Week 2 (Rachel)

Compare the relationship between images and words differ in Hergé (1933) and Spiegelman’s (2004) works.


One thing that I noticed about Spieglelman’s work, and the relationship the image have with the words is that Spiegelman not only portrays the character but also the setting that the character is in by setting up a montage effect with his comic "Shadow of No Towers.' This comic is obviously meant for a older audience that Tin Tin, as his choice in dialogue and narration is very advanced. Terms such as 'Etymological Vaudeville' are a stretch even for most adults. 

Whilst Herge went to great detail in the setting for the ‘The Blue Lotus’, Spiegelman uses a finer detail in the facial expressions of his characters, such as in the circular panel which states 'waiting for the other shoe to drop.' His use of fear in the eyes and faces of his characters draw the empathy of the reader and thus he does not need to create a linear plot to draw the reader in.   
 

Spiegelman's pages do not work in a linear fashion as Herge’s, some parts of the narrative run vertical down the page, and some parts are not confined to square panels. He places a picture in the background, perhaps creating a mood of disorder and also uses visual motifs throughout the comic.

Spiegelman’s comic has more of the surreal element to it, such as ‘an upside down world’ to show the depth of confusion, where as Herge’s pictures are more realistic. In terms of words Herge uses dialogues to move the plot and work in coherence with the pictures. Spieglmans work can at times be startling and requires more thought, as some of Spiegelmans panels seem to work as a pun

References: 

Spiegelman A. (2004), In the Shadow of No Towers, retrieved from https://autonline.aut.ac.nz/@@/F525F1B248CF2826EB7593D48C74AED6/courses/1/166104_2011_02/content/_1843495_1/ShadowofNoTowers2.pdf

Herge, (1933). The Adventures of Tintin: The Blue Lotus. Retrieved from http://www.esnips.com/doc/7a162c38-76f4-4605-bc40-7b918c015123/05_TINTIN_THE_BLUE_LOTUS