Online Comics

I decided to read The Meek. It was highly interesting, only reading into the first chapter. It gives almost a Avatar the Last Airbender or The Legend of Korra vibe. The art style is super high quality, I can only imagine it taking more than a week to get a page out from the way it looks. It has great humor and lightly hits on subjects, main one in the first chapter is how guys react when not seeing men for long or being lonely/lost. It clear the main character Angora has a lot for her she clearly isn't saying about herself. Only being revealed in a flash back and by the way the men from the wood cutting camp treats her, well they wouldn't believe her anyway. Especially when she tried to ask for help from the only sane one there. Character expression seems to play a key role in the webcomic considering how most panels are playing on heavy reactions to what is being said to the character at the time.  http://www.meekcomic.com/
Another webcomic that I sought out is, Their Story. Which is a Chinese webcomic if I remember correctly about two girls falling in love. This one is still being updated. The main character is a tall highly charismatic girl who instantly falls in love with a girl who rides the same metro train home despite going to different schools. they soon get to know each other through small dates, interactions with each other and the main characters friends. Giving a highly believable and lovable story about young love in high school. The author also writes a web comic about two boys dating each other, sometimes they talk about how they got to where they are and where they are going. It's crazy that the author/artist has time to put out two grade A quality stories at the same time. This tumblr is the only known place that makes the official scans for both comics. http://yaoi-blcd.tumblr.com/tagged/their%20story

Superheroes Reconsidered

This week I read Batman Arkham Asylum, for the first time. Only playing the game the book was not what I expected. But I can say I wish the game was more like the visual novel. The style was rich and chilling and the Joker looked like someone who I really didn't want to mess with. That being said I would have never tried to read this at night, ever. The story was slightly hard to follow, but I still made it out. Only because of how some of the characters were drawn, it really game me the spooks! Even batman himself looked like a villain though he is suppose to be the hero. I will have to be honest and will have to read it again soon. In the daytime with a friend to grasp the complexity of this great read. But for now I can say I find it interesting how Batman was basically deconstructed and put together in a way no one would consider a hero and yet he is doing the job. I feel this also goes back into noir films and how the main character who is usually a detective is a good guy with no moral code and I felt the visual novel caught this essence very well for batman in this tell.
I also read most of Preacher, 1 through 4 if I remember correctly. It was a fun read, interesting story and characters. The only time I heard of Preacher was when AMC announced it was being made for their channel. But now seeing the original in all it's entirety I can't wait to see the series. The comic shows religion in a powerful ironic light. But still powerful something no one would want to mess with even. But the irony is still blatant through out the whole thing. Especially when you get the ability to make people do whatever you say like God himself but also being good friend with a vampire. I think that's where Preacher was able to get a few laughs out of me.
The last comic I was was Sex Criminals. I also heard about this comic getting a television release in the future. Which made me want to see what it's about. I'm glad I read it, it was one of the funniest things I've read in awhile. Maybe because I saw myself in the characters. They dialogue is surprisingly catchy and witty. The story is as well making all the character have complete 3 dimensions. It catches the style of early 20 somethings in this day and age which is extremely relatable. To character interactions, mannerisms and how they tell stories. Because the two main characters tell them differently. Then the other character would ask a question just like any other person would as well. Little touches like that really makes Sex Criminals stand out.

Women in Comics

The first comic I read was Fun House. I went in blind and came out a different person honestly. It started out slow, light, slightly bizarre like the part in Willy Wonka when they go in the tunnel. Just not as weird. A comic talking about Alison and her relationship with her father in relation to the family as a whole. Only to really discover who he is soon before he died. In a way, you can tell she takes it rather well. I think what is more revealing than the truth itself is her father's hobbies and mannerisms. Especially for the time period. No one would argue with the way he was always making over the house or things of that sort. Except for Alison and her brothers but that's to be expected because of how he treated them. Erratic is more of the word, especially on how affection was handled in the household. Overall I was surprised on how her family handled Alison being gay maybe it's because of the dad himself the mom seemed fine with it but for 1980, I was definitely surprised. 

Second comic I read was This One Summer, which was amazing, I haven't read anything like that in awhile. The characters had clear voices the atmosphere for the whole thing was great. The two main characters, Rose and Windy seem to be around the age of 12-13. Growing up and learning a lot about people family and themselves in one summer. Mainly Rose, getting a crush on an older teen and then finding out later he could be the father of a girl he recently slept with or her parents crumbling because of her mother's depression that no one was able to ever relate to. The best part of the comic for me was when Rose was going to check up on Jenny when she was just publicly humiliated only to find out that Jenny was seeing another guy who also could be the father instead of Rose's crush. But luckily enough through the whole thing Rose's friend Windy is by her side. Windy's character as a whole was fun to read about. It's clear despite how she looked she was completely comfortable in her weight and it never stopped her from wanting to dance or even go swimming. The style in This One Summer is highly charming, compared to Fun House. This comic had almost all smooth strokes to it. Which to be honest was a lot easier to look at then Fun House's complex style. 

Contemporary Literature

The comics this time around are more, adult and hold more thought. It goes more into the slice of life of things while still seeming whimsical. Especially Asterios Polyp, it seems normal. Telling a story about a man born in unusual but not uncommon circumstances. The things he goes through can be what anyone else would go through, even down to meeting certain characters. It's true Asterios went through much but all the people he meets also tell a great story. Despite the type of person Asterios is, he is still learning at his old age and he is okay with that. You really get to know him as a character when he only leaves with 3 items after his house burns down. Then you see those same items reappear later on in a particular flashback of his life. The part where he gives his father lighter to a complete stranger tell you just how Asterios thinks. Especially when he says he gave up smoking. Only after his house burns down. 
Another comic I read was Why I Hate Saturn, mainly made up of discussions between the main character and other people. Showing how young people interact with each other and to potential lovers. But also going into work as a young person and living in general. The dialogue is very witty and even a little bitter sweet at times depending on the subject matter being talked bout. The art style is great as well. The 1st person narrative style gives great insight on the tone of how the reader should see a situation presented for the main character as well. 
One other comic I read was Every Girl is the End of the World for Me. Which from my understanding is about a guy who probably caught a cold at the beginning of the comic and just never said no to a girl asking him to go out for coffee with them. It's still an interesting read. Delves into the mind of a young man who seems to think that he had too many girls to handle when in reality, he's just too nice of a guy and has a cold that lasted pretty long. Giving him the sense that maybe he was dying from the amount of women. The relationships he had with the women all seem pretty healthy. They seemed considerate of him and vice versa. Even bringing attention to his cough, though he always said it was nothing. The style seems very in the moment showing the dialogue is actually the more important. 

Tezuka/Takahashi

Well for one thing I am an avid anime watcher and read mounds of manga all the time. I have ever since I was about 5 years old. Starting with the usual stuff like Pokemon and Sailor Moon, Card Captor Sakura and working my way up. But it was still nice to get back to basics. With reading the first volume of Buddhist which was an interesting read, I never knew that Tezuka delve into the kind of stories. What manga I was really excited to read again is Ranma 1/2, it's one of my favorite manga and anime series. The manga for Ranma 1/2 is always fun and zany but knows how to be serious. Though I would consider it almost like short stories. Though a problem gets fixed a new one arises and immediately gets handled. The characters are great and so are the fighting styles of each of them. It was great to see such a slew of characters with such pronoun mannerisms and looks so you never really forgot who was who and they never seemed out of character in any given situation. Also the fact in Ranma, Takahashi shows that sometimes being a girl can get the job done, not just to seduce a man or something like that but for fights or a weight issue like in one manga. Takahashi even writes relationships in an interesting way. She never shows her main couples as couples. She builds them up but never forces too much. She makes sure that all the characters are able to get together and establish who they are with one another without really saying so, it's done through actions and even fights. Characters that start out even soon because friends with Ranma and Akane through the use of help or something else funny. Like a ramen contest. Which really comes through at the end part of the manga. I even think Inuyahsa doesn't do this really well, even if it's the more popular, I still prefer Ranma 1/2. Maybe it's more modern or something I can't place it but I never get tired of reading or watching it.

Persepolis

Persepolis is a story about a young girl born in Iran and dealing with the Islamic revolution that took place in the 1980s. Going over hard topics of women dress code and social constructs presented at the time. Such as listening to international music or having much as her own opinion against the Shah. I like the way both the comic and movie gives her voice a very resound feel to it. It’s almost like she’s with you, you’re looking through an old photo album and she’s pointing at pictures and giving you their story but of course with her own voice. Does this make it a fun read? Sometimes, sure you’re going to find yourself chuckle but there are also times where you will deeply reflect on yourself. But also give correct representation on a place the reader would not know of in the specific time period without stereotyping from the media or somewhere like that. I feel it’s an historical read that can be used for a history lesson in some aspects. Especially when the parts talking about how Iraq invaded Iran and what she saw because of it. How her neighborhood reacted and even her family and friends. Also how quickly someone’s live can go one way and take a complete 180. But because of this, growing up elsewhere with people who have not experience… traumatic experiences are true to see things differently and the author delves into that. But she doesn’t lose sight of who she is despite drawbacks as she grows up. Which is great because it shows despite everything she knows she still has much to offer when it comes to the end of the book. Which hits home when she hit’s her early 20s. Or maybe it just hits home for me. Knowing that that struggle in itself is something universal. 

Stereotyping and Ethics of Representation

The use of stereotypes in this day and age to me is considered lazy. Because it goes into the act of thinking a certain group of people are all the same especially when it can come to goals or a way of thinking. Also it leaves people who ultimately fit into two cultures have to ultimately pick one. Like I myself being black, but not having usual feature have to answer people’s questions about why I do not look like others. It shouldn’t be like that at all. As long as a good background story is implemented on the character and this background shows how the character will react in the world presented in front of them. I think that will do. Some games, especially now are getting better at this. Movies are… slowly trudging along in this aspect, especially when it comes to race. As for women, both industries are not doing that much of a great job. I can only think of a few games that show women as an equal part to the man. Also a smaller handful where the women don’t have to explain themselves for wanting to be equal. Animation has taken a slight step forward, in America. As for internationally they have taken leaps forward in the progression of women being shown as completely capable beings. One game that really comes to mind in terms of racial equality across the board is Mass Effect. Maybe it was the fact that it was space, nobody cared about human races. Since it focused on alien species but I digress. When you ask about other characters. They give you a slight backstory but no ways of race is mentioned and there are many races in Mass Effect but none of the characters talk about it in anyway because it does not matter in space. As for animation, I would have to say Sofia the First, it shows a wide ranch of princess and not all of them are white. True they are only side characters but nothing is beaten like a dead horse like an adult animated films. Maybe because kids do not care. Or never did in that matter. Which explains why many children shows have a wide variety of races, even teaching cultures the correct way and not through stereotyping. As for comics they are getting better on all fronts, especially when it comes to when being lead heroes and different backgrounds with Miss America and Captain Marvel. More on Miss America with being a non-white member of the LGBTQA+ community. 

November 19

1. Are there any prominent symbols in the story? If so how are they used?

There is a lot of symbolism mainly about urban living in the 21st century. There's isn't a specific time given of when the comic takes place from what I read so far. But it shows how much hatred Spider has for urban living. Talking about how mindless people are towards media and their social construct. But at the same time Spider himself is seen as the paranoia type, something you can often see in people who have lived during the scare in the 1950-60.

2. What connections did you make with the story? Discuss the elements of the work with which you were able to connect/

I was able to connect with the story in a way of seeing someone come back to a place they are all too familiar with. Seeing how things have not change or will ever change anytime soon. Usually this is not a bad thing but I think I connected more with Spider since he wasn't happy to come back, it's the same with me and going back home. It's nice for about a week but then I'm ready to leave. The city life, mainly the people around the city reminds me of people I went to high school with and how they never left or changed.

3. What changes would you make to adapt this story to another medium? What medium would you use? What changes would you make?

Considering how the comic has a slight noir-ish feel to it, I would probably turn it into a film. As for changes to make it adapt? I don't think many major changes would happened, usually things are changed from paper to video for it's lack of representation to a mass audience but this comic already has a theme that anyone can relate too which an interesting character. The character speaks to himself a lot, I would change it where most of that is done in voice over and he acts upon his own thoughts.

Maus

                Maus is a vast tale of World War 2, history, and deep characters. Spiegelman’s art style and choice of using animals to portray the likes of people makes the whole thing a little easy to swallow down despite the subject matter. Telling the story of one mouse’s adventures to his son makes the reader enjoy his character more. He seems realistic, believable and genuine. Showing this mouse as an honest individual when it came to women, friends, and his son. Alongside with Grave of the Fireflies that also tells a story of two sibling trying to make it through Hiroshima after losing their parents to a bomb. A big difference is that they are children and taken from a child’s perspective while Maus goes into detail because the narrator is older and fully understood what was going on.

                Maus talks about friends and sacrifice to stay alive in a harsh world. As we go through the story the style gets a bit more grim, but with more detail. Although the mice have a very simplistic look they clear all look different with features such as wrinkles and body types. There are evidently different animals such as cats being their enemy, Nazis, and a pig shown being a doctor. The comic inside the comic was an interesting touch more interesting that it showed actual humans. 

Graphic Novel

                Upon reading the graphic novels Contract with God by Eisner and Doot Doot Garden I realized that they have the similarity of talking about heavy subject matter. Such as depression, friendship and how to deal with loss of someone else.

                With a Contract with God, taking place in mainly the same place but different time periods. Going into heavy cultural references. Mainly telling stories of people good or bad and their life. Eisner shows a great sense of detail to dialogue and how he draws his character and environments. Showing subtle traits or clothing on characters to say more about them then what we know from their actions. One major piece of small detail that stood out was a naked woman laying with a man but with a cross over her chest. This shows into how people really have said contract with God. Also Mr. Scuggs the super and his lust going too far, getting himself killed. But the book has a great way of showing karma so even though the girl looks happy at the end to steal the money and not get caught, I have a dreadful feeling she will get her payment in due time.

                Doot Doot Garden has a more light hearted tone over all but its blatant way of showing things considered vulgar? Gives the whole comic a mixed feeling for me. But the stories are genuine all the same. One being about a captain and one of his loyal die hard shipmates. When his shipmate stayed with the captain’s body despite thinking he was dead and sharing stories with him like you would do at a funeral was very heart warming. Besides the goofy style of the characters he was genuinely dealing with loss of a friend. Also the topic on mental depression, when Keiron and Gena talked to the old woman who said she was hungry to die despite Keiron giving her compliments. Showing that not all compliments will genuinely cheer someone up. 

The Comic Strip

                The comic strip became popular when the newspaper became a definitive source to gather news and information besides the radio. Giving people amazing stories, visuals and laughs. I decided to read two very different styles of the comic strip, one for your action fix and the other to garner a few chuckles. Flash Gordon by Alex Raymond and Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Waterson. Two different sides of the same coin.

                Flash Gordon has the ability to keep people buying a newpaper if they only read them for the comics. Reading the one with Flash having to stop the Skorpi with trying to start an alliance with the Dhreen. The action for Flash Gordon is top notch, you can truly see the stakes of what could happen if he doesn’t save his self or if he needs to save someone else. He is also seen as a flawed character since he is to be married to Dale but kissing Ellta which causes her to fall in love with him and try to win him over despite is planned marriage. I think Flash is relatable to others by how he is just a human being with no real special powers. From what I’ve read anyway but he is still able to wage wars on other planets just to save Earth. I can see Flash Gordon being a hit amongst the younger male crowd.

                Calvin and Hobbes is always fun to read and I suspect everyone in the US has read a strip or two of the duo at some part of their lives if they realized it or not. Calvin is a little boy who has a imaginary find named Hobbes who’s a stuff tiger. To Calvin he is seen as a big tiger but to the rest of the world he is just a stuff animal. Because of this it usually means Calvin’s imagination is extremely vibrant. Other things coming to life like bathtub bubbles and his teacher becoming an alien monster. It makes me believe that sometimes Calvin might have ADHD since a lot of times with his teacher he is told to pay attention. The demographic for Calvin and Hobbes seems to be more for someone older than 13. It might be about a child but the themes are very adult like. But all the same Calvin and his friend are relatable to all of us. 

The Arrival

                Now when I first read about the Arrival I was keen on thinking it was about how there’s a whole different world in almost anything. I know that sounds a bit vague but I imagined there was a whole galaxy in a small molecule. I was certain that the galaxy was under someone’s dusty bed. But once going through the comic again it tells a whole different story with a much bigger meaning then I could ever imagine. It tells a story about a man going through immigration to a whole new place he has no idea about with his family. By the looks of things it seems he didn’t have much of a choice. Through the transition the comic portrays how it is to be confused about where they are going, seeing a doctor and trying to get papers to be legal in his new home. Once he’s there he has to learn the language, the way of things, rules and so on. Once he meets the people he finds other immigrants just like himself and how they ended up in their new home. It’s a bit heartwarming.

                Shaun Tan does an amazing job of showing this incredibly in-depth story without a single word. The visuals and style does a great job of showing the audience this story. I feel that the expressions on the characters faces show what this story is really about. If the main protagonist didn’t seem confused while living in his new home I would not have ever known this was a new place for him. Also the characters the protagonist spoke to or tried to speak to and how they were clearly from different cultures on how they were dressed and body characteristics. It shows without words how many people can relate to the protagonist without being where he came from. This is also greatly shown through visual flashbacks. It’s great how the story loops showing that it’s relatable to anyone. But most importantly how a new place can soon feel like home once you have settled in. Which is shown in the last page showing people from different places and backgrounds living together, helping each other to live in a new home.