Although I am not able to fully discuss Isabel Allende’s version of Zorro, her plot combined with Matt Wagner’s Storytelling and Francavilla’s use of vivid imagery is full of interesting and exciting themes. When discussing this graphic novel, many points could and should be discussed; however, I am going to focus on the use of graphics in combination with words to create a magical realist novel. Unlike previous excerpts of text we have read, this book is completely occupied with bright and action-packed images that help to glide the reader through the facts of the story.
I worked as a graphic design artist for three years, so the illustrations in this graphic novel really “hit home” with me. Understanding the precise placement of text and gutters, thickness of gutters, and color tones are play a vital role in understanding this character of Zorro. The majority of readers understand better with an image than with straight-forward text, so the ability of the author to combine with such illustrations brings the level of intensity over-the-top. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel, not for its content as much as its exquisite use of picture and text placement. The image that drew my attention the most was in chapter one when Diego and Bernardo are traveling through the cave. This page has no gutters and a combination of narrative text and dialogue. Starting at the top left-hand corner, we see the opening of the cave, and our mind continues to travel with the images to the bottom right-hand corner. The picture without gutters allows the readers to relax and allows the mind to flow just as the picture does. I also LOVE the fact that the narration, right in the most suspenseful parts, is put on the bottom corner of the page, so the reader must either turn the page or bring the eye up to the top of the next one. This further intensifies the novel. The brown torn look of the narration stands out on the page and is easy for the eye to find. If anyone was interested in studying graphic design, I would highly recommend studying this graphic novel. I have gained much by being introduced to Allende’s graphic novel of Zorro. It has greatly expanded my view of the comic book (although I understand it is not one) and has helped me to learn more about this world of the graphic novel.
I really like how you explain why the graphic text is powerful, particularly with the important aspect of how the eye is drawn around the page. Excellent explanation. I agree that Wagner and Francavilla have done an excellent job creating a piece of art that fully engages the reader.
ReplyDelete