Today we're going to examine the plot and the character of the four comics we read for today's class:
Freytag's Pyramid of Plot gives us the bare bones of how we should see plot.
Aristotle's idea of Character (both visual and story) give us the other component to how we should see these characters in the story.
The first third of our class will be dedicated to two of the readings (the story by Evan Dorkin and the story by Brian Wood/Becky Cloonan). The second third of our class will deal with the the other two readings (The Jaime Hernadez story and the Adrian Tomine story). Both deal heavily with plot and character, moving the characters up and down the plot in order to create a story.
The last third of our class will be dedicated to figuring out paper ideas. By tonight, I will have posted all of the story packets that we will be reading for class.
HOMEWORK:
READ:
1. The Second Packet and the Wikipedia Entries for: "Sandman, DC Comics", "The Preacher, DC Comics", "Hellblazer, DC Comics", "Ex Machina, DC Comics."
2. Skim the Third Packet (you will not be quizzed, but start looking at the last packet of stories so you can answer the blog post)
BLOG:
Part One:
From packet two, list 1) Questions that you had about the stories (one question per story) and 2) one thing you liked about each of the stories.
Part Two:
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Plot and Character
Choose at least 2-3 stories that you want to write about and post ideas (about one paragraph) in the blog. Consider what stories interest you and even if you haven't thought of what you wanted to write about, tell us what stories interested you and why.
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there are only 3 comics in packet 2!!!!
ReplyDelete1. In story #1 I liked the different scenarios of emotions. 2. In story #2 I liked how the second set of guys he picked up just happened to be looking for the first guy he picked up, weird. 3. In story #3 I liked how Mayor Hundred actually wanted to help people.
ReplyDelete1. In story #1 what actually happened to make Joshua loose everything? 2. In story #2 why was everything related to sex? 3. In story #3 what exactly was it that gave him his powers? Was it a bomb or some alien device?
Courtney Copeland
Part One:
ReplyDeleteThe Sandman
1. At the beginning of the story, the character, Dream, put sleep dust in Mr. Norton’s eyes and told him to sleep. Subsequently, the comic never actually showed Mr. Norton waking up after. Was Mr. Norton in fact dreaming that he was Emperor of the United States during a solid state of sleep, or was he in a ‘living daydream’ during this comic strip?
2. What I enjoyed most about this comic was how diverse each of the immortal sibling characters were in their appearance and personalities.
The Preacher
1. At the very start of the story, Reverend Jesse Custer tells his dog, Skeeter that he is “supposed to be dead” and that he is taking the back roads since he is concerned with getting pulled over. Why does Jesse seem so anxious and what is he running away from?
2. I enjoyed how the writer of this story portrayed the accents of the characters through text. The author displayed this attribute exceptionally with the character, Bob.
Ex Machina
1. It appears as though throughout the whole story that Mayor Hundred seems to have a negative outlook about his accomplishments while being a superhero. Why does the Mayor feel this way?
2. Although this is a fictional story, I thought it was nice that Kremlin showed kindness and empathy toward Hundred and basically acted as a father figure to him over the years.
Hellblazer
1. The Hellblazer comic didn’t appear after I downloaded packet 2. Was it supposed to?
2. I like the fact that Wikipedia coined this graphic novel in the “horror” category. I enjoy horror flicks; therefore, this comic might have been interesting.
Part Two:
A few of the stories that interested me were “Local”, “Optic Nerve” and “Home School.”
I enjoyed these stories most, since they are more true-to-life and were easier to follow. I’m not a big fan of soap opera-type stories, but for some reason “Optic Nerve” drew me in and I wanted to know more. “Local” also caught my attention due to it’s atypical scenes with the drug addict. “Home School” just struck me as bizarre in general. Just the fact that little Isabel was smoking caught me off-guard and sparked my interest in the story.
I liked the stories in the Packet 2 "The Sandman" and "The Preacher" the most. The stories here were lighter than Packet 1. I more interested in "The Preacher" the most because I really wanted to know exactly why he was going wherever he was going and who exactly he was going there to meet.
ReplyDelete1. "The Sandman" was very interesting. I loved the use of a real historical figure being tied to such vivid fiction. The personification of human emotions and states were fascinating.
ReplyDeleteQuestion: Who was the older brother that Despair taunted Dream about?
2. "The Preacher" was quite vulgar. However, I enjoyed the response to his radio phone-in.
Question: Where did he go to Bible College?
3."Ex Machina" was unique with its use of actual events. It did not merely bring history into the story but gave the character the power to change 9/11.
Question: Did the "Great Machine" ever fly again?
"The Sandman" was completely refreshing and gave me a whole new perspective of comics. I love the intermingling of fiction and reality. Through the comics medium, it allowed a seamless adaptation that would have been nearly impossible through film. The fiction seemed to add without taking away from the actual story. "Optic Nerve" showed real human emotions and relatable events in a captivating way. I was left wanting to know what happened. I realized as a whole I had very little in common with Ben. I am not Asian and I do not run a movie theater and my confidant is not a Korean lesbian. Yet again, the comics medium through the open holes in the story allowed me to put myself into the story. This "filling in the blanks" makes comics more personal than most other media forms. I think both comics approach America in very different ways. However, they either historically or emotionally tie themselves to the American continent. I am not sold on a third story.
1.)story 1 question-When Joshua referd to sister, who was he really talking about?
ReplyDeletestory 2 question- Who was the truck driver talking to on the payphone?
story 3 question- What was the main reason Hundred wanted to be involved in politics?
story 1 like-I liked how the mood was set in this story
story 2 like-I liked how the man driving the truck had no real controversal play in the story
story 3 like-I liked how the story goes back and forth in time, and how random things are played out.
2.)The two comics I liked the most were the Ex Machina and the Home School comic. Both of these comics are very different but also have many comparisons. In both comics the main characters were good people trying to do right in the end. In the Home School comic the young girl took on the responsibilitly of the baby and later they became friends. In the Ex Machina comic the main character wanted to give back and help the people by becoming mayor. The two comics were different in the sense that Ex Machina was more of a nonfiction story were as Home School was more realitly.
Pam Serra
Part 1
ReplyDeleteThe Sandman
I like how the story starts out. It is very mysterious and captured me into reading more.
Did the dust put in Mr. Norton's eye lead to his mental downfall?
The Preacher
I like how Reverend is talking to his dog. It's really ironic to me that a preacher picks up an ex-pornstar. It's twisted.
What is Reverend's purpose for running? Aren't preachers supposed to be good?
Ex Machina
I love fiction that ties in real events. It makes the story seem very real and plausible.
Mayor Hundred should be proud of his accomplishments as a superhero. Why do people not appreciate him?
Hellblazer
I'm partially glad Hellblazer didn't show up because I don't like horror.
Where is it?
Part 2
Optic Nerve was a good story for younger people to relate to. It was very realistic and I could definately relate to it. Local was also very interesting. I like it because Megan's strength to ditch her boyfriend is admirable. Home School was quite funny. I don't know the purpose of the story but I liked it because of the irony of Isabel's underage drug use. What's up with that?
-Katie Fast
The Sandman:
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the ending and the character "Dream". I loved how the writer characterized all these feelings. I thought it was creative and unique.
I didn't understand the lack of explaination on the main character. Why didn't the writer explain a little bit more about the M.C.
Too dumb for NY and too ugly for LA
I thought it was hilarious! I laughed a lot and loved the line " Frying silicone....I'll never forget the smell."
I don't know why there wasn't more back story about the priest/preacher. I hate when you get into a comic and you don't understand what's going on, even in the end. What was his story.
The Pilot
Great story, unique plot and superb twist at the end with the WTC. I didn't see that coming at all, even when he mentions his years in office. I enjoyed how humble and down to earth Mitchell was, despite his great powers.
I wondered where Mitchells father was this whole time, what happened to his mother, and why he actually decided to run for mayor. Theres a difference in being a warrior and protecting through fighting and leading from politics. Usually one is one or the other and not both. So did his mother's love of politics inspire him or was it something else?
I'd like to write about The Pilot (DEUS EX MACHINA) and Home School. Both these stories made the most sense to me and seems to have a deeper meaning/story behind them. I would love to read more about them, grasp the full concept of what the writer is trying to convey, and then write an essay explaining my interpretation of the comic books. I loved how the story line in Deus Ex Machina entwined with our reality and yet maintained it's comic book twist. I also enjoyed the underlying ideas and plot changes in Home school. I thought it was deep and carried potential for a serious story with themes of drama and reality. Many readers can relate to the story or at least empathize with the characters. I felt this story had the strongest emotional seeds and it's why I believe I could write a strong essay depicting the various ideas the writer may be expressing (Through my individual interpretation).
ReplyDeleteHow much influence does each emotion have over a person's life?
ReplyDeleteThe mind set,dignity, and respect one person has reflects on others.
How many times has each of the characters chose a different life path?
The opened mindedness of each person in the excerpt.
Why switch from doing good illegally to doing good legally?Difference?
Although he followed and succeeded at what his mother wanted he become that which he wanted to write about in his youth.
The "Sandman" and "The dumb for New York City and too Ugly for LA" had much in common. Both showed people who choose there own path in life whether it be slightly pressured on them or backed them into a corner. They show how people shape their own lives.They show the difficulties of choice and how life can change suddenly.They show how people can alter their life when they change for the worse.
ReplyDeleteHellblazer isn't in this packet but coincidentally I read it years ago. It was dark and the satire was controversial. The protagonist, John Constintine, was a coward more often than not. It was also very unclear whether he was actually a hero or not because he caused the deaths of everyone around him- including close companions. It was an interesting storyline but very dark and morbid.
ReplyDeletePart 1
ReplyDeleteThe Sandman:
-What was the lesson that Dream taught Despair?
-I liked how death tells the emperor about the 36 tzaddikim, showing us that he did live the dream he was given.
The Preacher:
-Why is the face of the last hitch-hiker not shown?
-I found it funny when Bob Glover implicitly called the preacher a Yankee since, afterward, he (the preacher) hinted he did not consider himself one (presumably because he was a southerner?). It's especially interesting in the context of Bob Glover lecturing the preacher on why Americans have it so good.
Ex Machina:
-Why are people trying to assassinate the Mayor?
-I like what I think are the inherent contradictions of a superhero becoming a politician... a superhero, himself, does the work of protecting and serving (rarely expecting anything in return) while a politician demands that others (military, police) do it for him and expects citizens to fund the whole affair. Also, a superhero is usually (not always) unwillingly given the power to change things for the better while a politician intentionally seeks that power. Coupled with the idea that he hates himself as a superhero and looks expectantly at making a true difference in the world through politics, the next issues in the series should be an interesting read!
Part 2
In the Sandman I enjoyed the idea of personifying Dream, Desire, Delirium, Death and Despair as competitors over the heart (soul? lives?) of men. Through this lens, exploring the nature of these 5 Ds would be interesting. Dork Number Seven provides a lot of interesting material to analyze what I believe is a mal-adjusted man coming to grip with reality (a story of his coming of age). The Preacher is interesting in that it explores the ideas that people have on what makes America a great country, especially interesting is the idea that the hitch hiker with the most wisdom to share is also the man whose background we know least about.
-James Barthel
Sandman
ReplyDelete1) Who is the brother spoken of by Dream and Despair; the brother who turned his back on the family?
2) Its quite clever the way Joshua was teetering over his own mortal demise brought by “Despair”; then his resistance to his own “Desire” by way of tempts from “Pain”. The only salvation he had was by his given dream—the dream and realization of being king which removed him from the clutches of “Despair” and “Desire”.
The Preacher
1) Why is he supposed to be dead?
2) Perhaps I just don’t understand this comic. I read it three times and just couldn’t make heads or tail of it—I just couldn’t find anything I liked about it. Is there more to this story that would help me make since of it?
Ex Machina
1) On the last page is one of the twin towers still standing? If so then the story is different that reality; the Great Machine saved one of the towers?
2) I like the idea of his struggle between working for humanity in a public or private life; a private life with a secret identity.
Part two:
The stories I preferred the most were: “Sandman” and “Ex Machine”. Although “Hellblazer” was not part of the packet, I am very curious to read it and possibly add it as well. Apparently the main character of the Hellblazer series is John Constantine. I did see the movie Constantine which was great. Apparently the movie was based on this comic; unless I am wrong. My preference is to storylines relating more to superhero fiction than what I would call oddly bizarre. These stories mingle real life issues with the fictional addition of supernatural capabilities giving special abilities to deal with tribulations. I have always favored the comics of Superman, Batman and Spiderman. I believe everyone wished they had superpowers at one time or another to resolve those unfair situations of life.
Part 1:
ReplyDelete“Sandman”
Question: What happened to the shipment of Rice that was going to make him truly rich?
I liked the fact that he just nominated himself as Emperor of the United States.
“The Preacher”
Question: Who is Amy? Does he ever make it to NY?
I liked that he believed in second chances and their hopes and dreams in America.
“Ex Machina”
Question: Why did they want him out of office so badly?
I liked that he didn’t consider himself a hero and thought he could do more good as a politician.
“Hellblazer” is MISSING!
Part 2:
The “Optic Nerve” story dealt with insecurities; relationships; lack of communication; cheating; prejudices. And for the most part, every American has felt these emotions at some point in their lives. “Penny Century” relays a message about a child growing up and her loneliness and how she deals with it (fear; rebelling). “Ex Machina” is a man doubting his hero status but wanting to make a difference and his guilt of not doing a better job of being a hero.
Jill O’Reilly
Sandman -
ReplyDelete1) Was there actually a "Emperor of the United States" or was that just something Gaiman made up for the sake of the story?
2) I've always enjoyed Gaiman's uniquenss in stories. The story was cute in the sense that people were kind enough to take care of the emperor despite the fact that some people might have called him mad.
Preacher -
1) Since I've read the first three books of the story, my question is this: What happened to Cassidy and Tulip and why can't Jesse remember anything?
2) The humor is always amusing in this comic. So, that's probably what I like about this one.
Ex Machina -
1) How does Michael continue in his political career?
2) Unlike the other comics, I like how Michael actually wants to do something to help people. He's a very likeable and relatable guy.
I enjoyed all three of this comics. Most likely, I'll write on all three of these, or at least Sandman and Preacher. I enjoy the concept of Sandman (even though I haven't gotten around to fully reading it yet) and Preacher. I think the best thing to write about for those two would be about American dreams and how America allows people to fulfill those dreams, no matter who ridiculous they seem. Though, I think Preacher and Ex Machina relate more and Sandman being the outlier. But I think I'll have to think on it a bit more before actually deciding.
The Sandman:
ReplyDeleteThe Sandman comic was interesting because at first it was like a mystery and also I liked the whole dream part. But I was a little confused about the moral of the whole dream.
Question: What was the actual moral of "the dream"?
The Preacher:
The preacher was a little interesting. Although at first it was a little confusing but eventually I made sense of it. It was different because of how the comic presents the various aspects that Americans have toward the country.
Overall it was a relatively good comic.
Question: Can you not make any of the questions for the quiz from this comic?
Machina ( the pilot)
This one was good, I liked it. It had many surprising twist that I didn't expect coming. Mitchell seemed to be a "down to earth" person. I kind of wondered where were his parents at the time and did their absence affect his behavior at all.
Question: Did his mother influence him to run for mayor? Did her strong interest in politics rub of on him?
Optic Nerve:
I really liked this story, it was so real life. I was interested because it seemed like such a real life situation.
Question: Was the guy cheating or did he just lose interest in her? Was she cheating? Why didn't she discuss the move with him earlier?
So far I would like to write about the Optic Nerve and Home School. Optic Nerve seemed like such a real life situation that American couples go through because of having to incorporate work into their daily lives. The whole combination of the lack of communication and prejudice made it interesting and it was quite funny to me how the girl got rejected. Also it was obvious that the relationship hadn't just began falling apart, since she decided to move to New York and inform him at the last minute.It shows how lack of communication can deeply impact a relationship.
I want to write about Home School because, like Optic Nerve many people can relate. I may change my mind about the stories I want to write about but so far its Home School and Optic Nerve.
The Sandman
ReplyDeleteI liked how they played off each emotion in this comic.
I dont understand so he passed out in the street and then just woke up or he was in the bedroom when all of this happened?
Too Dumb for New York and too Ugly for L.A
I liked how no matter what city he was in and who he picked up he somehow knew them.
Why does everyone in this comic have to be a sex addict?
Ex Machina
I liked the heroes power and how at the very end of the comic they used a real life event to portray why he stopped being a superhero if you will.
What happens to him in the future does he ever come back as "The Great Machine"?
If I were to pick some comics to write about they would be the Optic Nerve one and the Home School I would talk about the relationships in these comics and how they pertain to real life situations. Like we said in class in optic nerve this couple had serious problems that needed to be worked out but too many real life situations came up that were not helping them. In Home school the little girl is not helping her younger friends/siblings by letting them see her do the bad things she does she needs some serious parental control.
The Sand man
ReplyDeleteI would say that this story was the one I enjoyed most from packet 2. I liked how Joshua was put into a deep sleep by the wizard to understand more about himself. The only thing I question is why didn't it show joshua waking up in the room to see his real reactions?
The Preacher, DC comics
This story was quite confusing at first. After reading it I really liked how the characters had a different view about "America" as a country. One qusetion about this comic was I wonder what the preacher was hiding from what was his whole point of driving to New York?
Ex Machina
I liked that Michael wanted to "help people" As a super hero
Out of all things why did people want to assinate the mayor?
Some stories that I would love to write about is Optic Nerve this story explains real live situations of many couples today which you can realte to. local is also a great strip this poor young girl in a controlling relationship can relate to many young girls in today's world.
Ana said...
ReplyDeleteThe Sand man
I would say that this story was the one I enjoyed most from packet 2. I liked how Joshua was put into a deep sleep by the wizard to understand more about himself. The only thing I question is why didn't it show joshua waking up in the room to see his real reactions?
The Preacher, DC comics
This story was quite confusing at first. After reading it I really liked how the characters had a different view about "America" as a country. One qusetion about this comic was I wonder what the preacher was hiding from what was his whole point of driving to New York?
Ex Machina
I liked that Michael wanted to "help people" As a super hero
Out of all things why did people want to assinate the mayor?
Some stories that I would love to write about is Optic Nerve this story explains real live situations of many couples today which you can realte to. local is also a great strip this poor young girl in a controlling relationship can relate to many young girls in today's world.
Erik Angerer~
ReplyDeleteIn the sandman story, i liked how they had a character for different sets of emotions, and my question is ....How come joshua was able to declare himself king of america and nobody had a problem with it???
In ex machina i liked how the mayor was actually a superhero that wanted to help out the city, so he actually had the ability to help out citizens from a political standpoint and from a superhero standpoint.....but my question is why was he the one asked to come and check out the bridge when they suspected a bomb was attached to it, was he maybe set-up????
and in the comic preacher, i liked the fact how the guy was traveling with his dog cross-country there's nothing better than a man and his dog, but my question was why did he pick up all those hitchhikers on those dark roads, that could have lead to some problems and that certainly wasnt a pitbull he had for protection either.
So far i think i will be writing my essay on the comics: ex machina, dork, sandman , and optic nerve out of the 7 we have already so far those 4 are my favorite i will probably narrow it down to just 3 comics though.
see you guys in class tonight.
Part One:
ReplyDelete"The Sandman"
Ques: Was Mrs. Routledge Joshua's land lord or just the old lady next door?
Fav part:The fact that Delirium is the most colorful looking of these dark siblings.
"2 Dumb 4 NY and 2 Ugly for LA"
Ques: What happened to the priest's eye?
Fav part: The "Death by vibrator" story.
"The Pilot"
Ques: What exactly exploded in Mitchell's face?
Fav part: When Mitchell was worried about the "retarded" comment being quoted by the woman.
"Hellblazer"
Ques: Why did the man who had been at every shooting feel the need to get Penny to see the shootings his way?
Fav part: The part when Penny is thinking about the babies crying because the poisoned kool-aid was bitter and not because their in pain.
Part Two:
The stories i like the most:
"Hellblazer was a good one, and i like the eye opener the man gave Penny.
Penny Century "Home School" is my other choice. I think it showed a connection between Isabel's childhood and her current state. These will be my essay topics.
The Sandman
ReplyDeleteQuestion: Why was there a need for nudity?
I didn't really get into this story at all.
The Pilot
Question: Why was Mitchell acting the way his character did?
I liked the strange humor of the story.
Hellblazer
Question: Why was Penny portrayed as a kind of heartless person?
I thought this story was kind of off the wall but interesting.
Part Two:
The stories that I enjoyed were Home School and Optic Nerve. I thought that Home School was easy to follow but also twisted with the characters. This story left you guessing about how the families really lived. A sort of abusive kind of upbringing. In Optic Nerve I couldn't stand the racism being portrayed. What kind of boyfriend was he, basically a jerk.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteI think one of the great things about Ex Machina was his unbelievable desire to become perfect, and holds the 9/11 accident as his own failure. I want to ask him, why are you so hard on yourself? And what makes you think you can do everything?
ReplyDeleteI really like Ex Machina for the level of detail in his reactions and the way he would always feel like a failure no matter what anyone told him.
Sandman:
ReplyDeleteWas it all a dream?
Loved that Mark Twain was a character.
The Preacher:
What was the preacher running from?
Liked the intriguing dialogue between the characters.
Ex Machina:
What was the true motivation to become the mayor?
Liked that he was able to save at least one of the towers.
The two comics that I have enjoyed are The Sandman and The Preacher. I really enjoyed the insertion of Mark Twain as a character and I really enjoyed the dialogue in The Preacher.
Sandman Comic-
ReplyDeleteQ-Who was the brother mentioned by Dispair and Dream in the beginning of the story?
Like- how Joshua's madness saved him from a life of pain and dispair
The Preacher Comic-
Q-What was Jesse running from?
Like-Jesse's comment on the radio
Ex Machina Comic-
Q-Who was Ivan to Mitchel?
Like- the mix of superheroism with politics
Two stories that sparked my interest are Sandman and Ex Machina. I liked the Sandman comic because it showed how failure and want in American society can lead to ruin. It also showed how a dream can change the course of ones entire life. The Ex Machina comic interested me because of its play between superhero and politics. Many political figures are looked at in the same light as superheros. When they do something good everyone cheers them on, but the minute they make a mistake they are compared to vigillanties