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Blog Post: Week 2

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In the first few chapters of Scott McCloud's Understanding Comics, the basics of graphic novels are laid down. However, a few pages in, readers discover that comics are not basic at all. In fact, they are complex and layered with several other concepts within the realm of art and creativity. Comics are a unique medium because they combine visual art with storytelling to convey a message to the audience. One of the interesting things that McCloud discussed is how he initially thought that comics were for children. I think this is still a very common belief that people hold. I remember that my teachers would discourage students from getting comic books from the library and that only "real books" were allowed to be read in the classroom. In reality, comic books and graphic novels are "real books". They tell a story while incorporating intricate themes within their panels. For example, McCloud was able to take his readers on a journey through history in a much more efficient and entertaining way than a typical history textbook. When he is discussing the types of sequential art that existed in various time periods, the illustrations made it much more appealing and easier to absorb the information being presented. This also makes it easier for heavier topics to be discussed. In one of my favorite graphic novels, Snotgirl by Bryan Lee O'Malley and Leslie Hung, the female protagonist is constantly at war with the thoughts in her head. In the panel pictured, she is saying things out loud while simultaneously thinking of other opinions in her mind. If this were to be written in a regular novel, it would be very easy for it to become hectic and confusing. However, because it is being portrayed in the form of a graphic novel, it is much simpler and accurately depicts a stressful situation. I think this is one of the biggest pros that McCloud addresses within the first few chapters of his book. Moreover, his efforts to define sequential art prove just how profound the concept really is. It is difficult to define in such few words because it encompasses so many different things. In this single frame of Snotgirl I have provided, readers can see emotion, dialogue, and her innermost thoughts and fears. This would be extremely hard to accomplish in a single page of a standard novel. Thanks to McCloud's instructional storytelling that he has utilized, I was able to understand the world of comics a little more. I definitely feel much more prepared to take on the rest of the pieces we will be studying in class.
Hung, Leslie. "Snotgirl." Art Ducko Magazine, Tyler Crissman, 9 March 2017, https://artduckomagazine.wordpress.com/2017/03/09/a-snapshot-of-snotgirl-considering-linework-and-coloring-by-tyler-crissman/.



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