The "Mise-en-page" of Tokyo Ghost #2

Thierry Groensteen's theory of "spatio-topia" has held my interest throughout the semester, especially with regards to what Groensteen refers to as "mise-en-page" or "page layout." The different ways that comics artists manipulate the "distribution of spaces" and "occupation of places" on a page-by-page basis to create meaning are simply fascinating to me. To this day, creators continue to innovate as they find new ways to use paneling and other methods of manipulating space to communicate their narrative or get across some kind of idea or emotion to the reader.  This fact is more evident than ever in Issue #2 of Tokyo Ghost, written by Rick Remender with art by Sean Murphy and colouring by Matt Hollingsworth, which features numerous examples of creative use of page layout.

The first instance we'll examine comes from page 7 of the issue. After a meeting with their employer, Debbie and Led descend down from the enormous shopping mall into the city streets and eventually the sewers through which they will make their escape out of Los Angeles. The makeup of the page is quite ambiguous, with only the top panel distinct as its own entity. The rest of the page is marked by the scene pictured above.  What appears to be a burn mark tears across the page, separating the high-class people of the surface from the impoverished commoners living underground. Although the mark draws a clear line between the two scenes, they remain connected through the path our two heroes take to get from one to another. It is also worth noting that the marking tears through not only the panels, but the gutter as well. This drastic image could easily imply a change in more than just scenery.

The second striking use of page layout comes on page 9. Led, after being "woken up" from his tech-induced mental slumber, experiences a shock to the senses that is displayed through a burst of panels varying in shape and size. The panels show scenes from different points in Led's life and are imposed over a close-up of his pained and deranged face. This image combined with the layout of the panels paint an effective portrait of Led's current mental state. The reader can almost feel the emotions exploding from within him, and may even have a difficult time taking in all of the information presented to them. The "fhraaaa--!" present in the speech bubble indicated that Led is having a similarly difficult time.

The final page worth noting is one that I already touched on in my paper, so I'll keep it brief. The usage of colour, paneling and page layout on page 12 to tell Led's backstory is simply exquisite. The choice to let the images do the taking while providing supplementary information via text along the sides of the page comes across strong. It's thanks to the smart layout that readers are able to digest the story the way they want, and ultimately read into the narration at whatever pace they feel fit. 

Written By: Andrew Masse

Works Cited:

Groensteen, Thierry. The System of Comics. Tr. Bart Beaty, Nick Nguyen. The University Press of Mississippi, 2007.

Birthright #2 and #3

Creator, Writer: Joshua Williamson

Creator, Artist: Andrei Bressan

Colorist: Adriano Lucas

Birthright #2 and #3 continues to convey simplistic lines that easily transition from panel to panel.  The variation of panel sizing and panel bordering are key elements to establish a darker fantasy world that enhances suspense and passions within the reader.  The simple and solid line quality provides easy identification with the characters as reference to Scott McCloud Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art in my previous review found here. 

However, the complexity of Mikey’s story further unravels in Thierry Groensteen’s “spatio-topia” and “anthrology” principles in System of Comics.  Spatio-topia is about the spatial layout of the page bringing the idea of space and place.  The panels are positioned in place in relation to other panels on a page, and are part of a multi-frame.  A multi-frame connects the meaning of comic elements to each other.  On the other hand, anthrology is about the relationship of the panels (a panel is influenced by the panels that comes before or after it).  As a result, the reader is able to construct meaning based on the position and spacing of objects, characters, paneling sequence, etc.  For example, the pictures below (issue 2, pages 7-8) depicts the two different time periods.  The picture on the left conveys a concrete and black bordering that verifies that this is the present time.  The solidness of it allows the reader to grasp the moment, time and what is happening at a steady pace. On the contrary, the picture on the right depicts a clean and no-border bordering that clearly suggests Mikey’s memory of the past.  The no-bordering effect allows the reader to become more active excitedly but relax at the same time.  It is both exciting and relaxing because the process of unraveling a story feels like one is in the story.  Both spaito-topia and anthrology principles help the reader connect everything through panel bordering, panel sizing and color.

  (Issue 2, pages 7-8)

Color is the signifier that helps in the progression and connection of Mikey’s story. The picture below (issue 3, pages 8-9) depicts difference in color as it corresponds with the two time periods.   Page 8 (left) is brighter in color with orange as its main background while a navy gradient color maintains the darker fantasy world.  Orange here represents the vitality, warmth and presence of life.  It is as if one is familiarizing oneself to a place or person that helps to form deeper relationships.  Orange also blurs the truth about Mikey’s life in Terranos and his family’s life on earth.  The darker shade of orange, however, reflects the dangerous mission that Mikey has to complete on earth.  On the other hand, page 9 (right) depicts a darker gradient of black and blue.  These colors represent the fading effect of recollecting a memory.  The white snow shown reflects the only light that Mikey’s eyes can adjust to in the dark but also serves as a familiar entity he acknowledges back on earth.  The orange/black monster on panel three foreshadows the same dangerous mission he has to face once back on earth (refer back to Groensteen’s anthrology).  This allows the reader to put the fragments of Mikey’s story together while becoming again more active readers as the plot progresses.

  (Issue 3, pages 8-9)

What I enjoyed most are the reunion of Mikey’s family members that will help him on his mission (dad and brother only), and the future five wizards he has to face on earth shown below.

- End

Wytches #2: Matt Hollingsworth has a Post-Impressionistic Twitter Account

      In the second instalment of Wytches, Matt Hollingsworth’s colouring techniques prove to be even more active than in the first issue. His colour splashes that overlap and connect multiple panels and pages creates a braiding effect that spans across pages. Thierry Groensteen in The System of Comics notes how using images, words, or themes through patterns of repetition within the limits of restricted and general arthrology (a single page or an entire series) can create visual cues to the reader that help better their understanding of the story as a whole, and of how comics can be read on multiple levels (146-7). Hollingsworth is able to relay subtle information about the feelings being conveyed – mainly, the fear and horror – through his colouring techniques.

     As if the pages of Wytches #2 were not beautiful enough, I found Matt Hollingsworth’s Twitter page (https://twitter.com/MDHollingsworth). On his page, Hollingsworth, who has done the colour for the last two issues of Wytches, posts many step by step photo montages showing how the images in the comic books go from black lines to completely finished in full colour. He lists Van Gogh, a post-impressionist painter, as one of his colour inspirations – which is interesting since both Van Gogh and Hollingsworth rely on colour to convey emotion. The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s website describes the post-impressionist movement as “a group of young painters [that] sought independent artistic styles for expressing emotions rather than simply optical impressions, concentrating on themes of deeper symbolism”. The lines, provided by Jock, are the foundation for Hollingsworth's colouring. From his Twitter feed it's possible to see the different layers and techniques to get the effect the reader sees in the book. He posts many pictures from what he calls his ‘splatter library’ - canvases on which he's sprayed watercolour acrylic paint splatters. He then goes on to use these paint splatters in his illustrations as a layer in Photoshop. He achieves the look he wants with rust and acrylic paints along with Photoshop colour gradients, as seen in the photographs.  His colouring techniques are purposefully messy in order to match the scratchy lines of Jock's ink drawings and complete the comic's overall horrific feel. The art style the artists combine to create is an important factor that influences the readers' reading experience of Wytches.

     One way in which Hollingsworth is able to show his artistic abilities is through the visualization of otherwise solely tactile aspects of life. This is evident on page 4 (to the left) where the electric shock Charlie experiences in the very last panel at the bottom of the page. Even though the quick shock does not occur until this last panel, the blue colour splash emanating from the screw driver is not limited to that panel. The same colouring is spread out very noticeably over the tip of the screw driver in the previous panel, moments before the shock occurs. In this way, the blue, translucent pain splatters act as not only a form of visualizing the electricity, but also as foreshadowing of the shock to come. 

     Page 15 (to the right) is another page that is noticeably heavy in Hollingsworth's colouring techniques. Blues and reds on this page act as representations of the two different places in time and space that overlap in Sailor's mind (and body). In Understanding Comics, Scott McCloud speaks not only of how art style affects the reader, but also how the background images (or, in this case, also the foreground colours) "can produce an almost physiological effect in the viewer" and that "a picture can evoke an emotional or sensual response in the viewer [that] is vital to the art of comics" (132, 121). The blues represent the now: Sailor swimming in her school's pool. On the other hand, the reds on the page represent something more complicated; it is not know whether or not the forest and wytches depicted are images from the past or in the present. Either way, the reds of the wytches in the forest are invading Sailor in the present by physically growing out of the bite on her neck which she sustains at the end of the previous issue. Also, not only does the growing of the so-called 'thing' on her neck create a connection between her and the wytches, but also the blue and red paint splatters that overlap all the panels on the page. Groensteen also points out how "chromatically differentiated series" of images work to give hints about the story indirectly (152).

   Without the hard work Hollingsworth displays to his Twitter followers through step by step images showing his colouring techniques, readers could only infer how the images they see in comics are created. Moreover, seeing the colourist's intentions behind the work and by studying the actual colours, mediums, and techniques, the readers can gain a deeper understanding of the comic at hand.

http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/poim/hd_poim.htm

The Professor's Daughter

 

Set in the nineteenth century, the daughter of an Egyptologist professor, Lillian, walks the city of London with her unlikely companion, Imhotep IV (the mummy). Romance is in the air; however, the odd couple will have to go through several obstacles before they can be together. Filled with laughter, strange adventures and witty dialogue The Professor’s Daughter brings a modern twist of how love conquers all.

Playing with watercolor- like art style, The Professor’s Daughter brings a nostalgic sensation. The smoothness of the line quality and fading effect of the background colours emphasizes a dream-like world: the blurring effect where images seem to be out of place in time, a toned and monochromatic autumn palette gives the effect of peaceful times and the simplification of the images provides the reader to easily identify with the characters. Conveniently this relates to Scott McCloud Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art where the simplification of the images allows the reader to easily recognize themselves with the characters creating a deeper relationship between them. Because of such simplification it arouses different types of mood that pushes the reader to something new when he/she does not expect it especially with multiple plot twist that this graphic novel display. In addition to the art style, both Sfar and Guibert focus on the simplicity of organized panels. Most panels are in equal size and only emphasize to one-panel-per-page when the narrative approaches a character’s interior motive (image on the left). This allows an act of assembling the fragments from the reader giving more attention to the narrative itself.

Alongside the narrative the use of intertexuality is clearly present having historical references to Egyptian culture. In Marguerite Helmer’s and Charles A. Hill’s Introduction the reader recognizes certain images that they can easily make meaning from and in The Professor’s Daughter the reader’s insights rely heavily on the exploration and the enjoyment of two different time periods intertwining together. For example, Imhotep IV (a mummy) is very recognizable by the bandage around his entire body while Lillian (a nineteenth century young lady) is recognized by her nineteenth-century aesthetic appeal. For this reason the reader must have an open mind to accept such concept of a mummy falling in love with a modern-nineteenth-century young lady.

However, the lettering and the border reflects more on the humour aspect of the narrative. Firstly, the lettering is loose and round as oppose to a rigid and “proper” speech that reflects the nineteenth century mannerism. The roundness of the lettering cleverly depicts jolliness and a child-like-innocence of the characters themselves that brings the reader to a state of pleasure while reading. Yes, all the characters do speak properly by way of speech (and is reflected in the graphic novel) but here it does not portray that strict-ruling of seriousness because they bring unexpecting humour through their gestural presentation. Additionally, both Sfar and Guibert deem the relationship between the characters and the reader to be important and that is the reason why humour plays an important role in the narrative. Secondly, the border of each panel reflects that of the humour aspect as well. In such cases some of the colours slightly bleed off the non-diegetic world (refer to Pascal Lefevre’s The Construction of Space in Comics) that reflects again that child-like innocence of non-seriousness and humour. With that said the reader can relate the theme of love, life and experience from the characters while they endure every plot twist that comes about. Finally, the queen of England also makes an appearance. Not only does humour entices us, but involving a strict figure such as the queen of England (or any political figure) makes it more playful and enjoyable. It fully allows the reader to be absorbed in the narrative communicating a strong sense of realism.

Moreover, Thierry Groensteen indicates that the function of the verbal “identify two functions: a function of dramatization – the exchanged comments add to the pathos of the situation – and a realist function…effect that attaches to the verbal activity of the characters” (“System of Comics” 127) helps link the characters and the narrative effortlessly together. For example, the image on the left display Lillian’s confused state of love whether Imotep IV loves her back. Here the reader can sympathize through function of dramatization because he/she has internalized Lillian’s deep emotions by way of her adventures, and obstacles she endured. Additionally, this is image represents Groensteen’s ‘iconic solidarity’ where text is not required for the reader to understand that the tears flowing out of Lillian’s face is understood as a feeling of sorrow and sadness.

All and all, The Professor’s Daughter is hilarious with witty dialogue and friendly/smooth illustrations that I simply enjoyed.

Birthright #1

Creator, Writer: J o s h u a   W i l l i a m s o n

Creator, Artist: A n d r e i   B r e s s a n

Colorist: A d r i a n o   L u c a s

S u m m a r y

Birthright #1 integrates two worlds of reality and fantasy.  The story begins in an autumn park with a father, Aaron, and his young boy, Mikey, playing catch. However, circumstances change when Mikey suddenly disappears.  Few weeks have passed and Aaron is accused of murder while his entire family falls apart.  However, after a year Mikey suddenly shows up as an adult in their lives claiming he has returned from a magical land called Terranos.

Right from the beginning the artistic style conveys simplistic lines and easy transition between panel to panel.  In Scott McCloud Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art indicates that simplification leads to identification where the reader recognizes and identifies with the characters.  Williamson is doing that so. He is presenting an intellectual and emotional relationship with the readers with clean/crisp images and easy font letters.  He is playing with different panel shapes to associate different types of mood and effects to enhance suspense , and passions within the reader.  It also pushes the reader in certain ways as they try to deal with something new.  His skill of allowing the reader to internalize with the characters gives a sense of mortality, a sense of how we reflect our own lives.

There are also sensory interpretations. In Duncan and Smith’s Experiencing the Story both the images and text affect the meaning altogether. However, it is the sound that suggests a powerful effect that builds the reliability of our ears. Williamson’s ability to use sounds helps establishes the character’s role. The image on the right depicts how young Mikey is faced with a monster. The sound of both the creature and Mikey suggest the appraisal of feelings and sensation (getting a prey or running from the predator). Time and space are one here making the reader pause for a moment to grasp the situation. Hence, our ears become more perspective as we pay attention to sound and pay less attention to our sight.

As with all comics, spacing is crucial. In Pascal Lefevre’s The Construction of Space in Comics suggest that the use of space presents different kinds of meanings. The diegetic space surrounding Mikey’s life makes the reader become more active as they try to put the fragments together. It is a place which allows speculation, fascination, and questioning. Here Williamson is presenting the set value of an individual life and the great diversity of experiences the characters had and/or are going through. Moreover, Jesse Cohn’s Mise-en-Page: A Vocabulary for Page Layouts looks at the page as a unit of design. There is a tension between sequence and sequence of a page that our eyes try to create meaning from everything. For example, the image below intrigues the reader to try and take it all in at once: the fantasy world, creatures, death, destiny and reality.

Williamson is resonating here the starkness of Terranos and the normalcy of reality.

 Similarly, Thierry Groensteen’s System of Comics indicates the importance of the relationship between the panels on a page (spatio-topica). Like Lefevre, Groensteen focuses on the fragments that link everything together. Readers are more absorbed in the story trying to contextualize the narrative. Birthright's use of colour, panel size, and panel placement becomes important to the functions of framing and eye movements. For example, the use of a burning and vibrant orange/red color of autumn and Mikey’s disappearance to the end page foreshadows that things are not what they seem, that something evil lurks around. On the contrary, the use of black and navy blue represents the normalcy of reality, of ordinary life, of singularity. Birthright prompts a wider illustration of human expectations that valorizes the questions of the impossibilities between reality and fantasy. 

Overall, I enjoyed the read and can't wait for the second to come out in November.