In
the Understanding Comics by McCloud it
not only explains the definition of comics but also let the readers think what
is the comic as an art. In general idea, the comic has been known for the kids
or underrated than the text formed book, although the images helps people to
get the concept of the idea without any education, ages or social status
unlikely the regular book. As an artist, this reminds me the importance of the
core idea, the form of the art and how I could make the reader perceive my
work.
This
books starts with telling the differences between the other forms of the arts;
illustration, movie, animation etc., which I’ve never thought deeply enough
although I am studying the animation. As defining the comics in the context
form, I re-realized that comic is not just sequence images. This is more
complex form of images.
The
interesting part was when McCloud compared Japanese comics and western culture
based comics, how they approach to the story. The differences were too obvious
by just seeing how these cultures constructed the panels and how they use it. As
showing the techniques of storytelling of the comic; moment-to-moment, action-to-action,
subjective to subjective, scene-to-scene, aspect to aspect, and non sequitur
McCloud says that scene-to-scene, slow cinematic movement, was applied in
Japanese comics more compare to western culture. He added that it must be based
on the how they do the storytelling not only just for the techniques. The
western culture tends to straightly go to the goal or the point what they are
trying to say while the eastern culture usually implies the point, circling
around. Simply, if the main point shows on the beginning of the context, it is
western, if on the last, it is eastern.
As an
artist, and as a person who already has the experience making the comics, the
context of this book was not new to me. However, it would be better he explains
or compares more about the panel/ frames because this is most of people having
problem. I do not know much about the American or European comics but Japanese
manga has the more complicated techniques of using panels. Therefore although many
artists have story, concept, characters etc. they are in panic just seeing
empty white space.