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A New Way to Tell an Old Story

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red52:
Lately, I've been thinking about the webcomics we've all become rabid fans of and their importance in the sense of telling story. Way back when, comics in general were thought to be for the kids, trash that adults shouldn't waste their time with. Yet as we've all learned, comics can pack a tremendous punch as telling an entertaining tale is concerned. So with that settled, I turn to another thought:

Are words printed on a page losing their power as comics and webcomics grow in popularity?

Some might argue that this is a foolish fear, that 'novels' (and they always say novels with an arrogant tone.) will never be surpassed by such trash. But I defy you to find a novel done in the past or recently that is up to the standards of storytelling that QC has risen to. It's pacing, characters, and overall story are highly entertaining and at several times I've found myself actually caring about these people that Jeph has created.

And QC isn't the only webcomic to achieve these hieghts of story telling brilliance. Anyone checked out Megatoyko lately? Fred, despite any and all emo moments he has, is a gifted man and has been able to weave a complex and interesting tale. These comics are out there, exploring brave new horizons that books have yet to tap, ones I'm afraid they never will.

Thoughts?

ZJGent:
I'm a big megatokyo fan (and QC fan!) as well, and I'm inclined to agree... to a point. I suppose I don't want to bundle novels and comics in the same category, I know that they both want to tell me a story, and I know that the characters are important, but it's stuff like really good imagery writing (Pullman and the like) that gets me thinking that they're just two completely different methods. I don't think one can surpass the other, unless it's in the way that, for me, cheese surpasses ham. I know cheese and ham don't have the same background, and I know neither of them is intrinsically 'better' than the other, nor can one out-perform the other in a general sense, but I still prefer one over the other as a matter of personal preference only. It's the same, I suppose, as with novels and comics. I know that a character and a storyline can be presented by both, but I love the imagery that writing can call up in my imagination by simple juxtaposition of metaphor and lexis and all the rest of it. At the same time, I love with a passion different and fresh comic styles (art and story). But I don't think one can surpass the other because they're... made of different stuff. And there's my thoughts. In short: Novels and Comics, Ham and Cheese. Peace out.

- ZJ

Kukushka:
Many people will tell you that the novel was the death of poetry, yet how many of us listen to music?

And, of course, many people thought that TV and movies would be the death of novels, yet we still read and write, perhaps just as much.

While both are mediums used to tell a story, they are different. I agree with the ham and cheese analogy (yum!). Each has its strengths and weaknesses. They are different enough that one does not cancel out the other.

tomselleck69:
are you really asking us to prove that novels written better than QC exist?



i don't think literature is at all threatened by comics/webcomics. if anything, i feel like tv and movies are more likely to be the nails in it's coffin.

Gryff:

--- Quote from: red52 ---I defy you to find a novel done in the past or recently that is up to the standards of storytelling that QC has risen to.
--- End quote ---


So basically you are saying that QC is the absolute pinnacle of all literature? Wow. That's just so dumb. Really. I- I just can't understand why you would say this.

I mean, have you actually read any novels?

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