€ (INTRODUCTION My OLD PAL MATT FEAZELL CALLED THE OTHER DAY. SQ, SCOTT, WHAT'S YOUR NEXT PROJECT GOING TO BE WELL, IT’S A BIT HARD TO DESCRIBE, MATT. ITS SORT OF A COMIC BOOK ABOUT COMICS 7 YOU MEAN LIKE A HISTOR YE, RO} NOT EXACTLY, NO, ALTHOUGH THERE 1S SOME HISTORY /V TT... 1T’S MORE AN_EXAMINATION OF THE ART-FOR/ OF COMICS, WHAT IT’S CAPABLE OF, HOW IT WORKS. YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE DEFINE COMICS, WHAT ARE THE BASIC ELEMENTS” OF comics, -HOW DOES THE MIND PROCESS THE LANGUAGE OF COMICS-"THAT SORT OF THING aM RSrER ON ALL ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS SE7#V2 THE PANELS, THERE’S ONE ON HOW Z7/ATE FLOWS THROUGH COMICS, ANOTHER ON THE INTERACTION OF PYORDS AND PICTURES AND STORYTELLING. LEVEN PUT TOGETHER A NEW [PREHENSIVE THE OF THE CREA: AND ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR COMICS AND FOR ART (NV GENERAL i AREN'T YOU KIND OF YOUNG 1 BE DOING THAT SORT OF THING 7UNDERSTANDING COMICSGY SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT. [J =a iz oe rd WHEN I WAS A LITTLE KID I KNEW EXACTLY WHAT COMICS COMICS. WERE THOSE BRIGHT, COLORFUL 1 READ REAL MAGAZINES FiLLED| { BOOKS, NATURALLY. WITH BAD ART I WAS MUCH TOO STUPID STORIES AND _G&/ys IN’ BUT WHEN I WAS IN Bf GRADE A FRIEND OF MINE _C WHO WAS A LOT SMARTER THAN L WAS ) CONVINCED ME TO GIVE COMICS ANOTHER LOOK AND LENT ME HIS COLLECTION. CER 70-) ‘OR ‘Comics! ee 4 \ VE - Sa) eeTN_LESS THAN A iz, I BECAME TALLY 70, OBSESSED WITH COMICS’ GRADE AND BEGAN TO PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE! IF PEOPLE FAILED TO UNDERSTAND COMICS, IT WAS BECAUSE THEY DEFINED WHAT COMICS COULD BE 700 NARROWLY”, I FELT THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING LURKING IN COMICS... SOMETHING THAT HAD NEVER BEEN DONE: BUT WHENEVER I LING, T FAILED AM/SEXABLY. SURE, I REALIZED THAT Comic BOOKS WERE USUALLY CRUDE, POORLY-DRAWN, SEMILITERATE, CHEAP DISPOSABLE KIDDIE FARE-- A PROPER DEFINITION, \F WE COULD 4D ONE, MIGHT GIVE LIE TQ THE STEREOTYPES: DON'T GIMME THAT COMI THE PROBLEM WAS THAT FOR MOST PEQPLE, THAT WAS WHAT “Comic g00K"” MEANT? 1 BOOK TALK, BARNEY! THIS IS. WHERE OUR JOURNEY BEGINS.‘SEE PAGE 216 FOR COPYRIGHT INFORMATION. OF COMICS IS A HULUGE aND VARIED ‘ONE. OUR DEFINITION MUST ENCOMPASS. ALL THESE TYPES-- -< WHILE NOT BEING SO. BROAD AS TO WHICH 1S CLEARLY ‘COMICS “COMICS” OBJECT BS “COMIC BOOK" OR “COMIC STRIP” DO. E CAN ALL. WeuR Oa COMIC. BUT_WHAT-- -A$-- --COMIES 7 a!HOWEVER, MASTER COMICS ARTIST W7ZL EISNER USES THE TERM SEQUENT/AL ART WHEN DESCRIBING COMICS. TAKEN VZIKIDUALL¥, THE PICTURES EI ARE MERELY Tar PICTURES. NOTICE THAT THIS DEFINITION Is STRICTLY (VEU/TRAL MUCH HAS ALREADY RTICULAR ART! BaKcliad Hes. PARTICULAR TRENDS. AND_ SEPARATE FORIVT FROM CONTENTSTHE ARTFORM ~~ THE MED/Z//M1-- KNOWN AS COMICS IS A VESSEL WHICH CAN HOLD ANY WLMBER OF /DEAS AND /MAGES. LEO Passos Era, THE “CONTENT” OF THOSE IMAGES AND IDEAS 1S, OF COURSE, UP TO CREATORS. AND WE ALL HAVE DIFFERENT TASTES. WHEEEEZE S\CAF! KAFI? GLUGH- Gor! = ahem THE 7R(CK IS_TO NEVER MISTAKE THE MESSAGE AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER VIRTUALLY AZZ THE GREAT MEDIA HAVE RECEIVED CRITICAL EXAMINATION. iN_AND OF THEMSELVES. Venaly *EIGNER'S OWN COMICS AND SEQUENTIAL ART BEING A HAPPY EXCEPTION, 6 2GLUG: =GLUG: -FOR THE MESSENGER. BUT FOR COMICS, THIS ATTENTION HAS BEEN RARE.* LET'S SEE IF _WE CAN HELP REC7/EY THE SITUATIONEISNER'S TERM SEEMS LIKE A GOOD. PLACE TO LET'S SEE, IF_WE CAN EXPAND IT_TO A PROPER DICTIONARY-STYLE DEFINITION, WHAT ABOUT ANIMATION, THERE ARE A LOT OF DIFFERENT KINDS OF ART. HOW ABOUT SOMETHING A, LITTLE MORE PARDONZ, ISNT ANIMATED FILM JUST VISUAL ART IN SEQUENCE: I GUESS THE BASIC DIFFERENCE IS THAT ANIMATION IS SEQUENTIAL IN TUNE BUT NOT SPATIALLY YUXTAPOSED" WS COMICS ARE. *JUXTAPOSED= ADJACE! GREAT ART SCHOOL WORD. EACH SUCCESSIVE FRAME OF A MOVE 1S PROJECTED ON EXACTLY THE SA/ME_SPACE --THE SCREEN -- WHILE EACH FRAME OF COMICS MUST OCCUPY A DIFFERENT SPACE. SIDE-BY-SIDE SPACE DOES FOR Comics WHAT 77ME DOESDOES IT HAVE ANYWAY, THIS SHOULD MAKE IT ABIT MORE SPECIFIC. SOME SORT OF VALUE JUDGMENT, JUXTAPOSED SEQUENTIAL VISUAL OKAY, HOW ABOUT 74/97, JUXTAPOSED ara SEQUENTIAL ics STATIC DELIBERATE < IMAGES JP ASEQUENCE ) NOW IT SOUNDS KIND OF ARBITRARY. OH, IT DOESN'T MAVE TO CONTAIN WORDS TO BE COMICS... LETTERS ARE S7AZIC IMAGES, RIGHT? WHEN THEY'RE DEFINITION DESCRIBE WORDS?)OKAY, HOW DOES THIS. SOUNDY, JUXTAPOSED PICTORIAL AND OTHER IMAGES IN DELIBERATE SEQUENCE WE'LL JUST 7YPE 77 UP ADD ALITTLE BIT ON THE SES ‘OF COMICS, AND=- LIKELY TO --AND IN MOST CASES, THIS 1S THE OMLY DEFINITION WE'RE com-ies (ko! used with a singular v Juxtaposed pictorial ai and/or to produce an BUT, WITH A SPECIFIC DEFINITION UNDER OUR fall SEQUENTIAL ART images in deliberate sequence, intended to convey information response in the viewer. pxuroseo PCTORAL AND OrHex roacts ik pauisteare NO, I MEAN ITS AND WHAT ABOUT THE AMEN AND-- HEYHEY/ CO. BGR: HEY’ OM. LET WELL, ANYWAY, THIS SHOULD DO FOR VOW. erb. 1. ind other aesthetic ~-PERHAPS We CAN SHED SOME NEW LIGHT ‘ON THE AY/S7ORY OF COMICS. I ADMIT, THIS. ISN'T THE SORT OF THING THAT COMES UP A LOT IN CASUAL CONVERSATION ~~ MOST BOOKS ABOUT COMICS BEGIN SHORTLY BEFORE| T i T 1] t | al } a ] Ly ALO7. JI LI FARTHER! 1spo | 1600 | | 1700) Igbo | | 1900 HERE'S: we pear c SAI SPIC ONTAINED THIS Z6-FOOT LONG, IN_A PRE-COLUMBIAN GH TL Y- "ED, PAINTED PICTURE MANUSCRIPT SORES eae Si rf SCREENFOLD TELLS OF THE GREAT “DISCOVERED” BY CORTES MILITARY BND POLITICAL HERO E-DEER “TIGER'S-CLAW.”*. IS 1T Comics” you BET IT IS{ WE CAN EVEN READ SOME! (OR “OCELOT'S CLAW" DEPENDING ON WHOSE BOOK YOU READ, THIS SEQUENCE IS BASED ON A READING BYMEXICAN HISTORIAN = 1) AND ARCHAEOLOGIST ALFONSO CASO.THEN REVERSE IT FIRST, WE SEPARATE WORDS FROM PICTURES. (A NAME) Ale TTHOUSE. 12 MONKEY (A pate ) g (avon FoR riace wyose NAME WE DONT KNOW) READ RIGHT-TO-LEFT AND ZIGZAGGED.) AND BEGIN: S-DEER “TIGER'S THE YEAR: JOGQ AD THE DATE: MAY F* THE PLACE HERES ¥ Gop, XIPE'S BUNDLE B-DEER ALSO CAPTURES THE PRINCE'S OLDER, BROTHERS, /0-DOG "EAGLE COPAL BURNING AND_6-HOUSE “ROW OF FLINT KNIVES” ND PUTS “EM ON ICE. * WE KNOW THE YEAR} I'M JUST GUESSING AT THE DATE REPRESENTED BY " 11 OUR HERO, 8-DEER “TIGERS CLAW! CONQUERS THE PLACE AND CAPTURES THE 9-YEAR-OLD PRINCE, 2-WIND "SERPENT | OF FIRE” JHE FOLLOWING YEAR, B-DEER AND CPROBABLY) HIS BROTHER, DISGUISED AS 7/GERS, ENGAGE IN SACRIFIC/AL GLADITORIAL COMBAT WITH THE PRINCE, 72-DOG, AND ANOTHER WARRIOK DISGUISED AS DEATH. 12. MONKEY "HUNDREDS. OF YEARS BEFORE CORTES BEGAN COLLECTING COMICS, FRANCE PRODUCED THE STRIKINGLY SIMILAR WORK WE CALL THE BAYELU ash) FAR FROM D/SQUALIEYIVG NBPPERENNIAL EXCEPTION WiLL EVSNER. THESE AS COMICS, I THINK MODERN COMIC BOOK ARTISTS SHOULD 7AKE NOTE OF THE POSSIBILITIES OF SUCH WHOLE PAGE COMPOSITIONS AND HOW FEW ARTISTS HAVE MADE GOOD USE OF THEM SINCE / WHICH ONE IS THE PRINCE? AT FIRST GLANCE, EGYPTIAN HIEROGLYPHICS WOULD SEEM TO FIT 4 OUR DEFINITION JUXTAPOSED PERFECTLY. PICTORIAL AND OTHER BUT MUCH IMAGES IN DEPENDS ON OUR USE DELIBERATE QE THE WORD | SEQUENCE ‘PICTORIAL ? THIS 230 FOOT LONG TAPESTRY DETAILS THE NORMAN CONGUEST OF ENGLAND, BEGINNING IN 7066. FINDING, COMICS BEYOND OUR OWN MILLENNILIM 1s A BIT TRICKIER. USING IT TO INDICATE AT LEAST SOME RESEMELANCE TO THE SUBJECT. REPRESENT ONLY SOUNDS, NOT UNLIKE OUR ALPHABET.READING LEFT 70 RIGHT WE SEE THE EVENTS OF THE CONQUEST, IN DELIBERATE CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER UNFOLD BEFORE OUK VERY AS WITH THE MEXICAN CODEX, THERE ARE NO PAWEL BORGERS PER SE, BUT THERE ARE CLEAR DIVISIONS OF SCENE BY SUBVECT MATTER. THUS, THEIR REAL DESCENDENT 1S 7HE WRITTEN WORD AND NOT COMICS. ses tu baiu abla, hennunek valu amenta” “FOLLOW THEE, THE SOULS ‘OF THE EAST. PRAISE THEE, THE SOULS OF THE WEST.” I HAD BEEN TRYING TO FIND SEQUENCE IN EGYPTIAN PAINTINGS FOR YEARS WHEN I BEGAN THIS BOOK AND WAS READY TO CALL IT QUITS ~~ --UNTIL I DISCOVERED THAT THE BOOKS I HAD BEEN LISING AS REFERENCE-- EGYPTIAN PAINTING |S ANOTHER. MATTER. SOME, LIKE THIS, MAY SEEM TO BE CONCERNED WITH SEQUENCE, BUT ARE ACTUALLY SHOWING TWO DIFFERENT LOCATIONS, EVENTS AND CASTS, GROUPED ONLY BY SUBSET. ~-HAD ONLY BEEN SHOWING ME PART OF THE PICTURE {Heres He A W COMPLETE SCENE* \ PAINTED OVER 7HIRTY-TWO CENTURIES. AGO FOR THE TOMB OF MENVNA,” AN ANCIENT EGYPTIAN SCRIBE. 17 AS WOULD BE / DONE 2,700 YEARS LATER IN MEXICO, THE EGYPTIANS READ THEIR: \ COMICS ZIG-ZAG, STARTING AT THE LOWER LEFT, WE SEE THREE WORKERS REAPING WHEAT WITH THEIK SICKLES-~ ~- THEN CARRYING IT IN BASKETS TO A THRESHING LOCATION CIN THE BACKGROUND TWO GIRLS FIGHT OVER BITS OF WHEAT LEFT BEHIND, AS TWO WORKERS SIT UNDER A TREE, ONE SLEEPING, ONE PLAYING THE ALU/‘7E/) 4 @m@ = x: § : Wy = a UZ \) % 6 WH kd SCT PAI AND WHITE REPRODUCTION 14 INTING “TRACED FOR BLACKTHE SHEAVES ARE THEN RAKED OUT INTO A 7HICK CARPET OF WHEAT. THEN OXEN TREAD KERNELS OUT OF THE HUSKS. NEXT, PEASANTS OLD MENNA HIMSELF SEPARATE THE WHEAT] | LOOKS ON-- * FROM THE CHAFF. -- AS LOYAL SCRIBES RECORD THE YIELD ON THEIR TABLETS. NOW AN OFFICIAL USES A MEASURING ROPE TO SURVEY THE LAND AND DECIDE HOW MUCH. ‘WHEAT IS OWED IN TAXES. AND AS MENNA WATCHES, FARMERS LATE IN PAYING THEIR TAXES ARE SEATEN. COMICS ORIGINATED LET O7WERS WRESTLE WITH 7HAT ONE I'VE ONLY SCRATCHED THE SURFACE IN THIS CHAPTER TRAJAN'S COLLIN, ALL THESE HAVE BEEN SUGGESTED AND ALL SHOULD BE EXPLORED. BUT THERE 1S ONE EVENT WHICH LOOMS AS LARGE IN_COMICS HISTORY AS TT DOES IN THE HISTORY OF THE JT BY FLTURE GENERATIONS OF LEADERSWITH “THE INVENTION OF PRINTING THE ART- FORM WHICH HAD BEEN A DIVERSION POPULAR TASTES: HAVEN'T CHANGED MUCH IN A/V CENTURIES. CHECK OUT “7WE TORTURES OF SAINT ERASMUS,” ART RESTORED FOR CLARITY ~ OTHERWISE YNCHANGED THE SOPHISTICATION OF THE PICTURE-STORY DID t HOWEVER, REACHING GREAT HEIGHTS 1N THE NIMBLE HANDS OF L HERE.IS YILLIAM HOGARTH, KES cagour ONE TWENTIETH) OF THE SECOND PLATE FROM HOGARTH'S Jt ‘SIX-PLATE PICIURE-STORY | JiR “A HARLOTS PROGRESS! PUBLISHED IN 1731 DESPITE THE LOW "PANEL-COUNT.” THESE LUSH, RENDERED PICTURES “TELL A STORY RICH IN DETAIL AND MOTIVATED BY STRONG SOCIAL CONCERNS 16 RE A'BIT LATE IN DISCOVERING PRINTINGHOGARTH'S STORIES WERE FIRST EXHIBITED AS A SERIES OF PAINTINGS AND LATER SOLD AS A PORTFOLIO OF ENGRAVINGS. BOTH THE PAINTINGS AND ENGRAVINGS WERE DESIGNED TO BE VIEWED S/DE-8Y- SIDE --IN SEQUENCES TO PROTECT THIS NEW FORM. ‘A HARLOTS PROGRESS | THE FATHER QF THE MODERN comic IN MANY WAYS AND ITS SEQUEL 1S RODOLPHE TOPFFER , WHOSE LIGHT SATIRIC PICTURE "A RAKE'S PROGRESS” STORIES, STARTING IN “THE MID- 1800's, EMPLOYED PROVED SO POPULAR, CARTOONING AND PANEL BORDERS, AND FEATURED NEW COPYRIGHT. THE FIRST INTERDEPENDENT COMBINATION OF LAWS WERE CREATED ORDS AND PICTURES SEEN IN EUROPE, “TRANSLATION BY E. WIESE} UNFORTUNATELY, “IF FOR THE FUTURE, TOPFFER HIMSELF HE [TOPFFER] WOULD FAILED TO GRASP CHOOSE A LESS AT FIRST THE FULL FRIVOLOUS SUBJECT POTENTIAL OF HIS AND RESTRICT INVENTION, SEEING HIMSELF 4 LITTLE, HE ITAS A MERE DIVERSION, WOULD PRODUCE A SIMPLE HOBBY. THINGS BEYOND ALL CONCEPTION.” =~ HAD CREATED AND MASTERED A FORM WHICH WAS AT ONCE BOTH AND NEITHER. EVEN SO, TOPFFER'S CONTRIBUTION TO THE UNDERSTANDING OF COMICS IS CONSIDERABLE, IF ONLY FOR HIS REALIZATION THAT HE WHO WAS NEITHER ARTIST NOR WRITER-~ A LANGUAGE ALL ITS OWN.BRITISH CARICATURE MAGAZINES KEPT THE TRADITIONS ALIVE AND AS THE ZO7™ CENTURY DREW NEAR, THE COMICS WE CAZZ COMICS BEGAN TO APPEAR AND EVENTUALLY TO 7¥R/VE IN A STEADY STREAM OF WAKING DREAMS THAT HAS YET TO ABATE BUT EVEN IN THATS. CENTURY, OUR DEFINITION CAN HELP TO ILLUMINATE THE WORKS OF SOME UNSUNG HEROES. JuxTAPOSED PICTORIAL AND OTHER IMAGES IN DELIBERATE SEQUENCE EME SOME OF THE MOST /VSPYRED AND INVOVATIVE CONICS OF OUR CENTURY HAVE NEVER RECEIVED RECOGNITION AS COMICS, NOT SO MUCH 7 SP/TE OF THEIR SUPERIOR QUALITIES AS BECAUSE OF THEM. Shel Silverste' FOR MUCH OF THIS CENTURY, THE WORD "COMICS" HAS HAD SUCH NEGATIVE CONNOTATIONS. “THAT MANY OF COMICS’ MOST DEVOTED PRACTITIONERS HAVE PREFERRED TO BE KNOWN AS _ Ste el VELUSTRATORS.” “COMMERCIAL ARTISTS” OR, AT BEST, “CARTOOMISTS a ez 4 rier Grass HEART o# AND SO, COMICS’ LOW SELF-ESTEEM IS. SELF-PERPETUATING!| THE HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE NECESSARY TO COUNTERACT CONC’ NEGATIVE IMAGE |S OBSCURED BY THAT NEGATIVITY, WOODCUT ARTIST LYVD WARD'S ONE SUCH MISSING LIVE. WARD'S SILENT “WOODCUT NOVELS” ARE POWERFUL MODERN FABLES, NOW PRAISED BY COMICS ARTISTS, BUT SELDOM RECOONIZED DAS comics.ARTISTS LIKE WARD AND BELGIAN FRANS MASEREFL SAID NUCH THROUGH THEIR WOODCUTS ABOUT THE POTENTIAL OF COMICS, BUT FEW IN THE COMICS COMMUNITY OF THE DAY COULD GE7 7HE MESSAGE, NV THEIR DEFINITION OF COMICS, THEN AS: NOW, WKS ‘SIMPLY TOO NARROW TO INCLUDE SUCH WORK. QUITE A DIRFERENT CASE 1S MAX ERNST’S. SURREAL "COLLAGE NOVEL? A ; WEEK OF KINDNESS. THIS 182 PLATE SEQUENCE OF COLLAGES IS WIDELY CONSIDERED BUT NO ART HISTORY TEACHER WOULD DREAM OF CALLING IT “COMICS "7 YET, DESPITE THE LACK OF A CONVENTIOMAL STORY. THERE IS NO MISTAKING THE CENTRAL ROLE WHICH EQUENCE PLAYS IN ‘THE WORK, ERNST DOESN'T WANT YOU 70 BROWSE THE THING, HE WANTS ‘YOU READ IT!IF WE DON'T EXCLUDE PHOTOGRAPHY FROM. OUR DEFINITION, THEN MEANWHILE, PICTURES: HALF OF AMERICA 2M SEQUENCE ARE FINALLY BEING HAS BEEN IN COMICS RECOGNIZED AS THE EXCELLENT AT ONE TIME OR COMMUNICATION TOOL THAT THEY ANOTHER, ARE, BUT S7/LL NOBODY REFERS TO THEM AS COMICS! “DIAGRAMS” SOUNDS MORE D/GMW/FIED. I SUPPOSE. FROM SYAIMED GLASS WINDOWS SHOWING BIBLICAL SCENES IN ORDER TO MONET'S A SEXIES PAINTINGS, TO YOUR CAR OWNER'S MANUAL, COMICS TURN UP ALL OVER WHEN SEQUENTIAL ART 1S EMPLOYED AS A DEFINITION SOD TAS EOS IN SOME COUNTRIES, PHOTO-COMICS ARE, IN FACT, QUITE POPULAR. com-ies (kom'iks)n. plural in form used with a singular verb. 1. Juxtaposed pictorial and other images in deliberate sequence, intended to convey information and/or to produce an aesthetic response in the viewer. ‘SUCH SINGLE PANELS MIGHT BE CLASSIEIED AS ‘COMIC ART* IN THE SENSE THAT THEY DERIVE PART OF THEIR YISUAL VOCAPLLARY FROM COMICS-- SINGLE PANELS IKE THIS ONE ARE OFTEN 2UMPED a WITH Comics, YET THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS A SEQUENCE OF ONES FOR ALL THE DOORS THAT QUE DEFINITION OPEWS, THERE IS ONE WHICH IT CLOSES. “rommy,, why aint I Juxtaposed?”BUT T SAY THEY'RE NO MORE COMICS: THAN THIS STILL OF HUMPHREY BOGART THEY ARE CARTOONS, AS AMZ, AND THERE IS A £ONG-STANDING RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN COMICS AND CARTOONS, -- BUT THEY ARE NOT THE SAME THINGS ONE'S AN APPROACH TO FYCTURE-MAKING-- S7HZE, IF YOU LIKE --WHILE THE OTHER 1S A MEDIZ WHICH OFTEN EMPLOYS THAT APPROACH MORE ON THIS ZA7ER. a THIS SAME S/V6LE PANEL MIGHT ALSO BE LABELLED COMICS FOR ITS JUXTAPOSITION OF WORDS AND A GREAT MAJORITY OF MODERN COMICS, DO FEATURE WORDS AND PICTURES IN COMBINATION AND IT’S A SUBJECT WORTHY OF STUDY, BUT WHEN USED AS A DEFIV/7/ON FOR COMICS, I'VE FOUND IT TO BEA LITTLE TOO RESTRICTIVE FOR MY TASTE. OF COURSE, IF ANYONE WANTS TO WRITE A BOOK TAKING THE OFF0877¢ VIEW, YOU CAN BET T'LL BE THE FIRST IN LINE TO BUY A copy’ “Hommy, why ain' “listaposed?# IF COMICS’ AND 7HIS TIME, SPECTACULARLY VARIED THE SECRET IS NOT IN PAST \S_ANY INDICATION, WHAT THE DEFINITION OS RSE E TO SAYS SUTIN WHAT IT way WHAT, PREDICT USING THE o DOESN'T SKY: STANDARDS OF THE PRESENT. BUT OUR DEFINITION CAN OFFER US SOME CLUES. p11 Elia Ear Cae et) iu u iu u 1eo Pele aot col Peed Btn Eenrd Peete VERSE EI FS FICTION ay ‘ sy) Hades Adal Mer ae eeepc 11 78 Ma soa ENUM {Sol oh peat od 3 ATT ER. arent Ero ey CGF 32 86 oF ; oe ry 3 Bu i) és Shi 3 5 POETRY. OF CONSCIOUSNESS UL td NOTHING IS SAID ABOUT PAPER AND INK. NO PRINTING PROCESS. IS MENTIONED. PRINTING /7SEZF ISN'T EVEN SPECIFIED / NOTHING IS SAID ABOUT TECHNICAL PENS OR BRISTOL BOARD OR WINDSOR & NEWTON LINES? SABLE , SERIES 7 NUMBER TUVO GSRUSHES £ NO " ) veri ‘a i 5 P| ARE RULED OUT we BY OUR DEFINITION. pele Aas ui NO 7002S ARE PROHIBITED. THERE 1S NO MENTION OF SLACK ZINES. AND FLAT COLORED INK.NO CALLS FOR EXAGGERATED ANATOMY OR FOR REPRESENTATIONAL ART OF ANY KIND. ae Bia a Te Cli BOUNDS /THOSE OF YOU WHO MAKE COMICS FOR A LIVING -- OR WOULD £/KE TO, ‘SOME DAY-- PROBABLY | KNOW THAT KEEPING UP WITH ALL THE ADVANCES 1N TODAY'S COMICS IS A PULL-70ME SOK. THERE ARE SO MANY COMICS IN PRINT TODAY THAT 1T WOULD TAKE AN ARMY OF READERS TO sTupy THEM ATTEMPTS 10 DEFINE COMICS ARE AN ON-GOING PROCESS WHICH WON'T END ANYTIME, HOWEVER MUCH WE MAY TRY TO UNDERSTAND THE WORLD OF COMICS AROUND US, A 47 OF THAT WORLD WILL ALWAYS LIE IN SHADOW-- A MYSTERY. MANY POSSIBLE WORLDS/ A MEW GENERATION WILL NO DOUBT REJECT| WHATEVER THIS ONE FINALLY DECIDES 70 | AND, ACCEPT AND TRY Me so THEY ONCE MORE TO SHOULD. REINVENT : COMICS. Z'LL DO MY BEST IN THE FOLLOWING CHAPTERS 10 SHED LIGHT ON THAT UNSEEN SIDE, BUT AS WE FOCUS ON’ THE WORLD OF COMICS AS 77 7S: TT SHOULD ‘BE KEPT’ IN’ MIND AT AZZ TIMES THAT THIS WORLD IS ONLY ONE--HERE'S A PAINTING He THE INSCRIPTION IS IN By MAGRITTE CALLED "7HE FRENCH. 7RAMSCATED, 'T MEANS "THUS IS NOT A PIPES TREACHERY OF MAGES.” THIS IS A FAINTING OF A PIPE, SEE PAGE 216 FOR MORE INFORMATION.WELL ACTUALLY, THAT'S WRONG. THIS 1S PAINTING OF A PIPE. Bis is WINGS. OF K PAINTING OF A PIPE od le pe. DRAWING, IE. WRONG AGRI. rs'A PRINTER D COPY OF A OF A PAINTING N’EST-CE PASY, fg HE TE TEN COPIES, ACTUALLY. SO IF YOU FOLD THE PAGES BACK, Ae DO ‘YOu HEAR WHAT I'M SAYING? Lek west, IF YOU DO, FARS CHECKED, BECAUSE NO ONE S HAVE YOUR AID A WORD. Wi fife 25THESE ARE NOT IDEAS. BODIES : : “THIS 1S NOT A LEAF FP ——_— THIS 1S NOT MUSIC. THESE ARE NOT PEOPLE. WELCOME TO THE STRANGE AND YWYONDERFUL WORED OF pe THIS Is NOT SOUND. THIS 1S NOT LAW. THIS 15 NOT A PLANET. THIS IS NOT A CAR. eerie Q TUNDRA He IS A THESE ARE NOT SEPARATE THIS 1S NOT A THIS IS NOT RE NOT SEP 26NOW, THE WORD /CON MEANS MANY THINGS. : : THAT'S A BIT BROADER S| THAN THE DEFINITION FOR THE PURPOSES OF IN MY DICTIONARY, {7 THIS CHAPTER, I'M USING THE BUT IT'S THE CLOSEST ae “(WORD ‘?CO/V" TO MEAN ANY THING TO WHAT I MAGE USED TO REPRESENTA J. NEED HERE. A PERSON, PLACE, THING OR IDEA. "SYMBOL" IS A — BIT TOO LOADED FOR ME, AND FINALLY, THE ICONS WE CALL PICTURES: MAGES DESIGNED TO ACTUALLY KESEMIBLE THEIR SUBJECTS. THEN THERE THE SORTS OF IMAGES WE | ARE THE ICONS USUALLY CAZZ OF LANGUAGE, SYMBOLS ARE SCIENCE AND ONE CATEGORY COMMUNICATION. OF ICON, HOWEVER, AS RESEMBLANCE VARIES, SO DOES THE LEVEL OF ICONIC CONTENT. THESE ARE THE IMAGES WE USE 10 REPRESENT CONCEPTS, (DEAS AND PHILOSOPHIES. ICONS OF THE PRACTICAL REALM. OR 70 PUT IT SOMEWHAT CLUMSILY, SOME PICTURES ARE JUST MORE ICONIC THAN OTHERS 27IN THE (VO/V—- PICTORIAL ICONS, MEANING 1S F7XED AND ABSOLUTE. THEI APPEARANCE DOESN'T AFFECT THEIR MEANING BECAUSE THEY iggee WDEAS. M|® NO WORDS ARE TOTALLY ABSTRACT ICONS. THAT IS, THEY BEAR NO RESEMBLANCE AT ALL TO THE REAL MECOY IN PICTURES, HOWEVER, MEANING IS FLUID AND VARIABLE ACCORDING TO APPEARANCE THEY DIFFER FROM “REAL-LIFE” APPEARANCE TO_VARYING DEGREES. BUT IN PICTURES THE LEVEL OF ABSTRACTION VARIES. SOME, LIKE THE FACE ‘IN THE PREVIOUS PANEL SO CLOSELY RESEMBLE THEIR REAL-LIFE OTHERS, LIKE YOURS TRULY, ARE QUITE A _BIT MORE ABSTRACT AND. IN FACT, ARE VERY. MUCH L/L IKE ANY HUMAN FACE YOU'VE EVER SEEN/ COUNTERPARTS DS, TO ALMOST 7RICK THE EYES LET'S SEE IF WE sf CAN PUT THESE \S; PICTORIAL \: \ /CONS ft n\ IN SOME SORT £24 ler OF ORDER. i AN THAT THE PHOTOGRAPH PICTURE ARE THE ICONS THAT MOST RESEMBLE THERE ARE MANY THINGS THAT SET THESE APART FROM ACTUAL FACES -- THEY'RE SMALLER, FLATTER, LESS: DETAILED, THEY DON'T MOVE. THEY LACK COLOR-- BUT_AS PICTORIAL ICONS GO, THEY ARE PRETTY “REALISTIC.” COMMON WISDOM HOLDS ID THE REALIS7IC THEIR REAL-LIFE COUNTERPARTS, DSH) REACITY TH WAY, 28ONLY OUTLINES AND A HINT OF SHADING ARE STILL PRESENT, BUT WE EASILY RECOGNIZE THIS AS A HUMAN FACE. SOMEWHAT MOKE RESTRICT 1S THIS STYLE OF DRAWING FOUND IN MANY ADVENTURE ‘COMICS, REAL WAY. WHY. THEN, 1S THE FACE ASOVE SO ACCEPTABLE TO OUR EYES? WHY DOES IT SEEM JUST AS REAL PS THE OTHERS? AS WE CONTINUE TO ABSTRACT AND SWHPLIFY OUR IMAGE WE ARE MOVING FURTHER AND FURTHER FROM THE “REAL” FACE OF THE PHOTO. WHAT 1S THE SECRET --THE OF THE ICON CARTOON? Ly z WE CALL-~ yy REA way. 29~~ OD So WHY WOULD AVYOVE, YOUNG OR OLD, ‘RESPOND TO A 4} CARTOON AS MUCH OR MORE THAN A REALIS77€ MAGE? WHY IS OUR CULTURE SO JV THRALL JO THE SIMPLIFIED REALITY OF THE CARTOON? DEFINING THE CARTOON WOULD TAKE UP AS MUCH SPACE AS DEFINING NOVY, UM GOI EXAMINE CARTOONING AS _A FORM OF AMPLIFICATION THROUGH SUMPLIFICATION. all WHEN WE ABSTRACT AN IMAGE THROUGH CAR7OONING. WE'RE NOT SO MUCH ELININATING DETAILS AS WE ARE FOCUSING ON SPECIFIC DETAILS. 30 DOW IV AN IMAGE BY STRIPPING THAT REALISTIC ART CAM'7 SEE PAGE 218 FOR COPYRIGHT INFORMATION.FILM CRITICS WILL SOMETIMES DESCRIBE A LIVE-ACTION FILM AS A "CARTOON TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE STRIPPED-DOWN INTENSITY OF & SIMPLE STORY OR ‘VISUAL STYLE. THOUGH THE TERM IS OFTEN USED DISPARAGINGLY, \T CAN BE EQUALLY WELL APPLIED TO MANY TIME-TESTED CLASS/CS. SIMPLIFYING CHARACTERS AND IMAGES TOWARD A PURPOSE CAN BE AN EFFECTIVE TOOL FOR STORYTELLING IN IVY MEDIUM. CARTOONING ISN'T JUST A WAY OF DRAWING, IT’S A WAY OF THE ABILITY OF CARTOONS TO FOCUS OUR ATTENTION ON) AN IDEA 1S, I THINK, AN IMPORTANT PART OF THEIR SPECIAL POWER, BOTH IN COMICS AND IN DRAWING GENERALLY. i A FEW THOUSANDS MILLIONS (weary) ALL ANOTHER IS THE CINIVERSALIT ¥ OF CARTOON IMAGERY. THE MORE CARTOONY A FACE IS, FOR INSTANCE, THE MORE PEOPLE IT COULD BE SAID TO DESCRIBE. BUT I BELIEVE THERES: SOMETHING MORE AT WORK IN OUR MINDS WHEN We VIEW A CARTOON-- ESPECIALLY OF A HUMAN FACE-- WHICH WARRANTS, FURTHER INVESTIGATION e ©) WHAT REALLY THE FACT THAT YOUR MIND 1 ARE YOU CAPABLE OF TAKING A CIRCLE, TWO DOTS AND A Z7VE AND TURNING THEM INTO A FACE |S. NOTHING SHORT OF SEEING? [ eur smut more INCREDIBLE 1S THE FACT THAT YOU CANNOT AVOID. SEEING A FACE HERE. YOUR MIND WON'TASK A FRIEND TO DRAW YOU SOME SHAPES ON A PIECE OF PAPER. THEY SHOULD BE CLOSED CURVES, BUT OTHER- WISE CAN BE AS WEIRD AND JRREGULAR AS HE OR SHE WANTS. Let's SAY THE RESULTS LOOK © SOMETHING LIKE THIS. NOW YOU'LL FIND: THAT NO MATTER WHAT THEY £00K LIKE, EVERY SINGLE OME OF THOSE SHAPES CAM BE MADE INTO A FACE WITH ONE SIMPLE ADDITION We HUMANS, ARE A SELF-CENTERED YOUR MIND HAS NO TROUBLE AT ALL CONVERTING SUCH SHAPES INTO FACES, YET WOULD IT EVER MISTAKE 7A/5—WE SEE OURSELVES IN EVERYTHING. AND WE N IN OL IMAGETHINK, OF YOUR FACE AS A FACING OUTWARD. SEEN BY EVERYONE YOU MEET. WORN FROM THE DAY You WERE BORN. THAT'S WHAT IT 28, AFTER ALL SLAVE TO YOUR EVERY MENTAL COMMAND.ALL SET? Goop YET, YOU AVOW YOU SMILED! NOT JUST BECAUSE YOU FELT YOUR CHEEKS COMPRESS OR THE CRINKLING AROUND YOUR EYES? GOOD. NOW, WHAT . CHANGED WHEN C'MON, YOU SMILED? WHAT NOBODY'S DID YOU SEE? LOOKING: NOTHING, RIGHT, WHEN TWO PEOPLE INTERRACT, THEY USUALLY LOOK DIRECTLY AIT ONE ANOTHER, SEEING THEIR PARTNER'S FEATURES IN WIP DETAIL. yOu K/VVOW YOu SMILED BECAUSE YOU TRUSTED THIS MASK CALLED YOUR FACE 10 RESPOND’ BUT THE FACE YOU SEE IN YOUR /M/ND IS NOT THE SAME AS OTHERS SEE!EACH ONE AZSO SUSTAINS A CONSTANT AWARENESS OF HIS OR SOMETHING HER OW?2V FACE, BUT 7A//S MIND-PICTURE IS NOT NEARLY SO AS SIMPLE VIVID; JUST A SKETCHY ARRANGEMENT...A SENSE OF SHAPE AND AS A SENSE OF GEWERAL PLACEMENT. BASIC -- => THUS, WHEN YOU BUT WHEN YOU I BELIEVE THIS IS THE PRIMARY CAUSE OF LOOK ATA PHOTO OR} | ENTER THE WORLD| | OUR CHILDHOUD FASCINATION WITH CARTOONS, REALISTIC DRAWING| | OF THE CAR700~V-—-| | THOUGH OTHER FACTORS SUCH AS UN/VERSAL ‘OF A FACE-~ IDENTIFICATION, SIMAPLICITY AND THE CHILDLIKE FEATURES OF MANY CARTOON CHARACTERS ALSO PLAY A PART. --YOU SEE IT AS THE FACE -- YOU _SEE OF ANOTHER. YOURSELE THE CARTOON IS A VACLLM INTO WHICH OUR IDENTIZY PND AWARENESS ARt PULLED. AN EMPTY SHELL THAT WE INHABIT. WHICH EVABLES US TO TRAVEL IN ANOTHER REALM. THAT'S WHY I DECIDED 10 DRAW MYSELF IN SUCH A SIMPLE STYLE. WouLD YOU HAVE LISTENED TOME \F L LOOKED LIKE RUS 27, WE DON'T JUST pene | NEar MES: APART FROM WHAT LITTLE I TOLD YOU ABOUT MYSELF y, CHAPTER ONE, 1' PRACTICALLY A BLANK SLA: TES YOU GIVE ME LIFE BY READING THIS BOOK AND BY, "FILLING LIP” THIS VERY /CONIC (ARTOONY) FORM. TT WOULD NEVER EVEN OCCUR 19 YOU TO WONDER WHAT MY POLITICS ARE, OR WHAT. I HAD FOR LUNCH OR WHERE I GOT THIS SL" OTS (CH Z'M JUST ALITTLE VOICE INSIDE YOUR HEAD. WHO T AMIS IRRELEVANT. I'M JUST A LITTLE PIECE OF YOU. BUT IF WHO TAM MATIERS LESS, MAYBE WHAT I SAY, L MATTE! SO FAR, WE'VE ONLY PIscusseD, FACES, BUT THE PHENOMENON SS CAN, TO A LESSER DEGREE, BODIES. AFTER ALL, DO WE NEED SEE OUR HANDS TO KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING? OF MON-VISUAL SELF STILL APPLY TO OUR TO THERE'STHE LATE GREAT (MARSHALL /ASLUHAN OBSERVED A SIMILAR FORM OF NON-VISUAL AWARENESS WHEN DR7VING, FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN PEOPLE INTERACT WITH WE EXPERIENCE MUCH MORE THAN INANIMATE OBJECTS. OUR FIVE SENSES REPORT THE WHOLE CAR NOT JUST THE PARTS: THE VEHICLE BECOMES AN EX7EWSION WE CAN SEE, FEEL AND HEAR--IS VERY OF OUR BODY. IT ABSORBS OUR SENSE MUCH ON OUR MINDS AT ALL TIMES, OF IDENTITY. WE BECOME THE CAR iy ===! IF ONE CAR A/7$ ANOTHER, THE DRIVER OUR /DEN7771ES AND AWARENESS ARE OF THE VEHICLE BEING S7RUCK IS MUCH INVESTED IN MANY /VAMIMATE OBJECTS MORE LIKELY TO SAY EVERY DAY. OUR CLOTHES, FOR EXAMPLE, CAN TRIGGER WUMEROUS TRANSFORMATIONS: IN THE WAY OTHERS SEE US AND INN THE WAY WE SEE OURSELVES. THAN “HE HIT MY CARS OR "HIS CAR HIT MY CAR", FOR THAT MATTER.OUR ABILITY TO EXTEND OUR IDENTITIES INTO INANIMATE OBJECTS CAN CAUSE PIECES OF WOOD TO AND IN EVERY CASE, OUR CONSTANT AWARENESS OF SEZF-- SOQ TOO 1S OUR AWARENESS OF 7#/ESE EXTENSIONS GREATLY SWMPLIFIED. PIECES OF PLASTIC PIECES OF METAL TO BECOME TO BECOME AND JUST AS OUR AWARENESS OF OUR FLOWS OUTWARD 70 INCLUDE THE OBJECT OF OUR EXTENDED IDENTITY. CONCEPTUALIZED WAGES-- ALL THE THINGS WE EXPERIENCE IN LIFE CAN BE SEPARATED INTO WO REALMS, THEQUR IDENTITIES BELONG PERMANENTLY TO THE CONCEPTUAL \NORLD THEY CAN'T BE SEEN, HEARD, SMELLED, TOUCHED OR TASTED. THEY'RE MERELY (DEAS. AND EVERYTHING ELSE--AT THE START--BELONGS TO THE SENSUAL WORLD, THE WORLD OL/TSIDE OF US. GRADUALLY WE REACH BEYOND OURSELVES We ENCOUNTER THE SIGHT, SMELL, TOUCH, TASTE AND |= SOUND OF OUR OWN BODIES. AND SOON WE DISCOVER THAT OBJECTS OF THE PHYSICAL WORLD CAN ALSO CROSS OVER-~ --AND POSSESS IDENTITIES, OF THEIR OWN.THROUGH TRADITIONAL REALISM, THE COMICS ARTIST CAN PORTRAY THE WORLD WITHOUT-- BY DE-EMPHASIZING THE APPEARANCE OF THE PATYSICAL WORLD IN FAVOR OF THE DEA OF FORM, THE CARTOON PLACES ITSELF IN THE WORLD OF CONCEPTS. PE rc ——_j --AND THROUGH WHEN THE CARTOON, CARTOONS THE WORLD ARE USED WITHIN. THROUGHOUT ‘A STORY, THE WORLD OF THAT. STORY MAY SEEM TO PULSE WITH INANIMATE OBJECTS MAY SEEM 10 POSSESS SEPARATE /DENTITIES $0 THAT IF ONE JUMPED UP AND STARTED SINGING TT WOULDN'T FEEL OUT OF PLACE, BUT IN EMPHASIZING. IF AN ARTIST -- REALISM OF THE CONCEPTS OF SOME SORT IS OBJECTS OVER THEIR WANTS TO PORTRAY THE BEAUTY AND GOING TO PLAY A PHYSICAL APPEARANCE,| | COMPLEXITY OF THE MUCH HAS 70 BE PHYSICAL OMITTED.WHEN DRAWING THE FACE AND FIGURE, NEARLY AZZ COMICS ARTISTS: APPLY AT LEAST SOME SMALL MEASURE OF CARTOONING. EVEN THE MORE REALISTIC ADVENTURE ARTISTS-- “-ARE A FAR CRY FROM PHOTO-REALISTS STORYTELLERS IN ALL MEDIA KNOW THAT A SURE INDICATOR OF AUDIENCE INVOLVEMENT- “1S THE DEGREE TO WHICH THE AUDIENCE IDENTIFIES. WITH A STORY'S CHARACTERS, ON THE OTHER HAND, NO. ONE EXPECTS AUDIENCES TO IDENTIFY WITH BRICK WALLS OR LANDSCAPES AND INDEED, BACKGROUNDS TEND TO BE SLIGHTLY MORE REALISTIC, HMETH a AND SINCE WEWWER-(DEN TIFICATION IS A SPECIALTY OF CARTOONING, CARTOONS HAVE HISTORICALLY HELD AN ADVANTAGE \N BREAKING IN7O WORLD POPULAR CULTURE. IN SOME COMICS, THIS SPLIT 1S FAR MORE PRONWOLIVCED. THE BELGIAN “CLEAR-L INE” STYLE OF HERGES 7/V771V COMBINES VERY ICONIC CHARACTERS WITH UNUSUALLY REAL/S7/C BACKGROUNDS. TTINTIN © EDITIONS CASTERMAN,ONE SET QF LINES 10 SEE. ANOTHER SET OF] LINES 10 &E- IN THE WORLD OF IN EUROPE IT CAN IN AMERICAN COMICS, THE EFFECT IS USED ANIMATION, WHERE | | BE FOUND IN MANY FAR LESS OF7E/, ALTHOUGH IT HAS CREPT UP THE EFFECT HAPPENS | | POPULAR COMICS, IN THE WORKS OF ARTISTS AS DIVERSE AS. TO BE A PRACTICAL FROM AS7ER/X 1 CARL BARKS, JAIME HERNANDEZ BND IN NECESSITY, DISNEY | | 7777 TO WORKS OF | THE TEAM OF DAVE SMM AND GERHARD. HAS USED [T WITH VACQUES TARDY. IMPRESSIVE RESULTS FOR OVER SO YEARS/| (CEREBUS © DAVE SIM. THANKS TO THE BUT, IN SEMINAL IMFLUENCE RECENT| DECADES IN. JAPAN, ON THE OTHER HAND, THE ‘OF COMICS CREATOR JAPANESE FANS ALSO MASKING EFFECT WAS, FOR A TIME OSAMU TEZUKA, DEVELOPED A TAS’ VIRTUALLY A WAT/ONAL STYLES JAPANESE COMICS HAVE] | FOR AZASHY. PHOTE A LONG, RICH HISTORY REALISTIC ART. OF ICONIC CHARACTERS, SO) ART © HAYAS! AND OSIMA[ART © HAYASI AND OSIMA. THE RESULTANT HYSRID STYLES HAD TREMENDOUS ICONIC RANGE, FROM EXTREMELY CARTOUNY CHARACTERS 10 (MEAR- PHOTOGRAPHIC BACKGROUNDS. BUT JAPANESE COMICS ARTISTS TOOK THE IDEA A STEP FURTHER, SOON, SOME OF THEM REALIZED THAT THE OBSECTIFYING POWER OF REALISTIC ARTS COULD BE PUT TO OTHER USES. FOR EXAMPLE, WHILE MOST CHARACTERS: ‘WERE DESIGNED SIMPLY, TO ASSIST IN READER “IDENTIFICATION: BUT SUPPOSE I NOTICE SOME MYSTERIOUS: WRITING CARVED ON THE SWORDS HILT. OTHER CHARACTERS WERE DRAWN MORE REALISTICALLY IN ORDER 10 OBSECTIFY THEM, EMPHASIZING THEIR “OTHERNESS” FROM THE READER A PROP LIKE THIS SWORD MIGHT BE VERY. CARTOONY IN OVE SEQUENCE-- Z IN JAPANESE COMICS, THE SWORD MIGHT VOW BECOME VERY REAL/S77C, NOT ONLY TO SHOW US| THE DETAILS, BUT TO MAKE US AWARE OF THE SWORD AS AN OBJECT, SOMETHING WITH WE7OH7Z, TEXTURE AND PHYSICAL COMPLEXITY. 44 TO THE “LIFE” IT POSSESSES AS AN EXTENSION OF MY CARTOON IDENTITY/ IN THIS AND IN O7HER WAYS, COMICS IN JAPAN HAVE EVOLVED VERY DIFFERENTLY FROM THOSE IN THE WEST, WE'LL RETURN TO THESE DIFFERENCES SEVERAL TIMES DURING THIS BOOK,I L/KE THE MASKING EFFECT, PERSONALLY, BUT IT’S JUST ONE OF MANY POSSIBLE APPROACHES ‘TO COMICS ART. SEE PAGE 216 FOR COPYRIGHT INFORMATION. AS I WRITE THIS IN 1992, AMERICAN AUDIENCES ARE JUST BEGINNING TO REALIZE THAT A SIMPLE ST YZE DOESNT NECESSITATH art spegelman MAUS © AND TM. ART SPIEGELMAN, MANY OF My FAVORITE ARTISTS USE IT VERY. THE PLATONIC IDEAL OF THE CARTOON MAY SEEM TO OMIT MUCH OF THE AMBIGUITY AND COMPLEX CHARACTERIZATION WHICH ARE THE HALLMARKS OF MODERN LITERATURE, LEAVING THEM SUITABLE ONLY FOR CHILDREN. STILL, 1 HOPE THE JAPANESE PERSPECTIVE ON CARTOONING HELPS DEMONSTRATE THAT ONE'S CHOICE OF STYLES CAN HAVE CONSEQUENCES FAR BEYOND THE MERE Z0OK” ‘OF A STORY. BUT SIMPLE ELEMENTS CAN COMBINE IN COMPLEX WAYS, AS ATOMS BECOME MOLECULES AND MOLECULES BECOME UFE AND 2/KE THE ATOM, GREAT POWER IS LOCKED IN THESE FEW SIMPLE LINES, RELEASEABLE ONLY By THE READER'S MIND. THERE'S ALOT MORE TD CARTOONS. THAN MEETS THE EVES 45weve REDUCED THIS FACE 10 7WO DOTS AND 7WO LINES. \S OUR ICONIC ABSTRACTION SCALE COMPLETE? THE SCALE SHOWS SEVERAL = SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT PROGRESSIONS. LET'S CONCENTRATE ON OVE AND SEE IF WE CAN (2 ©8660 TAKE (1 ANY — FURTHER. comptex ———> simpLe = eALisTic ———> Iconic = = < OBJECTIVE > SUBJECTIVE SPECIFIC_———> UNIVERSAL CAN ANY, CONFIGURATION OF INK ON PAPER BE MORE ABSTRACTED| FROM REALITY ~~ --YET STILL REPRESENT ‘A FACE AS CLEARLY AS JAYS ONE Z I SAY THE ANSWER HERE'S A PART OF THE SOLUTION, 1 46 ALINE STRAIGHT DO OF THE DOTS JUST, DRAW. WYN FROM EACH TO. THIS HEIGHT FOR THE ANSHER.faa TOUTASGLAG en ‘ "MEANING RETAINED. HEADS: IND 8 Pre A A rare 7-53 ICON masic EXTENSION loenTiry lacreNTicg WRITING AND DRAWING, SEPARATE DISCIPLINES, WRITERS AND ARTISTS AS. Sou TE A SINGLE UNIFIED LANGUAGE DESERVES A SINGLE, UNIFIED VOCABLILARY., JWiew FraleNo UNDERNEATH my ITLED THE STORY OF MARGERII -- ARE THE ULTIMATE ABSTRACTION. MOST AMERICAN COMICS, NOTABLY COMIC BOOKS, HAVE LONG EMPHASIZED THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN WORDS AND PICTURES. -- AND "GOOD" COMICS AS THOSE IN WHICH THE COMBINATION OF THESE VERY DIFFERENT FORMS OF EXPRESSION 1S THOUGHT TO BE HARMONIOUS. o A BUT JUST HOW "DIFFERENT" IKE THEY ¥ WORDS, PICTURES AND OTHER ICONS ARE THE VOCABULARY OF THE LANGUAGE CALLED COMICS. lon parex a INESON PAPER JUST UST Lies Ob PAPE! INES. st N =O : 55 ett S LE WITHOUT: IT, COMICS WILL CONTINUE TO LIMPALONG AS THE "BASTARD CHILD” OF WORDS AND PICTURES. SEVERAL FACTORS HAVE CONSPIRED AGAINST comics RECEIVING THE UNIFIED IDENTITY IT WEEDS. AND. AMONG, THEM LIE SOME OF OUR VERY 7 INSTINCTS,ARTIE BOTH ARTIST AND WRITER BEGIN, HANDS: JOINED ACROSS THE GAP, WITH A COMMON PURPOSE: TO MAKE COMICS OF QUALITY” THE ARTIST KNOWS THAT THIS MEANS MORE THAN JUST STICK-FIGURES. KND CRUDE CARTOONS. HE SETS OFF IN SEARCH OF A HIGHER ART. THE WRITER KNOWS THAT THIS MEANS MORE THAN JUST OOF” POW! BLAIAS AND ONE-A-DAY GAGS. SHE SETS OFF IN SEARCH OF SomeTHING DEEPER. IN MUSEUMS AND IN LIBRARIES, THE ARTIST FINOS WHAT HE'S LOOKING FOR. HE STUDIES THE TECHNIQUES OF THE GREAT MASTERS. OF WESTERN ART, HE PRACTICES MIGHT ANDDAY. SHE 700 FINDS WHAT SHE'S LOOKING FOR, IN THE GREAT MASTERS OF WESTERN LITERATURE. ‘SHE READS AND WRITES COMSTANTLY. SHE SEARCHES FOR’ A VOICE UNIQUELY HERS. FINALLY, THEY'KE READY. BOTH HAVE MASTERED THEIR ARTS. WIS 8RUSHSTROKE IS NEARLY AVVIS/BLE IN ITS SUBTLETY, THE FIGURES PURE AM/CHAEL ANGELO. HER DESCRIPTIONS ARE DAZZLING. THE WORDS FLOW TOGETHER LIKE A, SHAKESPEAREAN SONNET. THEY'RE READY TO JOM HANDS ONCE MORE AND CREATE A COMICS MASTERPIECE. FACE + seei~2 . > ONE NOSE, > 5 ONE Mount. oP Abeer. 48f victures Are RECEIVED writine 1s PERCELVED Z| \NFORMATION. WE NEED NO INFORMATION. IT TAKES TIME FORMAL EDUCATION TO “GET 74 AND SPECIALIZED KNOWLEDGE TO MESSAGE” THE MESSAGE IS DECODE THE ABSTRACT SYMBOLS IVSTANTANEOUS. OF LANGUAGE ' TWO EYES, Jéy yopthi : ONE NOSE, => Bitty \ ONE Moun, on noe RECEIVER cciias ee as mee eats 2 ead lis ca Bae we ..... PERCEIVED ‘ WHEN PICTURES ARE MORE ABSTRACTED FROM "REALITY; THEY REQUIRE GREATER LEVELS OF PERCEPTION, MORE LIKE WORDS. WHEN WORDS ARE BOLDER, MORE DIRECT, THEY REQUIRE LOWER LEVELS OF PERCEPTION AND ARE RECEIVED FASTER, MORE LIKE PICTURES. OUR NEED FOR A BUT OUR NEED For | | BOTH ARE WORTHY UNIFIED LANGUAGE | | SOPHISTICATION ASPIRATIONS. OF COMICS SENDS US IN COMICS SEEMS BOTH STEM FROM A TOWARD THE CENTER TO LEAD US LOVE OF COMICS AND WHERE WORDS AND OUTWARD, WHERE | | A DEVOTION TO ITS PICTURES ARE LIKE WORDS AND PICTURES FUTURE WO SIDES OF OVE ARE MOST SEPARATE. CONT CAN THEY BE RECONCILED 7 I_SAY THE ANSWER 18 YES, BUT SINCE THE REASONS BELONG IN A DIFFERENT CHAPTER, WELL HAVE TO COME BACK TO THIS LATER. aa 49ICONIC. ABSTRACTION 1S ONLY OVE FORM OF ABSTRACTION AVAILABLE TO. COMICS ARTISTS. USUALLY THE WORD. “ABSTRACTION” REFERS TO THE NON-ICONIC VARIETY, WHERE NO ATTEMPT 1S MADE 10 CLING TO RESEMBLANCE OR MEANING. THE TYPE OF ART WHICH OFTEN PROMPTS THE QUESTION “WHAT DOES IT MEAN?” EARNING --INK THE REPLY ON ST MEANS” PAPER WHAT IT. ‘svEELOW ME, THE AREA DESCRIBED BY THESE 3 VERTICES-- “REALITY; LANGUAGE AND THE PICTURE PLANE -~ REPRESENTS THE TOTAL ICTO} RY OF COMICS OR OF AVY OF THE VISUAL THIS 1S 1 TRENSEE: ves ‘AND NOT PRETEND OTHERWISE. , FAC MOST COMICS ART LIES NEAR THE BOTTOM--THAT |S, ALONG THE /CONIC. ABSTRACTION SIDE WHERE EVERY LINE. HAS A MEANT WEAR TRE LINE, BUT JF WE INCORPORATE NOT NECESSARILY LANGUAGE AND. OF THE OW IT! FOR EVEN OTHER ICONS /NTO UNIVERSE TEEN Raley THE CHART, WE CAN BEGIN TO BUILD A ‘CARTOON CHARACTER ‘COMPREHENSIVE COMICS. HAS A"MEANINGLESS MAP-- LINE OR TWO! SA4, MARY FLEENER at her most absvac._ 2, slate anatomical base, Sknpaon drs and SWAIN. 35. CHESTER GOULDs DICK (Wall and Cub?) © Koke and Kojima. 48, MISTY. © Marvel Entatanmant Guo, ne. 7. MARISCAL's Por. 3, DAVE McKEAN exaggerates MMs features t0 the brink of The TRACY © Cheago Tribune: New York Syrcicate, EDDIE CAMPBELL's ALEC. Realistic intone, RIYOKO IKEDA's Oscar from THE ROSE OF sopoyng ovat ba any ses ound nhs Souacton "3" MICHAEL CHERKAS om Te Je GACR KIRSYs Dunece S De, butasogentral and sonianeo, The pocass VERSAILLES. 72. GEORGE. MeMANUS Setue CAGES. "4." MARG HEMPEL's — SLENT RWASION. © Chetas and hancoce . Comce’ 31°BOS' BURDEN Sa OAMEL cI'rowng ant Nagar rom ew, 47. ALEX INGING UP FATHER © rlernatona Feature GREGORY. 5. MARK BEYER. 6. LARRY 24. RICK GEARY. 25. PETER KUPER, Pactwee FORRES Rowe Varger em TRITON, 38. TOTH” Zoro © ZoncProductons, Inc. A Service, Inc. 73. CHARLES. SCHULZ's MARDER’s Geanah rom TALES OF THE 20. GARRY TRUDEAU COONESSURY. PETER BOGE’ Gusy Credey ton'WATE, Wet larey Produciens. (Zora crates by Ghrse Bown tom PEANUTS © Untos Featuer EEANWWORLD. “Rosamng” natung ovecseon 7. “LYNDA BARRY. 20.” SAMPEL Compare to 11, 10, SETH. ti, MARK Johnston MeCvtay) a8 MUGO PRATTS —Syateata ne. 94. ART SPIEGELMAN rom (hore he way'o he ng) Madore Seams SHIRATO.” 28. CHAMLES BURKS FIG Hane Wamtin. "42. JULIE DOUCET. "43; CORTOMALTESE © Castrman, Para Touma. MAUS. 7S, MATT FEAZELL's CYRICALMAN Mrauhe law tom detign fo maarng. 7, SAUL BABY. 20 1/2. (Whoops) CLIFF ter CRAIG SE-WRL EISNER fom TO Te HEART OF Te. Tha company Logo The pcre a symoa pment Mer se nes) Cte a HAE oon aa RMR hla ee es HORN trom THE LIGRARIAN. ®, LORENZO FOLLY AND HER PALS) mht non not one CRUMB swings botweon Tosite and carcory Efac Tha word ar soon 7o. TOM KING # MaTTOm in FIRES (©. Eatiors Abin Mere! but Sloe. at, ike Faene’® ten he (Bs Sturacers Usvay staying abo. this hgh but SNOOKUMS, THAT LOVABLE TRANSVESTITE 5A) contiras deeply inpessionaclghing upward oad he wily aban. PAP 0 ’ Seve Sven ut wih an nparaed sense occasional vartuing upwata.- 82. STEVE 2 pholscomic 60. DREW FRIEDMAN. 61 ign that dtaws them toward tre upper OITKO.§3. NORMAN 00G. 54. DAVE STEVENS. 82. HAL FOSTER with iconic forms and strong, design-orented Newspaper Fe 9, design. pa jad by Edgar Rice Buroughs. 83, ras Syndieate ne, 30: / DO ey Conpostions. In other words, he's ahard oneto SERGIO. Lately, Fussell has been moving a bt VALENTINO's NORMALMAN sits a bit to the TARZAN. place, 10. ALINE KOMINSKY-CRUMB. WANDERER. Simple, saighforward, but wih a ‘ vN [Nghe and toward the ‘ght in some cases. 45. Qh aNd Up {fom his currant SHADOWHAWK ALEX RAYMOND. Flash Gordon © King 41. PETER BAGGE's Chuckie-Boy from strong gestural quatty that always reminds us of 2 GOSEKI KOJIMA trom KOZURE OKAMi (whose iconic mask made him a bit harder to Features Syndicate, Inc. 84. MILO NEAT STUFF. Compare to 98. 12. KRISTINE the hand that holds the pen KAVTTRE. 13. REA IRVIN. THE SMYTHES 14.28,91,41), 91. ROBERTA GREGORY's © Field Newspaper Syndicate. 14. STEVE Bitchy Bich from NAUGHTY BITS, 32. DAVID WILLIS's Morty. 18. PHIL YEH's FRANK © MAZZUCCHELLI from BATMAN: YEAR ONE, THE UNICORN 16. JERRY MORIARTY's Commissioner Gordon © D.C. Comics. 33, “Jack Sunes". Based closely on real world JOSE MUNOZ from "Mister Conrad, Mister light and shadow, but decomposed into rough Winx”, © Mune and Sampayo. 34, CAROL, shapes. Similar elfects are found in no.e 8:18,19,20 and 34.17. JEFF WONG's ar for Scott Jizz. "38. ROLF STARK" expressionistic RAIN. 19. SPAIN's TRASHMAN. 20. FRANK MILLER's THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS, Batman © DC Comics. Batman created by Bob Kane. 21. WILLIAM. MESSNER-LOEB: MacAlistair from JOURNEY. 22. DON SIMPSON's MEGATON MAN. Beginning from a VN Slace, “3s, ROZ CHAST. "56. JOOST —-MANARA. "85. JOHN BUSCEMA, The SWARTE's Anton Makassar. 87. ELZIE Vision © Marvel Enierainnent Group SEGAR's POPEYE © King lealtes Syrcicata, CAROL LAY iene Van ce Kamp irom GOOD tne. 38. GEORGE HERRIMAN’ “Oflisa GIRLS. bizarre charac but dtawn 1 avery Pupot tom KRAZY KAT. © Interaicral feature staightlorwaré. style. 67. GILBERT Serveo, ne. $9, JIM WOODRING'® FRANK HERNANDEZ 88. JAIME HERNANDEZ 60. NEAL ADAMS. from X-MEN © Marvel COLIN UPTON. 90. KURT Enietairmart Goup, nc. 0cMenctestady Une SCHAFFENBERGER. Superboy © OC. vd Kirby). 81. GIL KANE tom ACTION Comes, 91. JACK COLE's PLASTIC MAN, © COMICS © DC. Comics, Inc. 82. MILTON D.C. Gomes. $2. REED WALLER's OMAHA GANIFF's STEVE CANYON. 63. JIM LEE. THE CAT OANER © Walet and Worley, £3, Nick Fury appearing in X-MEN © Marvel WENDY PINs Skywisa ftom ELFQUEST. © Entenainmem Group, ne. 64. JOHN BYRNE. WaRP Graphics. 94. DAN DE CARLO. Superman © D.C Comics, Inc. (Superman Veronica © Archie Comics. "95. HAROLD created by Jory Siege! and ioe Schuster) 65. RAYS LITTLE ORPHAN ANNE, © Oncago JACQUES TARDI fiom LE DEMON DES — Trioune- New York News. Syndicate GLACES © 0, JEAN. HERGE's TINTIN © Edtions Casterman. 97. CLAUDE MEZI ‘kom the FLOYD GOTTFREDSON. Mickey Mouse © VALERIAN series © Dargaud Eau” 67. Wat Dianay Practctons. 86. JEFF SMITH's BILL GRIFFITHts ZIPPY THE PINHEAD. 68. BONE. 99. Smie Dammit. 100. COLLEEN JOE MATT. 58. KYLE BAKER fiom DORAN's A DISTANT SOL. 101. ROY WATE SATURN.70. TRINA ROI (GRANE’s CAPTAIN EASY € NEA Servis, nc. 102, DAN CLOWES, "103. WAYNO. 104 V.T. HAMLIN's ALLEY OOP © NEA Service ALL COPYRIGHTS Ine. 108. CHESTER BROWN. 108. STAN HELD BY THE SAKAI's USAGI YOJIMBO. 107." DAVE CREATOR UNLESS SIM's CEREBUS THE AAROVARK. 108, OTHERWISE WALT KELLY's POGO © Selty Kelly. 109, RUDOLPH DIRKS's HANS AND FRITZ © King NOTED. Features Syndicate, Inc. 110. H.C. “BUD” FISHER's Jel from MUTT AND JEFF © McNaught Syndicate, Inc. 111. MORT ze HI-AND LOIS © King’ Features inc. 112. OSAMU TEZUKA's 13, CARL BARKS, Scrooge McDuck © Wall Oisnay CROCKETT JOHNSON's t fiom BARNABY © Field Newspaper Syndicate, Ine. 148, PAT SULLIVAN's FELIX THE CAT (© Newspaper Feature Service. 116. UDERZO. [ASTERDX by Goscinny and Usarzo © Dargai Eatour 7 es 7 / Koop in mind that Hy these are my copies of the original drawings. “ “> Re col PLEASE NOTE: ARTISTS IN THIS CHART ARE NOT NECESSARILY CHOSEN FOR ARTISTIC MERIT. ‘SOME VERY IMPORTANT CREATORS ARE NOT INCLUDED. 52are sara eee MOST OF THE EACH CREATOR PRECEDING EXAMPLES GIVEN PROJECT. EMPLOYS A RANGE WERE PLACED ON OUR OF STYLES, THOUGH, FEAZELL'S CHART BASED ON THE AND MANY OCCUPY’ |{ CY/CALMAN, DRAWING STYLES USED] | SEVERAL PLACES ON|\ KEEP TO ONE ON SEECIFIC. THE CHART DURING A AREA CHARACTERS. CONSISTENTLY, LIKE MATT THE COMBINATION OF EXTREMELY /COMIC. CHARACTERS. BND EMVIRONMEWTS, NIXED WITH WMPLE, DIRECT LANGUAGE AND SOUND EFFECT OR TWO WOULD GIVE US A SHAPE SOMETHING LIKE 74/S~ — WE'VE ALREADY BUT oN DISCUSSED THE _ OTHERS KANGE RANGE OF HERGE CONSIDERABLY \\|_ | AND OTHERS WHO FROM ONE END ]] | CONTRAST /COW/C OF THE CHART /) | CHARACTERS WITH TO THE OTHER 4 REALISTIC BACKGROUNDS. i Ol ps yy a Sound on! | | [ART © EDITIONS CASTERMAN. ma 54 HERGE STRETCHES NEARLY FROM LEFT 70 RIGHT FROM KEAL/SM TO CARTOONING -- BUT VENTURES VERY Z/77LE INTO THE UPPER WORLD OF VO/WV- JCONIC ABSTRACTIONMARY FLEENER, ON THE OTHER HAND, VARIES ONLY SLIGHTLY IN HER LEVEL OF CONIC CONTENT, WHILE THE LEVEL OF NON-\CONIC ABSTRACTION GOES NEARLY FROM 70? 70 6077OME. ART © MARY FLEENER, “WATS RIGHT. FES STL LOOSE. THERE'S NO TELNG | WMATLL HAPPENS ‘ART: JACK KIRBY AND JOE SINNOTT (MY! FACSIMILE) SCRIPT: STAN LEE IN THE MID-SIXTIES, JACK KIRBY, ALONG WITH S7AN ZEE, STAKED OUT A MIDDLE GROUND OF ICONIC FORMS WITH A SENSE OF THE REAL ABOUT THEM, BOLSTERED BY A POWERFUL DESIG SENSE, TODAY, MANY AMERICAN MAINSTREAM COMICS STILL FOLLOW, KIRBY'S LEAD FOR STORYTELLING, BUT THE DESIRE FOR MORE ZEAZIS77C ART AND MORE ELABORATE SCRIPTS HAS PUSHED ART AND STORY FURTHER APART IN MANY CASES. Seon IE RRR iRYIY: if [ART FROM COLOR PANELS TRACED FOR REPRODUCTION. ‘© MARVEL ENTERTAINMENT GROUP, INC. 55 ART: JIM LEE AND SCOTT WILLIAMS (FACSIMILE) ‘SCRIPT: CHRIS CLAREMONT.INFORMATION 5 8 g g INDEPENDENT CREATORS, WORKING MOSTLY IN BLACK AND WHITE, STAYED TO THE X/GH7 IN THE EIGHTIES AND NINETIES, MOST OF THE COUNTERCULTURE OF. OF MAINSTREAM COMICS ART WHILE COVERING A BROAD RANGE OF WRITING STYLES THIS FOLLOWS THE LEAD OF THE POST-KURTZMAN GENERATION OF UNDERGROUND CARTOONISTS WHO USED CARTOONY STYLES TO PORTRAY ADULT THEMES AND SUBJECT MATTER SOME ARTISTS, SUCH AS THE IRREPRESSIBLE SERG/O ARAGOMES, STAKED THEIR CLAIM ON A PARTICULAR AREA ZONE AGO AND HAVE BEEN QUITE HAPPY SINCE ‘SERGIO AND GROO © SERGIO ARAGONES, IRONIC THAT THE TWO _BASTIONS OF CARTOONY ART ARE UNDERGROUND AND CHUDREW'S COMICS 1 PRETTY FAR APART AS GENRES GO! OTHERS, SUCH AS DAVE /MSKEAN. ARE FOREVER OM 7HE MOVE, EXPERIMENTING, TAKING CHANCES, WVEVER SATISFIED. ART (LEFT) © DAVE MeKEAN, (RIGHT) © D.C. COMES.WHEN AN ARTIST IS DRAWN TO ONE END OF THE CHART OR ANOTHER, THAT ARTIST MAY BE REVEALING SOMETHING ABOUT HIS OR HER STRONGEST VALVES AND LOYALTIES IN ART. AND THOSE ON THE RIGHT BY THE BEAUTY OF (DEAS. THE ENTIRE HISTORY OF VISUAL ARTS BELONGS IN THIS SPACE. MONET SET UP HIS EASEL ALONG THE ZEF7 FACE, MONDRIAN AT THE 7OF, REMBRANDT LOWER LEFT, MATISSE RIGHT ABOVE WHERE 1’M STANDING, FOR COMICS TO MA7U/RE AS A MEDIUM, \T MUST BE CAPABLE OF EXPRESSING EACH ARTIST'S /MVERMOST WEEDS AND /DEAS. THOSE WHO APPROACH THE LOWER LEFT, FOR EXAMPLE, ARE PROBABLY ATTRACTED BY A SENSE OF THE BEAUTY OF MA7ZARE] THOSE, AT THE 707, By THE BEAUTY OF BUT EACH ARTIST HAS DIFFERENT INNER NEEDS, DIFFERENT POINTS OF VIEW, DIFFERENT PASSIONS, AND S80 NEEDS TO FIND DIFFERENT FORMS OF EXPRESSION. * AND NEARLY EVERY MOVEMENT OR MANIFESTO PLANTED ITS FLAG AND LOUDLY PROCLAIMED THE DISCOVERY OF THE ONLY PATCH OF GROUND WORTH BLILDING ON. * CHECK OUT WASSILY KANDINSKY'S TERRIFIC 1912 ESSAY, " ON THE PROBLEM OF FORM! 57BY DRAWING BORDERS AROUND THE VOCABULARY OF COMICS, I HOPE I HAVEN'T MADE (T SEEM SMALLER THAN ITIS, COMICS ARTISTS HAVE A UNIVERSE OF ICONS TO CHOOSE FROM TT’S EXPANDING ALL THE TIME f SOCIETY IS INVENTING WEY symaois Reavearty, IS JUST AS comics ARTISTS DO, MB] OURS IS AN INCREASINGLY fs SYMBOL-ORIENTED CULTURE AS THE VENT FIRST CENTURY APPROACHES, V/SUAL ICONOGRAPHY N\KY FINALLY HELP US REALIZE A FORM OF UNIVERSAL COMMUNICATIONICONS DEMAND OUR THERE 1S NO LIFE HERE FARTICIPATION TO MAKE THEM WORK. EXCEPT THAT WHICH YOU GIVE TO IT. IT’S BEEN OVER 7WEWTY YEARS SINCE AS IT HAPPENS, ONLY MELUHAN FIRST OBSERVED THAT THOSE PEOPLE| | 7/0 POPULAR MEDIA GROWING UP INTHE LATE TWENTIETH CENTURY | | WERE IDENTIFIED BY DIDN'T WANT GOALS SO MUCH AS THEY MELUHAN AS "COOL" WANTED ROLES,/ AND “THAT'S WHAT VISUAL| | MEDIA-- THAT IS, ICONOGRAPHY 1S ALL ABOUT. MEDIA WHICH COMMAND AUDIENCE INVOLVEMENT THROUGH (CONIC FORIAS. I'S YOUR JOB TO CREATE AND RECREATE ‘ME MOMENT BY MOMENT, NOT JUST THE CARTOONISTS. ONE OF THEM, ~-AND FOR BETTER TELEVISION, OR WORSE, ALTERED HAS REACHED INTO THE COURSE OF THE FATE THE LIVES OF EVERY HUMAN AFFAIRS OF THE HUMAN BEING ON FROM HERE ‘TIL O7HER ONE, DOOMSDAY. COMICS-- re ARTee r WHEN I WAS VERY YOUNG, I HAD A RECURRENT DAYDREAM THAT THE WHOLE WORLD WAS JUST A SHOW PLT ON FOR MY BEWVEF/7, THAT UNLESS I WAS PRESENT TO yf SEE THINGS, THEY JUST-~ #8 5CATER Ww LiFe, 1 FOUND [ERS WHO HAD SIMILAR DAYDREAMS AS CHILDREN. NONE OF US EVER REALLY BELIEVED THESE THEORIES, BUT WE HAD ALL GEEN PASCINATED BY THE FACT THAT THEY ao NoT er eee EYEN TODAY, AS T WRITE AND DRAW i I'VE NEVER BEEN PANEL, IT HAVE WO GUARANTEE THA TO MOROCCO, BUT ANYTHING xists OCTSIOe OF WHET KY LTAKE IT ON FA(7#° FIVE SENSES REFORT 10 ME* THAT THERE JS A MOROCCOS SH a I'VE NEVER SEEN THE EARTH FROM. SPACE FIRSTHAND, YET I TRUST THAT THE EARTH IS (a) I'VE NEVER BEEN IN THIS PANEL IN THE HOSE YOU CAN'T EVEN ACROSS THE STREET, SEE MY LEGS, YET I ASSUME IT YET YOU ASSUME HAS AN /V7ER/OR, THAT THEY'RE THAT IT ISN'T JUST THERE. SOME BIG MOVIE SE77 * NOT TO SAY OUR SENSES ARE ANY KIND OF GUARANTEE! 61ALL OF US PERCEIVE THE YET OUR SENSES CAN WORLD AS A WHOLE THROUGH ONLY REVEAL A WORLD THE EXPERIENCE OF OUR THAT IS FRAGMENTED SEMSES. AND (NCOMPLETE. EVEN THE MOST W/DELY TRAVELLED MIND CAN ONLY SEE SO MUCH OF THE WORLD OUR PERCEPTION OF IN THE COURSE OF A LIFE "REALITY" IS AN ACT OF FAITH, BASED ON MERE FRAGMENTS. AS WVFAITS, WE'RE LINABLE TO COMMIT THAT ACT OF FAITH THE GAME PEEK-A-800" PLAYS ON THIS IDEA. GRADUALLY, WE ALL IE WE CAN'T SEE IT, HEAR IT, LEARN THAT EVEN THOUGH THE SYGA/7 SMELL IT, TASTE IT OR TOUCH IT, IT ISN'T HERES OF MOMMY COMES AND GOES, MOMMY REMAIVS. (Peek-A-Boo!) = i, 62THIS PHENOMENON OF OBSERVING THE PARTS BUT PERCEIVING THE WHOLE HAS A MAME. IT's CALLED CLOSURE. SOME FORMS OF CLOSURE ARE DELIGERATE INVENTIONS OF STORYTELLERS TO PRODUCE SUSPENSE OR TO CHALLEVGE AUDIENCES. IN RECOGNIZING AND RELATING 70 OTHER PEOPLE, WE ALL DEPEND HEAVILY ON OUR LEARNED ABILITY OF CLOSURE, IN OUR DAILY LIVES, WE OFTEN COMMIT CLOSURE, MENTALLY COMPLETING THAT WHICH IS INCOMPLETE BASED ON PAST EXPERIENCE. OTHERS HAPPEN AUTOMATICALLY, WITHOUT MUCH EFFORT... PART OF BUSINESS AS USUAL IN AN INCOMPLETE WORLD, WE MUST DEPEND ON CLOSURE FOR OUR VERY SURVIVAL.E CLOSURE CAN TAKE {MANY FORMS. SOME E SIMPLE, SOME COMPLEX. -a”% 0 "Of tS SOMETIMES, A MERE SHAPE OR OUTLINE \S ENOUGH TO TRIGGER CLOSURE, JHE MENTAL PROCESS DESCRIBED IN CHAPTER TWO WHEREBY THESE LINES BECOME A FACE COULD BE CONSIDERED CLOSURE EVERY TIME WE SEE A PHOTOGRAPH REPRODUCED IN A NEWSPAPER OR MAGAZINE, WE COMMIT CLOSURE. QUR EYES TAKE IN THE FRAGMENTED, BLACK-AND-WHITE MAAGE_OF THE “HALF-TONE* PATTERNS-- --AND ug MINDS TRANSFORM IT --OF THE INTO THE PHOTOGRAPH, "REALITY ~