Plutona - A New Reader's Comments

            Plutona by Jeff Lemire, Emi Lenox, and Jordan Bellaire is a new web-comic series by Image. Volume One of the comic follows the lives of four teenagers as they embark on a search for a young boy leads them to a superhero. Being that this is the first comic series I have ever purchased, a large portion of my expectations came from novels. If there were any visual aesthetics, they were more of a supplementary element for the texts. In my Comics Theory Class with Professor Dale Jacobs, we spoke about there being a tension between sequence and surface. As a new reader, it is easy to focus on the words for sequence since there are a lot of speech bubbles in this comic. I needed to engage the text at a higher conscious in order to focus on the layout and the other multimodal aspects. After reading the comic through with a focus on the literacy, I went back and paid attention to the surface of the comic. My eyes automatically drew to the unconventional use of the two-page spreads instead of the conventional rectangular panes. Me, as the reader felt more involved in this spread because I was in control of the direction of my eyes. The use of a clock to connect two panels brought a sense of realism to the tiers. I was aware of time within the medium, similar to that in film. The use of thick black lines for the characters allowed me to project myself into the character more. By the fifth page, I was emotionally invested in the development of the characters. Outlining the individuals are a part of the cartooning technique. In Understanding Comics by Scott Mccloud, he states, “cartooning provides us {the reader} the ability to not just observe, but to become it.” Mccloud attributes my submersion into the character due to the cartooning style. It is interesting that after I started looking at the drawing style, Mccloud’s theory seemed accurate. The character’s faces are very simplistic with only facial shading for expression and hairlines. Not only was I able to place real individuals at my high school to the characters, but also myself. Since the drawing lacked realism, it was able to slide into my fantasy; in my fantasy anything is possible. There are a lot more to say about the style and technique within this comic, but I will save those for the next draft. In the same way the authors are making me wait the next volume, I will also make you anticipate my next analysis of Plutona.

Plutona - Through the Looking Glass

                       

 

          As I started thinking about the composition of Plutona, I wondered how paneling played a role in the larger picture. At face value, the page layout is a background. It is a form of structure that is subtle. In Understanding Comics by Scott Mccloud, I learned that panel layout could be a powerful tool used to reiterate the message in the comic. Generally, comics are set up in the grid format with white gutters to highlight each panel and guide my eyes from left to right. An artist uses panels as a tool to not only guide, but to control. So, I wondered, what were the creators adamant about controlling within these two pages?

            In Plutona, the panels vary from rectangular to square. Unlike other comic strips, Plutona uses large panels, and sometimes no panels within a tier. One of the things that sound out is the fluidity of the tiers with no panel break. This speeds up the scene, making it a moment-to-moment action, rather than a direction shift. On the first page, there is minimal moment, with the tiers being used to display the room from different angles. I see Ray’s face (the young boy). I notice the bags under his eyes, which stick out in contrast to his light green eyes. I am then guided to the second tier with Ray’s father sleeping on the coach. Starting at the left, I am aware of Ray’s slouched body language; subtly evoking disappointment or contempt. I notice the cigarettes and empty beer bottles on the table, and lastly see Ray’s father. His clothing is minimal, with a great deal of dirt and ruffles on it. With no words, I am forced to grab information from the image. I start formulating ideas about Ray’s family dynamic with his family, and their living condition. I assume Ray’s father doesn’t have a serious job because he is still sleeping, instead of leaving, as Ray gets ready for school. The large panels are blow-ups into the life of Ray. It is character depth without any words. Words and sounds are used in the last panel, but they are very minimal. The first panel on the third tier is when movement really begins. The angle of Ray’s hand seems invasive to me as the reader. The cigarettes fill the page, making me feel angry that a young boy is smoking cigarettes. This tension is used by the creators to emotionally charge the panels. Nicely done.  

            The next page is full of speech bubbles and colour. Mie’s (the young girl) life appears very fast pace and family-oriented. She is seated at the dining table with her family for breakfast. The background gradates from dark to light orange. It is evident that the important on this page is narrative, rather than characterization development. I am not as engaged with Mie’s character in comparison to Ray. I assume this was done intentionally since he appears to be the “bad child” in the story. Mie’s page follows the same panel structure as Ray’s, yet the use of dialogue changes the tone completely. Although both individuals are irritated with their parents, they seem to be living different lives. This plays into the larger theme of the comic about four children, different in lifestyle being unified by something special.   

The Death- Defying Doctor Mirage

    The Death- Defying Doctor Mirage is the first issue out of 5 releases in the re-launched series. It was created by Jen Van Meter, Roberto De La Torre, and David Baron. Doctor Mirage can see the dead and talk to them. The only spirit that Doctor Mirage, or Shan Fong, can't talk to is her deceased husband. She uses this skill to solve homicides and is hired for a special task that gives her an opportunity to be potentially reunited with her decreased husband. The special task is to help a millionaire figure out why a demon is bonded to him.

        The paratext is very interesting on this issue. There are a couple of variant covers but I have one that is completely white with no images and just the title in the top right corner.

    This cover leaves much to be desired and I didn't have any expectations of the story when I began to read it. Normally, the paratext will give the reader ideas about what genre the story is about and set up expectations about the characters. I only had the name to base my judgments on and the name really didn't do much. The name suggested that it was going to be maybe an action comic about someone doing stunts and risking their life. The lettering of the title on the cover and the little skull drawing on top of the "i" seemed to suggest this comic to be lighthearted. I was clearly very wrong. 

    The colour palette is all dark colours such as blues, grays, and browns. There are defined lines and harsh shading. There isn't much contrast between the characters and the background in terms of colour. The characters seem to fade into the background in a few instances. This is done to have the focus on the narrative instead of the characters. The facial features of the characters are ambiguously drawn which Scott McCloud believes allows the readers to relate, but in this case, I couldn't feel more disconnected. The content is not relatable but really interesting. 

    The word balloons and thought balloons look exactly the same except that Shan's thought balloons have a slight green hue to them. This suggests that Shan's thought are "coloured" or influenced by her experiences. This is a clear indicator to the reader that Shan's thoughts are different from her speech. As well as the change in colour, there are some instances where her thoughts have a slightly different font from her speech or a different shaped balloon. Sometimes it was hard to distinguish what were word balloons or just thought bubbles. This suggests an intimate relationship with the readers since her thoughts are always available to be read and sometimes disguise themselves as word balloons.

Tamara Latinovic

Shooting War

Shooting war, by Anthony Lappe and Dan Goldman, is non fiction comic about a journalist who covers the war in the east. This comic is written in a very interesting style. The main character, Jimmy Burns, narrates his own life, as you read the story Jimmy talks about it to the audience as if this has happened in the past and he is discussing what had happened. Another thing that makes this story unique is that there are news articles placed in the story. These are news stories about Jimmy that are created as the story unfolds. Again, this adds to the affect that the reader is in this world and watching Jimmy on the news and following and staying up to date on his life.

In this news article Jimmy is talking directly to the audience, this makes the reader distance him/herself from the story and think about what the story is trying to do. This comic book, although non fiction, is set in the real world. In the above picture Jimmy is in the Ney York Post and to the side of him there is a picture of Larry king. Since it is set in the real world, it makes this story more real. This comic is mainly about the war in the east and the terrible things that are happening there. It makes the reader think.
    This comic art work also adds to the realism. The art work is realistic but also rough. faces have a lot of detail to them but the drawings also simplistic. This might be confusing. An example of this would be jimmy burns face when he is in the middle east. He grows a beard, but his beard looks like it was scribbled on with a pen.

 

   Another point to make about the art work is some of the pages aren't fully drawn. What I mean is some pages are simply a picture with the characters drawn on it. This makes the story seem more real and its message is stronger because of it. It adds to the idea that this story is about a news journalist in a war, as these pages are pictures that he took, or could have taken.

  This comic was, overall, very enjoyable to read and it makes you think about what is happening around the world. I look forward to reading more pieces from this author. 

THE WICKED + THE DIVINE

    I'm not a complete stranger to graphic novels, but I've never picked up a recent issue of a currently running series before. This is the first issue of the series and it is about how 12 gods incarnate as humans every 90 years.The incarnated gods try to save the world using music but there is someone trying to stop them. This comic is published by Image and was created by Gillen McKelvie and Wilson Cowles. Reading this issue was completely different from any novel I've read before, especially knowing I had to wait until the next week to find out what happens next. Naturally, I did grab the second issue since the ending left much to be desired.

    What I loved most about this idea is that it comments on celebrity culture in the real world. People idolize  musicians and actors and they become more than human in our minds.The gods in this comic are only alive for 2 years then the human host dies along with the gods and the cycle has to occur again in 90 years. This also comments on how musicians are only truly "alive" in the consumers minds when they are producing something of value to them. Most of the gods in the comic look like musical icons such as Lucifer or "Luci" who has similar style to David Bowie. This is an example of intertextuality since the reader can identify this allusion to Bowie.

 
      The reader can relate to the protagonist, Laura, because she is a normal girl and a fan. When Laura becomes involved in a conflict with the gods, we see how the gods lose their aura of superiority with Laura as if we are learning and getting to know the gods along with her.
 
    The grid is mostly regularized and the panels are clearly defined except in some cases when the gods are in the panel. At one point, they transcend beyond the panel and into the above panel (see below). This mirrors the narrative in the sense that the gods are seen as superior and with egos hard to contain in the panel.

 
    The art style is very clean with defined hard lines. The colour palette is very vibrant which reflects the story since the gods have bold personalities to match the vibrancy. The superstar image is enhanced with the bold colours and draws the reader's interest.

    Braiding is seen through the issue since the reader begins to associate the finger snapping with power and destruction. This same image is used at the beginning of the issue and towards the end. It is almost always associated with violence since it is how the gods display their powers and someone always dies after it. 

Tamara Latinovic 

Sleepy Hollow No.1

 

The comic that I chose to buy was Sleepy Hollow No.1. This comic is based off of the TV show of the same name, but I haven't seen it so this comic was a new experience for me. However, since I haven't seen the show I did feel a bit lost. There is very little character introduction if any, which I found odd since it was the first issue. Granted, this comic book would be aimed at people who have seen the show, but it doesn't help new comers who are interested in it. For example, The male lead isn't introduced at all, it opens with him buying sweets and he doesn't get a name until the 17th page. A lot of the side characters that only appear for a page or two have more introduction then he does, but again this is probably because the authors are writing this for people who have seen the show. 

 

    Anyway, the comic starts off with a blind potter who miraculously gains her sight back after the fire flares up from the oven; her eyes turn green and she can see. This first page does a good job of showing the reader what this comic will be about. It shows that it will be about the supernatural and it also foreshadows what is to come. Her glowing green eyes are just the start of the weird events that are happening around the town. There is a lot of mystery in this comic and it kept me wondering what was going on and why things were happening. In that respect it did a good job of keeping me interested and wanting to read more. Below is a page where the potter, who used to be blind, thinks she can heal people, but it turns out she is wrong.

The art style was enjoyable. there are a lot of dark lines and heavy use of shading and shadows that give it a eerie feel to it that complemented the story well. This also ties in to how light is shown. The comic is colorful, it's not colored with a dark or muted pallet, which is something that I expected. The light is bright and vibrant, but this is contrasted by dark shadows heavy lines. the bright light and the shadows work well together to really add to the story.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    Another thing worth mentioning is the references made in this comic. It uses historical dates, like the witch hunts and makes it part of the story, as if it were real. There are also references to Christianity and scripture. The two main characters are in search of Moloch, which is a devil from the bible. Moloch is also seen in other works, such as Milton's "Paradise Lost", and Ginsberg's "Howl". These references add another layer to the story if the reader knows about them.

    Overall I enjoyed this comic, it was a rough start having not seen the TV show, but the comic does stand on its own without the show. I look forward to reading the next installment of Sleepy Hollow.

 

 

Curtis Deslippe

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.

Bleeding Panels and Bloody Deer: Spatio-topia in "Wytches #1"

Story: Scott Snyder
Art: Jock

       I guarantee you that one of the first things you’ll notice when you pick up “Wytches #1” is its convention-defying page layouts. Not a single page of the floppy adheres to typical quadrillage, in Thierry Groensteen’s terms in The System of Comics. There are no strict multi-frames on any of the pages that contain any regularized panel structure. Instead, nearly every page contains one large bleeding panel that acts as the backdrop/gutter space for the other panels on the page as you can see below:

           In order to not confuse the background panel with any of the superimposed inset panels, the inset panels are clearly framed with straight black lines. An exception is made on the left hand page where the first panel is bordered by tree roots (but only on the bottom, right hand side; the rest of the panel bleeds off the page).

          By consistently having the pages filled edge-to-edge with images, the comic demands a more panoptic observation from the reader and less linear panel-to-panel reading. 

         This is especially true on the following two-page spread:

             The reader’s eye is primarily drawn to the close-up shot of the deer which obnoxiously takes up more than half of the page. Although the reader’s eye is drawn away from reading the page in a linear way, the deer’s head acts as a guide to redirect the reader back up to the first two panels, and also across to the right hand page. Perhaps what makes a seemingly sprawled-out page layout easy to follow and work so well is the fact that panels are used sparingly; although the events that take place across these two pages happen fairly rapidly in the diegetic world, the reader is still has time to go through each enclosed panel individually. By having the deer sequence fill the page and encroach on the bordered frames, all the diegetic action that takes place in these instances are portrayed as being simultaneous and connected.

           The comic’s panel layout also tries to counteract the tendency of readers and creators of comic to focus on certain panels that “[enjoy] a natural privilege, like the upper left hand corner, the geometric centre or the lower right hand corner – and also, to a lesser degree, the upper right and lower left corners” (Groensteen 29). The page to the left is a great example of how comics creators can use page design to guide their readers. 

            Although the bleeding panel on the upper right hand side of the page initially grabs the eye, it’s not so out of rhythm with the preceding panels that it takes over the page. Thus, I argue that the reading of the first tier is linear, left to right. The first and only panel on the second tier guides the reader’s eye back to the left side of the page because of the speech bubble coming from the small, mysterious figure in the forest. The panel placement on the third tier guides the reader back to the right. Now, although the next tier is almost identical to the third one, the placement of the figure within the panel keeps the reader’s eye on the right side of the page. This then leads the reader to the final panel at the bottom right of the page.

        Similarly, the page below shows that “key moments of the story” do not “coincide with these initial, central, and terminal positions” on the page by placing the dialogue (what we know the readers will most definitely not glance over) in the middle three tiers of the page (Groensteen 29-30).

       In this way, the comic uses techniques based on panel placement and features within the panels to control how the reader takes in the page instead of allowing the ‘privileged’ areas of the page to dominate. The creators of "Wytches #1" prove that traditional grid-like panel arrangements can be altered for artistic purposes while still maintaining their practical use in guiding narration.

Works Cited : Groensteen, Thierry. The System of Comics. Jackson, MS: University Press of Mississippi, 2007.

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.

Pushing the Boundaries: Framing of Panels in Vera Brosgol’s "Anya’s Ghost"

      As the very cover suggests, one of the most deliciously used comic features in the graphic novel Anya’s Ghost is the playful framing and insetting of panels. In this statement image, the reader is able to infer from the title that Anya is the more detailed, life-like character whose hair is inhabited by a more whimsical, ghostly figure who can rightly assumed to be the girl’s ghost friend. Anya’s hair in this instant acts as a sort of panel containing the ghostly figure. The reader can draw several conclusions about what the characters are like just by this intertwining of them on the cover; by being inside Anya’s hair, does the ghost actually inhabit her imagination or is the ghost more of a nuisance (i.e. by ‘getting tangled’ in Anya’s life)?  Whatever the interpretation may be, the cover image sets the reader up to believe that the relationship between these two characters is forefront in the story to come.

      Throughout the majority of the graphic novel, Vera Brosgol uses square or rectangular, straight, thin, black-lined frames with grids ranging anywhere from one to eight frames – an average page looks like the one on the left:

           Thus, anychanges in framing draw a great amount of attention, such as on page 13 (the one on the right). Based on the reader’s interpretation of what constitutes a panel, this page either has one large panel or one panel with five inset panels, totalling six. I happen to subscribe to the second theory since the images in the inset panels have each their own purposes outside of the main panel and require just as much individual attention even if they are inset, and especially because the reader at this point experiences the first break in Brosgol’s regularized framing. Instead of crisp, straight lines, the inset panels are framed with jagged, hand-drawn lines that surpass each other and extend beyond the panel corners. 

The regular frame style of previous panels are easily ignored, for the most part, when it comes to reading the novel. The framing of the inset panels alludes more to reliance on experience and feeling; the jagged lines reflect Anya’s frustration at the time and also how the events taking place happen so quickly and without her consent that she cannot recall them as clearly as she could otherwise. The overlapping edges of these panels also reflect how quickly the action takes place – what Scott McCloud would call 'moment-to-moment' transitions, and with no chance of a gutter to appear.

            The following two pages also showcase different ways of framing panels to further meaning and understanding of the novel and, more directly, Anya:

          The panels on the page on the left are angled to portray the action in the panels as less controlled, disorienting. However, the reader still experiences the straight, thin lines framing the panels. The page on the right uses an entirely different technique to frame the panels. This page seems to have one large panel with four inset panels that still read in the very linear manner of left to right, up and down. I claim that these four smaller panels are inset because what actually frames these panels in the background of the larger panel. The smaller panels do not have defined frames; they seem to float on the page with softer edges than the larger framed panel containing them. These absent frames (but still clearly different panels) are soft and heavily shaded to reflect the diegetic world in which Anya is waking up from being knocked unconscious from a fall. By the time her eyes are completely open and she is wide awake, the panel frame is back to the straight, black line format. Thus, when Anya returns to normal, so does the framing.

          Brosgol also plays around with framing techniques notably when Anya is dreaming (page 111) and when the history surrounding her ghost friend’s death is being told (pages 154-6). In conjunction with Thierry Groensteen's assertion that every aspect of a comic adds to its narration, it is important that the differences in panel framing within a work and between works are not ignored considering they can translate to the reader key information about the story at hand whether it’s blatantly apparent or not. Even the feeling that a certain line style gives is an important contribution to the reading experience of the graphic novel.