After finishing chapters one through four of Scott McCloud’s Understanding Comics, I came to understand the true depths of comics. Previously, I did not consider the long history of comics nor the effects of using abstract images versus detailed figures and the impact it may have on the reader. Something that really stood out to me while reading through McCloud’s book occurred in chapter two when McCloud claimed the human race is self-centered. And that we see ourselves in everything, he also mentioned we assign identities and emotions where none exist (33). When I was a kid, my imagination often turned inanimate objects such as cars, clouds, or shapes into faces—I would never have imagined a reason for this was because of I as part of the human race, was self-centered in my thinking.
Another point McCloud mentioned which captured my attention was when he stated: “The more cartoony a face is, for instance, the more people it could be said to describe (31)”. This quote connects to the idea of the human race being self-centered because often if a figure is abstract and simplified enough, we attempt to assign ourselves to the character, or at least the abstractedness of the image allows us to put ourselves in the character’s shoes.
Lastly, while reading through the comic, I also thought about ways I would be able to implement some of the techniques McCloud discussed in my future web designs. I found that there were several lessons I could apply towards future projects, one being the usage of space and how I arrange the layout of my webpage to better connect with my audience. Overall, I enjoyed reading McCloud’s Understanding Comics, and I learned more than I thought I would about the history, techniques, and psychology of comics.