarities are so obvious that it would be hard for me to believe he wasn't. Both are 'geniuses' even though they're both just little boys with incredibly vivid imaginations. They both also have a real attitude like they know how smart they are and aren't afraid to show it. I think its fair to say that their resentment for their mother is very similar too. Stewie tries to kill his mom in many episodes of the show and while Jimmy doesn't really try to do that, he still calls her a bitch and disobeys her. But the second something goes wrong they both just really want their mommy.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Yaoi
For the manga assignment I read Cinderella Boy. I've never really had an interest in manga at all, and after reading that I still don't. I think the Japanese have an interesting way of telling their stories with all of the cutesy aspects to them, but for me its too much. I don't find it amusing, it just seems juvenile. And I really didn't enjoy the story at all. To be fair, perhaps I should have checked out some other things, but I guess when it comes to this kind of art I, like many other American illustrators tend to be biased against it.
We talked in class about why some illustrators have this preconceived notion about manga and/or anime. The point was brought up that this type of art can be done by anybody and I really think that that's a contributing factor. If anybody can be a successful artist through this style, that puts the rest of us out of a job. That fact makes the rest of us with all of out formal training and finely tuned eyes less special. In the US we're alllll about individuality and manga doesn't seem to be at all. It all looks exactly the same to me and I really just can't enjoy the fluffiness of it. Even seemingly serious stories take on that aspect.
In my time I've found very few Japanese shows that have piqued my interest. Cowboy Bebop I think is fantastic. Its been a long time since I've seen an episode but remember really loving the way the story was laid out and the quirkiness of the standard anime or manga characters took a back seat. Full Metal Alchemist is another show that I really enjoy. Again, haven't seen it in a long time but that one doesn't take the quirkiness out of its characters. In that show it doesn't bother me at all. I think this is because its a show about a couple of kids albeit that one of their souls is trapped inside a big tinman-esque suit of armor.
A few Japanese movies have interested me a lot but I really just can't seem to get into the comics. I just feel like most of the stories are flimsy and ill composed. They seem to be far too 'young' for my taste.
We talked in class about why some illustrators have this preconceived notion about manga and/or anime. The point was brought up that this type of art can be done by anybody and I really think that that's a contributing factor. If anybody can be a successful artist through this style, that puts the rest of us out of a job. That fact makes the rest of us with all of out formal training and finely tuned eyes less special. In the US we're alllll about individuality and manga doesn't seem to be at all. It all looks exactly the same to me and I really just can't enjoy the fluffiness of it. Even seemingly serious stories take on that aspect.
In my time I've found very few Japanese shows that have piqued my interest. Cowboy Bebop I think is fantastic. Its been a long time since I've seen an episode but remember really loving the way the story was laid out and the quirkiness of the standard anime or manga characters took a back seat. Full Metal Alchemist is another show that I really enjoy. Again, haven't seen it in a long time but that one doesn't take the quirkiness out of its characters. In that show it doesn't bother me at all. I think this is because its a show about a couple of kids albeit that one of their souls is trapped inside a big tinman-esque suit of armor.
A few Japanese movies have interested me a lot but I really just can't seem to get into the comics. I just feel like most of the stories are flimsy and ill composed. They seem to be far too 'young' for my taste.
Blacksad
I thought initially that Blacksad being in French was slightly disappointing. However, upon looking it over again I realized that for most of the story you don't even need the words. The expressions on all of the characters' faces are stunning and so incredibly readable that its easy to get the gist of what's going on. Each character is an animal and they're all masterfully personified. When you look at them throughout the story, you almost forget that they're not human because of how well the expressions are captured.
I really hope to buy some of those comics in English because I think I would enjoy them a lot. Just the art alone has me hooked, they're beautifully crafted watercolors that I would love to learn how to do. The composition and color choices are far better than most comics I've seen in the past. I like that they all still look hand painted because these days you're hard-pressed to find something of that nature. Most comics now are gravitating towards digital art which is a true shame because things like Blacksad would lose a lot if they were done digitally. I think a hand-crafted medium brings the reader on a more personal level with the creator rather than the sterility of hard, computerized lines.
I really hope to buy some of those comics in English because I think I would enjoy them a lot. Just the art alone has me hooked, they're beautifully crafted watercolors that I would love to learn how to do. The composition and color choices are far better than most comics I've seen in the past. I like that they all still look hand painted because these days you're hard-pressed to find something of that nature. Most comics now are gravitating towards digital art which is a true shame because things like Blacksad would lose a lot if they were done digitally. I think a hand-crafted medium brings the reader on a more personal level with the creator rather than the sterility of hard, computerized lines.
Women's Comics
For this assignment I read "Diary of a Dominatrix". I have to say that although it was very sexually explicit, it still maintained a light humor about it. Zelda, the main character, treats her dominatrix side so nonchalantly. Just like its normal and no big deal when she's whipping and beating these men into submission. For her this alter ego is just like another day at the office and I love that. I even like how the artist includes little paper dolls of Zelda to keep the comic lighthearted and fun.
I think something that was interesting to me is that this comic is about a topic that would seemingly be dominated by male writers. However, even if I had no prior knowledge of who wrote and illustrated the stories, I would still figure that it was a woman. The way that Zelda is drawn in a more voluptuous form than your typical poster girl for new age sexiness is a huge indicator for me. She's not just super thin with huge boobs. She got a little mass to her with huge boobs instead. I think that if a man were to illustrate this story that it wouldn't be this way at all. She would be a cookie-cutter image of what today's society has deemed attractive. The creator also shows this woman in ways that a man just couldn't because they're not a woman. The way she's not afraid to show this woman popping a zit or plucking the hairs out of her upper lip like all women do (whether they'll admit to it or not) is something that I don't think would be included if it were written by the opposite sex. Men just don't think of women that way. They might show her shaving, drying her hair, filing her nails... but the hair on the upper lip image I know would just never appear in a male created comic unless it was about an ugly chick and this comic clearly is not.
I think something that was interesting to me is that this comic is about a topic that would seemingly be dominated by male writers. However, even if I had no prior knowledge of who wrote and illustrated the stories, I would still figure that it was a woman. The way that Zelda is drawn in a more voluptuous form than your typical poster girl for new age sexiness is a huge indicator for me. She's not just super thin with huge boobs. She got a little mass to her with huge boobs instead. I think that if a man were to illustrate this story that it wouldn't be this way at all. She would be a cookie-cutter image of what today's society has deemed attractive. The creator also shows this woman in ways that a man just couldn't because they're not a woman. The way she's not afraid to show this woman popping a zit or plucking the hairs out of her upper lip like all women do (whether they'll admit to it or not) is something that I don't think would be included if it were written by the opposite sex. Men just don't think of women that way. They might show her shaving, drying her hair, filing her nails... but the hair on the upper lip image I know would just never appear in a male created comic unless it was about an ugly chick and this comic clearly is not.
Art Spiegelmen's "Maus"
I had read Maus a long while back and still remembered it so for this week's reading, I just flipped back through it. Something I've always loved about this book's execution was that such a horribly graphic topic was produced in black and white only. I always find artists with that sort of skill really admirable. I know as an artist I tend to get caught up in a lot of detail which can make a small image like the panels difficult to read. Spiegelmen has perfected this in my opinion. Everything in this book is readable. I think its especially important to recognize his separation of races through different animal species. There's almost no way that one would be able to successfully depict the variances in who the characters were without doing that. But I think even the idea of the Nazis being cats and the Jews being Mice, not only in the sense that cats tend to kill mice, but also that the Nazis stalked the Jews in the same way that a cat will stalk its prey. Any time the Nazis would occupy a new country, the very first thing they would do is take a census to search out who was on their list of 'undesirables'. It was from there that the Gestapo would come in to those peoples' houses and drag them out to ghettos and later to the death camps.
When I first read this story I never thought of it as a comic. I had never really read anything so serious and so immersible in the world of comics. The story isn't only about Spiegelmen's father, but its also a clear reflection on him and his relationships. There's a portion in this book that is like a comic within a comic where Art showcases a small comic that he did in response to his mother's suicide. The awkwardness between he and his father is almost palpable and I think that incident has something to do with it. In his mini-comic it expresses how he felt that her suicide was his fault because of the last time he saw his mother alive. In turn he blames her for his guilt as if she did it to get back at him. I found that fact very interesting. I would have expected Vladek to be very upset upon reading his son's comic, but really it just brought back memories and made him sad. It really was a very emotionally driven piece that is something that I think resonates and enhances the mood of Maus overall.
The story seems to end sort of abruptly as Vladek's health has declined. He finishes explaining his story to Art by telling how he and Anja (his wife, Art's mother) and him reunited surprisingly after the war. The literally says, "More I don't need to tell you. We were both very happy, and lived happy, happy ever after." Two panels later Maus is over and finishes with an image of Vladek's and Anja's grave. I feel that this is a great ending. As I said before, the awkwardness felt between Vladek and Art is very prominent. Also, Vladek's personality is very abrupt. He holds nothing back and speaks in almost a staccato tone. I don't think that if the story ended differently that it would make as much sense to the characters.
When I first read this story I never thought of it as a comic. I had never really read anything so serious and so immersible in the world of comics. The story isn't only about Spiegelmen's father, but its also a clear reflection on him and his relationships. There's a portion in this book that is like a comic within a comic where Art showcases a small comic that he did in response to his mother's suicide. The awkwardness between he and his father is almost palpable and I think that incident has something to do with it. In his mini-comic it expresses how he felt that her suicide was his fault because of the last time he saw his mother alive. In turn he blames her for his guilt as if she did it to get back at him. I found that fact very interesting. I would have expected Vladek to be very upset upon reading his son's comic, but really it just brought back memories and made him sad. It really was a very emotionally driven piece that is something that I think resonates and enhances the mood of Maus overall.
The story seems to end sort of abruptly as Vladek's health has declined. He finishes explaining his story to Art by telling how he and Anja (his wife, Art's mother) and him reunited surprisingly after the war. The literally says, "More I don't need to tell you. We were both very happy, and lived happy, happy ever after." Two panels later Maus is over and finishes with an image of Vladek's and Anja's grave. I feel that this is a great ending. As I said before, the awkwardness felt between Vladek and Art is very prominent. Also, Vladek's personality is very abrupt. He holds nothing back and speaks in almost a staccato tone. I don't think that if the story ended differently that it would make as much sense to the characters.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Underground Comics and then some.
Unfortunately for this week's reading I was unable to get the Crumb comics to work for me. I did take a look at the Air Pirates Funnies, the "Four Sketchbooks", and the Zap Comics 0-5. In class I also looked at the posted Tijuana Bibles and the Bizarre Sex comic.
I was really shocked at how wonderful the artwork was presented in these comics. I was expecting the artwork to be just as trashy as the subject matter but really, some of it was incredibly detailed and well thought out. It was something that made looking at this stuff more enjoyable. Its not anything that really shocked me, but I definitely found it all really amusing in a hilarious sort of way.
I think that seeing the Four Sketchbooks before looking at anything else really helped me to appreciate these types of comics even more. Getting a little insight to some of these artists when they're not illustrating for a story, but rather just doing their thing and playing with random styles shows just how versatile they can be. I was particularly intrigued with Art Spiegelman's portion. I love the fluidity that his figures take on. His style varies so radically and he doesn't try to make his sketches polished and beautiful which throws in so much personality and really makes these drawings unique.
The Air Pirates comic was very funny. Some of the subject matter was a bit shocking but overall I just had a few good laughs. It was strange for me to see Disney-esque characters in all these sexually explicit scenarios. Let me just say, that never in my life did I think I'd see Mickey Mouse going to town on Minnie in such an explicit manner. I didn't offend me, but I grew up with Mickey so when I saw that I was like just thinking in my head, "Mickey! What are you doing!?" That just gave me a good laugh.
The Tijuana Bibles were interesting to say the least. But unlike the other underground comics, the art was incredibly poor. The anatomy in all the figures was so far off that the subject matter was less of a shock than the way some of the hands were drawn. But I suppose that for somebody who isn't trained in the arts, the books serve their 'purposes' just fine.
The Bizarre Sex comic was something that I enjoyed reading. Just like the Air Pirates, it was a compilation of work from various artists. The stories were definitely bizarre. The opening short was about a werewolf that decided to go fishing, used a severed penis as bait to catch a mermaid. He finally hooks one in through her mouth and out through the center of her forehead. He then proceeds to pull her up on the dock and brutally hack her to pieces, walking away with his prize catch. After reading it I could only think, "What a way to start a book!!"
All the reading for this week was very entertaining. Really opened my eyes to another facet in the comics industry that formerly, I never had an opportunity to appreciate.
I was really shocked at how wonderful the artwork was presented in these comics. I was expecting the artwork to be just as trashy as the subject matter but really, some of it was incredibly detailed and well thought out. It was something that made looking at this stuff more enjoyable. Its not anything that really shocked me, but I definitely found it all really amusing in a hilarious sort of way.
I think that seeing the Four Sketchbooks before looking at anything else really helped me to appreciate these types of comics even more. Getting a little insight to some of these artists when they're not illustrating for a story, but rather just doing their thing and playing with random styles shows just how versatile they can be. I was particularly intrigued with Art Spiegelman's portion. I love the fluidity that his figures take on. His style varies so radically and he doesn't try to make his sketches polished and beautiful which throws in so much personality and really makes these drawings unique.
The Air Pirates comic was very funny. Some of the subject matter was a bit shocking but overall I just had a few good laughs. It was strange for me to see Disney-esque characters in all these sexually explicit scenarios. Let me just say, that never in my life did I think I'd see Mickey Mouse going to town on Minnie in such an explicit manner. I didn't offend me, but I grew up with Mickey so when I saw that I was like just thinking in my head, "Mickey! What are you doing!?" That just gave me a good laugh.
The Tijuana Bibles were interesting to say the least. But unlike the other underground comics, the art was incredibly poor. The anatomy in all the figures was so far off that the subject matter was less of a shock than the way some of the hands were drawn. But I suppose that for somebody who isn't trained in the arts, the books serve their 'purposes' just fine.
The Bizarre Sex comic was something that I enjoyed reading. Just like the Air Pirates, it was a compilation of work from various artists. The stories were definitely bizarre. The opening short was about a werewolf that decided to go fishing, used a severed penis as bait to catch a mermaid. He finally hooks one in through her mouth and out through the center of her forehead. He then proceeds to pull her up on the dock and brutally hack her to pieces, walking away with his prize catch. After reading it I could only think, "What a way to start a book!!"
All the reading for this week was very entertaining. Really opened my eyes to another facet in the comics industry that formerly, I never had an opportunity to appreciate.
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