Monday, April 26, 2010

Sin City

This week I read Frank Miller's Sin City. I came into reading this, being well versed in the movie (which I now see is remarkably similar). Unusually I found that I liked the graphic novel less than the movie, though I only read episode 1-13.

The story of episode 1-13, is not anything remarkable or incredibly compelling. Basically Marv has a night with a very attractive prostitute, wakes up and she is dead. He had fallen for her so this sets him off causing him to seek vengeance. He proceeds to kill his way up through the leagues of scum of Sin City. This eventually leads him to uncovering a scandal between the most powerful man in Sin City and a deranged adopted maniac who eats hookers, and eventually to him taking the fall for it all and death.

The artwork is what makes Sin City unusual. Its the highest of contrast, black and white. Stark white and black. Sometimes there is line work, but most of the time the comic is rendered in large shapes of black and white. This is interesting because I find all the characters have a lot of gray area about them. There is no truly good it seems. Though I respect this style, and know that its really hard to do, it feels like it falls on its face sometimes. I found some of the frames kind of hard to interpret. On the flip side, when the style happens in the right way its awesome.

Recalling the movie, this style worked really well and it was vastly different then everything else. Just like the movie the whites come out looking like really bright amorphous light. I like that aspect.

The most interesting aspect of the style to me was the switching between what is black and what is white. The fact is it is not really based on natural light, it is completely design based it seems. Some dark things are white, and some bright things are black. I like that aspect of the style as a designer. The first few panels are interesting to me because of the fact that the characters are silhouettes in a white empty space. It was overall an interesting decision, and I'd like to know more about why he made it.

Overall, the comic wasn't really my favorite. I respect the style, however I found it kind of unrewarding. The story just wasn't that appealing to me. The entire thing I feel was mostly eye candy, and violence for the sake of it. Entertaining somewhat but not fulfilling.

Monday, April 19, 2010

Promethea

At first glance I wasn't sure I would enjoy Alan Moore's Promethea. I found the story to be really strange, but in a good way. It was really unique. I guess maybe that is the key, to make something so strange that it is completely original. I only read the first three volumes so I don't know where the story is going, however I am compelled to read more and find out.

Something that struck me immediately was the art, and the paneling. I felt like the paneling was really unconventional and interesting. I particularly like the style of a scene from the 3rd volume. All the panels occurred in layers, like rings in a tree trunk or something.
I also really enjoyed the art work done on the outsides of the panels. Overall as a designer I could really appreciate it.

I felt really inspired by the unconventional panels and the art work around the panels. Not to mention that the illustration of the comic is very well done and well colored. I actually don't usually like this comic style. I don't know how to explain it, and I am not sure what it is called. It seems like a very contemporary style of coloring and illustration and I never really liked it. Maybe I had blocked myself from reading comics in this style in the past. But as I read this I started to like the style. So either the artist was just incredibly good at it, or I acquired a taste for it.

Back to the story of Promethia, I have never read anything like it. It is a comic that seems completely aware of itself. The very fact that the hero is completely created by myth and imagination is really interesting. The story seems to have a little of everything. Funny futuristic 1999, Ancient Gods, Egyptian themes, demons, a Weeping Gorilla comic within a comic, and even fairy tale characters. I'm not sure how the story progresses yet, but I feel it has the possibility of being endless considering that the character of Promethia is passed on from person to person.

Overall I'm compelled, and would like to keep reading it!

Sunday, April 11, 2010

Entry 5 - Diary of a Dominatrix

For the Women comic writers section of class this week, I chose to read Molly Kiely's Diary of a Dominatrix. This was a really different choice for me, I've never read anything like it, and I've never been interested in fetishes or masochism. I've also never really read any erotica type comic. Though I don't really see this work as something someone would read for pleasure.

So first off I'd have to say this work is out of my comfort range, and maybe that was a good thing. However I didn't really find it that interesting or entertaining. I found some parts really disturbing and uncomfortable. Most specifically was the depiction of a home done vasectomy.

What I did like about this comic was its simplicity, and occasional humor. The story isn't complicated at all. There really isn't much of a plot, it is merely a series of events in the life of a dominatrix. As well as an explanation of details of a Dominatrix's life. When I say details, I really mean it too! Tools and procedures are outlined to their fullest extent. Things I never really new that existed as methods of "pleasure".

Overall I think it's sometimes good to step out of your area of comfort. I'm not opposed to sex or even dominatrix fetishes; however dominatrix fetish and masochism make me uncomfortable. There were a ton of images in that comic that just as a male made me cringe. Somehow Kiely does a good job of a pulling back after making you cringe and enjoying some light humor. My favorite part of the comic is when Zelda (the Dominatrix) tortures a client by putting him in an isolation mask and making him listen to Kiss. I found myself laughing at that to be honest. She says at the end of the scene "When we next meet–you will recite...forwards, backwards, and in Pig-Latin...Every song." I think the thought of Kiss as torture is pretty funny.