Given our readings this semester, what can a comic or graphic novel do ‘better’ than a traditional story or novel? What are its (comic or graphic novel) limitations?
As a self-professed comic book fanatic, this is a deeply personal question. One of my favorite aspects of the comic book world is its commentary on social issues. Once undervalued as a childish art form, comics delve into the troubling questions facing an entire generation, not only its youth. The 40s for example saw comics that were used as a propaganda platform for the war effort… good ol’ Cap’n America. The 60s saw comics that were actually tackling issue of racial intolerance with Marvel’s mutant population and later with the Adventures of Spider-Man. The 70s saw women taking a more active role in comics with the marked success of Wonder Woman, while the 80s saw comics taking on a darker more violent edge with The Dark Knight Returns and Watchmen. The comparisons continue of course, but the point is that the comics we read, whether as kids or as adults, were reflective of the society we were living in.
Although this is not unique to books, comics book are uniquely positioned to provide powerful messages to the masses. Rather than overtly state that racism is unobjectionably morally repugnant, comics critiqued flaws in our social hierarchy by changing the context to more tactful and allegoric situations. The themes of inclusion and acceptance were much more palatable and effective when presented in this light.
Furthermore, similar to video games, though to a lesser extent, graphic novels use images to create an atmosphere of immersion. As a visual learner, the idiom “a picture is worth a thousand words” rings especially true in this context. I would rather see a picture for myself than read even the most graceful of poets didactically describe it. Arguably my favorite aspect of comics is its intense immersive effects. As a reader, I not only empathize with the protagonist of a story, I become deeply invested in their dreams and aspirations. I become so enthralled in characters, I even begin to emulate them, subconsciously changing the cadence of my voice and the lexicon of my speech. Comics, for me, are a relatively healthy escape mechanism because of the manner in which a reader can become, quite literally as we saw with Watchmen, lost in the panels.
However, it is important to note that one of the chief drawbacks of the medium are the barriers to entry. Comics and graphic novels especially, are long, arduous cumbersome projects. With a few rare exceptions, these works of art require a cast of graphic artists, designers, writers, colorists and copy editors. In comparison to conventional books, graphic novels and comic books are EXTREMELY expensive and are not accessible to everyone. Therefore however, I consider it an honor and a privilege to have the opportunity to revel in the world of comics.
As a self-professed comic book fanatic, this is a deeply personal question. One of my favorite aspects of the comic book world is its commentary on social issues. Once undervalued as a childish art form, comics delve into the troubling questions facing an entire generation, not only its youth. The 40s for example saw comics that were used as a propaganda platform for the war effort… good ol’ Cap’n America. The 60s saw comics that were actually tackling issue of racial intolerance with Marvel’s mutant population and later with the Adventures of Spider-Man. The 70s saw women taking a more active role in comics with the marked success of Wonder Woman, while the 80s saw comics taking on a darker more violent edge with The Dark Knight Returns and Watchmen. The comparisons continue of course, but the point is that the comics we read, whether as kids or as adults, were reflective of the society we were living in.
Although this is not unique to books, comics book are uniquely positioned to provide powerful messages to the masses. Rather than overtly state that racism is unobjectionably morally repugnant, comics critiqued flaws in our social hierarchy by changing the context to more tactful and allegoric situations. The themes of inclusion and acceptance were much more palatable and effective when presented in this light.
Furthermore, similar to video games, though to a lesser extent, graphic novels use images to create an atmosphere of immersion. As a visual learner, the idiom “a picture is worth a thousand words” rings especially true in this context. I would rather see a picture for myself than read even the most graceful of poets didactically describe it. Arguably my favorite aspect of comics is its intense immersive effects. As a reader, I not only empathize with the protagonist of a story, I become deeply invested in their dreams and aspirations. I become so enthralled in characters, I even begin to emulate them, subconsciously changing the cadence of my voice and the lexicon of my speech. Comics, for me, are a relatively healthy escape mechanism because of the manner in which a reader can become, quite literally as we saw with Watchmen, lost in the panels.
However, it is important to note that one of the chief drawbacks of the medium are the barriers to entry. Comics and graphic novels especially, are long, arduous cumbersome projects. With a few rare exceptions, these works of art require a cast of graphic artists, designers, writers, colorists and copy editors. In comparison to conventional books, graphic novels and comic books are EXTREMELY expensive and are not accessible to everyone. Therefore however, I consider it an honor and a privilege to have the opportunity to revel in the world of comics.
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