The Gory Details

One of the things we talked about at the beginning of the semester was the use of the gutter in a comic. In particular we discussed how the use of the gutter and the transitions between panels can create a sense of closure or a sense of motion in the story. I think one of the most incredible examples of this that we've seen thus far occurs on pages 198 and 199 of Watchmen. The scene is in the middle of Rorschach's story about how he killed two dogs. For about three pages, no text is included whatsoever, with the entire story conveyed through the images. In that short time span, we watch as Rorschach enters a murderer's home, discovers his butchers knife, realizes that the dogs in the backyard are chewing on the bones of the missing girl, and then kills the two dogs. Though the images don't actually show it, we see, in our mind's eye, the severed limbs of a young girl being shredded by the pair of dogs and we see the skulls of the two dogs being split open as Rorschach vents his anger and disgust. Though the story is incredibly grotesque, the storytelling itself is beautifully executed. For me, at the very least, it was the first time this semester that I have actually seen a particular scene in full motion in my head, as if watching a movie. This, combined with the red, orange, and yellow hues, made the entire scene seem weirdly beautiful, yet in an exceptionally dark and disturbing manner.