Skip to main content

My Favorite Thing is Monsters (6 Points)

For the week that we read these, we were asked to discuss whether the comics we read should be considered literary or not. My first reaction was to break down what made something 'literary'. I was inclined to say that as long as something had words and was telling a story with some amount of depth, then that was what I considered literary. However, I realized while talking with team members about this question that I had a new consideration of literary comics. I like to think of comics the same way I think about art, and that is that anything can be art. I do not think that we have to tie down the constraints of what is and is not literary because that can put writers who just want to create into a bubble. Whether I used my old definition or my new definition, I think My Favorite Thing is Monsters is definitely a literary comic. It masterfully uses its media to tell a fantastic and relatable story. Everything about the comic felt real and was very engaging, the art felt in sync with the tone of each part, and the writer made a story that could relate to many kids growing up. I think what struck me the most was how the main child was portrayed. As the comic went on, I forgot that she was not actually a monster and that that was just how she imagined herself. The way she saw herself became how I saw her, so it was a harsh reminder when her brother made her look at herself. I think the way she felt is very relatable for kids who grew up different from those around them, including me, so I really related to this. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Eisner Novel: A Contract with God (3 Points)

 This graphic novel was a tough read for me since it brought up some pretty touchy subjects. I think that Eisner dives into some sensitive subject because it was unique from the comparably 'safe' comics that others were producing. In the first part, it deals with a man who has been told all his life that God will favor him, but God betrays his trust when he takes away the life of his adopted daughter. Initially, I thought this story might have been a criticism of God and how people use him, but it seemed to make it more about making a victim of childhood lies into a bad guy and killing him off. I felt that this story was more about the unfairness surrounding the 'truths' he was told in his childhood. He was told all of his childhood life that because he did good things and helped people, God would help him and be there for him. Yet, when he needs God, his daughter dies, and understandably, he gets upset. It is upsetting that the comic makes such a bad thing out of going...
Post a Comment
Read more

Lumberjanes 1-7 (7 Points)

 Issue 1 I think the first issue is definitely one of the strongest. It really successfully presents this cast of characters. While there are a bunch of characters right away, they are presented in a way that makes me remember each of them. I think part of that has to do with how different each of the characters are, especially down to their nuances in dialogue. You can tell that this issue was really meant to capture the attention of its target audience and make them wanting more. I think another thing this comic did successfully was introduce the overarching plot, where we see a touch of the big mystery but are left on a cliffhanger. I also really appreciated how the girls are not punished for being curious and adventurous or being anything other than a stereotypical 'good girl'. Issue 2 This one, while starting off just a bit slow to show off and reaffirm character traits, has really nice action sequences. The action read very well on the page, and the panels lead my eye fro...
Post a Comment
Read more

Eisner and Thompson: Similarities in Emotional Reaction (3 Point)

 While their art styles are very different, the way the characters move, interact, and express themselves is very similar. When it comes to comics, expressing one's self through face alone is not enough for comics with heavier topics. Less intense comics, such as some of the Sunday comics we have been reading, can get away with just using facial expressions as a way to convey a mood. I think this works because those topics do not typically necessitate a complex reaction to their environment. However, in works like Eisner's and Thompson's comics, only using faces for expressing characters could lose out on some of the nuances of the characters.  Eisner's characters are more realistic in both their style and their expressions as compared to Thompson's, and I think this relates to the seriousness of the topics. While both of the topics presented in their comics are serious and, at times, very difficult to read, the style and characteristics of Thompson's work lends...
Post a Comment
Read more