Jake Matthews LMST340 Blog

  For this week’s assignment, I thought I would choose to read some Jack Kirby comics. Before starting this assignment I didn’t know anything about Jack Kirby. After watching the videos on jack Kirby, and reading some of the comics, I decided to do a little research. After digesting a lot of information, I came to the conclusion that Jack Kirby is a legend. Jack Kirby created numerous iconic Marvel superheroes like Captain America, Fantastic Four, Black Panther, and so many more. When reading the Fantastic Four animation, one thing that stood out was the amazing storytelling. Even though this was a storyboard for an animation film, everything was absolutely perfect. The framing, layout, and the use of dramatic perspective. I think it gives his comics so much emotion. I feel like this emotion really supports his characters, along with his unique approach to storytelling. In the New Gods, Young Romance, and Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen, we see the use of strong characters. These charac...

    I thought the Smithsonian Collection of Newspaper Comics, was a very educational and interesting read. Before reading all the comics, I skimmed through just to look at the different styles. One thing I noticed right away was the shift in the styles. From the early nineteen hundreds we see detailed characters. Over time we can see an increase of more simplistic and cartoon like characters. I felt like this cartoon style became popular around the fifties. Some examples that used this new and emerging style were comics like Peanuts, Little Orphan Annie, and Miss Peach. When I was reading these comics, I noticed some were pretty racist, or incorporated elements that could be considered racist. A couple comics I can name off the top of my head are Captain Easy and The Smythes. When reading these questionable comics, the viewer can easily identify when these comics were made. Even though I’m not an history expert, you can tell what wars and events were going on during ...

In the Understanding Comics By Scott McCloud, this comic primary focuses on the numerous concepts behind comics. One concept that I found interesting was the simplification of comic books. The simplification of a detailed comic book character is a more abstract version. From that abstract version we have a simple character made of line. When reading this it makes you really appreciative of comics. It really shows the reader what a simplistic shape can be turned into, and the amount of time it takes to make a comic. From that simplification “we assign identities and emotions where none exist.” Some examples used in this comic book are an electrical outlet, the front of a car, and a container lid. In each one of those examples the viewer can easily see a face.  I feel like this truly opened my mind about shape and shape language. Another thing that was mentioned in the comic book was “the cartoon is a vacuum into which our identity and awareness are pulled in.” I found this very int...

I absolutely loved The Arrival by Shaun Tan. After reading this comic book I found myself speechless. Since this is my first time reading a comic without words, it was a mesmerizing experience! Both the art style and page layout really helped support the concept of immigration. This work really showed the emotions that immigrants go through during the whole process. Most importantly, It also shows what the people went through before they moved. I'm glad that this part was included because it builds up more emotion. It also helps the reader understand what people went through prior. This comic is visually enhanced by the use of dark values, shape language, and composition. This can be seen when the dark, sharp, and monster-like tentacles are floating over the empty streets. This comic does an excellent job of showing the difference of the old and new world, and how one must adapt. When I was reading this, I kept thinking of the Wizard of Oz. Even though this isn’t a dream, the read...

After reading The Comic Book History of Comics , It brought back so many memories of me wanting to become a comic book artist at age ten. Everything from the humor to the style, all on point! When I was reading this comic one thing that caught my attention was the Disney sections. As a typical Disney follower and theme park enthusiast, I found the information in this comic book hilarious and interesting. Throughout the comic book Disney and Mickey Mouse made numerous appearances. It’s quite understandable why Disney was brought up so many times. Disney is known for its rich history, iconic characters, and success. In The Comic Book History of Comics, I found myself learning so much about Disney I never knew before. Yes, I knew about Walt's childhood and the poverty he experienced. I didn’t know anything about the competition between Disney studios and Fleischer Studios. Also the 1941 labor strike, the relationship between him and the government, and what his staff thought of him. A...