In connection with sequential art with little to no dialogue. He has worked on a comic entry for an anthology called Monsterpedia 2014. Whirl it is mainly wordless, There is the exception of captions for sound effects and even writing text such as the lettering on the text. However. This is limited. There are only three out of forty nine panels with the written text. I think this can still be be helpful as text are Static images themselves.
“The Quest” is a nine page silent comic, illustrated by Rich Werner as part of an entry for a 2014 collection of short comics called Monsterpedia.
The main story is about a boy who finds a note about a kidnapped princess who is being held in a fortified castle. He dashes off to rescue her. He encounters a creature which turns out to be his friend and they continue on their quest. They arrive at a site where he obtains a sword and shield. They arrive at a cave and discover a dragon. He holds up his sword and the dragon becomes friendly and obedient. On the back of the dragon, our heroes fly towards the castle, evading its defenses. They break into the dungeon and slay the villain only to discover that the princess being held was in fact a trickster in disguise. They defeat the beast only to find another letter attached to an arrow pointing out that their damsel is in another castle.
Figure 1. The Quest Page 1 (Werner 2014)
Figure 2. The Quest Page 2 (Werner 2014)
Figure 3. The Quest Page 4 (Werner 2014)
Figure 4. The Quest Page 6 (Werner 2014)
Figure 5. The Quest Page 7 (Werner 2014)
Figure 6. The Quest Page 9 (Werner 2014)
Words and picture Combinations.
The words and picture combinations were kept to a minimum, making it into a silent comic. There was a speech bubble which was used to imply that the protagonist was whistling. The way the wording and sound effects are applied makes the story feel like a montage combination. They appear as integrated elements of the picture rather than an additional element overlaying the page. The idea of pictorial words being used in this way is still an area that is needing to be explored (McCloud 2006). Some of them exist with 3D on the page which helps illusion. In figure 4, one sound affects appears behind the villain but in the front of the hero. The words follow the same direction as the action and one example merges into the borders and assists with the flow of a page.
Words are present in this comic but are kept at a minimum level. The words on the scroll suggest the end of the story but also suggest that it may continue.
The pictorial text of the creature’s roar is black just like the gutter, making it feel like part of the illustration itself rather than text being placed over it.
Based on the story, it can be suggested the creature that was defeated was not the princess but an imposter and the real princess is somewhere else. Also the line “Your princess is in another castle” can be implied to be a reference to ““Thank You Mario, But Our Princess is in Another Castle” from Super Mario Bros (1985). The other reference made, “you’re my only hope” is a reference to Star Wars (1977). The last page, figure 6 features additional minimum text including a caption in a square box suggesting if the story will continue or just end. Here it is left undecided and ambiguous insuring the story is left open with the potential to continue.
Shapes and Lines
Throughout the story, the main visual consists of a strong use of light and silhouettes. The protagonist of this short comic is a nameless figure who shares the head proportions of three to four heads. The character is drawn in a suitable style to appeal to a younger audience. The main characters have no facial features except his eyes. The protagonist’s simple featureless appearance actually allows him to be relatable to the audience enabling them to project themselves onto him. Speed lines help suggest the movement of objects through the space of the comic panels (McCloud 1994).The gutters are coloured black, not straight but they do connect with the childish style and tone. The black silhouettes of the characters stand out strongly. The backgrounds are painted and have a sense of depth and distance to them. The silhouettes are not restricted to the characters. They are also used for props e.g. the words are highlighted black. They also appear to merge with the gutters. The presence of highlights help make the characters stand out and help distinguish each character whenever they overlap. Implied lines are present in this comic depending on how the characters and objects are staged. There is a strong use of arcs and curves especially in the dragon’s anatomy which helps make it look dynamic and suggest agile movement as it flies. In the first panel of figure 6, we see an implied line from the protagonist, his friend, the sword, the dragon and the sword again. Their eyes help direct us to the sword which represents the point of interest.
Body Language
The characters show a strong use of body language and use of expression to an exaggerated standard. In figure 2, we see the two characters fist bump each other which helps indicate that they share a friendship. The boy communicates to his friend through hand gestures. Through closure, it is implied that he is communicating about the message he received and that he’s embarking on a journey. The two head off together suggesting that the hero was inviting his friend to come and help him rescue the princess. Although the creature in figure 2 is large and bigger than the protagonist, he is not hostile towards him and appears gentle even though he possesses horns. In terms of hand gesture the princess, before we see her as an imposter, stretches her hand to grab on the protagonist’s. However, her palm is facing down which could imply and foreshadow her betrayal of the protagonists’ trust.
Comic Layout
Each page has a varied arrangement of panels but each page balances out appropriately with space and colour. The panels are varying sizes for effect but also suggest length and duration depending on the type of shots used. Each page acts as a story beat. In figure 3, the long panel can suggest the duration of the dragons roar. The lighting works well as it helps clearly convey where the light source is positioned in this comic. The use of scale and elevation is also used. The creature takes up two thirds of the panel whereas the boy and his friend take up only a small fraction. The action in this comic is short and simple.
Colours
The antagonist has a red glow emitting from his eyes and mouth. The mixture of red and black suggests a menacing character which reflects his menacing and devious personality (Scott-Kemmis 2009). In figure 4, the onomatopoeia featured on the page presents a sense of depth. This is implied through staging, as it appears to be obstructed by the antagonist, and also the desaturated colour, which helps make it look a bit distant. The white helps with focal points such as the female character who glows brightly and provides a framework around certain elements such as the boy, his friend and the dragon. However, in connection with the twist that is revealed, it can also suggest caution.
Pink suggests a sense of love, which in this case ITV can suggest the love from the princess. However, the reddish hints can reflect the aggressive and resentful mood established when the princess is discovered to be a fraud. The red eyes and mouth also help make the antagonist appear closer than he already is. Purple is used when the two characters encounter a dragon. This colour is beneficial as purple reflects the fantasy element in the story but also creates a sense of mystery. The use of yellow helps suggest the necessity for reassurance. Since they have defeated the fake princess, they wonder what has happened to the real princess. They are not sure what has happened to the princess. The inclusion of yellow in the first and last panel emphasises the introduction of new ideas such as the desire to go and rescue the princess (Scott-Kemmis 2009). When they learn the princess is in another castle, this introduces a new goal for them.
In figure 5, when the princess turns into a monster, her white colour is still present to help show this connection. In the previous panel, the boy is holding onto her and in the next panel we see a huge monster attacking him.
Environment
The environments of this story are minimalist, hand painting with one or two colour overlay and the environment keeps changing in every page. The establishing shot in figure 1, featuring the protagonist outside his home with a pitchfork, gave the impression that although he is a boy, he could be a home owner. The buildings materials suggest that he is a figure who lacks currency to live at a certain standard or could be someone who is environmentally efficient. Some panels feature no background detail and instead a coloured gradient to allow us to focus on the character and their actions.
Conclusion
In summary, the quest is a simple “hero rescues princess” concept with a twist. The minimum colours used along with the high value and lighting help establish a unique style. The character’s body language and actions are clear and you can understand what’s happening in each panel. This comic included strong silhouettes with readable body language. The protagonist’s eyes also suggest facial expressions and emotions. curves and line work used in this comic flow across the page.
There are moments where we see strong expression in body language such as the scene with the false princess revealing her true form. The emotion is conveyed through his gestures and actions. It is not visually confirmed that there is a princess all that is shown is a message stating that a princess is being captured. The artwork and style manages to convey complex emotions and suspense with minimal words and expressions. This illustrates the power of images to tell a story clearly and appeal to an audience.
References
- McCloud, S. 1994. Understanding comics. New York: HarperPerennial.
- Scott-Kemmis, J. 2009. The Color Purple and The Color Violet. [online] Available at: http://www.empower-yourself-with-color-psychology.com/color-purple.html [Accessed 28 Mar. 2016].
- Scott-Kemmis, J. 2009. The Color Yellow. [online] Available at: http://www.empower-yourself-with-color-psychology.com/color-yellow.html [Accessed 28 Mar. 2016].
- Scott-Kemmis, J. 2009. The Color White. [online] Empowered By Color. Available at: http://www.empower-yourself-with-color-psychology.com/color-white.html [Accessed 29 Mar. 2016].
- Scott-Kemmis, J. 2009. The Color Red. [online] Empowered By Color. Available at: http://www.empower-yourself-with-color-psychology.com/color-red.html [Accessed 29 Mar. 2016].
- Scott-Kemmis, J. 2009. The Color Black. [online] Empowered By Color. Available at: http://www.empower-yourself-with-color-psychology.com/color-black.html [Accessed 29 Mar. 2016].
- Star Wars. 1977. [film]. Directed by George Lucas. San Francisco: Lucasfilm
- Super Mario Bros. 1985. [computer game]. NES. Nintendo.
- Werner, R. 2014. Rich_01. [image] Available at: http://static1.squarespace.com/static/5688444d1c1210fead013295/568a0491a128e63c0adf2084/569010251c12105f19190af0/1452281939510/Rich_01.jpg?format=1000w [Accessed 28 Mar. 2016].
- Werner, R. 2014. Rich_02. [image] Available at: http://static1.squarespace.com/static/5688444d1c1210fead013295/568a0491a128e63c0adf2084/569010259cadb6feaa167c6f/1452281919473/Rich_02.jpg?format=500w [Accessed 28 Mar. 2016].
- Werner, R. 2014. Rich_04. [image] Available at: http://static1.squarespace.com/static/5688444d1c1210fead013295/568a0491a128e63c0adf2084/5690104d9cadb6feaa167e39/1452281958305/Rich_04.jpg?format=500w [Accessed 28 Mar. 2016].
- Werner, R. 2014. Rich_06. [image] Available at: http://static1.squarespace.com/static/5688444d1c1210fead013295/568a0491a128e63c0adf2084/5690105d9cadb6feaa167ef3/1452281989491/Rich_06.jpg?format=500w [Accessed 28 Mar. 2016].
- Werner, R. 2014. Rich_07. [image] Available at: http://static1.squarespace.com/static/5688444d1c1210fead013295/568a0491a128e63c0adf2084/569010661c12105f19190e02/1452281992080/Rich_07.jpg?format=500w [Accessed 28 Mar. 2016].
- Werner, R. 2014. Rich_09. [image] Available at: http://static1.squarespace.com/static/5688444d1c1210fead013295/568a0491a128e63c0adf2084/569010851c12105f19190f61/1452282011811/Rich_09.jpg?format=500w [Accessed 28 Mar. 2016].
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