What do you look for when you’re reading a comic? The words? The art? Both? Does one interfere with the other?<\/p>\n
I was talking with S recently, and I was extolling the virtues of Casey and Andy<\/a>[1], one of my favourite web comics. S mentioned that she had tried to read it multiple times (often at my behest), but had been unable to get into it because of the art[3].<\/p>\n For me, I had briefly noticed the bad art very early on in the run<\/a>, but the ideas he played with, especially with non-standard comic framing were more than worth it<\/a>. (And it didn’t really bother me much at all.)<\/p>\n Thinking about it, I realized that the webcomics I like are generally very simple art-wise. I’m not sure if I actively prefer webcomics with worse art, but I may prefer those with simpler art. Some of the ones I read most often:<\/p>\n Questionable Content<\/a> (mature themes, sometimes nsfw) have very simple art, perhaps well done (I think), but very simple lines and drawing.<\/p>\n Some of my other favourites are still simple, but (I think) most would say that they are reasonable artists:<\/p>\n Freefall<\/a> I’ve stopped reading: perhaps because of the more complex\/busy art. I know I stopped reading Goblins because I find the art a little too gory\/uncanny valley\/disquieting.<\/p>\n I also enjoy:<\/p>\n Cyanide & Happiness<\/a> (Trigger warnings) But they are both incredibly simple art. Cyanide & Happiness is probably the worst art of any on this list, but I enjoy it because of the humour.<\/p>\n Among the graphic novels I’ve enjoyed are:<\/p>\n Transmetropolitan<\/a> (nsfw, probably triggers in there too) I feel that all of these, their art enhances the story. In Transmet, it really brings the world alive, and it works that you have a really busy future city, where everything is happening all the time. You also get important information about Spider’s personality and how he treats people. Watchmen is just a work of beauty woven on so many levels, and I like the vibrant colours of Ex Machina. I feel that something more realistic would almost detract, bring things closer to the uncanny valley, perhaps.<\/p>\n Interestingly, I have a perhaps similar reaction to music, that when I’m listening to a piece of music, I can really only listen to the music part of it, the words I can almost never hear, except when they are very clearly in the foreground, and\/or I’ve heard them many times before. This may be related to being an instrumentalist in my previous life.<\/p>\n tl;dr: I like the words of web comics. I like it when the art is simple, or when the art if more complex and is cast in a supporting role to the story. Art more than that can detract (for me, at least) from the words, which (in comics) are my favourite part.<\/p>\n [1]This comic is perhaps one of his more bizarre comics, but I think a fair example of his artistic style\/talent. He mentioned in his AMA<\/a>[2] that “I realized I hated doing the artwork. I just liked telling jokes to people and the art was a necessity for it. That was the main reason I stopped making the comic.”<\/p>\n [2]Also, you probably know him as Andy Weir, the guy who wrote ‘The Martian<\/a>‘. <\/p>\n [3]You can see a takedown of his drawing of a different comic called ‘Cheshire Crossing’ here<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" What do you look for when you’re reading a comic? The words? The art? Both? Does one interfere with the other? I was talking with S recently, and I was extolling the virtues of Casey and Andy[1], one of my favourite web comics. S mentioned that she had tried to read it multiple times (often … Continue reading The Art and Words of Comics<\/span>
\nOrder of the Stick<\/a>
\nXKCD<\/a><\/p>\n
\nPrequel Adventure<\/a>
\nSSDD<\/a> (sometimes nsfw)<\/p>\n
\nDr. McNinja<\/a>
\nGoblins<\/a> (often disturbing cartoon violence)<\/p>\n
\nasdfmovie<\/a> (NSFW\/warning\/etc.)<\/p>\n
\nWatchmen<\/a> (natch) (movie was rated R)
\nEx Machina<\/a> (some adult themes)<\/p>\n