The above Rage comic doing the rounds with its insightful and uplifting message of nonconformity has got me thinking about how I'm going through an 'illustrated screenplay' phase (self-inflicted because of the graphic novel) of churning out static - but visually clear - images, so when I read posts like Miguel Rosa's on sequential art I get torn between feeling like I'm not learning enough and also worrying that I might be being a bit of a snob about what constitutes 'real' comic storytelling.
Then I read the like of the above and I think "fuck it." A story worth reading will always be so.
Reading: Venom Ultimate Collection, which is 18 issues' worth of nothing that rambles all over the shop and doesn't tell a full story. It's basically the comic equivalent of one of my blog posts, but I at least have the courtesy not to charge you money for it. There are some real issues with pacing, no character work, an incoherent plot, a - oh wait, this is comic about Venom. Haha, silly me - what was I expecting? This collection might not know what I want from a comic book, but it sure knows what I deserve.
This is an interesting, thought provoking comic. Makes a change from the usual cynical, unpleasant things I read. Could have done with more dinosaurs and car chases though.
ReplyDeleteFunny, I didn't come here expecting a reference to my blog; I just liked the title of your post. Thanks :-)
ReplyDeleteThis is a deceptively simple comic book with a great message. I don't think anything I wrote really applies to it. In fact, I doubt anything I wrote applies to comics outside the superhero/action/adventure genres. This is a comic book about dialogue, not movement or action, so I think the sparse art is quite appropriate.
@Steve: In that respect, it is like every other comic, even the ones that already have dinosaurs and car chases.
ReplyDelete@Miguel: I was more waxing on the things I still have to learn (A LOT) than thinking where I could apply your observations practically, though the GN is primarily about how people communicate (or don't) so I should probably have explored the visual dynamics of comic book storytelling while I was going about drawing it, rather than just copping out with the 'illustrated screenplay' approach. You make many good points, however, and I shall be taking them to heart on another project.