To begin with, I really do like the idea of reading a comic about comics. I think it's a great idea and it's very well executed. As I was reading the first two chapters, I was surprised at how many examples there were of art in recent (and ancient, in some cases) history that are variations of "sequential visual art" and thus the foundations of modern comics. I'd never even thought about it before and it was hard to believe how many different kinds there were. I also love all the discussion about how our human brains automatically interpret certain images in a specific way, how we see others constantly but we identify ourselves when we look at cartoons, and how inanimate objects automatically becomes extensions of our bodies. The pyramid of styles was very interesting too as a way to conceptualize and almost graph or "place" a specific art style in comics.
In Comic Book Nation, I enjoyed reading about the evolution of early comics from "funnies" and strangely-themed "pulp" works into more sophisticated and accessible forms. It was also very interesting to find out about how Superman (and later Batman and other heroes) shaped comics from then on and became a champion both of the common man and anyone experiencing oppression.
In Comic Book Nation, I enjoyed reading about the evolution of early comics from "funnies" and strangely-themed "pulp" works into more sophisticated and accessible forms. It was also very interesting to find out about how Superman (and later Batman and other heroes) shaped comics from then on and became a champion both of the common man and anyone experiencing oppression.
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