Web Comics

When I Am King

     When I Am King is an interactive web comic that’s almost entirely linear, the reader has to scroll right or left for all the chapters. While most panels are still frames created in a program rather than hand drawn, some panels are animated. A new element to the comics genre. As technology and the internet evolved so did comics, creating a new genre called Web Comics which are comics published on the internet rather than by tradition means. Awhile most web comics still adhere to the structure of comics, some web comics such as When I Am King are avant-garde. Using linear scrolling and animation to tell the story of a pharaoh that gets locked out of his palace and is force to go and explore the world. 

The Killing Joke

The Killing Joke

      I found the Killing Joke to be very interesting. Seeing the Joker’s origin’s unfold and his wife’s death was the catalyst for his transformation. While the series is usually focused on Batman, this story followed the Joker and how he ultimately became the Clown Prince of Crime. The story sort of jumps between the beginning and “end” of the Joker’s career. We see his origins and his resolution with Batman but we’re given slight context to the constant struggle that these two characters have been through dealing with one another.  

      Throughout the story the Joker’s plan is to drive everyone mad, to show that he is just like everyone else. Methodically planning to show Batman that they have a lot in common. Saying how they each had one bad day that made them who they are now and why they fight so hard. All leading up to that one moment where the Joker shares a laugh with Batman. 

       If I could adapt The Killing Joke to another medium I would turn it into a live action movie. The Killing Joke currently has an animated adaption but I feel that  actors would bring out these characters and add to the tension and drama within each scene. To fill the role of the Joker I would cast David Tennant (most widely known as the Tenth Doctor in Doctor Who). David Tennant’s part as the Doctor already proves his ability to play an excellent Joker, but his charismatic and convoluted character would do justice for the fan favorite lunatic villain. It was even brought to my attention that The Killing Joke’s Joker even resembles Tennant. 

Comics by Women

This One Summer

     This One Summer is a graphic novel written by Mariko and Jillian Tamaki. Two Canadian based twins. The story follows Rose, a pre teen who goes to a cabin with her parents during summer vacation. She meets up with her friend Windy as they have their own summer fun. The art style of the novel was truly beautiful, it complements to the realism of the drama that’s laced within the story. The expressions of the characters each scene would give context to their real feelings, even if it’s never really told in the story. The story has a sense of realism, and allows any reader to be able to relate to one or more problems that occur throughout the story. Including subjects like, marital problems, teen pregnancy, miscarriage, and sex which is heavily used in the story. Sex and sexuality is the main topic of conversation between the two girls as they slowly approach their teens and start seeing the world with a different view. 

Asterios Polyp

    Asterios Polyp

       Asterios Polyp is a story that follows the life of a troubled man by the same name. Asterios goes through his life with the feeling of having someone looking over his shoulder. This feeling is because of his stillborn twin Ignazio, who is the narrator of the graphic novel. Throughout the novel, different scenes and characters are shown with unique color palettes and art styles. When a scene is taken in the present, there’s more yellow each panel. When it’s in the past the color palette is predominantly purple. In dream sequences,  characters are all yellow. When Asterios and Hana got into arguments their character designs would go from being similar styles to different, with Asterios becoming polygons and Hana becomes sketch-like.

Manga

Ranma 1/2

     I’ve read manga as far back as middle school so whenever I started reading Ranma 1/2 the weirdness and obscured plot of the story just seemed normal. At first I was thinking, “Really? All these little ponds where different things drowned in just happened to be right next to each other?” But after the introduction of the characters and backstory I couldn’t put down the story. I ended up reading the first three volumes in one night and if I wasn’t short on time I would’ve continued to read the other volumes. What really grabs me about Ranma and other mangas in general is the art style. While it simplifies characters down to very few identifying details, uses that in order to excel in expressions in order to bring out the personalities of the characters. The same goes to the character’s actions. With fewer details it’s easier for the characters to breath in a sense and let them move around easier. 

European Comix

Wake

    Wake is originally a french graphic novel before coming to America. At first glance you wouldn’t recognize that this wasn’t an American comic, but in comparison it’s not hard to notice that it’s more detailed and at times more graphic. In the original version of Wake the protagonist had a white stripe across her bare chest. When it was brought across the Atlantic it was changed to have a black stripe, censoring her chest. The story itself was very captivating, having an amazonian woman take on an entire fleet of Aliens. The saddest part for me was when the death of the Tiger, Houyo. Having his face get blasted off by the intense heat of the Aliens suit is another example of how much more graphic European novels are, and are allowed to be. 

March

March

     March follows the story of Congressmen John Lewis and his life throughout the Civil Rights Movement. The graphic novel was illustrated completely in black and white, it does well to make certain scenes more intense. Using close-ups and black backgrounds to show importance to the scenes. Opposing white characters were drawn with shadows under their eyes making them seem darker than the black characters which felt like they had much lighter characteristics.