Comics ala McCloud, Part 2

Comics are a different kind of reading. When I am reading most comics, I find myself having to go back to previous pages because at some point I get lost. I do not know if that means that they do not hold my interest, but when I read MCCloud's comic " The Right Number," I did not have that problem. I was anticipating what was going to happen next and part two. His comic held my interest because it was something that I could relate to. It was a comic that I think even adults will enjoy. The illustrations used were not ordinary illustrations of comics. They told the story and there was not too much detail, like you find in other comics. I am interested in reading my classmates thoughts of this comic and others.

http://annikasvea.blogspot.com/

When I was reading Annika's comments on the comic she read, I can honestly say that I was lost. It seems like more of the typical comics that you usually see in the Sunday paper, but funnier. Annika said, "I look at the 'pictures' and don't often look for deeper meaning." When I read this comic, it reminded me of how I used to look at comics and why I did not enjoy them as much. Annika also said,"What finally clued me in was the character in the middle (and I don't know his name at all...). His frustration with his boss (Devil Horns guy) and his office mate "brown noser" is evidenced by his throwing up his hands in surrender." Although, I have not fully read this comic, I have read the strips, it seems to be a situation that many people can relate to in one way or another. We have all had those days when you are having a bad day at work and you just give up and walk away. When reading these strips it felt as though I was watching the movie "Office Space." That movie was hilarious, but at the same time it reminded you of the typical office. No one seems to thrilled to be there and everything seems to be routine. The illustrations in this comic seemed to be more of the typical ones with the colors and drawings. I do not know was one of McCloud's or related to it, but it was an interesting comic.

When I was reading Allen's article I cam across a statement that made a lot of sense to me. " However, if we want to use words and images effectively to achieve our purposes, and if we want to design intriguing uses of words, we need to learn more about how they work and relate." This is very true when you are reading comics, you cannot just look at one or the other and be able to distinguish what the comic is about, you have to put them together to get the whole story. McCloud does a good job of that in his comics and book. He gives us examples and shows us illustrations that help us to understand where he is coming from. Lanham also made a very interesting comment, he said, "It involves a fundamentally different meaning for literacy itself." This is true of all other types of electronic readings, it takes away from the ordinary book where you have to use your imagination to help you understand where the writer is coming from. That is what I enjoy about reading, but McCloud's comics have given me a different outlook on comics, one that I can enjoy.