Comic & Graphic

LITTLE NEMO IN SLUMBERLAND - Winsor McCay -  Little Nemo In Slumberland is one of my favorite comic of all time because of the fun and spontaneous adventures Nemo has in his dream. It can take place anywhere and anything can happen. At the end of every story, Nemo would wake up safely in his bed because it is only a dream. The adorable Nemo is guaranteed to be safe after the story, which gives the story no limit on what kind of adventure Nemo can go on. Besides from the great characters and adventures they went on, Winsor McCay’s layout compositions also stand out to me. Unlike most other comics, McCay composes his panels to boost the stories. McCay is also very detail in his work so he would work on a large scale. Unfortunately, newspapers have been reduced in size affecting the great experience viewers get. Although his works are available online, it is nothing like reading it on a full-size paper.

UNDERSTANDING COMIC - Scott McCloud - Understanding Comic is a great guild book to learn every single thing about visual storytelling in comics. Scott McCloud breaks down all the basic rules for comics in a simple and fun way. Some rules you might have already known but he also explained why those rules exist. There are two elements that stick out the most to me. First one is the simplicity level of the art affects how readers relate themselves to the character. For example, if you see 2 points and a smile, you will automatically see a face. And when you see a well-rendered face, you would think of someone; but when you see a simple cartoon face, you would picture him/ her as yourself. Therefore, simpler art would be more efficient in creating a relatable story. This type of art is also easier to read at first glance, to remember and to become iconic. Despite the fact that some wouldn’t acknowledge simple art, less is more! Although I know there is a time differe

  THE ARRIVAL - Shaun Tan - The story revolves around an immigrant man who moved to another country. Even though he crossed the geographic barrier, there is still a language barrier. There is no better way to convey this story with just visual sequential images without words. The book could be understood globally through body language of the characters, the environment and the tone established. As an international student, sometimes, I couldn’t put my thought into words because of the insufficient knowledge of my second language, so I appreciate the storytelling choice Shaun Tan picked. The lack of word did not affect the story as Shaun uses the right visual elements. The muted drawing created the perfect mood for the story. The camera point of view is actively zooming in and out to provide us an idea of the setting and environment. The characters are also illustrated with very expressive gesture and reaction. These sequential images are so well drawn; I can pictu