Octopus Pie

I like the art in Octopus Pie. It's cute and simple and reminds me of the style of Scott Pilgrim. I think that online comics sometimes are more interesting because I feel that there is no censorship. Also it helps that they are easy access. I like the roommate paring of the pessimistic with the care free optimistic hippie chick. It's a classic comedic paring of total opposites. I also like how in this comic the characters change their appearances. Usually a cartoon character will have the same clothes on the entire series. But in Octopus Pie the characters change their daily wardrobes and the men actually shave and grow facial hair. Actually it's funny that the hippie girls boyfriend shaved after he got a big beard then started growing it again. that is exactly what i do. I can't help but smile every time I look at that guy. It's so cute and funny the way he is drawn. He has a big beard and bangs covering his eyes so his face is just a nose and a mouth. But besides the way it is drawn. I think this is the best comic I read so far this semester. It's funny and cute, and makes a great sit com. If i wasn't reading this online I think I would be watching it on tv.

Superhero Comics

Super hero movies are a big trend now and there is an obvious reason. Many superhero comics tell excellent stories, most superheros are classic, not only that but they already have the visuals to go by. Which makes superheroes appeal to a wide audience. There was a time when superhero comics featured morally perfect beings who save the day and everyone loves them. However, this is boring. Superman is boring. I don't know that many people who are fans of the Superman comics or movies. More people are a fan of batman. Why? Well I think that since he is flawed batman is relatable and interesting. Being perfect is boring. I think that cat woman would be my favorite super hero/villain of all time. She is a really sexy and fun super person. I couldn't really say that she is good or bad because she really doesn't pick a side. There is even a sexual attraction and an odd relationship between her and batman. She helps out batman sometimes, sometimes she steals jewelry, and sometimes she helps out the bad guy. But i think ultimately she has been casted as a super villain because the only person she is looking out for is herself. Which many people would think that apathy is a bad thing. It might be, butI'm on the fence. It wasn't until after the 50s or 60s i think is when batman starts to merge out of being the goody two shoes kind of hero into a protagonist. Same with cat woman, instead of being evil she is seen as rather independent, and a strong woman. It's funny how it seems that every character in batman is sort of off their rocker. Everyone is sort of lost. The villains being the most insane characters. The only sane people in the comics I think are Alfred and Batman's girlfriends. I always seen Batman as a Bisexual character which would be also seen as a flaw by some people for different reasons. Of course I am talking about his relationship with Robyn. I find it hilarious how they always seem to slip in a homosexual undertone in the comics. Preacher was a cool comic to read. A supernatural being attached to a preacher in Texas. The being named Gensis is pure evil and pure good at the same time. Talk about being flawed. Every action in Preacher is extreme. Which makes him superhuman. A combination even more powerful than God. Because God is pure good, and the Devil is pure Evil. A person or a being both at the same time is just kind of mind blowing to think about. The series is also good because everyone loves exorcisms and find vampires and demons. The series is awesome.  Watchman is a series about superhuman beings that just get fed up with obeying societies rules and become in a sense greek gods. Because they take matters in there own hands and do whatever they think is good and you can't do anything about it. I like when Alan Moore was discussing in class about how he was a magician. Because, the definition of a Magician, in his understanding, is someone who has a skill or craft that influences or manipulates. Which is pretty far out idea, but then again it's not. He goes on to say that people in the entertainment field are all magicians. Some are more powerful than others. I can't help but agree because people like us use our talents to change someone's perception of reality.

Love and Rockets

A comic about sex, love, and rock and roll. I like the way the comic is drawn and I like the subject matter of young adults living in the punk scene durning the 80s-90s. They are everyday teens/ young adults just living a rebellious teenage lifestyle. It's pretty realistic. I like how there is latin american influence in the comic. It gives a cool perspective and culture to the comic. However, I think the different cultural influence is also it's downfall. I couldn't really get into the other comics because I didn't really understand them. I think there is a big misconnection with the different cultures.

Asterios Polyp

Asterios Polyp is about a man who struggles with his own flaws. It is a story about the relationship between free will vs. fate. He is of italian and greek decent and relates parts of the odyssey with his life. I like when he talks about how the ancient religion of greek gods explained the randomness of the joys and tragedies in life. They were powerful beings that did things upon feelings. If they didn't like someone they would doom them. The ancient gods were very human. So is it a religion based on god or is it a religion explaining human nature. I do believe that life is 50/50 when it comes to free will vs. fate. Fate happens but we always have a choice in how to deal with it. Situations can destroy us, or make us stronger in terms of how we choose to handle things. As human we are flawed and so are relationships and there is no helping that. Asterios is self-centered and insensitive and his wife is very passive. Their flaws get the better of them which leads to their separation for a period of time. I do like the ending when he does make it back to her and they start to patch things up. I liked it's hopeful wishful thinking ending. Relationships won't always be wonderful. But, we live for those special moments when we can really connect with someone else. Relationships are work and people don't want to always compromise. But I feel if you really love someone you'd do anything for them. You'd swallow your pride just to be with them. Sacrifice is a big part of love and I think that is a major theme in this story.

Manga

When it comes to Anime/ Manga I am very indecisive. As an Illustrator am told that Anime is a dirty word. However, I don't think that it is. It is easy to copy characters and as a young artist to learn how to draw the human form. I used to draw Anime characters all the time when I was in middle school. However, I really don't like that much Anime. I feel that most the time it goes too fast, its too over the top and too out there. I tried watching more Anime shows and reading manga outside the Amereican mainstream. I didn't really like anything. The only shows/ comix I liked are Sailor Moon and Miyazaki films. I find the story telling style to be more relaxed. I also liked a short Anime called Gravitation and that was a yaoi animation. I read some of the Yaoi on the website. And I have to say as a gay man I eat that stuff up. I wish that more comics in America or even shows featured gay male drama a little more at least. Even though these comix are mainly focused an women readers I like them more than the gay manga comix for men. Because I like the romance of yaoi. It is very passionate, romantic, and intimate. Where as the men's comix are all about sex. Which is boring. Most yaoi doesn't even have sex, but if it does, it isn't graphic at all. If the characters don't have sex, it is a better story. To quote Andy Warhol, "The most exciting thing is not doing it. If you fall in love with someone and never do it, it’s much more exciting." Which I think might be true to a point. I don't think never doing it is out of the question. I mean come on we are all human. But I think waiting for the perfect moment or the right time for sex is definitely is more exciting, it's more romantic. What's the fun in just doing it? Where's the chase? Where are the feelings, where is the story? 

Persepolis

I've been wanting to read this "graphic novel" for a long time now because I heard it was so good. Everyone was right it was terrific. I think that a lot of teenagers and young adults can benefit from reading this comic. It explains the situations in Iran that could be understood better, also it shows how teenagers and children are similar to those of American ones. Identity is a big theme in Marjane's novel.  Not only does she discuss her own identity but the women's identity suppressed by the regimin in Iran. Her punk style and attention to punk culture started when she was in grade school. The older genration was not accepting of the new style as of those in Europe later on in the novel. I like the changes that she goes through in the novel trying to find herself by cutting her hair and changing her clothes to fit the punk style. She has a hard time fitting in at points of the book which I can relate to. But more than anything she experiences racism for being Iranian. When she is staying with the nuns they scold her for being Iranian and uneducated. Which is horrifying because nuns are suppose to be holy figures but, they are just as ignorant and insensitive as anyone else. However, I like how she shows how educated she is about them asking them if they were prostitutes before they became nuns. There is another instance where a boy is flirting with her and he asks what she is, and she says French. Everyone has told a lie at one point or another to fit in with a crowd of people and if not they are lying. We all want to be accepted and appreciated and instead of showing people who we really are we lie and tell people what they want to here. But as we get older the more we begin to accept ourselves as we are and care less of what others think. All in all Marji may have her faults every once in a while but she is a badass character. She steps to be beat of her own drum and isn't afraid to speak her mind or put people in their place. Although she maybe too stubborn for her own good at times, it is also her strong point. I really couldn't imagine living as she did. Living in Iran with a corrupt government and then being sent away pretty much to live on our own without the help of your parents. She does struggle with loneliness and depression for most of the book and she has a hard time connecting with people. I think that one of the great life lessons in this book is that at times we may feel like we are alone but we never truly are. Her grandmother is my favorite character besides Marji she is full of wisdom and like experiences I adore her. She is the best mentor and tough yet sweet. I like when Marji comes to visit her and Marji is still wearing the veil and she tells her to take it off. Marji forgets she is wearing it, her grandmother says never forget you are wearing it. She says something like, they will try to take your identity but never let them. Which is still significant today. Today, the most important thing is to be yourself. Which is a new movement that is stressed in America's younger generation. It probably started with the gay rights movement.

Maus

It think that making the Jews mice and the Nazis cats is great symbolism. Obviously cats eat mice, but making the characters animals show survival and everyone is for themselves. Even though the characters are drawn mice it is still pretty horrifying because it is attached to a very real event that effects people still today. Even though that the story is about the Holocaust, the story is mostly about the relationship between a father and son. Even though the son never was apart of the Holocaust (he was not born yet), he still feels guilty he wasn't there. Why? He also talked about what if he was there. He was even talking about which parent he would save if they had to send one to the ovens. Which is horrifying. Traumatizing events that you hear about or experience will get you to think about things you would never consider. Its funny how dogs are represented as Americans. Americans want to do good they are loyal, but kind of ignorant. I am not sure why Polish people are represented as pigs or why the French are frogs. Is the author trying to say that the French are not useful? I think that representing humans as animals have a lot of symbolism in it. Also, I think that the author chose to do this because animals are easier to read about because it takes the horrifying humanistic trauma out of it. Also it helps divide the people based upon species, to really show how people were divided during the holocaust. I like the art style it is bold and simple which gives more power to the story rather than the drawings.