First of all, I love that McCloud decided to write about comics using its own medium!
In the first few chapters, McCloud introduces us to various drawing techniques used by artists to convey meaning. I particularly enjoyed when he discussed the phenomenon by which we view objects as extensions of ourselves, such as a hat or a car: “the vehicle becomes an extension of our body. It absorbs our sense of identity. We become the car” (38). I can definitely relate to this, as someone who rarely—almost never—misplaces things that I own (I will almost always know where something is). Before this reading, I had never really thought of comics or cartoons as deeply as McCloud discusses them and the different styles through which artists can communicate different messages, touching upon the psychology of their audience.
I also understand why McCloud decided to draw himself in such a simple style, as mentioned on page 36. My immediate reaction to the more detailed and realistic drawing of himself was “Oh, that’s what he looks like?”, and for some reason, for just a second, the tone of the narrator’s voice felt like it had changed–it felt more biased.
As someone who does not read comics, reading “Understanding Comics” was not only an adventure into McCloud’s mind, but also an exploration of how he utilizes the medium to convey his message. I was impressed not only by his artistic skills, but also by his use of space–and references to human psychology–in order to tell his story.