Comics ala McCloud, Part 2

Beth Shaum chose the comic entitled "Ninety-Five" where McCloud depicts a traveling father and his first night back home with his daughter. As they are reading a bedtime story together, the father asks the young girl to name what certain pictures are. When asked to identify one, she exclaims, "Daddy!", which is later revealed to be a telephone. Beth acknowledges that this must be a representation of the feelings and impact the traveling has done on this father's relationship with his family.

This is a very short comic, but it still is very loaded. McCloud creates a word specific comic, where it is necessary that we have the spoken dialog to understand what is happening. "The pictures illustrate, but don't add to a largely complete text." (McCloud 153) Beth talks about the amount of symbols in comics, and this one definitely is making a statement on families with traveling parents. This is hard on children, and even though in their childhood innocence seems fancy-free, they are hurting inside from their relationship deprivation.

This comic uses the same few colors, and I think it is making a statement on the simplicity of the child's complex feelings. It is in color, but the pink background allows us to feel comfortable and young again. The drawings are somewhat simple, and we are able to read this comic in a flowing manner without having to stop and think until the very end.

Good choice Beth, though this comic is actually very sad, it has a very good message very applicable to today's parents.