Questions for Readings Week 4

Questions for 9/16 & 9/18, 2008

1. McCloud’s stylistic essay done in the guise of a comic strip, points out the difference between the “conceptual” world and the “sensual” world by exploring the difference between the [generally] more abstract character as opposed to his/her more detailed background. We as an audience cannot experience these surroundings first-hand, just with our visual idea of it, similarly to our experience of the character, though the character may be more easily relatable through simplicity. This provokes the argument: doesn’t the background still essentially remain conceptual?
2. McCloud’s description of Japanese comics creating most protagonists as fairly simple, while characters meant to be seen as “others” are drawn with relative complexity. Does this carry with it the possibility of a belief of, “if it’s not me its something else and inherently frightening/inferior?”
3. Berger’s work mentions the concept that publicity suggests the present is undesirable and that the viewer needs something better, whereas the language of oil painting suggests the subject has something the viewer likely wants. Both types address the idea of social envy, why then does publicity commonly receive such a poor reputation? Both imply the viewer needs something more to be better. Is publicity just more transparent? More pushy?
   
   

P.S. I found McCloud’s essay/comic to be the easiest work to read in a very long time. I was just wondering if anyone else found it more enjoyable to read than the typically sterile essay in mere text…???