Harri - Week Two

According to Horricks (2004), how have perceptions of comics as media changed?

According to Horricks (2004), in the 1950s there was a widespread concern on the influence which comics have on young readers in New Zealand, and what about the mediums of music and television which also influence the younger generation? This has changed over time as comics have made a big leverage in society, in movies, books, and TV programmes. The whole concept of hero versus villains is adapted from the medium of comics. Although comics are looked upon as drawing in boxes that tell amusing stories, Horricks (2004) describes comics as graphic novels as they are known in book-length form. Horricks (2004), also argues that comics aren’t given as much appreciation as it applies with other literature book, and that we should consider the ‘beauty’ within a comic, almost like judging a book by its cover scenario.

Horricks (2004), explains that we often find ourselves puzzled by the popularity of a new genre or medium as some people relate to this when working with or reading comics.  He also suggests that we always focus on components such as the characters, plot, and narrative structure, so when we come across a piece which is weak within these areas, we dismiss the medium, and so goes on the perception of comics as a media.

What does Baetens (2001) mean by ‘monstration’, ‘graphiation’ and the ‘graphiateur’?

Baetens (2001), describes ‘graphiation’ as the distinguishing factor between the narrator and the graphic artist – a maker of images and calligrapher, but the ‘graphiateur’ is what makes these two elements different. The graphiation is where the individual artist aims to coincide the meanings of his or hers drawings with the targeted theme or genre of a comic. Baetens (2001) also implies that “every drawing bears the trace of graphiation” , and that the interpretation of lines, colours, letter or words give the concept of what the graphiateur and his or her graphiation is likely to provide.

Monstration, however is a different element from graphiation and graphiateur, as they are both linked to each other whereas ‘monstration’ and a different concept. According to Baetens (2001), she indicates that ‘monstration’ is linked to the theory of storytelling and how graphiation and the graphiateur are not involved in this process.  Baetens (2001) cites Gaudreault’s theory of ‘monstration’ is hidden in comics as we heavily rely on the graphics to tell the story, even though narration is present, as the process of ‘monstration’ tends to go unnoticed and not shown.