I know I said this would be posted quite a few days ago, but due to a short term lack in internet connection, and the fact no one is really reading this blog yet I'm just now sitting down to write it, forgive me.
So lets begin, the first page of a graphic novel. This page should grab you by the proverbial gonads and make you want to read more. To do that, there needs to be a unique combination of design, writing, font, drawing style and color.
I'll begin with a legend in the comic book industry:
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| The Sandman |
Truthfully, I feel as though it is the second page of the first Sandman comic that really hooks the readers. I feel as though you don't have to know anything about occult religions to get the mysterious feel of this scene. Probably my favorite part about this is the top left hand corner where the owner of the house's face is introduced, enshrouded in a frame that evokes the style of a pentagram, while the contours of his head are left undone, giving his face a demonic effect (his expression doesn't help either). The colors are bright and almost primary, but coupled with the black pen shading really add to the occult setting. As for the conversation between the men, fiction has long told us that nothing good ever comes from trying to bring back the dead, so I want to know how this manifests in the old man's plight.
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| Fables |
I originally began reading Fables because it had similar qualities to the main concepts of my art in the second semester of college. I was doing a lot of research of fairy tales and in particular Little Red Riding Hood, and towards the end of the class that most of my work was done for, it became more and more of modernizing the old tale. I love how the introduction is set up in classic fairy tale fashion from "Once upon a time..." to the text on scrolls of paper, and how it is mirrored humorously with modern day New York City. I also like how the desaturation of the coloring compliments not only the idea of this being a fairy tale, but also the real life grey tones of the Concrete Jungle. All of these elements are smartly set up to mirror and compliment each other to create a very cohesive feeling with polar opposites.
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| Sky Doll |
Originally a French comic, Sky Doll is a beautiful collaboration of high style comic art and fantasy sci-fi. The first page opens up with the main character looking up to the heavens and speaking in a far too truthful manner to "God". Each panel sets up a humorous one sided conversation on the part of the main character and it isn't until the last box we come to understand "God" is the name of her boss and a giant rat looking alien. These first two pages set up the visual tone for the rest of the book where the main characters bright pink hue is framed with desaturated blue-grey shadows with green and pink reflected lights.This juxtaposition somewhat mirrors the full story that is rather mature but possesses awkward spots of humor. This, combined with the humorous dialogue instantly makes me want to explore this alien world.
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| Battle Royale |
Let us totally forgot that Battle Royale is one of the most awesome movies made, and that we have to look at this manga with fresh ignorant eyes. The first page opens up in first person narrative on the state of the narrator's country. The narrative has tones of sarcasm as he/she describes this country being run by a dictatorship. The word boxes with these descriptions are layered on top of an image of an anonymous government. On the bottom half of this first page is a photograph of anonymous high school students with no eyes and the narrator goes on to describe the worst part of this dictatorship, a "state sponsored" game that is the locals form of entertainment. One of the things I really like about this introduction is how it introduces how this issues bothering the narrator actually effects a large group of people, yet the first person narrative (complete with distinct personality) sets up the story in a way that makes the reader interpret it on a personal level and makes the reader want to know what exactly is going to happen to the narrator.
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| Petshop of Horrors |
This is one of my favorite Japanese comics, and it opens up in a brilliant fashion. Automatically we are cued to the inspiration of the story's concept, an 80's favorite "Gremlins." Some might call it copying, however I personally feel it was far more of an extended inspiration then simply plagiarism. Immediately we are introduced to the pet shop's keeper, an androgynous and beautiful young man, dressed in exotic clothes and framed in glorious ripe flowers.The reader is welcomed into a scene that is mysterious and beautiful at the same time. Honestly, the scenes involving the petshop throughout the whole series make me imagine scents of incense and jasmine, and I wouldn't be surprised of any of the 'pets' in this petshop were drawn smoking opium.
There you have it! The introductions to five of my favorite graphic novels of all time. I would be exceedingly happy to inspire the same kind of awe in my readers that these books gave me.
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