I've never posted a blog on McCloud before, but since that's the only reading that's due in class tomorrow, I guess there's not another choice. As you can probably tell from my title of this particular blog, I'm not a very big fan of this book.
First of all, as most of you can probably tell by now, I'm not afraid to admitt that I'm a complete comic book "virigin." I've mentioned in class before that I have never read a comic book or graphic novel before this class, I have no idea how to go about reading them, and I'm basically trying to muddle my way through. Call me sheltered....But when I first picked up this bookand read the title, I was like, "Sweet! A guide to help me understand comics!" And so far, I dont think it's been very helpful. He's assuming that people who know the structures of comics and the such are reading this book, well, hi, that's not me. I feel as if he's throwing way too much information at the readers all at once. I get easily lost and distracted. Overall, it's a very good guide on how-to read and understand comics.
I do like, howver, how McCloud does relate comics back to everyday or even advanced things. For example, he relates comics, or the pictures in them, to photographs or to even famous paintings. I like how he's adding in history, giving the readers something to draw on and compare to. And the example of a famous painting, such as one by Edvard Munch (pg. 122) connects comics to history, literature,a nd the fine arts, which makes me go back to the discussion we had in class on Wednesday. Are comic books literature? Here, I think McClud is taking a subtle step in that direction, tactfully linking comics in readers' minds with art, which also encompasses literature.
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