Comics, or “visual sequential art”, as Scott Mcloud puts it, has an intended purpose. Each frame of a comic changes, indicating motion, movement, and a change in time or scene. This can be viewed in the above “Garfield” comic strip by Jim Davis. In the first frame, we see the character of John asking a question. The next two frames then show the excitement and energy generated from his imposed question. The scenes that directly follow then result in frustration as well as the eventual intended outcome from the initial question that was asked at the very beginning. If this were a stand-alone cartoon, there would be no sequencing or contrasted images to view the change in time, which later comes to a humorous concluding solution. The visual sequencing here, is what helps make this "Garfield" comic strip a true comic. With each new frame, we as an audience, can see the progression of the given scenario play out.
Something else that I found rather interesting in Scott McCloud’s Understanding Comics is the concept of “amplification through simplification.” One’s ability to relate directly to a cartoon is typically through minimizing the way something or someone looks. If a person, scene, or object looks intricate or filled with great detail, it can sometimes create a sense of detachment and distance from what is that we are viewing. It is easier to relate to something or someone if we can picture ourselves in the situation. Cartooning is not just a way of illustrating, but is typically intentional to influence an audience. It is a way to help connect or disconnect, and will then influence the way we perceive something.
If we observe the way that the “Garfield” comic strip is drawn, it is really rather modest and not overcomplicated. The house does not have an intensely patterned wallpaper or any true defining features that would make it feel out of the ordinary from a standard home. The animals do not look incredibly realistic, but have the basic features of a cat and dog with four legs and a tail. It is this kind of cartooning that makes us recognize this scenario as relatable and not far-off from everyday life. John, the owner of the cat and dog (Garfield and Odie) looks rather common too with his blue jeans and solid collared shirt. This is yet another example of how minimal cartooning helps determine the degree an audience can identify with the characters of this visual sequential art. Even if someone reading this comic is not a pet owner, the situation is not some far-fetched unrealistic development that could not happen in real life. It is the combination of both the sequencing and the simplistic cartooning that allows the audience to follow along and relate to “Garfield.”
“Garfield.” Fourth Garfield Treasury, by Jim Davis, Ballantine Books, 1987.
“Understanding Comics: Writing and Art.” Understanding Comics: Writing and Art, by Scott McCloud, Harper Perennial, 1994, pp. 1–59.
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