The Comics Art Allegory; braiding words, pictures and motifs through adjacent panels…
The Comics Art Allegory (I)
Category: Comics Features
“Managing Creativity for Communicative Innovation” course (Jan-Apr 2017)
For the first semester of 2017, the “Managing Creativity for Communicative Innovation” course (Communication Management, International Program, Faculty of Communication Arts, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand) had three main goals:
1) select, summarize and partly translate 9 Thai alternative comics, and contact a foreign publisher to get them signed abroad. This endeavor was highly successful as it resulted in the publication of 4 titles by Art Jeeno in French language from Éditions çà et là: see here.
2) Publish, promote and distribute our own zine gathering the constrained comics composed by former “Graphic Writing” CommArts students.
3) Organize an exhibition of the “Traumics” (Comics on Trauma) composed by CommArts & CommDe (Program in Communication Design, Department of Industrial Design, Faculty of Architecture, Chulalongkorn University) students.
CommDe student presenting her Traumics (or “Comics on Trauma”) to Ephameron and CommArts students.
CommDe student presenting his Traumics (or “Comics on Trauma”) to Ephameron and CommArts students.
A team of CommDe students presenting their Traumics (or “Comics on Trauma”) to Ephameron and CommArts students.
CommDe student presenting her Traumics (or “Comics on Trauma”) to Ephameron and CommArts students.
A team of CommDe student presenting their Traumics (or “Comics on Trauma”) to Ephameron and CommArts students.
CommDe student presenting her Traumics (or “Comics on Trauma”) to Ephameron and CommArts students.
A team of CommDe student presenting their Traumics (or “Comics on Trauma”) to Ephameron and CommArts students.
A team of CommDe student presenting their Traumics (or “Comics on Trauma”) to Ephameron and CommArts students.
A team of CommDe student presenting their Traumics (or “Comics on Trauma”) to Ephameron and CommArts students.
Third special guest (or rather host): Spanish cartoonist, curator & illustrator Carla Berrocal offered us a private tour of the PRESENTES comics exhibition (Spanish Female Cartoonists of Yesterday and of Today). Here presenting the work of internationally renown Spanish cartoonist Ana Miralles Lopez. Gracias Carla, Autoras de Cómic, and Maria & Joan from the Embassy of Spain in Bangkok. Thank you HeForShe Arts Week Bangkok, UN Women Asia and the Pacific, and BACC (Bangkok Art and Culture Center)!
At the PRESENTES comics exhibition (Spanish Female Cartoonists of Yesterday and of Today). Detail of a page by Spanish female cartoonist Maria Pascual (1933-2011).
At the PRESENTES comics exhibition (Spanish Female Cartoonists of Yesterday and of Today). Detail of a page by Spanish female cartoonist Mireia Pérez (1984-).
PRESENTES exhibition catalogue (Spanish Female Cartoonists of Yesterday and of Today). Spanish female cartoonist Núria Pompeia (1931-2016).
Writing the editorial content of our “Bang Bang You’re Dead” constrained comics zine, inspired by the OuBaPian experimental comics by Lewis Trondheim & Jean-Christophe Menu. Trying to explain, as clearly and shortly as possible, the multimodal challenges faced by CommArts students while composing their graphic narratives (using “iconic iteration” with limited sets of panels drawn by European cartoonists Pierre Alary, Sacha Goerg & Joseph Falzon specially for our “Graphic Writing” course).
After hours to complete the editorial content of our “Bang Bang You’re Dead” constrained comics zine…
Partly translating one of the 9 Thai alternative comics selected to be presented to a foreign publisher in order to get them signed abroad.
With our fourth special guest; Ms. Pimpicha Utsahajit, Executive Director of Banlue Publications & CommArts alumnus.
With our fourth special guest; Ms. Pimpicha Utsahajit, Executive Director of Banlue Publications & CommArts alumnus.
With our fourth special guest; Ms. Pimpicha Utsahajit, Executive Director of Banlue Publications & CommArts alumnus.
Making Small Press the CommArts way; a Taylorist approach.
Making Small Press the CommArts way; a Taylorist approach.
Making Small Press the CommArts way; a Taylorist approach.
Making Small Press the CommArts way; a Taylorist approach.
A word from the editorial team: “As evoked in its title, the ‘Bang Bang You’re Dead!’ zine invokes the playful yet serious aspects of constrained comics composition. Based on sets of speechless comics panels drawn especially for their Graphic Writing course by European cartoonists, 34 Thai senior students of the four-year program in Strategic Communication Management at the Faculty of Communication Arts, Chulalongkorn University (Bangkok, Thailand), duplicated, reframed, and combined the imposed drawings -with addition of textual elements- to create imaginative stories of their own. Without any particular drawing formation and facing the numerous and overlapping challenges posed by comics composition, our Faculty seniors were able to overcome the constraint of iconic iteration by thinking out of the box, using their creativity to cross formal, modal, cultural, and national borders.”
The “Bang Bang You’re Dead!” zine was on sale at the booth of the Thai indie comics publishing house KAI3.
The “Bang Bang You’re Dead!” zine was on sale at the booth of the Thai indie comics publishing house KAI3.
The “Bang Bang You’re Dead!” zine was on sale at the booth of the Thai indie comics publishing house KAI3.
Serge Ewenczyk & the “EverybodyEverything (by Wisut Ponnimit)” Team.
Serge Ewenczyk & the “Missed (by Tuna Dunn)” Team.
Serge Ewenczyk & the “Diner by Incense Light (by Jung)” Team.
Serge Ewenczyk & the “Romance (by Wisut Ponnimit)” Team.
Serge Ewenczyk & the “NangMai (by Teerawat Thienprasit)” Team.
The opening night was held on the 5th of May 2017 from 5pm until 7pm at the first floor of the Faculty of Communication Arts (Chulalongkorn University), in the presence of our guest of honour Songsin Tiewsomboon, author of famous graphic novels such as “Nine Lives” and the series “Beansprout and Firehead” & “Bobby Swingers.”
The exhibition “Traumics: a Medium of Fragments for a Shattered Mind” was organized and curated by the students of the “Managing Creativity for Communicative Innovation” course, Communication Management, International Program, Faculty of Communication Arts, Chulalongkorn University (Bangkok, Thailand).
Mounting the exhibition “Traumics: a Medium of Fragments for a Shattered Mind” displaying 18 Trauma-related comics narratives composed by students at Chulalongkorn University.
Mounting the exhibition “Traumics: a Medium of Fragments for a Shattered Mind” displaying 18 Trauma-related comics narratives composed by students at Chulalongkorn University.
Mounting the exhibition “Traumics: a Medium of Fragments for a Shattered Mind” displaying 18 Trauma-related comics narratives composed by students at Chulalongkorn University.
Mounting the exhibition “Traumics: a Medium of Fragments for a Shattered Mind” displaying 18 Trauma-related comics narratives composed by students at Chulalongkorn University.
Mounting the exhibition “Traumics: a Medium of Fragments for a Shattered Mind” displaying 18 Trauma-related comics narratives composed by students at Chulalongkorn University.
Ms. Tee Tanyanurak, aka Sasi Tee, visiting the “Traumics: a Medium of Fragments for a Shattered Mind” exhibition .
Visit of Thai graphic designers khun Phatchara Pantanakul & khun Kullawat Kanjanasoontree (also author of the great Gekiga-style short comics “คดีทิ้งไฟ”, or “The Arson Case” in the “LET’S Comic Forbidden” issue).
Visitors.
Visit by Thai alternative comics pioneer Suttichart Sarapaiwanich (“Joe the Sea-Cret Agent”).
Visitor.
Visitor.
Opening in the presence of graphic novelist extraordinaire Songsin Tiewsomboon (“Nine Lives” and the series “Beansprout and Firehead” & “Bobby Swingers”, and our guest of honour), graphic designer Ms. View, and Thai alternative comics pioneer Suttichart Sarapaiwanich (“Joe the Sea-Cret Agent”) and CommArts students.
Traumics (Trauma-related comics) composed by students at Chulalongkorn University.
Traumics (Trauma-related comics) composed by students at Chulalongkorn University.
Traumics (Trauma-related comics) composed by students at Chulalongkorn University.
Traumics (Trauma-related comics) composed by students at Chulalongkorn University.
Traumics (Trauma-related comics) composed by students at Chulalongkorn University.
Traumics (Trauma-related comics) composed by students at Chulalongkorn University.
Traumics (Trauma-related comics) composed by students at Chulalongkorn University.
Traumics (Trauma-related comics) composed by students at Chulalongkorn University.
“Nailed”, a Silent Graphic Narrative by a Student of the ‘Imaginative Communication’ Course (Nov. 2016)
“Nailed” is a silent graphic narrative by Thai student Rattanakorn (Mim) for the IMGT COMM course (2800217), November 2016. In response to a video (see below) where a young child is the victim of a cruel joke perpetrated by adults, her comics captures how the child’s inner world is shattered by the traumatic psychological abuse and how it will affect his late life.
Description of the Imaginative Communication course: “Methods of conversing emotions, feelings, ideas, values, beliefs and meaning of life through the languages of the imaginative world in the form of poetry, music and songs, literature, drama, film or other creative works of Thai and foreign artists; relationship between science and art of communications; media design for imaginative works; analysis of images and narratives.” This semester’s theme: “Psychic Trauma; To Say the Unutterable”. Communication Management, International Program, Faculty of Communication Arts, Chulalongkorn University.
“The Wave”, a Graphic Narrative by Students of the ‘Imaginative Communication’ Course (Nov. 2016)
“The Wave” is a graphic narrative (on the themes of psychological fright, phobia and school bullying) by Thai students Jinwara (Sugar) and Rattanakorn (Mim) for the IMGT COMM course (2800217), November 2016.
Description of the Imaginative Communication course: “Methods of conversing emotions, feelings, ideas, values, beliefs and meaning of life through the languages of the imaginative world in the form of poetry, music and songs, literature, drama, film or other creative works of Thai and foreign artists; relationship between science and art of communications; media design for imaginative works; analysis of images and narratives.” This semester’s theme: “Psychic Trauma; To Say the Unutterable”. Communication Management, International Program, Faculty of Communication Arts, Chulalongkorn University.
A clever use of potentialities and features of the comics form (layout, composition, design, text/image relationship, iconic solidarity, iconic iteration…) to serve the content.
Reproduced with the authors’ permission. All rights remain to the authors.
“I Guess” by Chris Ware, USA, 1991
I Guess (a.k.a. “Thrilling Adventure Stories”) by Chris Ware (USA) in: RAW Vol 2, #3, High Culture for Lowbrows, Penguin Books, 1991. Via Glad You Asked.
Copyright ©1990 Chris Ware
If words can be drawn, and images written, then the tension between words and images can become quite complex. For example, in “I Guess” (Raw 2:3, 1991, reprinted in Ware, Quimby), alternative cartoonist Chris Ware experiments with a radically disjunctive form of verbal/visual interplay: a six-page story that sustains parallel verbal and pictorial narratives throughout, never quite reconciling one to the other […]. Admittedly, “I Guess” represents a radical questioning of the way comics work […]. Dismantling genre as well as form, Ware’s experiment demonstrates the potential of comics to create challenging, multilayered texts: his simple broadly representational drawings contribute to, rather than mitigate, the suggestive complexity of the narrative, while the blank naive narrational voice both amplifies and undercuts the appeal of the drawings. (Charles Hatfield, “Alternative Comics: An Emerging Literature”, The University Press of Mississippi, 2005)
“Brother John” (in French) by Jerome Charyn & André Juillard, USA/FR, 1990
Brother John (in French), story by Jerome Charyn (USA) & art by André Juillard (FR), in: USA Magazine (L’Écho des savanes) spécial été #48/49, Albin Michel, FR, June 1990.
“Daddy’s Girl: Visitors in the Night” (first version) by Debbie Drechsler, USA, 1992
Daddy’s Girl: Visitors in the Night (first version) by Debbie Drechsler (USA), in: Drawn & Quarterly (Anthology) Vol.1, #10, Drawn & Quarterly, CAN, 1992. The author’s first name “Debbie” was changed into “Lily” in the Daddy’s Girl collection (Fantagraphics Books, USA). More on the topic in our interview with Debbie Drechsler.
“Visitors in the Night” – or “Daddy’s Girl” as the book was eventually called – is a masterpiece of horror. And it’s all the more horrifying because it is true, and because the actions depicted, the innocence-killing, soul-destroying actions, are happening right now, everyday, all around the world. (Richard Sala, in XeroXed #4, July 2004)
Contains scenes of a sexual nature. Viewer discretion advised.
Copyright ©1992 Debbie Drechsler
“YVES – My Life as a Refugee”, a Graphic Narrative by Chalit & June (April 2016)
A graphic narrative (on the topic of ‘War Trauma’ and/or ‘War Refugees’) by Thai students Chalit Ratapana (Faculty of Communication Arts; adaptation/script) and June (Pareploy Maneerut; Faculty of Political Science; art) – based on the true story of Yves -a Congolese refugee who survived ethnic cleansing- (Sanctuary Australia Foundation) – as an assignment for my Imaginative Communication course (2800217), April 2016.
Update: The Sanctuary Australia Foundation, which offered a safe haven to Yves, has decided to publish the 4-page comics alongside Yves’ original testimony. I guess the Foundation saw -as I did- how Chalit and June were able to capture and to express -skillfully, with power and sensitivity- the plight of an individual and how, at the same time, they grasped and shared the tragic fate experienced by too many. Crossing the borders of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Australia, Belgium and Thailand, crossing comics panel borders, so many boundaries were physically and symbolically overcome… I’m proud of you Chalit & June and I hope your graphic narrative will participate in “engaging audiences in conflicts and displacement crises that seem remote (…), especially when there appear to be no means of relating to the people in the stories” (to quote PositiveNegatives founder Benjamin Dix, see Comic as Art, Education and Advocacy). Thank you Chalit, June and Mark Hallam (from the Sanctuary Australia Foundation). And thank you, Yves, for your painful yet indispensable testimony. Best regards. Nicolas V.
Description of the Imaginative Communication course: “Methods of conversing emotions, feelings, ideas, values, beliefs and meaning of life through the languages of the imaginative world in the form of poetry, music and songs, literature, drama, film or other creative works of Thai and foreign artists; relationship between science and art of communications; media design for imaginative works; analysis of images and narratives.” This year’s theme: “Crossing Borders”. Communication Management, International Program, Faculty of Communication Arts, Chulalongkorn University.
“Life Beyond Limitation”, a Graphic Narrative by Titirat (April 2016)
A graphic narrative (on the topic of ‘Crossing Borders’) by Thai student Titirat Sengsakdi – based on the true story of Caroline Casey – for her final individual project in IMGT COMM (2800217), April 2016.
Description of the Imaginative Communication course: “Methods of conversing emotions, feelings, ideas, values, beliefs and meaning of life through the languages of the imaginative world in the form of poetry, music and songs, literature, drama, film or other creative works of Thai and foreign artists; relationship between science and art of communications; media design for imaginative works; analysis of images and narratives.” This year’s theme: “Crossing Borders”. Communication Management, International Program, Faculty of Communication Arts, Chulalongkorn University.
Below: some preliminary layouts and final pages with interesting composition/aesthetic choices.
Reproduced with the author’s permission. All rights remain to the author.
“Greyshirt: How Things Work Out” by Alan Moore & Rick Veitch, UK/USA, 1999
Greyshirt: How Things Work Out, script by Alan Moore (UK) and art by Rick Veitch (USA), in: Tomorrow Stories #2, Wildstorm Productions, America’s Best Comics imprint, USA, November 1999. The Greyshirt character is a pastiche of Will Eisner‘s The Spirit.
“In one of the Greyshirt stories in Tomorrow Stories, we did something very peculiar with the panel layouts. We had an apartment building, the same building, upon ever page. There are four horizontal panels on each page. Then, to add another element, we made it so that the top panels are all taking place in 1999, the second panel down on each page is taking place in 1979, the panel beneath that takes place in 1959, and on the bottom panel of each page, you’re seeing the bottom of the building as it was in 1939, when it was a fairly new building. We’re able to tell, by some quite complicated story gymnastics, quite an interesting little story that is told over nearly sixty years of this building’s life, with characters getting older depending upon which panel and which time period they’re in. There’s something that you couldn’t do in any medium other than comics.” Alan Moore (as cited on The Great Comic Book Heroes website), 2001.
Dear students, this story was later published in the collection Tomorrow Stories book 1 (soft cover) by DC Comics.
Copyright ©2004 DC Comics/Moore/Veitch
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