Strangers in Paradise Volume 3 Issue #11 Symbolism/Injokes (art critique)
Ryan McGinnis
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SPOILER (duh)
Strangers in Paradise
Volume 3 issue #11
Symbolisms/injokes
by Ryan McGinnis <mcg...@iastate.edu>
Art wise, this issue was drawn well, but rather
plain/straightforward/boring. Above the current SiP volume #3
standard, but a bit lacking compared to the art in volume #2. Still,
above the art in most other comics.
Starting with page one (as the cover is a bit boring ;))
Main (only) panel: Very dark. I like what he’s done with the thatch
pattern in the bachground; it’s unobtrusive, and, while abstract, you
have to admit it sucessfully fills in the left half of the panel
without disrupting the feel of being inside a turbulent storm. Nice
that the plane black. :) It’s fall is a good metaphor for the
situation that the story opens up with, on a couple of levels. Not
only is Katchoo trapped and falling, but she is totally reliant on
Darcy at this point -- who also looks to be rapidly falling from her
position of power.
page 2:
panel 4: Note how well her blowing hair mixes with the clouds. :)
page 4:
last panel: Note the white "bright" circle around the car. I have no
idea why it is this way, but it works. :)
page 5: The car’s dark interior sets the mood quite well...
panel 1: This is a very nice panel, IMHO. The odd thing is that I
can’t quite put my finger on the reason why it looks so nice. Katchoo
looks bedraggled, sure, but I think it’s subtle mesa/cloud overlay that
captures the feeling -- the feeling one gets when on their way to
something _important_ they bother to take a long glance out the window,
suck up the world, and wonder why they attach such huge significance to
the little things they do.
Actually, there is more to it than that, but it’s hard to phrase into
words. I think most people have had that feeling before, when looking
out the car window on at the setting sun over beautiful landscape. :)
panel 2: This is probably na injoke. :) What is "The Lee Shore"?
panel 5: I like this panel. What a cool expression. :) Terry
certainly knows how to draw people..
panel 7: Helllooooo, Tambi.
page 6:
panel 2: Oh joy! Another screaming male character. <sigh>
panel 3: It’s nice how Darcy’s outfit "flows" into the water.
page 7: It’s also very nice how Terry contrasts the pacidity of Darcy’s
life with the overreactive screaming of Sal’s life. Heck, everyone is
placid except Sal, even the guy getting a backrub in the background.
:) Perfectly illustrated in panel 5.
panel 3: Some swearing would have gone nice here. Terry publishes
independantly -- can’t he use swearing? Or does he personally not like
implementing "naughty words"?
page 8
panel 2: Just a weeeee too much wine for that time of the morning.
;)
page 9: The layout here is wonderful! :) The black stripe down the
left of the page is an excellent way to flesh out Darcy’s
shame/hopelessness. Also note that the frame that was framing each
page disappears on this page, signifying Darcy’s "snapping". The frame
does not return until page 13, when Darcy regains her grip.
panels 5 & 6: Probably a bad idea to be whipping phones at your
underlings. Darcy is going to need all the friends she can get, I
would think.
page 10
panel 2: ( or, panel 1 if you think of it as one big panel): Another
great drawing. Actually makes you feel sorry for one of Darcy’s
underlings. :)
page 11
panel 2: To me, this panel has a deeply cinematic feel.
panels 3,4,5,&6: Uh... okay. "Like sands in the hourglass.. These are
the days of out lives"...
panel 6: Note Darcy’s gun goes off, shooting Dave in the wrist. I
like how Terry doesn’t tell us. :) It does occasionally happen where
people get shot and don’t realize it until quite a while after the
fact.
page 13: Note that he forgot his bag -- though this probably isn’t
significant. The page framing returns, as Darcy regains her grip.
panels 1 through 4: This pretty much sums up Darcy, no?
page 14: This entire page is very, very good. Panel 4 is nothing short
of horrific.
page 15
panel 1: Note the "pow!" along the wall -- a good indicator of the
timeframe.
panels 3&4: I could be pseudo funny and scream "NO FRAN! DON’T EAT
THE BAGEL! DON’T EA -- DEAR GOD, WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!?", but I promised
myself I wouldn’t.
page 16: Note checkerboard background under panels. Good/bad? Just
looks pretty? "You make the call!" ;)
panels 1&2: Great transition, the expression of caring on Fran’s
face is extremely genuine. :)
page 17:
panel 2: This panel is great. :) At least David is being honest.
;)
panel 4, 5 & 6: This had me laughing. Good interjection of comic
relief.
Last page, last panel: Good mirror job. :)
Essentially, this issue was pretty much devoid of symbolism/ injokes,
or, if they were there, I sure didn’t see them. The story was very
straightforward and obvious, much like a soap opera. Very little room
for interpretation, very little is abstract. The art is drawn well,
but not very interestingly. Maybe the next storyarc will be better.
:/
Questions? Comments? I'd love to hear 'em! Just write to:
mcg...@iastate.edu
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Ryan McGinnis ()_() TLKiaWoL
mcg...@iastate.edu (_) Jay's Mosh
http://www.public.iastate.edu/~mcginnr/lionking/
"Oh look sire, the herd is.. is.. oh my.
I take that back, don't look."
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