Re-Write The Arrival

Seeing that we have to do a we-right for our last blog I have decided that I would just bring it full circle and end with the graphic novel that launched the whole course. Plus I really enjoyed the story and the illustrations so I thought it would be fun to see what I find different about looking at the novel now.
The fist thing that I noticed this time around is that he uses a cooler or warmer tone to the images in reflection to his mood at the time. When he is not so happy working fast or on an unknown new journey the images are cooler and harsher, but when things are on the up and up he is happy and especially when his family makes it to finally be with him again the images are much warmer and happier in feel. I really like the grainy texture to his images as well it makes everything more peculiar which I think is good because the whole story is a bit peculiar in itself. I really like that he sticks to his standard grid and varies the size of the panels based on time, when things happen quicker the images are smaller and when he takes a moment to really look and see what is going on the images are larger. I still really love when he is traveling on the boat in the beginning of the story how he shows time traveled through the weather making the images warmer to cooler based on night and day. He also does an amazing job showing expression tone and mood through the facial expression that he gives the characters, I really enjoyed the section when he is trying to communicate with someone you can see the confusion in both of their faces but once the man starts drawing images to describe the words that he is trying to explain you can instantly see a change in their expressions and the clarity of the two men being able to understand each other. The reality of the story and the surrealism of the images gives a really interesting intrigue to the whole book. It is so familiar but yet so different that you are able to plug in the cities that he maybe in and I feel that this really helps draw the audience in because there is just one more level that we can relate to and interact with. I can see myself in the new city that he finds himself in, to me it's like i'm in chicago or Minneapolis. I just wish we had balloon transportation as well. Wrapping this up I also want to say how I really enjoyed his use of symbols where words should be its kinda cheating on the wordless comic but without that the city would not be as real as it should be. I also really enjoyed the way he shows story telling throughout his traveling and how it just kinda flows in and out, It is a slight confusing transition but once the story is over and you return to where you started from imagery wise you understand that there was a story being told.

Asterios Polyp

Just from looking at the cover and flipping through the pages I was instantly intrested in this books, the colors for one got me so excited but the way he drew the comic was beautiful. The variety of style and the simple ways of showing action in a still frame. Like when his wife is wafting smoke from her face, simple, priceless, and easy to read. I also really enjoyed the variety in the typography I found it to be beautiful as well and to really fit with the flow of the book it also really helped show the mood/feel he was trying to translate. I also really enjoyed the panel variation and page set ups it also really helped give this book a really nice rhythmic feel.
I kinda like the traumatic beginning to the story and the struggles that Asterios goes through, It so much can relate to anyone's everyday life. I know I could relate to his emotional rollercoaster. It really gives the character a super human feel, and really helps get you involved, and keeps me sucked in hoping that he will see blue skies again. throughout the book he struggles with almost a duality problem in everything that he encounters. Apollonian vs. Dionysian, destiny vs. free will, and nature vs. nurture, reason vs. emotion. Nothing can ever just be for him.