I have read My Favorite Thing is Monsters by Emil Ferris. It challenges how graphic novels are usually structured. You can tell that the artist used her own life and the dark themes that were integrated in her storytelling. When reading it's strange that in this seemingly normal would we follow this "monster" girl. In this case I thought it was strange how the graphic novel doesn't ever have a real narrator but rather it seems to be told through Emil. It is very clear that the "voice" is quite literally the author telling the story through herself. The art definitely reflects that it's not a child simply drawing in a ruled notebook. It's interesting how the author really loves these monsters, how she feels sympathy for them and how these monsters are seen as out-casts. It's almost like the monsters themselves represent good rather than the bad which seems to take more form of a human. I really like that there is not definite good or bad guys in this graphic novel. I think this is a realistic way of portraying how actual people can be complex and not just one type of label.
For the class assignment, we had to read a comic of choice and I was paired with Tiffany Apple. We decided on Asterios Polyp. It seems to have very intricate and detailed close-ups, but also has very simplified shapes when it's trying to get across a action. Analytical illustrations that remind me of almost a mix of sci-fi. It also seems to alternate from flow and loose forms to almost geometric.
Fun Home was also another novel we are looking at and it seems to follow a very sequential style with the same coloring that is in Asterios. It seems that this seems like a very personal comic to the author or maybe he has taken more interest in the novel portion rather than graphic. It seems more like it's a story thats explaining a trailing into different topics rather than jumping around. It also seems to be in a European theme. I think the house is a good reflection into having such a large family.
Every Girl is the End of the World for Me seems to have like an adult cartoon like style, the panels are even squares are in 4's each page. It also doesn't seem to be professional in the sense of layout and characters however this feels more like comic rather than a novel telling a more simple story rather than something long and complicated. It seems something I can just pick up and read and finish rather than other graphic novels that are more like a novel. When this comic came out I was exactly 6 years old, 6 months and 9 days when this comic was published.
Masterpiece Comics is taking classic stories and using popular cartoon comic characters ad using them to tell the stories. I think whats interesting is that its mixing stories and styles. This is kind of what this whole assignment is about. It's a mix of Garfield, Batman, Charlie Brown and various other popular comic characters in a different story, era, with common tales. These all reflect different styles ranging from semi- realistic to cartoony, even dramatic or funny.
I also decided to read Molly Kiely Diary of a Dominatrix, it's about a female who works as a dominatrix and talks about the career. The illustrations are definitely more realistic in art style and in how they portray females. It seems to open up a conversation about being open about things that are seen as taboo. The style reflects this, showing realistic proportions and showing realistic relationships. It reflects more of a women's perspective on dominance and rather only focusing on the content. Even the layout of it seems really DIY rather than consistent storytelling like explaining a lifestlye. This will be more explained next week when we talk about Women.
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