"The Vocabulary of Comics"

Nicholas Kollert
English 1510 148
"The Vocabulary of Comics"
September 8, 2012


"The Vocabulary of Comics"


Before you read

My favorite comic/cartoon growing up was Calvin and Hobbs. I can relate to Calvin because he was always trying to have fun but also stay out of trouble that Hobbs would get him into. It will help in connecting because you can almost put your self in the story as it goes on and connect better with the story on hand.


Summary

In McCloud’s comic ‘the vocabulary of comics’ McCloud tries to tell the audience that not all symbols are what they seem to be and that our brain is somewhat already programed to understand what these common symbols really are. McCloud argues again that symbols aren’t always what they seem to be to the human brain. Overall I liked the comic a lot it was a good switch up from the usually readings.


Synthesis

This reading was not similar to any of the other readings we have done in content or style. The whole comic book set was totally new I have never seen that in any class book before. The idea overall was different to in the whole way we perceive symbols in our mind. Overall I thought it was a fun read and very informational.

QDJ

2. Adults like the simplicity of a cartoon or comics because maybe it’s just an overall better read then a book or it just brings them back to their own childhood.  I personally don’t think there is an age limit on cartoons because I know adults that still enjoy watching cartoons. McCloud I feel like doesn’t think there’s an age limit on cartoons or else he wouldn’t have formatted his writing like he did in comic form .

3. I believe McCloud was right in this one because if the character had to many details on him then the reader could be preoccupied by all the details on him. And if the reader was to preoccupied then he or she could’ve missed something important in the content.

AEI

4. McCloud’s presentation of the mask changed how I look at my self and others in that you never know what your mask is like because you can never see it. So you have no idea what signals your giving off. It just made me think twice about how I look at myself and how others could possibly look at me.


Reflection Paragraph

Overall I though this reading was very informative and brought up many questions to be pondered. Such as the mask example with how you look at yourself and others. I also liked how it was in comic format it made it a much easier read and I feel like I was able to grab the overall message better then a conventional class reading.