Understanding Comics

Having just finished the aptly titled, Understanding Comics, I really do feel like I have a better understanding of comics as an art, a storytelling device, and most importantly, a unique medium to convey ideas.

I'd have to say, the most enlightening part for me was Chapter 3. I've read a lot of comics over the years and not once did I stop and think about how my brain processed the information going on in between panels. I never realized the importance of the gutter or how much I had to subconsciously fill in. I especially liked the part that followed the different kinds of transitions on pages 70-72. I find the comparison of Western and Eastern comics very interesting. I think it says a lot about both cultures in the types and amounts of detail they express in their comics.

I also really enjoyed the quote on page 164, "Art, as I see it, is any human activity which doesn't grow out of either of our species' two basic instincts: Survival and Reproduction" and the following discussion explaining his theory. I think it's a very clever point of view because it excludes so little. I think that if you're going to make a sweeping generalization about something, you should attempt to have as few exceptions as possible and McCloud does a very good job of that here. It also grounds his viewpoints by not sounding elitist.

Finally, I just wanted to bring up how often McCloud refers to the influence of Will Eisner, yet it doesn't appear that we're reading anything by or about him this semester. I'm just curious why that is?

Hopefully we can discuss more about this book on Monday. I'm really excited to hear everyone's viewpoints and especially critiques.

-Jeff

First day

Being the first day and all, I still sorta feel like I'm testing the waters. That being said, this class seems to have a lot of promise and a ton of different opinions to learn from.

I really hope to get a better understanding of what it takes to write and illustrate a comic. Not necessarily basic concepts, but a deeper comprehension of the kind of detail involved in the whole process.

It seems like a lot of people have different ideas of what comics mean to them and I'm really interested in why they think what they do. Personally, I never envisioned comic strips when I first discovered this class, but obviously they're just as viable a format.

Overall, I'm very excited for what this class has to offer and maybe I'll finally get around to starting that comic I've always wanted to write!

-Jeff