Panel design seems like such an
insignificant aspect of comics, right? Wrong! Panels can to just as much to
create a mood as the art style and color palette. Kurtis J. Wiebe and Roc
Upchurch once again display their mastery over the building blocks of comics
through their use of paneling in Rat Queens issue 8.
The first tier of the page is
done in the traditional clean geometric style, but then the second and third tiers
are populated by sketchy asymmetric overlapping panels. Why the switch? The
moment in the middle tiers is a moment of change. In this universe, dwarves
(yes even female dwarves) have beards, and their beards are icons of pride and
status. So it only makes sense to have a moment where tradition and expectation
is being defied in non-traditional panels. In this instance, the panels do as
much to create the mood of the scene as the actual contents of the panel. The
panels also reflect the action of the scene. The uneven shape of the panels
reflects the uneven cuts as Violet cuts off her beard. The angles also imply
the ‘snip’ ‘snip’ sound effect usually associated with scissors.
All of the above is created just
through the shape of the panels. You have to admit that that is pretty impressive. The Rat Queens would be proud. (There would definitely be a round
or twelve of ale in its honor.)
-Christina Angeli
Rat Queens is created by Kurtis
J. Wiebe and Roc Upchurch and published by Image Comics.
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