"We all know the truth: more connects us than separates us. But in times of crisis the wise build bridges, while the foolish build barriers. We must find a way to look after one another, as if we were one single tribe."
~ Black Panther.
I liked when the original Swamp Thing had the unique thought balloons--and a different style of speech balloons when he spoke. But the mark of a good writer is to script the lines for each character to fit that person. So even without font changes or different styled balloons, you know which character is talking because the writer understands their voice. Comics should be visual, but they also need to be literate.
You're absolutely right. I remember....I think it was Ennis....talking about this with Preacher, and how he wanted to make sure everyone's voice was distinctive enough that readers could identify them even on a panel where you couldn't see who was talking at all. Every writer should be capable of doing that. I mean.....isn't that a requirement? Most writers don't have cute little pictures to go with their words in the first place.
But, since this *is* a visual medium, I like a little bit of eye candy and zest in my dialogue. I don't want *every* character to have weird art around the speech bubbles, or odd coloring, or whatever, but I do think it does a fantastic job of making things read in a unique way for those characters who sound somehow otherworldly (or otherwise require a little zing in the way they speak and sound). I mean, you take the Spectre, and you can literally see the righteous fire burning in his words, and that makes him "sound" much more epic in the reader's head. The dialogue art makes sure you know that this guy doesn't sound like a normal person; he doesn't sound like "Jim Corrigan" he sounds like the "spirit of vengeance."
"We all know the truth: more connects us than separates us. But in times of crisis the wise build bridges, while the foolish build barriers. We must find a way to look after one another, as if we were one single tribe."
~ Black Panther.
Sure, but it needs to be used sparingly. Batman, The Joker, etc. These are people. Darkseid? The Spectre? Embodiments or fragments of gods and concepts themselves. It works for them. I do think that the more this happens, the less special it would be. Dr. Fate? Absolutely. Zatanna? The backword speak is enough. I let it pass for TBWL (despite not liking him) because, well, he's a nightmare character. It makes him more like a wraith and further reminds of Judge Death. I think it works for him on that alone.
I really don't want to see Joker or Batman proper getting this treatment. It doesn't fit either.
Boom. The fading trail on his word balloons gives him a soft-spoken, almost whisper and the inverted colors pierces the page. It comes across as a whisper that you can't actually hear, but feel as it reverberates in your spine, searing unease into your conscious. It's absolutely visceral for a ghost who is supposed to be God's Reddit post.
I know! I wish Disney didn't force me to scour Youtube for episodes. I'd gladly pay to stream that wonderful show, but as it is, I'm not paying $300 for a DVD set per season.
Last edited by Robanker; 09-19-2019 at 10:38 PM.
Not exactly controversial, but add me as another hoping Disney's Zorro is part of Disney+
Although if they do, I hope they broadcast the original black and white version, not the bizarre colorized 90s version.
This might be somewhat controversial
Besides Miller in story tying Batman's origin to Zorro, the recognizable Batman lightning strike silhouettes imagery he popularized, can also be traced to Disney's Zorro.
Last edited by Güicho; 09-21-2019 at 05:33 AM.
"It's too bad she won't live! But then again, who does? - Gaff Blade Runner
"In a short time, this will be a long time ago." - Werner Slow West
"One of the biggest problems in the industry is apathy right now." - Dan Didio Co-Publisher of I Wonder Why That Is Comics
It's weird that people who stay off social media are being stigmatized for being "out of touch" with reality. Reminds me of the Ray Bradbury 1953 novel and François Truffaut 1966 movie, FAHRENHEIT 451--set in the near future, where people are encouraged to consume reality programs on their big screens and reading physical books is considered a crime against the state. Pretty soon the firemen are going to come to my house and burn all my books. Then I'll have to leave this reality to live in a commune with like-minded, out-of-touch people who have all become walking, talking books. I wonder which one Grant Morrison will be.
I wish I could travel back in time to 2011 and try to stop Flashpoint from happening...
I think what is so great about fictional city locales is that every single thing about them can be made up. From their own criminal penal code to the landscape.