Paul Petty, Space Oddity - Beta

The title's "Space Oddity" until I run into copyright issues. The words will fit in the space of the planet on page 1. Page 4 is a little hard to figure out still, but it's radar equipment that is almost falling over. Then it starts beeping and sending an S. O. S. signal.

Travis Walton - Consistency

Travis Walton is an example of continuity of quality. It was easy to learn a lot about his method of inking. He said how it was done, and that's how he demonstrated. At the same time, his work communicated just as clearly. Even his moral standards were as consistent as his work. He chose to be happy rather than money man.

Walton held a lot of validity in his perspective of how work should be done. He wasn't bias against other styles of inking. He could still appreciate other artists' workmanship. I was very impressed by Walton's ethics and learned a lot of useful concepts on how I can do inking for my own comics.

Making Comics – Moving Pictures

Speaking in terms of perspective, “Making Comics” explains that consistency will communicate the environment to the reader (page 171, last panel). If the style of perspective is interesting, then the reader will accept the chosen style. Pages 100 and 101 really portray the general perspective style choice of “Moving Pictures. It’s fairly flat throughout, but it can also have depth as seen in panel 3 of page 100. The consistent simplicity really makes the environment read emotionally and still stays believable.

Moving Pictures, Paul Petty

1. Analyze: Idea – Primary

So I realize Aileen has already made statements about this comic as having the idea secondary. I disagree with that statement. After reading this graphic novel, the only thing I could grasp from it was that an idea was being expressed. Any story, or plot, that was being told was secondary. There was hardly any clear closure in the end. The relationships between the characters seemed to be more important the characters themselves. I believe that to be the real idea behind “Moving Pictures”. This non-linear narrative focused on memories and attachment, or lack thereof. The artwork was used as a tangible example of something that preserved memories and held strong importance to the protagonist. The bad guys were destroying that connection, and failed to truly appreciate the significance of the art they were stealing. You can’t have your cake and eat it too. Visual image and the story’s character development of this comic took a much more simplistic position in the background.

2. Rating: PG-13

There’s an F word, and an adult theme of sleeping around casually with other people. It’s not in your face though, so it stays at a teenage level and up for readers.

3. Springboard: Springboard

Art history must have been studied to a degree by the creators of this comic. I looked up some information on the Nazi plunder. Apparently there really was much artwork stolen by the Nazis. As I looked up information, there was a connection to Hitler’s past that I was familiar, but never made the connection. He was rejected from Vienna Academy of Fine Arts. Hitler thought he was some sort of connoisseur of the arts. And as a dictator with a chip on his shoulder, I can imagine that ruining other people’s experience with art to be somewhat of a priority during his conquest. For the record, Hitler’s a lousy artist.

Making Comics - Hell Boy: Conqueror Worm

Mike Mignola greatest clarity comes from how well he stages his characters. The body language always communicates the emotion with strong silhouettes. These pages are somewhere in the middle of the comic book.

Hell Boy: Conqueror Worm - Paul Petty

1. Analyze: Rising Action

The big focus on Hell Boy was the rising action. It introduces the element of a bomb button on Hell Boy's friend, Roger. It's obvious the whole story is going to lead up to the need to blow Roger up, but what will happen to spark that event? Most of the story is everything leading up to the climax of when Hell Boy will have to make the decision.

2. Rating: PG-13

There's some violence with blood, zombies, and guns. There's also some vague nudity shots of Roger, but with some cover. There's also some nude shots of Hecate and another of an old nasty witch at the very end. Though in all these cases it's not super detailed nor erotic. The redeeming quality from the violence is that evil Nazis get beat up and killed.

3. Springboard:

Mignola must have a lot of notes on witchcraft. From studying Shakespeare's Scottish Play, Hecate is the moon goddess/goddess of witches. There's also a lot of religious superstition/ mythology stuff with cults and summoning unworldly demons and monsters.

I hadn't seen the second Hell Boy, so I watched that. It had a lot of cool visual effects, but the first one had more suspense in the story.

4. Apply

Mignola's composition with word bubbles and illustration leads the reader's eye. There's a great deal of clarity, and everything flows with great timing. That's something I want to include in my comic and still keep some dynamic quality like Mike Mignola does.

Treatment - Paul Petty

Ideas

1. Brothers (yen and yang in personality)

One is a robot. He’s the methodical, organized, patient, etc. The other is a chimp—a crazy poo flinging ape. They are not necessarily related as brother in a literal sense, but there relationship is tight like that. The monkey makes messes and is energetic about it. The robot just takes his primate’s crap and cleans up after him. Their differences make them good foils for each other. Deep down inside, they enjoy working together.

2. Communication (sign language)

These characters use sign language to talk. They don’t speak vocally. [Jared mentioned using icons.] Communication is on a very simplistic level—like animals. They know each other so well that they wouldn’t even need to talk if they could. Their communication skills gained in their muteness actually benefits them at times when they have to work outside the ship. The robot took out the radios in the suits because the monkey likes to scream for unexplainable reasons.

3. Space Travel (Ray Bradbury Style)

These two guys are traveling though space in a starship/rocket. They are going somewhere, and they have a job to do. But, space travel takes a long time no matter where you are going. They often end up with a lot of down time. What do you do on a spaceship everyday for days on end?

Story

1. A robot and monkey are sent off through space as Earth’s first test run for interplanetary space travel.

2. They find a spaceship on their way to a new solar system.

3. The spacecraft is sending an S.O.S. so they both go in to investigate.

4. The original crew is dead except for a little girl in a cryogenic freezing capsule that is losing life support.

5. The robot sacrifices his own parts and energy to repair the capsule and save the life of the child.

3 Panel

"Making Comics" - "Heavy Liquid" - Paul Petty

Heavy Liquid - Paul Petty

Analyze: Milieu - Secondary

I really agree with Adam on event being the primary part of this story. In addition to that, the feel of the comic is very distinct. People who are into drugs give off a certain personality that is very similar to the mood of this comic. The inking and line work has the bold grittiness that comes across when hanging out with someone who goes against the rules/law. The costume design and environments established in the story and character designs flow in that direction as well. It definitely sets the scene for a charismatic drug addict.

Rating: PG-13/R

Adam has already established an agreeable description of this rating. I'll elaborate with my own opinion. I think that the comic itself would technically be rated PG-13 with the way things were said and visually portrayed--language and nudity around the middle of the book. Though if it were a feature length film, then it would end up being rated R. The drawing style kept things from being too much in-your-face offensive.

Springboard

This is a little interview with Paul Pope. I looked up a few other ones, but this includes a lot of his personality. I wanted to know what kind of guy he was. His style reminds me of a lot of friends I have back home. It turns out he's pretty cool.

Apply

I want the rock music style that comes through in Pope's work. Heavy Liquid seems like a self portrait of Paul Pope himself. Art work becomes dynamic when the artist's voice can be heard in the drawing.

Jake Parker

Like Ryan was talking about, I really appreciate the focus on simplicity. Simplicity in silhouette/staging makes everything easier to read and lets the timing flow. I also noted the information given on word bubbles. It's impressive how word bubbles can lead the eye so well. I hope I can get my comic to read well like that and flow dynamically at the same time.

Has anyone read Dead Pool? There's some funny use of boxes and bubbles with him having three way conversations with himself.

Here's some side notes:

Jake Parker's website - agent44.com

good short story references - Twilight Zone episodes, Ray Bradbury, and a comic called Planetary

I don't know if I can master it, but I like the idea of experimenting with panel shapes and sizes.

"Making Comics" - Solanin

This week's reading focused a good deal on the characters in story. They need to be identifiable from each other, and lit with uniquely believable personalities. Page 67 of the textbook really specifies the importance of the characters wanting something. They need a desire to drive their story.

Solanin really makes the story about what the characters and what they want. That's what makes this story so emotionally charged when it needs to make you feel something strong. This is a powerful scene where this character shares his empathy with his friend.

(pages 350-351)

"Solanin" - Paul Petty

1. Analyze: Character - Primary

This novel made its characters relatable. I fall in the audience the book is for. It's a coming of age story. Most of the characters are making the transition from college to the work force. There's the question of what to do with the rest of you life. How does one commit to something for the rest of life? Will you be happy with that? And over all, what makes living life happy or satisfactory? We all have questions like that at turning points in our stages of growing up. These characters have the same questions to answer in this story as well. Solanin makes it easy for readers to put themselves in the place of the characters.

2. Rating: PG-13 (maybe R)

There are some brief scenes of nudity (page 20, 54, 167). They range from comical to a little risque. Page 50 made me laugh but it is a high level of awkwardness and scares small children, but acknowledges the fact in the same panel.

Keep in mind that this is a story about college students that are not likely LDS. The humor and subject matter is fairly clean with that considered.

3. Springboard: The writer and artist, Inio Asano, new a lot about Japanese culture among college students. He didn't go into a lot of detail on the studies of the individual characters, but focused on the interactions between friends and family. That's the stuff we really remember about life experiences. That's what Asano knew. He had the life experiences and knowledge of what people relate to. That study or experience, whether personal or not, made the story believable and international.

Reading "Solanin" was the first slice of life story I've read in graphic novel format. I'm a fan. So I looked up a little on the creator. He's only about 30 years old and his book it now a movie. Here's a trailer.

Paul Petty - Treatment

Brothers (yen and yang in personality)

One is a robot. He’s the methodical, organized, patient, etc. The other is a chimp—a crazy poo flinging ape. They are not necessarily related as brother in a literal sense, but there relationship is tight like that. The monkey makes messes and is energetic about it. The robot just takes his primate’s crap and cleans up after him. Their differences make them good foils for each other. Deep down inside, they enjoy working together.

2. Communication (sign language)

These characters use sign language to talk. They don’t speak vocally. [Jared mentioned using icons.] Communication is on a very simplistic level—like animals. They know each other so well that they wouldn’t even need to talk if they could. Their communication skills gained in their muteness actually benefits them at times when they have to work outside the ship. The robot took out the radios in the suits because the monkey likes to scream for unexplainable reasons.

3. Space Travel (Ray Bradbury Style)

These two guys are traveling though space in a starship/rocket. They are going somewhere, and they have a job to do. But, space travel takes a long time no matter where you are going. They often end up with a lot of down time. What do you do on a spaceship everyday for days on end?

Paul Petty Comments on Jake Wyatt

I really like how Jakess enthusiasm glows from his drawings. I've been a big fan since I met him and Anthony Holden in the HFAC.

Everything was very uniformly presented and informative as Chad mentioned. It was very easy to follow. I know I wouldn't seek comic making as a career, but I'd love to make my own on the side. This lecture was very inspiring to me.

Jake said that an idea is worthless without a drawing. I think it would be helpful for us to apply that in blogging our ideas for the final. That's my plan.

On a side note, I was very grateful for the string of artist that were named off. I wrote them all down in my notes for future reference.

In fact, here's the names I caught in class listed below:
James Jean
Luna Park
Dino Batagglia
Bastien Vives
Joe Kelly
Chris Bachalo
Kevin Baker
Danijel Zelelj
Little Thunder
Andi Watson
Frank Miller
David Mazzucchelli
Jeph Loeb
Tim Sale
Craig Thompson
Mike Mignola
Sean Murphy
Francis Vallejo
Yoshitaka Amano
Paul Pope

"Making Comics - (Tout Seul)"

This comic felt like reading an illustrated animation. It has excellent choice of moment. You can feel the timing. It doesn't always go moment to moment, but it often has that real time feel. Pages 2 and 3 show the moment-to-moment very well with wide establishing shots in every panel.

"Tout Seul" Paul Petty

1. Idea – “primary”

This story made me think. (spoiler alert) The ending has a lot of parallels that foreshadow the ending of the lighthouse man. He's all alone, but frees himself. Before he does that, he frees his gold fish from its bowl into the salt water of the ocean. That fish is going to die. I'm not for sure if I should be happy or sad at the end. I think in any case, the lighthouse man's fate outside the light house cannot be worse than that of staying in a confined solitude environment no matter what happens to him in the end. The world will more than likely destroy him in some way, but he will be happier all the same.

2. Rating: PG. This story has high emotional intensity. It has a battle scene (pgs. 126-127). There is also an awkward creeper moment (pgs. 207-210). There is also a character that has a face that may or may not scare small children.

3. Springboard: The writer would have to know about light houses, and French/vocabulary. The story parallels some of "The Hunchback of Notre Dam" as well. An example of word choice would be monocotyledone. I had no idea what that was in English. Apparently, It's a kind of flowering plant. Knowing that changed a lot of the meaning for me in a particular profound scene. There's a particular significance to the meaning of words and definitions in this story.

Syllabus - Paul Petty

I really like some of the directions available for discussion in class. The reading list looks extremely intriguing. The syllabus should follow those readings with the textbook.

Writing and drawing out comics should be a must(maybe with a focus on the style of the current graphic novel we are studying).

Grades should be heaviest on class participation.

The Final should be a finished collaborative, or individual--depending on what everyone agrees on--story by the deadline of the day the Final is scheduled. It should be something worthy to be made into a senior film.

Best Coolest - Paul Petty

plainofthought.blogspot.com--I'm from Kansas.