Week 2

Hi guys,

I would just like to apologise for being pretty inactive over the last week, I've really enjoyed reading your posts, but seem to have been pretty slack at doing my own! I've given this one a go- after finally getting my head around it.

What does Baetens (2001) mean by 'monstration', 'graphiation' and the 'graphiateur'?

'Monstration' is a description suited to films, according to Baetens (2001) A scene in a move might be monstrative if the characters act according to the circumstances they are surrounded by and therefore help the story to narrate itself - rather that following a narrative portrayed by a narrator. It is the act of showing, rather than telling. It is argued in Baeten's text, that the same term does not really apply to other visual media such as comics where the visual elements work with words as more of a storytelling device and as the direct, subjective product of the author.

'Graphiation' is a term that has been created to specifically refer to the way that language is used within comics through a mix of communicative graphic and narrative elements and 'graphiateur' is the agent responisble for it (Baetens, 2001). I think that communicative is a key word in the definition of graphiation, as the graphiateur can convey the message and theme of the comic through their individual style, and thus graphiation can be observed and read best as the handwriting of the artist in the first stages of drawing, their initial sketches- rather than the finished product. The reason for this is that "the closer the drawing is to the original enunciative act, the more the reader has the impression that they can discover something of the initial graphiation." (Baetans, 2001)

According to the definition of graphiation and the grahiateur then, the act of enunciationn is key feature in the creation and analysis of comics. However, I'm not sure how this analysis would work if a comic, such as tinitin, was drawn by a team of artists- in that case, 'graphiation' loses some relevance as the graphiateur is not the unique creator of the comic but a vehicle through which the author expresses their ideas. The final product is still read as the creation of the author, not the graphiateur...

Baetens, J. (2001). Revealing Graphic Traces: a new theory of graphic enunciation. In Varnum, R. & Gibbons, C. (Eds.), The Language of Comics: word and image (pp. 145-155). Jackson: U Press of Missisippi.

Week 4

How does the fantasy genre relate to modern media such as video games?

In answering this question, a definition given last week "making the impossible seem familiar and the familiar seem new and strange" pretty much lends itself perfectly to video games (Attebery, 1980, p. 2). As Burn (2005) points out, puzzle solving elements that naturally occur within the media (the impossible seemingly possible) can be translated into a game that does not adhere to natural laws and therefore provides the perfect base for a game. The lord of the rings and Harry Potter are two perfect examples of such a circumstance. The two stories take place in two seperate worlds that do not adhere to natural laws, and both the quest to destroy the ring and the game of quidditch provide two examples of aspects that could be translated into games or other similar types of modern media.

Burn, A. (2005). Potter-Literacy – from book to game and back again; literature, film, game and cross-media literacy. Papers: Explorations into Children’s Literature. Vol 14, No 3.

Attebery, B. (1980). Locating fantasy. In The Fantasy Tradition in American Literature: From Irving to Le Guinn (pp.2-9). Bloomington: Indiana U P, 1980.

Week 3

How does Attebery (1980) define Fantasy? Find at least five definitions.

Within the prescribed text, Attebery defines fantasy in many ways. The primary definition I would say would

have to be "Any narrative which includes as a significant part of it's make-up some violation of what the author clearly believes to be natural law"(Attebery, 1980, p. 1). This definition is quite broad and therefore contains a multitude of different titles. Secondly, it could be argued that Fantasy is a media which invokes wonder by making the impossible seem familiar and the familiar seem new and strange (Attebery, 1980, p. 2). This definition compliments my first definition, as violation of natural law will ultimately see the impossible being familiar. Early Fantasy, or folktale, provides my next definition. Fantasy (Folktale) can be defined as stories, told not as fact but as entertainment (Attebery, 1980, p. 3). Once again, this definition is broad in nature.

Fantasy can also be defined as 'a magic mirror which reflects some aspects of our inner world' (Attebery, 1980 p. 4). This definition also caters to all the other definitions provided. Finally, fantasy is a media form which portrays seemingly impossible elements whilst taking advantage of our curiosity (Attebery, 1980).

Attebery, B. (1980). Locating fantasy. In The Fantasy Tradition in American Literature: From Irving to Le Guinn (pp.2-9). Bloomington: Indiana U P, 1980.

Week 2

According to Horricks (2004), how have perceptions of comics as a media changed?

Overall, it is clear how perceptions of comics have changed over the years. In comparing the 'old-school' perception with the current perception, it can be seen that the stigma attached to the media (that apparently used to start wars and endorse the perversion of children) has developed into an art form which is widely appreciated and even managed to get published in the same media that once condoned it (Horricks, 2004).

As Horricks points out, the moral panic still exists - the negativity has just moved to today's more likely suspects (video games and rap). The perceptions of comics has changed immensely as a result, with a greater understanding available to the masses (the likes of the invisible art (McCloud, 1993)) , possibly encouraged by a more liberal population.

Horricks, D. (2004). The Perfect Planet: Comics, games and world-building. In Williams, M. (Ed.), Writing at the Edge of the Universe. Christchurch: U of Canterbury Press.

McCloud, S. (1993). Understanding Comics; the invisible art. NY, New York: Harper Collins

Week 2_Jing Lin

According to Horricks (2004), how have perceptions of comics as a media changed?

First of all, Horricks (2004) discussed that in the early 1950s there was widespread concern in New Zealand about the influence of comics on young readers. On the other hand, comics had been anti in United States and Britain, New Zealande by parents, teachers, politicians and intellectuals raised the issue in magazines, on the radio and even in parliament. I believe that might because most of the contents of comics these days were about violent that make socialists worried if comics influenced the young generation.

However, things have changed. According to Horricks (2004) "Comics (or graphic novels as they are known book-length format) are regularly reviewed in the pages of the NY Review of Books. Graphic novels have been awarded the Pulitzer Prize (Art Spiegel man's Maus) and the Guardian first Book Award (Chris Ware's Jimmy Corrigan: Smartest Kind on Earth).

In my opinion the reasons coursed these changes were because both the society and politic are more mercy and the content of comics are more diversify.

Reference:

Horricks, D, (2004). The Perfect Planet: Comics, games and world - building. In Williams, M. (Ed.). Writing at the Edge of Universe. Christchurch: U of Canterbury Press

Week 1_Jing Lin

Do you think comics are children's or adult genre/media?

According to Varnum(2001) that comics is one of the most popular and pervasive media forms of our increasingly visual age. The world popular can explain that comics is an art form what is without age limit. The only different a comics for children and adult is the difference understanding. May just some beautiful picture from children's view of adult can find political satire or deeper meaning from the text.

As and example, Tintin has proved a wide age group from children first learning to read to aged Tingtinophiles. Each finds their ownlevel of understanding and appreciation (Farr, 1991).

To Sum up, I believe that there has no age limit for comics.

Reference

Farr, Michael. (1991). Tintin: the complete companion. London: John Murray.

Varnum, R. & Gibbons, C. (Ed.) (2001). The Language of Comics: word and image. Jackson: U Press of Mississippi.

Week 2

According to Horricks (2004), how have perceptions of comics as a media changed?


Horricks starts off by saying how comics were treated in the past. They were campaigned and protested against, people believed they were influencing young readers for the worse. 


Since then however the perceptions of comics has changed immensely. They are now viewed as literature, and often go by the name of 'graphic novels'. They are reviewed like normal literature, and they win awards. There are university level courses that teach students how to create graphic novels on a professional level (Horricks, 2004.) 


That old public perception of comics being 'bad' is now more or less forgotten, the critics have rapidly moved over many other genres. 


Now graphic novels are almost seen in a scientific light, and there are many books that claim comics do just that. One book called 'Understanding Comics; The invisible Art' written by Scott McCloud claims heavily that comics have a scientific structure to them that helps the readers eye travel across the page in the way that the cartoonist wants it to. McCloud created the formula for comics, SPACE = TIME. At first this may be hard to understand, but comics are basically a 'spatial medium' meaning they operate in and out of frames/boxes. The way these are arranged and used helps the reader flow through the page. 


Now graphic novels are seen in a much better light by the average reader, and they don't hold comics responsible for the crime rate. They are viewed as a cleaver way to portray a story or idea, and now are much more widely accepted. 


Horricks, D. (2004) The Perfect Planet: Comics, Games and World Building. in Williams M (ed.) Writing at the edge of the Universe. Christchurch: U of Canterbury Press.