The Future of Comics

This week I read Perry Bible Fellowship Almanack from the course resource page.  This seems to be a collection of different comics from one artist, most of them being more comedic.  The also seem to be more on the adult and dark humor side of comedy, but nothing too graphic which is appreciated.  Most of the art styles are simple and easy to read, with flat colors and simple linework.  Most of the comics are also very short, being three to five panels at the most.  I really enjoyed reading these as they are easy to take in and almost stress relieving.  It kind of reminds me of instagram artists who make the really short-winded comics about things that are very easy to relate to. 

Upon reading about the author, Nicolas Gurewitch, it is said that these comics are intended to be a juxtaposition between whimsical imagery and morbid and dark imagery, which is presented pretty well in my opinion.  A lot of the comics have themes about love, religion, sexuality, war, etc.  Some of the comics I didn't completely understand, I'll admit.  Im assuming there is a button for the joke on each but maybe not. 

Specifically these were the ones that I didn't really get the joke.  But they were still fun to read regardless.



This one is one of my favorites though:


It's more light-hearted then the other more sexualized and morbid stuff but I still found myself laughing.  All three of these comics side by side also show off how off-the-rails the art style is, showing how Nicolas can change it depending on what he needs for that specific strip.

Reconsidering the Superhero

I decided to read Arkham asylum (1989) this week and I can say that this comic has probably the creepiest art style out of everything I have read this week.  It was really enjoyable to look at and I liked this interesting take on the already pretty dark art style of the batman comics.  The comic is written by Grant Morrison and illustrated by Dave Mckean.  The story follows Batman as he is called to handle a riot taking place in Arkham Asylum, an infamous psychiactric hospital that houses the most dangerous and iconic supervillains in the Batman pantheon.  This includes, but isnt limited to Joker, Two-Face, Killer Croc, Harley Quinn, etc.  As Batman ventures into the building he discovers how the building was created and the history of the man who built it.  The building itself seems to have a darker backstory then the reader would see coming.  I really enjoyed this comic and the beautiful artwork helped engage me in the creepy, dark theme of the story as Batman discovers the mystery of Arkham Asylum.  This story also has a very different vibe in comparison to other Batman comics, which usually come off as a little more classical (minus the Killing Joke.)

This comic really caught my eye because when I was younger I had the playstation video game Arkham Asylum, which is based on this comic.  The art-style for this game wasn't nearly as dark and disturbing, but the gameplay really brings you into the mystery and creepiness of the original 1989 comic.  I think it pays a pretty accurate portrayal to Grant Morrison and Dave Mckean's original work. 

Assessment

1.)  I think The Killing Joke was a very interesting comic that delves into The Joker character and gives him a bit of backstory into his life and why he may be the way he is.  It also goes into the relationship between him and Batman, and how far they are willing to go in the midst of their constant battle.  Overall I really liked the story and found it fun to read.  I also really enjoyed the art style by Brian Bolland with his great line quality and expressions on characters (joker especially)  The comic is really gritty and dark but still fairly colorful.

2.)  I had a connection to this story because Batman was their first comics I have ever read.  It is really nostalgic to me and brings me back to reading these comics as a child.  Mostly it's the art style that connects with me the most, since it is so classic super hero comic style with the black shading and detailed character design.

3.)  If I had to adapt this story into a different media I would create an animated film.  I feel doing a stop-motion superhero film is something that hasn't been done before (If it has I haven't seen it.)  I think a Tim Burton like stop motion film thats really stylized to be a bit creepy would be something really interesting.  And considering this comic is something Tim Burton is a huge fan of, I feel it would be really great as a passion project of sorts.  I wouldnt make any changes to keep close to the source material.  It would need some more scenes to reach a movies run time.  Maybe include more backstory to Joker and even some more for Batman to drives home that there is a connection and similarities between them.

Comics By Women

This week I read Pretty Deadly by Kelly Sue Deconnick.  It was a really interesting story.  I also really enjoyed the art and line work, since i prefer detailed art when it comes to comics.  The style of the characters is also very interesting to look at as the comic seems to take an influence from westerns and horror.  It is a really cool and unique combination.  The story follows the daughter of death in a tale about retribution.  She rides on a horse made of smoke and has the marks from her father.  There are multiple issues but I have only read the first one.

I think this comic says a lot about women in the comic industry as it is pretty popular and easy to access, allowing it to reach many people.  It is nice to see something that is well-made by a talented woman be in circulation, not as much as traditional superhero comics but it's still nice to see.  There seems to be a pretty big community of people who enjoy reading this comic and enjoy the work of the author/illustrator. 

Comics as Contemporary Literature

This week I read Alice in Sunderland by Bryan Talbot.

Bryan Talbot self-inserted himself in this story as a guide through history, modifying his drawing style based on whatever he chooses to talk about.  This creates a very interesting comic to look at overall, with a lot of color and different line quality.  It's really satisfying to read and does a great job of combining story telling with history and myth.   I also like how it's told in an Alice in Wonderland type of style, as its very dreamlike.  Some of this comic is a bit lost on me but it is interesting nonetheless.

I think this comic has my favorite style of artwork out of any of the other comics I have read in class.  The realistic character designs and shading in the drawing portions (It kind of gives a sense of harsh lighting?) really adds to the tone of the piece.  There is also a really strange mixture of what looks like colored, realistic photos which I feel adds to the style.  It reminds me of a type of scrapbook.  I also feel this helps to the dream-like Alice and Wonderland inspiration is taking from, and helps bring you into the world seamlessly.  The character designs also achieve this, like for example the rabbit man in the beginning reminds me of Alice in Wonderland (but darker?)

Manga and Japanese comics

I chose to read Lost World Tezuka Osamu.  The story is about a detective named Ban Shunsaku who meets a boy names Shikishima Kenishi after discovering a murder.  Shikishima may hold the key to solving the case.  Soon a stone is discovered that allows them to build a rocket that heads for a mysterious planet.  On this planet, the group finds The Lost World, an ancient place where dinosaurs roam.

The story, much like traditional Japanese comics tend to be, is very outside the box and unconventional.  It's a welcome difference from Western media as it really does allow for more creative thinking and situations.  For example, two characters names Ayame and Momiji are literally cabbages while another is a rabbit without much explanation.  I dont consider this bad by any means as I think It adds to the comedy (But Im not sure if that comedy is intentional which could be seen as a bad thing.

 The art-style also really caught my attention as it kind of reminded me of traditional Fliesher studios artwork in a way.  It's a far-cry from how anime and manga look today, as most of it has a pretty specific style.  Specifically I really like how the dinosaurs are drawn, because they are so expressive and fun to look at as they interact with each other and other characters.  The characters themselves were also very appealing and interestingly drawn.  Overall I really enjoyed reading this manga and hope to look into it again in the future.

The Wide World of Comics

I chose to read Moebius 1 Upon a Star this week.  The art style for this comic is incredibly interesting and clean.  The use of color is very simplistic but appealing.  It give the comic a very specific look and definitely represents the time period from which it was made.  The character designs are also very simplistic while keeping basic human anatomy to a more realistic standard.

The first story is called the Repairman, which seems to be a short prequel of the main story.  We are introduced to tow main characters, a mechanic Stel and his helper Atan, who are called on to repair a vehicle on an alien planet.  It is discovered that the inhabitants of the planet are called the Waymasters and Stel must enter it to repair it.  In order to do this, however, he seems to have to reach into his own past in order to figure out how to achieve his goal.  It's an interesting premise with great visuals to go along with it.  Its also a nice way to get to know our two main protagonists in Upon a Star.

In Upon a Star, Stel and Atan crash land on a planet with very strange creatures that reside around a mysterious blue pyramid.  The pyramid seems to have really incredible power, despite nobody knowing what it is truly.  Stel begins feeling compelled to go toward the pyramid, adding to the mystery.  It is only at this point we begin to understand what is actually happening in this strange world.

The story is engaging and allows you to really be sucked into Moebius' work.  I really enjoyed looking into this story and hope to read more in the future if time provides.