Week 5: Blankets by Craig Thompson

Hi! I read Blankets today, and yeah... it was a fun!

First of all, I really love Craig Thompson's spontaneous art. He drew the characters' body, face, and clothing tightly and neatly, yet he depicted their hair with rougher brush strokes (especially when the characters are in motion). The background art is equally expressive and atmospheric. The snow and wind, and trees, for example, seem to have a life of their own. My favorite panes are from the moment when Craig and his girlfriend are laying on the snow, and watching the snow flakes fall.

He captured the visual sensation of being overwhelmed by the millions of falling snow flakes perfectly, and created a surreal and serene atmosphere. Cool! It's as if I was there, up in the snowy hill!

Moving on to the content, the story feels very slice-of-life and coming to age. The events surrounding Craig's traumatizing childhood and painful adolescence periods crisscross one another, similar to the way our memories jump from one scene to another. This allows for a more unique pacing and helps us to understand the real implications behind his childhood memories. Moreover, some events are revisited (such as the ones about the caretaker and the scary dark room that his brother was forced to sleep in). They appeared to be a one-off type of event, however, they turned out to have influenced Craig's perception of growing up and deepened his sense of guilt.

Speaking of guilt, religion is a major theme in Blankets. Craig grew in a strictly religious town and household that condemned sex and being "different." He was guilt-ridden by his desire for Raina's body, for drawing a nude woman as a child, and for disobeying much of the religion's teachings. Though he didn't really find much closure at the end of the book (he couldn't tell his parents that he was no longer religious), he sounded pretty comfortable about himself. I believe that he was trying to say that one doesn't have to be imposed by religion, especially if he/she doesn't agree with the teachings. Being a devout follower in the said religion also does not automatically turn people into saints. After all, he witnessed so much ugliness and contradictions from the so-called religious people; many of whom have a mightier-than-thou attitude. 

Lastly, he portrayed his short-lived relationship with Raina wonderfully. There is a sense of visual rhythm during his happier moments with her; the generous use of curves, decorative designs, and nonrestrictive panels that flow like music. His life felt whole as he was embraced by her presence, and yes, we can tell that he was really happy. All of this contrasted nicely with the more angular panels and desolate background art after his breakup. He was lonely.

I can go on about this wonderfully illustrated graphic novel that is full of feels, but I guess I will have to go back to do work!

Extra Reading 2: A Drifting Life by Yoshihiro Tatsumi

 

I finally finished reading this massive autobiography of influential artist, Yoshihiro Tatsumi, and I am left with a tinge of sadness at how it ended. In a very Japanese-like fashion, the book wrapped up quietly without overstating things. Yet I feel strangely encouraged as he showed us that while dreams and passion fade over time, not all hope is lost if one continues to struggle and make sacrifices. Something is bound to come out from it, and in Tatsumi's case, he became the man who started the Gekiga moevement.  

I haven't read many Gekigas, the only ones I read are Drifting Life, The Push Man, MW and a few chapters of Samurai Executioner. However, I have read many adult-oriented mangas out there, which aren't strictly labelled as Gekiga, but were influenced by the Gekiga movement. What I enjoy about those mangas is how they don't pretend that life is full of roses. Yes, it is unpleasant, but as I see the characters struggle to see the light at the end of the tunnel, my heart burns with excitement. That being said, I don't always relate to stories that revolve around male angst, or extremely gritty art style. Thankfully, A Drifting Life is easy to read, thanks to Tatsumi's approachable and appealing art. 

Perhaps, the most enjoyable portion of this emotional autobiography is around the beginning, where we get a peek of Tatsumi's family dynamics and his tireless pursuit of his dream. Tatsumi's brother, Okimasa, who hurt Tatsumi several times in fit of jealousy, grew to become the most supportive of Tatsumi's career as a manga artist. Their seemingly unfriendly mother turned out to be just like many other mothers, worrying about their children's well-being. Even their grumpy father, who had affairs and got himself in deep trouble financially, learned to carry on with life and supported the family. These human aspects connected with me the most, as compared to the hectic days of Tatsumi's adulthood later on in the book. 

Despite that, I did learn about how Gekiga came to be, how the events in Japan after WW2 influenced ordinary people, and how much Disney, American comics and films gave inspiration to the manga artists. Most importantly, I was mind-blown by the amount of work he and his friends churned out every month in order to meet the demands from several publishers. It puts my productivity to shame....but at the same time, that shows what it takes to be truly good at something.

That being said, A Drifting Life is an engrossing read (I could not stop reading it even while working on Thesis!) and one is bound to be reminded of their dreams and ambitions as he/she trudges along with Tatsumi through his struggle.

Extra Reading 1: The Sandman 1 by Neil Gaiman

 

I am pretty late into the game, but I finally read The Sandman (the first book)! My, it was dark, disturbing, yet enjoyable. At this point, I still barely know anything about Dream as a character. All I know is he is the one bringing dreams to people, and has immense power that goes beyond realms. Oh, he also has very stylish hair. Yet he spent most of the first book trying to retrieve the very power he was robbed of, and we learn the ugliness of humanity in the process.

This edgy graphic novel doesn't skimp on depicting human's carnal desires and sense of hopelessness. The wife of a seemingly happy couple desired to once again sleep with a dead body, as she once did at a mortuary under the influence of alcohol. A maniac on the run gained his hostage and the readers' trust, leading us to believe that he had been wrongfully prosecuted, only to betray us by shooting his kindhearted hostage at point-blank range once she served her purpose. A comatose girl who was asleep for decades finally woke up, never knowing that she had been violated and lost her baby in the process. Reading these shocking and dreadful portrayals made me pause and wonder if all hope is lost in humanity. Yet the story carried on, leaving me little time to despair. What I learned from this is that everyone have deep-dark desires that are usually not apparent when viewed from the surface.

Despite the dark overtone, there are some lighthearted moments too. My favorite example being Dream's showdown with Chronzon. In this battle of wits, Dream won by stating that hope is the most powerful of all, even more so than the end of the worlds. After all, what is life without hope? People dream of their ideal lives, and it is their hope of fulfilling those dreams that gives them purpose of life. To hope is to dream. 

I will definitely continue to read The Sandman, and see how the story develops! 

Week 4: Comic Books

Hi!! We finally reached a point where comics strips become comic books! Who doesn't love reading comics in the book form? It definitely helps with the flow of the story, and allows for longer and more epic tales. Anyway, I read two titles, one of them is from the Uncle Scrooge series, and the other one is "Barbie and Ken (1962)" (I didn't expect to find this one there!). 

"Uncle Scrooge, Land of the Pygmy Indians" is a blast from the past. I used to read Uncle Scrooge during elementary school (albeit the newer editions), and am pretty surprised that nothing much really changed. Uncle Scrooge is still despicably greedy, while Donald, Louie, Dewey, and Huey are still being dragged into Uncle Scrooge's quest for more riches. However, the newer ones have more dynamic paneling. Land of the Pygmy Indians has standard rectangular panels and pretty even pacing. Despite that, the art is appealing and expressive (the animals are really cute too!). A fun read overall.

Now, what really blew my mind is Barbie and Ken. I was mind blown by how idealized Barbie and Ken were, in terms of appearance, career, and lifestyle. Those little girls in the story boasted excitedly about how lucky and thrilling it was to spend their time with Barbie and Ken. They gushed over their perfect appearance, glamorous lifestyle, and well, just how flawless they are. While I am aware that this books is obviously meant to promote the dolls, suggesting to young girls and boys that buying the dolls is the coolest thing ever, I wonder if the same method will still work today.....(It is very probable that they will rise the ire of feminists all over the world).

However, I guess, the power of suggestion is still very apparent in today's advertisement, albeit repackaged in different ways. Toy companies like Hasbro commission studios to make cartoons, films, and game adaptations of their characters. They put the characters in engaging tales, suggesting that buying their merchandise is akin to experiencing those adventures. Children's brain is rich with imagination, hence it is logical for toy companies to use that as a bridge between the children and their products. What's more, that's how advertisements work for almost everything else, including those targeted for adults. Japan is especially good with personifying their products into cute/handsome characters and giving them relate able backstories so as to entice the customers into buying them. (Read about it here!)

Week 3:Little Nemo in the Palace of Ice by Windsor McCay

Hi! This week, I read Little Nemo in the Palace of Ice, by Windsor McCay. He is someone most of us know, because he is a pioneer in animation. Also, he is well known for his charming and whimsical art style, reminiscent of Art Nouveau .

Speaking of whimsy, Little Nemo in Slumberland is full of that. First of all, Little Nemo's adventures are set in his dreams, and that naturally gives rise to strange characters and settings. Moreover, it jumps from place to place often, disorienting the reader. After all, that's how most dreams are like; flashing between scene to scene. Anyway, back to the Palace of Ice, it is interesting to note that every panels is drawn in third person view. The readers are mere observers to Nemo and his friends' antics. While this technique certainly gives clarity to what is happening, it also feels emotionally distant. Flick and his new friend from the cannibal's island are constantly causing mischief and trouble, yet it is hard to fully experience the graveness of their act. We don't see close up shots of other characters' reactions, which usually help the readers to empathize with the characters immediately. 

Also absent are the sound effects like "WHAM!" "ZIP!" "SWOOSH!" "CRASH!!!" etc. There are so many things happening in each panels, many of which are meticulously illustrated, yet the world felt silent. I miss those sound effects in places where there is a huge impact. However, the silence works to its advantage during more mysterious moments, such as the part where the golden pillars from Morpheus' palace morphed into trees, and the red giants appear. It is surreal and eerie. Very nice.

One major hurdle for me while reading this was how crammed and tiny the written dialogues are. They are literally squashed in small speech bubbles, and made legibility difficult (especially painful for my sleep deprived brain)..... Whoops, looks like all I did was complain. But I am aware that Little Nemo is an early example of comic, therefore many other techniques which are commonly found in comics nowadays are absent. This goes to show how far the art of comic has come along. Little Nemo is charming and beautifully illustrated, with no shortage of fantastical settings. It is definitely a work of art and indispensable part of history...... Maybe I would have enjoyed it more if I am less pressed for time, so that I can leisurely take in the scenery. Though, as the "Slumberland" in the title suggests, it is a great read before tucking in for the night. :)  

Week 2: Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud

Hi! This week, we read "Understanding Comics" by Scott McCloud. What a great read! It manages to impart all the necessary information painlessly, while being inspirational at the same time (if only studying is this fun!). The very last part about how far each comic enthusiasts are willing to pursue the art is a good reminder about how like in many things in life, substance is everything. It also makes me wonder if I will ever be able to reach far enough to make any significant contribution in the great scheme of things.

That being said, McCloud explained that comics use different types of transitions between panels. Those transitions are:

1) Moment-to-moment
2) Action-to-action
3) Subject-to-subject
4) Scene-to-scene
5) Aspect-to-aspect
6) Non-sequitur

This is cool, because I have always wondered why Japanese manga and American comics felt so different, for reasons other than their art style. Turns out that the Japanese use more aspect-to-aspect transition, establishing the mood and atmosphere of the set, which often reflect the characters' state of mind. It is like breathing the air that the characters are breathing (Am I making any sense here? I guess not). On the other hand, action-to-action is more common in mainstream American comics. Not that it is a bad thing, but sometimes, I just want some room to breathe and not be bombarded by constant stream of dialogues and actions.

While being on the subject of aspect-to-aspect panel transitions, one of my favorite manga artists, Kiyohiko Kazuma (he did Yotsuba to! and Azumanga Daioh) did a wonderful job in portraying the mood and atmosphere of suburban Japan from the point of view of a child:

It is lacking in sound effects and colors, yet I can hear the tricking of the raindrops as they hit the concrete road, ceramic roof, and glass. Did you hear those grey clouds rumbling in the distance? Also, have you ever pressed your cheek against the cool, dry side of the windows' glass as the rain hits it from outside? I sure did........how nostalgic! Aspect-to-aspect transition can trigger powerful evocative memories, or immerse us, readers, into the wonderful world of sequential images.