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Week 14- The Rise of Webcomics

In my Freshman year of college I found an app within the itunes app store called Webtoons. At the time I was just looking for Comics to read to pass the time and not have to pay in order to read them. Once I downloaded the app, I was introduced into the world of webcomics. The comics in Webtoons follow a specific format dedicated to cellular devices in which all one would have to do is simply scroll. The app has MANY different genres and one of the very first ones that I fell in love with was a Star Wars comic that would retell the original movies from Luke Skywalker's perspective, meaning we would have no idea what Han and Leia were doing until we come across them in the story. It really captivated me and helped me fall in love with the webcomic world. The next one I read was called Girls of the Wild's. In this Webtoon Manhwa, a weak boy named Jaegu is admitted into an all girl's school that specializes in teaching MMA and fighting. Through the course of the story Jaegu me

Week 13- Reconsidering the Superhero

The URL on the Course Resource page didn't work for this one but I had already read it once before. Kingdom Come is by far one of the best comics I have ever read and lies easily in my top 3. The whole story revolves around the return of Superman after a long time being MIA and leaving the world to do their own thing as other Superheroes and Supervillains rise in a new age. The whole story and relationship everyone has with Superman is incredible and pushes some of the same buttons as the "What Ever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow" in which everyone likes to point out the value of Superman's life as the very first superhero. Batman, WonderWoman and Superman all together after so many years apart, still fighting the good fight, even against each other. The whole experience is elevated by the jaw dropping beauty of Alex Ross' work. The characters seem to be at their most iconic yet most realistic. Theres a certain atmosphere around the world similar to that of retro

Week 12- Comics By Women

Despite owning over 50 paperback trades of comic books I never noticed that I didn't have a single one that had a female writer. For this week, I read some of Ms. Marvel. I have heard a lot of incredible things about this series and how Kamala Khan is one of the best new characters Marvel has to offer. To be honest, I was never a fan of the original Captain Marvel and then even less when Marvel began pushing their SJW Agenda. However despite the infamy Marvel has earned after they killed off so many of the Original Avengers and replaced them with new diverse characters, I have heard constant good things about 2 of them. Miles Morales as the new Spiderman and Kamala Khan as the new Ms. Marvel. I had given Miles a chance a while ago and I instantly fell in love with him not just because of his relatability but because he was also of Puerto Rican descent. Reading Ms. Marvel now, makes me see how important the character really is. The same way many black and latino kids can relate to M

Week 11- Comics As Contemporary Literature

Since I was little I would go to my local Scholastic Book Festival and always run into Bone by Jeff Smith. I never really go into it even when a buddy of mine told me how great it was. Even now however, I don't really get it? Maybe thats my fault as I never managed to finish it but the whole concept of a full articulated Bone with a giant nose (i know its just part of the bone) who just happens to have bones inside himself as well just doesn't fit right with me. Not that theres anything wrong with it and even though I typically accept weird stuff in comics this just out right confuses me. Later on he eventually meets up with a young girl and other humans while some other monsters hunt around in the world. I didn't manage to get too far into it as I found there was a lot of Dialogue and a lot to tell. I did find the art to be very charming though. The Main Character is very cute and always drawn with such expressive lines in a way that shows the character's personality n

Assessment: What Ever Happened to The Man of Tomorrow?

I am very amazed at this story. For the longest time, i have been told to read this story if i ever considered myself a Superman fan. I got to say, i am very content that i read it now. Alan Moore was one of the first who took one of the strongest superheroes ever and made him more human. He gave him obstacles he couldn't overcome and gave him problems he couldn't solve himself. Personally, i have always considered Lex Luthor or Brainiac to be the Superman's arch nemesis and i loved how the story played on that note yet introduced Mxyzptlk at the climax. It blew my mind considering all the crazy recent events in the Rebirth Comics when Mxyzptlk returned and attacked the Clark, Lois, and Jon again; threatening their existence and the continuity of the DC Universe as a whole. The ending was something i adored. That little wink at the end combined with Jon's super strength was really unexpected yet very welcome and embraced the "lived happily ever after" type of

Week 10 - Manga and The Japanese Comics Traditions

Ever since I was little, I LOVED the world of anime and all the craziness that came with it. I would always beg my parents for 5 more minutes of TV time whenever Naruto, Bleach, Inuyasha, or Dragon Ball Z was on screen. Imagine my surprise when I found out that the same stories I loved to watch also came in book form; I could just take them to school with me and find out what happens in the next episode without directly watching it. I was always a huge fan of Naruto and all the other mainstream anime/manga, except One Piece. It wasn't until I met a friend of mine that introduced me to the more "unknown" types of anime and manga such as Katekyo Hitman Reborn, Negima, Pandora Hearts, and of course Death Note. Nowadays Death Note is among the most popular anime and manga of all time and a must watch/read for anyone interested in the genre. The whole concept of a High School Student who tries to become a God after finding a magical book that kills anyone who's name is w

Week 9 - A Wide World of Comics

For this class I read some of Valerian. Previously I had seen the new feature film by Luc Besson and even though the plot and character relationships where lacking, found the world building aspect and the overall feel and tone of the movie to be quite intriguing. I have always been a fan of sci-fi and from what I heard, Valerian was one of the very first sci-fi products that blew everyone away and later lead to the inspirations of things such as Star Wars and Star Trek. The overall style of the art reads almost like Manga to me. Laureline's big eyes and the graphicness of the lines and shadows really come together to provide that feel for me at times yet at other moments it really read just like any other western comic. The character designs, alien designs, and even the clothing and armor designs where really cool and full of intricate details that makes everything pop and stand out.