With Chute’s theories about reading comics in mind, how do you feel about the reading process of the comics you’ve read thus far? What aspects of her claim apply to you? And – if you read comics or graphic texts/novels on a regular basis, how do you typically read them?How do you read the panels and the sequence? What do you look at first, and what next? Where do your eyes go and how do you interpret what you see? Where do you pause, where do you skim, and where do you stop to really read a bit closer?

jbm241 Comment

My feelings towards comics, in general, were that they are mainly for superheroes and young children as many believe. With that being said, I do not have an opinion them either way; however, they are interesting to read. I think that the act of reading a comic seems like there is more work required than to read a regular style book. Everyone has their idea of what normal is, buy comics, in general, have a very abstract presence about them. The art of being able to draw and write comics for the masses can be very useful in many instances. I agree with Chute’s idea that comics can be challenging to read at times because of the format and space on the pages. I never had an interest in reading comics or graphic novels growing up, so reading comics for me will take time getting used too.

On page 61, in Understanding Comics, by Scott McCloud. The panels at the bottom of the page, he is talking about his legs in the drawings. McCloud is essential talking about people assuming reality, meanings that he knows that Morocco exists even though McCloud has never been before. Here the drawing depicts McCloud sitting in a chair, but the reader can not see his legs. In the first panel, he says that you can see his legs, even though you assume they are there. Then in the following image, he is shown with no words looking down at his legs with his palms out. The last panel shows McCloud saying that his legs are not there because it’s just a drawing and not reality, even though we assume it. He says that that is just the way we are in society and we believe things are most likely true in reality, but obviously not in this comic (McCloud, Scott).

After I read it the first time I did not fully understand what he was getting at, and I also just skimmed the images. I had to read it for a second time to get what McCloud was saying, and it made perfect sense. With regard for the drawings, once I took a deeper look at them I found them similar to the chapter prior when he was talking about the pipe and how the pipe in the picture is not a real pipe at all, but only a picture. This is relating back to how the author is having a conversation with the reader making the reader feel more involved with the comic.

Works Cited

McCloud, Scott. “Understanding Comics.” p. 61

One thought on “With Chute’s theories about reading comics in mind, how do you feel about the reading process of the comics you’ve read thus far? What aspects of her claim apply to you? And – if you read comics or graphic texts/novels on a regular basis, how do you typically read them?How do you read the panels and the sequence? What do you look at first, and what next? Where do your eyes go and how do you interpret what you see? Where do you pause, where do you skim, and where do you stop to really read a bit closer?”

  1. You hit the nail on the head with this and I was thrilled to see you point it out! “once I took a deeper look at them I found them similar to the chapter prior when he was talking about the pipe and how the pipe in the picture is not a real pipe at all, but only a picture. This is relating back to how the author is having a conversation with the reader making the reader feel more involved with the comic.” Go you!

    Like

    Reply

Leave a comment