The most interesting element of Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud is the medium is in comic form. The narrator himself is a character and the information about comics are drawn in a frame by frame style. While the author presents a discourse in history of comics and the semantics of comics, he manages to incorporate it in a comic style fashion. This effect enables readers to feel drawn in the information presented. This style feels like the reader is in a room and a person is given a presentation on understanding comics. Therefore, the reader is not only getting informed about comics but also immersed in the feeling of a comic.
Comics in the western world has been associated as a “nerd” or “geek” culture. Anyone who reads comics or writes them are wasting their time. Even the author himself has been berated and ridiculed before for pursing a “childish” passion. However, he hopes that by writing this comic, he will allow those who are not familiar with comics to understand them. What is interesting is that he discusses the semantics of word comics, comparing it to other medium such as cartoons. Then he continues to discuss the difference between the message and the messenger. For him, comics are the messenger or medium to carry the message. What he is implying is that comics have the same legitimacy as say novels or art works. In relation to last week’s reading of The Medium is the Messenger, the stereotype of comics as intended for children is the perfect example of how the medium is the message. The fact that comic has certain stereotypes to it enables people to think a certain way. In this case, comics are associated with childish elements and anyone who reads or writes comics are also stereotyped to be of a certain way. But, by taking a step back, comics are simply just a medium to convey a message. Nevertheless, comics in the past has been part of “nerd” or geek” culture. McCloud hopes to change that mindset by writing this comic.