Maus

Art Spiegelman has spoken to the world in a new light.This is truly a riveting piece of work, it is terrifying and enlightening. Bringing WWII and the atrocities of the Holocaust out into the open, it is deeply disturbing and yet lightened in some way.This piece of enlightening literature makes a particularly difficult time to understand a little easier, with the simplification of characters.The emotional weight the subject matter of this piece bears, would not be as readable, had the characters not been simplified stylizations of animals. After all thats all we really are especially in a time of war, when we separate ourselves from our humanity.The dialect between Art and his father is convincing, his father is very bitter from his past horrors, understandable and yet deeply saddening at the same time.The experiences that must have been faced by these people are unmatched by the average persons wildest nightmares.The story of Jewish desensitization and dehumanization is something that I find difficult to put into words.These events were not just an insult to the Jewish people but rather an insult to humanity and should be seen as such. People have become complacent to the possibility of such recurrences and that is a scary prospect for humanity. People from every walk of life have been indirectly affected by these events in some way and that is truly awful. Maus almost serves as a warning to humanity in that it show the potential beastly nature of humans. The experiences though separate were indirectly shared. The emotional turmoil of the prisoners is to be expected and most commonly the side that is seen. But the same applies for the other side unfortunately. The German officers entered this job as servicemen doing the right patriotic thing for their country and yet instead they became the inflictors of this cruelty by the order of a higher rank. The emotional turmoil they must have faced in their freedom must have been devastating. This is the reason that WWII was considered the first total war- it was a psychological war against the people too.The separation of people and race in these times was horrendous. People lost their compassion altogether in order to save themselves.There are however exceptions to the rule and kindness is revealed, Vladek had an old lady give Anja his letters, which is a slight glimmer of hope in the darkest of times.There was also a time when a lady and her family allowed Vladek and Anja into their home in the absence of her husband.Eventually they had to leave as the soldiers were coming to inspect the houses, however this compassion is unmistakeable. This book is particularly difficult for me to read in that these events hit close to home and they move me deeply. These innocent victims of greed and power experienced the most heinous acts committed by man on man yet, the necessity for this book is essential, I personally do not know if I could handle Vol. 2. Having said that, fantastic book for what it is communicating, the justifications for its high commendation are obvious. The moral of he story is vitally important for all people of the world to know.

Underground Comics

These comics were interesting to say the least, honestly I didn't know they even made comics with this type of adult subject matter. This seemed like a very raw, free for all, time in the comic book industry. Among my readings were: Mr Natural, Barefootz, Tits and Clits and Air Pirate funnies. There is a certain dark/cynical nature to these works in some ways. They definitely had laughable parts to them.The sexual nature was absurd and kind of ridiculously funny in some ways. One liners that you can't not chuckle at. Somehow things that were just not meant to be funny by their nature, became randomly comical in an off-the-wall kid of way.Strange and interesting times those must have been for the comic book industry.

A Contract with God; Blankets

A contract with God is an interesting story in its subject matter to say the least. There is definitely a more dark, adult overtone to this piece. A little too gloomy for my taste but interesting within the context for which it was intended. I love the style of drawing especially his use of rain and how it melts into everything. The overall theme is preachy in many ways, a man is tested until the death of his daughter, he changes and attempts to become who he was and then dies. A little unfulfilling in some regards, the artwork is great though (at times a little too loose for the serious subject matter), I also enjoy the dramatic lighting and dynamic compositions.
Blankets on the other hand is a little less heavy handed with the darkness and moral of the story.The idea of the world being viewed through the eyes of a boy is interesting. It is more personal in a way than in Eisner's work.I do prefer this approach by comparison.The artwork is what really draws me in. The woodcut/engraving stylized line is something that I have been attempting in my own work. The graphic imagery is very interesting and creates a certain dynamic. The actual layout of the graphic novel is interesting in that the grid is broken and the windows are a little more sporadic and compelling.

Tin Tin - In Tibet

This for me is by far my most familiar comic.Tin Tin has more of a British influence, hence my familiarity - Zimbabwe and South Africa being British Colonies are often exposed to European media as opposed to American literature. Tin Tin is always jam packed with action, even in what could be typically mundane scenes. There is a certain energy to this work that keeps the reader engaged.New characters and adventures are ever present in Tin Tin. Snowy in a way is the logical insight into the situation.He is really a person in the form of a dog, which is interesting.- an early version of Brian from Family Guy perhaps. Events happen in quick succession, there is no time to blink in terms of action. This piece is intended for a younger audience, it is fast paced and much like many movies today. The expansion of subjects and circumstance is something that is often observed in Tin Tin. Sometimes they can be a little long winded, this technique is in search of heightening the suspense and giving greater details about the character and their reaction to certain events. The characters and artwork is dynamic and believable which is another reason why I really enjoy Tin Tin.

Comic Strips

Little Nemo in Slumberland

In this piece Windsor McCay has made a brilliant recreation of the dreams of a child.The ideas are a simple portrayal of childhood adventures. The range of ideas is seemingly endless, McCay was truly a master of his creation.These travels through this parallel dimension never seem to have a happy ending,  rather a correlation of something happening to him in real life. Part of the humor is; that in life there is a constant challenge, whether you are in a dream or in reality. In a sense it shows that they are, in some form, one in the same. Nemo is faced with numerous challenges in this dream-state, many of them very dangerous e.g polar bears, falling. McCay portrays a certain charm in his work, the looseness of his style and playful line, is almost contradictory to the challenges Nemo faces in his sleep. This further shows how life should not be taken so seriously; there are many obstacles that come and go, take them with a pinch of salt. After all we read comics to escape reality in a way, so that we may enter the world of the character.

Calvin and Hobbes

This for me is one of the more familiar strips having not been exposed to American comics very much. The land of the child imagination and dreams-state seems to be a popular choice for comic strip artists.The lessons Calvin learns are often comical and ambiguous. The pretend world we used to live in as children is highly relatable. Hobbes is the product of Calvin's imagination, he is a stuffed toy Tiger. Everything is normal in seemingly intangible as it would be to a child and indeed to us all. A light hearted and warming comic strip for the whole family.

Peanuts

Yet another familiar comic strip, I would always find myself reading these comics in newspapers.The simple set up of the strip and the interaction of the characters is interesting. Peanuts is truly a universal comic in that I have seen it here in the United States, but also in Southern Africa (including Zimbabwe). Each character has a distinctive personality, regardless of their words. I have always thought this was intriguing, how comic artists could create this persona. As I have grown as an illustrator it is easy to appreciate how difficult this simple characterization is to master. Shultz maintains the character to their usual type actions so as to not confuse them, the personality is solely that character. This simple to read strip is enjoyable for any audience.The message is straight-forward and the characters are easy to read.This truly one of the most well known comics and it is easy to see why.

Understanding Comics - Scott McCloud

This video is truly eye opening and I agree with everything that McCloud had to say. The superficiality we apply to art these days is quite disconcerting, striving for the most striking and 'cool' looking image has removed the face and personality of the artist. Its all about the consumer and not so much about the creative, human intuition that was required to generate such an image e.g. Apple logo. Idea generation and readability is really the point of making an image, rather then just giving the viewer what they want to see, sometimes they should have to work a little; explore the environment that the artist has put forward.All too often we take the expedient route: we try to improve our work and technique faster than we do our concepts.The idea of virtual comics is fantastic, art can achieve a new dimension. Simultaneous events can be taking place which immerses the reader. The intrigue and depth this technique brings makes readability more stimulating, almost as if it were a 3D realm that we the viewer/reader are able to experience.

The Arrival - Shaun Tan

This beautifully illustrated picture book seems to capture the theatrical moment with breathtaking clarity.Words have a certain ambiguity whereas these images speak from the soul in a universal language. In this case silence is far louder than words.The story of a man entering a strange land and his only means of communication is through drawing; this idea fascinates me as a foreigner. Even within the English language there can be cultural barriers and misunderstandings.The drawings show immense structures with strange creatures and a different way of seeing and thinking.The feeling of not belonging within a certain environment is portrayed very strongly. By using universal human gesticulation the idea that Tan is trying to communicate is done so with ease. We familiarize with the character; we feel his detachment and loneliness.A simple image of a man looking at a family photograph says it all. As previously mentioned, this story is relatable on many different levels. This book is more than just a description of a man on a journey, but rather a metaphor designed to be understood by all.These are human emotions realized on paper, this is truly an inspiring book.