Site Meter Comic Book Journal » Blog Archive » Thoughts

Thoughts

by Jessica

thought_balloon_hmmmm_hg_clr.gif
In a recent blog on dating and relationships, which can be seen here: http://www.datingoutlook.com/wtf/ Sandy asks for a translator to help decode a message with a possible ulterior motive. She doesn’t need a translator, which she needs is a thought balloon. I took the last part of a twelve hour class on communication today, and what did I learn? Even in that class, it was clear that we cannot know what anybody else is thinking at any given time, we are not mind readers. My point goes back to the old captions versus thought balloons debate. Personally I feel that there is room for both in the vastness of the comic book realm fanboys. I’ve always felt that thought balloons should be used only to convey a character’s innermost thoughts. This tool is underused by both writers and artists today. If an illustrator is having trouble conveying a character’s emotions through body language only, the thought balloon is a wonderful tool to have. It helps us poor readers first, understand where the character is coming from emotionally, therefore making the story flow smoothly. I feel that there is only one use for captions and that is to define setting. I feel that the use of captions to create drama is a very good tool, but in terms of the narrative, I feel that the silent third-person narration found in most caption boxes make the fourth wall greater, and therefore isolates the reader from the story. I think that all narration would be stronger if done from the protagonist’s or antagonist’s point of view. This could easily be completed through the use of thought. Well anyway, that’s my two cents for this evening. Thanks for listening to the rant. Questions? Comments? You know what to do.


Leave a Reply


About Comic Book Journal

Where do capes and cowls end and horror and noir begin? What's more important: the four-color panels, or the letter balloons within them? Did comics really begin in cave walls, or just in the Sunday morning cartoons? What the heck is a graphic novel? These questions and more are answered in the Comic Book Journal, the place between the page and the panel, the motion line and the sound byte, the superhero and the every(wo)man.

Comic Book Journal Author(s)
    » Jessica

Crafts & Hobbies Channel Posts

  • Making your own Homemade Hair Rinses
    The scalp of our hair supplies the hair with protein and other nutrients to keep the hair healthy. This supply comes from blood vessels and to keep the hair healthy you have to treat the scalp [...]
  • Super Powered Cup Holding
    Super Powers was one of the greatest toy lines of the 80s that doesn't get as much play as the big lines like Transformers and G.I. Joe. One aspect of the line that jogged a strange sort of [...]
  • Booty Babes: Junk in the Vinyl Trunk
    Sometimes I believe the Japanese have completely cornered the market on nude toys and then some good old American entrepreneur pulls through and shows them what for with some really great naked toys. [...]
  • Three Dead on Black Friday
    According to CNN (how often does that phrase appear here?), three people were killed during yesterday's Black Friday retail events. One death occured at a Wal-Mart where an employee was trampled to [...]
  • Lazy Post Friday: Black Friday Edition
    Well not a whole lot has happened in the toy world to write about... so I suppose it's time for one of these things. Item: I'm curious to find out if any of you folks have dared to venture out [...]
  • More Chocolate Indulgence for your Skin
    1. Chocolate Overload Foot Scrub 2 tbs. cocoa butter, crated 2 tbs. almond oil 1 tbs. cocoa powder 1/2 cup sea salt 4 to 5 drops wintergreen essential oil Gently heat the cocoa better and [...]
  • Pamper Yourself
    There are several ways to go about pampering yourself. Some simple ways are to turn on some quiet music, sip some tea and soak in a warm bath. There are other ways as well that are so simple you [...]
  • How to Make Simple Beeswax Candles
    Making a beeswax candles is actually pretty easy, all you need is materials and a few minutes of your time. Now is the perfect time to think about craft projects, because many loved ones will simply [...]
  • Happy Thanksgiving '08 From ToyBender!
    In the United States it is Thanksgiving today, the day where we eat lots of food and hear myths about how the pilgrims and the native Americans were the best of friends. I figured that today [...]
  • This Month in ToyFare: Issue 137
    Holy crap, it's been a long time since I did one of these. I guess a case of laziness combined with the fact I'm not sure how many people read these posts caused there to be a large skippage. [...]

Hot Off The Press

  • The Week That Was
    This was a rather askew week for fantasy football and the NFL alike, mostly as a result of a fucking monsoon devastating the 4PM and Sunday night games taking place in the eastern time zone, but it [...]
  • World AIDS Day
    World AIDS Day Tulsa, Okla – By the time you finish reading this story, another American will have been infected with HIV. Monday, December 1, 2008 marks the 20th anniversary of World [...]
  • WANTED Coming Out Tomorrow!
    Are you ready for some Wanted action?! I watched this movie in the theater - drove 45 minutes away so that I could - and it's AWESOME! I will definitely be purchasing a copy of the DVD - how [...]
  • Video: Kristin Chenoweth at Craig Ferguson's Show
    Singer and actress Kristin Chenoweth is still very busy promoting her latest movie, Four Christmases, with Reese Witherspoon. She made the talk show round right before the holiday last week and was [...]
  • Monday Links
    We'll get around to the recap for Life and Times of Tim later today. We watched it, but do not really have anything to say about it at the moment. It was better than the past couple weeks but nothing [...]
  • Free food easily found on campus
    The semester's almost over, and some students may be scrounging for food more often than they did at the beginning of the semester. With empty wallets and hungry bellies, a trio of WILDlife [...]
  • We Have a Winner!
    Right. I put one slip of paper in my straw hat for every comment this month. Just so that you lot know I'm playing fair I actually filmed myself choosing the name from the hat with the help of my [...]
  • New Marchant book delves into genomics, regulation
    Professor Gary Marchant, of the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law, recently co-edited a book that examines a major new use for genomic research - setting environmental policy and regulation - [...]
  • Paris Hilton looking royalty at perfume launch
    Despite her recent breakup with her boyfriend for nine months, Benji Madden, Paris Hilton proves that this does not stop her from doing business. And business that is, Paris was all [...]
  • Printmaking display starts today in Charles V. Park Library
    Students looking to indulge themselves in some new art will be given the chance during the next few weeks. Charlotte senior Evan Breithart and Hancock senior Sarah Pelto will be displaying [...]