Final Assignment

10:15 PM

Revision: Moebius

I looked at Jean Giraud's work from his science fiction and fantasy publication, Heavy Metal. Better known as Moebius, his work is incredibly wacky and zany. He has a really interesting storytelling style that is very matter of fact. Usually, the ending is very abrupt and kind of leaves you hanging afterwards. If a character dies, they die. If they kill Cthulhu, they kill Cthulhu. Either the comics end a few panels after the climax or right on the climax. Then Giraud just leaves us a little text box saying something along the lines of, "Anyways, this is what happened afterwards! Yada yada yada." 

There isn't much preface to his stories or world building in the beginning either. It's simply a leap of faith on part of the reader to delve straight into the narrative. It takes a while to get used to what's going on, especially when the majority of his fantasy works can't be grounded into the logic of our reality. But I think that's what makes his sci-fi and fantasy comics so fascinating! The feeling of being dropped in an unknown world is pretty exhilarating. It's not wonder why so many stories involve people getting sucked into fantastical universes, because we love the feeling of exploring something new.

The settings he manages to create are HUGE. They look like they could go off into the distance forever, it makes you wonder what kind of adventures are out there that it makes you want to explore it yourself. His stories manage to evoke so much wonder because of his imaginative landscapes that ooze with style.



Everything about Giraud's work is dripping in style. His linework is incredibly detailed and his use of color perfectly matches his crazy worlds. I had never read any of his work before this, and after reading it, I see how he has impacted many artists today. While I was reading, his worked felt familiar, and I thought to myself, "Wow, this reminds me of this other artist." I realize now that they were probably influence by Giraud and that I should probably flip my statement to, "Wow, this artist reminds me of Giraud."


Linnea Sterte

Victor Mosquera

It's amazing to see how influential Giraud's work is, and I'm surprised I never heard about him before. I was also really shocked too to find out how close he was with Hayao Miyazaki in class when I discovered the art book featuring the two simultaneously. I think it's especially interesting since Giraud ended up naming his daughter, Nausicaä, after Miyazaki's Nausicaä of the Valley of  the Wind, which was directed with Moebius' work in mind. It's incredible to see how much artists are able to influence each other and push each other's boundaries.

Week 14 | Web Comics

8:50 PM

Balderdash! or a Tale of Two Witches
[Link]

Sometimes you just come across a comic that scratches the right itch that's been bugging you for a while. Balderdash! by Victoria Grace Elliott was that comic for me.


As the alternate title states, it's a tale of two witches, Georgie and Afia, who start off on separate paths, but meet each other somewhere in the middle. Georgie is a witch who hopes of being a baker. But only for one reason, so she can one day be able to bake her favorite cake that doesn't involve any magic. To do so, she leaves her home in the country to the small human town of Loffel, where she meets her hero, Fausto. Fausto is much pricklier than she imagined though. On the other hand, Afia is a wandering sorceress (or really just a girl who left home) trying to figure out if she wants to follow in her grandmother's footsteps as a seer. However, if she does, she risks getting shunned by her mother and brother who abstain from anything magic related. Along her travels, she finds herself in Loffel and eventually runs into Georgie.


The world of Balderdash! is so charming that if I ever had to pick a fictional land I'd want to live in, I'd want to live in this one. If I had to call it anything, I'd it's say something along the line of soft fantasy aesthetic (I typed it out and realized how ridiculous that sounds, but I really don't know what else to call it). It just makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside seeing how much care is put into the world. Victoria does an awesome job of populating the environment too, where it feels like life goes on even beyond the confines of the panels. With so many different cultures she's created, it's exciting to know there's so much more to learn. Each chapter break also includes cooking recipes with Georgie and magic lessons with Afia to learn more about what it is like to live in that world. When I went back to look at some pages, I also realized that she adds flavor text in the captions underneath the comic. Usually, they are characters' inner monologues, character backstories, or location descriptions. The layers of depth just keep on coming. It's amazing how much it all adds to the experience, and goes to show Victoria's skill as not only an artist, but also as a writer.
Same Afia, same.

So far in the story, Georgie and Afia are just getting to know each other. There's so much of the story left to be told, and I can't wait to see where it goes. This is definitely a comic to read for anyone looking for a relaxing time.


Week 13 | Superheroes Reconsidered

6:45 PM

Ms. Marvel

Kamala Khan is the new Ms. Marvel and she's here to kick ass.


Kamala is adorable. She's a lovable protagonist and a very believable portrayal of what a teenager looks and acts like today. It's not the kind of writing where it's blatantly obvious the teenagers were written by some adult trying their best to sound hip. I mean, she writes fan fiction under the pen name "SlothBaby." Now that's what I call Relatable™. 

I love how Kamala and her superpower is handled. First off, she gets them from some sort of fever dream where she sees Captain America, Iron Man and Captain Marvel. That's pretty great. When she gets her powers, it's not all of a sudden that she feels self-confident. In fact it's the opposite. When she gets the body of the original Ms. Marvel, she's uncomfortable being in a body that clearly doesn't reflect who she is. Plus, she finally voice what most of us have been wondering: yes, female superhero costumes are uncomfortable and impractical. I love how getting superpowers was not a magical solution for Kamala. Instead, she learns to control her powers by embracing herself for who she is, which is an awesome message to be sending out.


I relate a lot to Kamala's struggle of trying to fit in as a Pakistani-American. This page from Ms.Marvel #12 hit the nail on the head:


As a Chinese-American, I hardly consider myself "Chinese." I can hardly speak Mandarin Chinese with my parents and barely know the culture that's not food related. However, I'm clearly not what most would consider the "all-American" girl. It's really great to see that Ms.Marvel tackles this feeling, and it just makes me love Kamala even more.



I'm loving the current trend of adding diversity to the cast of superhero comic characters. I think it's a great way to open up superhero comics to a lot of people who were initially uninterested in the genre. Frankly, superhero comics are pretty inaccessible to new readers. When I first tried to get into Marvel comics in high school, I had absolutely no idea where to start. The superhero universe is so complicated with alternate universes, multiple versions of the same hero, heroes dying and then coming back to life, it's all over the place. The main factor for me though was that there was never a particular superhero I was interested in or could relate to. There's only so many stories I can read about angsty white men before I get tired. That's why it's so heartening to see Marvel try to diversify their cast in recent years. Now, we have characters like Kamala Khan, Miles Morales, and America Chavez. Plus, new protagonists help lead to new series and origin stories, making it easy for people to pick it up on the fly. Despite Marvel's pitiful attempts to pin the blame of their decreasing sales on their increasing diversity, I think it's a good move towards the future of the superhero genre. 

Assessment

3:16 PM

The Killing Joke

1. What is your reaction to the text you just read?

Recently, Batman is painted in such a grungy, edgy manner that I'm pretty tired of it. I've only read a few Batman graphic novels, so unfortunately the impression I have of him in my head is Christian Bale from The Dark Knight Rises screaming, "WHERE'S THE TRIGGER?!" So when I first opened up to the cover of the comic, I thought, "Alrighty, let's take a trip to Hot Topic and get edgy with this." I was surprised after reading it though. While still pretty edgy, The Killing Joke had an interesting take on the emotions of Batman and his iconic arch nemesis, the Joker. I thought it was really interesting to see the side of Batman who wants to talk things out with Joker, try to see eye to eye on what each other is thinking. There's a lot of impact when Batman says, "I've been thinking lately. About you and me." In one off comics, you kind of tend to see Batman just swing in, defeat the villain, and call it day. Alan Moore goes into the psychological impact it must have on our masked symbol of protection, and also elaborates on the backstory of the Joker. He created a rather humanizing story, and it was a really interesting take I think.

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

This comic makes you think, are some things in life inevitable? Batman says that no matter what, him and the Joker are going to fight, and that one of them will end up dead in the end. It just kind of makes you think if there is something in my own life that is on a track that can't be derailed. I'm not the type to really think like that. Usually, I say that fate is in my hands, not the world's, but sometimes the world works too much on coincidence you just don't know anymore.

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

It's a pretty typical answer, but I'd say The Killing Joke could easily work as a film. It's a very human take on Batman so, you know, it would be great to see it played out by people. (I would suggest another Batman musical adaptation, but I think this one's a little too dark for that) I could see it playing out like a film noir, taking influence from the large shapes of shadows in the art to convey that feeling of suspense. Transitioning between present and flashback I would probably extend the ending to show a bit more of what happened afterwards. I know it's the fun of a cliffhanger, and don't get me wrong, I thought it was a fine ending. However, I feel more greedy when watching films. If I saw that ending on film and the credits just started rolling, I'd probably be thinking, "No! Give me more! Tell me what happened after!"

Week 12 | Women in Comics

3:08 PM

Lumberjanes


Lumberjanes is a wacky tale of five girls at scout camp trying to make their way through the summer and not get devoured by supernatural creatures. Heck, they'll kick butt along the way and show what FRIENDSHIP TO THE MAX really means.

Man, there's not much I can say other than that this comic is pure fun! It's got crazy monster and girls kicking butt in the name of friendship! Plus, it's a comic about women, written by women, and drawn by women, what more could I ask for?!


The cast of characters is so diverse and wonderfully vibrant, you just end up falling in love with each one of them. It's got all kinds of awesome representation going on: women of color, women loving women, gender expression, etc. None of the girls are ever looked down upon either. Just because Mal gets anxious, Molly is shy, or Ripley is... Ripley, they all have their own strengths that are necessary for the group to succeed. It's incredibly diverse and it's amazing to see a comic like this in an industry filled with white men at the helm. This kind of representation is super awesome and I love how it's presented in a comic open for all ages to read. I'm so happy that there is something like this out there for girls who are growing up now.

I actually read the first volume of Lumberjanes a few years back (Dear past Ida, why did you not keep up with this series!?), so reading it again made me remember just how much it rules. I feel like I just don't have enough words to convey how much it rules. Because it rules. A lot.  I really just love everything about it. It's actually kind of scary how much this comic lines up with my sense of humor (Give me bad puns and I'm sold). I literally cannot say anymore than this is a work of pure love and fun on part of the creators. I'm just so so so glad that this exists. 

(Now Hollywood, don't fuck this one up)

Week 11 | Contemporary Graphic Literature

12:17 PM

Asterios Polyp

Asterios Polyp by David Mazzucchelli is big in ambition and scale. There's just so much to take in from the story to the art to the characters and their idiosyncrasies, it's hard to grasp everything from one read through. So now here's my thoughts as someone who's only read it once!

The comic is a coming-of-age story of Asterios Polyp, a famous "paper" architect. Unlike most coming of age protagonists, Asterios is a middle aged man facing a mid-life crisis after his house burns downs from a lightning strike. Goes to show, it's never too late for someone to grow up. He's hardly a likable character: arrogant, self-centered, and egotistical. Everything he says is the truth and right; at least that's what he thinks. He thinks in a black and white world, where there are only two sides to any coin. Hence why his design only lends himself to only face towards two directions, left or right.


I'll be outright and say I wasn't a fan of his character at first, and I think that was the point. I didn't like the Asterios who was a jerk and wouldn't quit talking over every other person. That was the old Asterios though. Mazzucchelli intercuts between past and present, where we see old Asterios juxtaposed to new Asterios, more soft-mannered and easy-going. It's an immediate way to show how much he's changed his way of thinking. If I had to stay in a room with old Asterios, I would deck him in the face. New Asterios is someone I wouldn't mind talking to. It really makes his change all that more satisfying when we get to the end, where he reconciles with his ex-wife, Hana.


The art is crazy. The character designs are graphical and streamlined, just enough to tell us everything we need to know at a first glance. Each person is also given their own unique lettering and art style which adds to their personality. There's a lot of depth to these what look like flat drawings.



When I said this comic is a lot to take in, it's a lot to take in. There's so much underlying meaning hidden in it that I know I need to give this comic a second read through. Maybe this time though I'll read when it's not 4 AM and I'm actually conscious. Though I have to say, there's something quite relaxing about reading Asterios Polyp in the dead of night when everyone is silent.

Week 10 | Manga

9:49 PM

Mushishi

It's actually been quite a while since I picked up a new manga series. Nowadays, I just stick to a handful of series to follow, so it was nice to find something new to read. I chose to read Mushishi(shishishishi) since I've had a couple friends of mine recommend the anime to me before, so I was really interested in seeing what it was all about.


Mushishi centers on Ginko, who wanders the world investigating mushi, supernatural creatures and phenomena, and helps people troubled by them. The world of Mushishi is incredibly lush. It's kind of hard for me to describe or pick out the right word. Reading the manga just fills me with this sense of wonder. The lore is rich and heavily influenced by East Asian folktales, making it very fascinating for me to read about. I've read several manga that deal with demons or supernatural creatures, but never one that was quite like this. The mushi are depicted very abstractly and in a wide variety. Because of the episodic nature of the manga, each chapter features a new type of mushi. The uniqueness of each case is what makes the world feel so deep.

What I find interesting is that Ginko isn't an active protagonist. What I mean is that Ginko doesn't solve people's problems by himself with a snap of a finger. Instead, he acts more like a catalyst. He helps people understand their problem and helps them figure out how to solve it. Although we follow Ginko in every chapter, we hardly learn anything about him, like why his clothes are so unfittingly modern compared to everyone else's Edo-Meiji era clothing. Rather, we learn more about the people he meets and their stories. This is why Mushishi is so interesting! It's a manga that finds its way through quiet storytelling. Since there is no ongoing plot, the people simply come and go. Each chapter is just this perfect bite-sized story that leaves you satisfied. This is definitely something great to read while curled under some blankets with a warm drink.

Since we're talking about manga, I figured I'd drop in one of my favorites:


Otoyomegatari, or a Bride's Story, by Kaoru Mori is a historical romance manga set in 19th century Central Asia. It features a myriad of couples (which includes a polyamorous couple!) and follows their daily lives. It's an incredibly well researched manga and gives a very accurate portrayal of the cultures and customs of Central Asia, a setting I feel is very rarely used or discussed in comics in media in general. The art is stunning. Mori does an amazing job of rendering the insane amount of textures and patterns. It really makes you wonder if this woman is okay or human. Even if you aren't interested in the romance genre, I still think it's a great manga to read for anyone interested in learning about another culture.