Reading and Writing About Comics ala McCloud (2)

In Understanding Comics, Scott McCloud describes what makes a comic a comic. He provides a definition (juxtaposed pictorial and other images in deliberate sequence, intended to convey information and/or to produce an aesthetic response in the viewer) and then shows us the different tools comics use when making a comic. He also explains the balance between words and art in comics.

The comic I looked at, evil diva (http://www.evildivacomics.com/p6.html), meets the definition. The main character is Diva. She is a girl with evil parents who encourage her to be evil. Her problem is that she doesnt want to be evil. She does nice things and gets frustrated with her parent's dissapproval of her goodness.

One of the things I like most about this book is McCloud's explanation of what happens between the panels and how you are supposed to "assume" what happens between the panels. He calls this closure. In Evil Diva a lot happens between panels. Most of the action occurs between panels. When Diva is walking down the hall at school, it isnt drawn. You only see when she pauses, or there is interaction. As a reader, you get to assume what happens between panels, so in many ways it is personalized by you. I think this is why some people connect with comics. They feel creatively responsible for the comic.