Week 3: The Comic Strip

Reading Little Nemo in Slumberland was a blast. I was completely surprised at how good it was for a comic made so early in the history of the medium. I liked seeing how the captions progressed out of the panels, and how the panels were no longer numbered. It was amazing to see the variety of panel sizes and shapes and how Winsor McCay put them to use. The subject matter of dreams was perfect for exploring the possibilities in regards to panel sizes and the outlandish stories that would fit them. To me, it seems that some of the comics that came after Winsor McCay didn't really look back and utilize what McCay had learned. Although the stories were all essentially the same in a way, it allowed McCay to focus on the artistic aspect of comics and that really shines through. The quality of the art was really high as well. Overall I was incredibly impressed and thoroughly enjoyed reading them.

I also read Hark! A Vagrant by Kate Beaton, which is hilarious. I honestly wish I was better read in the topics she covers to properly understand the context of her jokes. Some of my favorite strips include the ones about the French Revolution, Crusoe, the Nancy Drew Cover interpretations, and the Mystery Solving Teens. Her infusion of ridiculous modern humor to stale subject matter piqued my interest. The exaggerated expressions of her characters really bring home the humor. The quality of the art really impressed me. It had great costume design and it was a breath of fresh air in contrast to what I usually think of as "the funnies". I find it really interesting how the web comic has become the replacement for the funny papers. It's also disheartening that they don't get paid very much and move on to other projects once they get recognized, which only makes sense. I hope that comics of quality, such as Kate Beaton's have a place out there.