Since we seem to be ready to talk about the use of graphics and pictures in the comic book form of story, let's go with the next discussion point.

From the RexMundi.net site, graphics and text used with written permission of the copyright holder.
Rex Mundi ™ and © 1999 – 2007 Arvid Nelson. All rights reserved.

Visit the Rex Mundi website at http://www.rexmundi.net


Many of us are new to the "graphic novel" or comic book format as a form of storytelling.

Here are some of the graphics from the RexMundi.net site, as examples.








Keeping in mind that this is a comic book series, a graphic novel, how do you think the author and the illustrator used the graphics to aide in telling the story?

I feel like the illustrations tell the story and words are utilized mainly for expression of strong emotions or sounds to convey some of the action in the book. The illustrations are beautiful and are quite detailed and they tell the story if one studies them at length. I think Mr. Nelson developed his fantastic website as an aid to help convey his story for adults not well versed in graphic novels. Since purchasing this series I have bought various graphic novels and they are a nice change from traditional novels. Reading graphic novels reminds me of reading children's books to my kids and bring back memories of enjoying the art work more than the words.

I love the illustrations in these books as they have so much detail and you just can't skip over them. Compared to comic books I read when I was younger, these are so much more sophisticated in my opinion. They do tell the story and in a way, make the reading more difficult as the reader has to interpret some of the illustrations to get what's happening in the story. It does require some level of inference on the reader's part. I do appreciate the newspaper articles spread throughout the books for background info. I especially got a chuckle when pop culture elements found their way into the newspapers that were taken from today's headlines but woven into the novel.

While I love the "classical" form of a novel, I really enjoyed looking at and studying the illustrations in the books. I wish I had a scanner, so I could show you what I mean, but here goes. LOL I like to watch or study the reactions and looks on the faces of the people in the background. Sometimes I will rewatch a film just to follow the characters' reactions. Sometimes they supply a better feeling of what's going on in the scene. And I loved that this was sometimes the case in the illustrations in this series. An example might be in Book One, Guardian of the Temple, in Chapter Six, the Hidden Priory, we see what goes on during a dinner party and I found it quite amazing that is so much going on in so many of the frames. For me, this adds to the enjoyment of the story and it makes for less written word in trying to describe the background atmosphere.

I wonder if one could read the books without any words?

We could try!

Wouldn't that be fun? You could really get your imagination going with dialogue, etc.

Karen, I'm going to check out Chpt. 6 that you mentioned. I know what you mean about looking at what's going on in the background. After I watched DMC about 5 times, I actually started looking at characters in the background even when Jack was in the scene-----lots of interesting stuff going on. I do think the illustrations are very beautiful.

Did anyone like the original illustrations from the first 2 books better as compared to book # 3 where the illustrator changed?(I think it was book 3). I did notice a difference and I think I preferred the original illustrations better. I'll need to go back and look at these again.

As far as the differences of the two artists, I think they both bring special gifts to the book and to the characters. It must be hard to step into someone else's shoes, especially when the characters were originated by someone else. But I think that Juan Ferreyra's cover for the next chapter is stunnning.

I have very mixed feelings about graphic novels. I read History of Violence when I knew it was going to be filmed with Viggo Mortensen. It was, imo, not very well done at all I've read a couple of others but don't remember what they were. Whilst I agree that thre art work is good I don't like it that much and that does impede how I feel about the books in general. I said in another post that when I read I am there, in the book with the characters. I can, in my minds eye, visualize the scene and how the characters look. Having the images in front of me frstrates me as it stops me from entering the world that is being created in the way I usually would.

I think your caption says it all Karen. The illustrations provide settings, actions, character's expressions and reactions which at times can be lengthy to read. The illustrations brought me right there immediately and very smoothly. Different than what I'm used to reading, but a nice change. I also found myself looking very deeply into some illustrations for a clue or to get a better feeling for certain characters by their expressions.

I did the same thing. I think that once I got a feeling for how to "read" a comic book form of a novel, I embraced the genre and went with the idea of illustrations as an integral part of the story. I don't always like the way a movie is filmed or directed, but I try not to let it affect my opinion of the film. This is the way I feel about graphic novels and their method of storytelling. Again for me, I've bought the ticket, I'm going to enjoy the ride. And once I got used to the form, I loved it and when I realized that the illustrations were part of the storytelling, I really got more out of it.

I agree with both of Rose Sparrow and Karen. :D

I have read several graphic novels before, by well known artists and writers in this genre, some good, some not so good, but this has got to be the best so far.

The change of artists threw me for all of about 10 seconds, then I was back into it again.

I enjoy both the pictures and the writing combined, and despite the pictures showing you who, where and what, I still manage to imagine some of it. I don't know how or why, but I just do. :rolleyes:

I can't wait for the next volume to be published. I won't be buying the individual chapters, because I have too much trouble getting hold of them.

Anne x

I'm a little split whether I actually like the concept of the graphic novel vs regular written novel. I get a bit distracted by the pictures. It's sort of like reading subtitles in a movie -- and no sound to listen to help out the action.

However, I get a big buzz by the newspaper sheets with all the odd newsy bits that have nothing to do with the story. What imagination.

Holly

Just a note regarding the "newspaper" in #2 RM -the pages aren't marked but it's the first entry of Le Journal de la Liberté - Did anyone else read about the Pirates of the Caribbean gutting 3 Dutch vessels and The Dauntless coming to the rescue? I got a chuckle out of it anyway.

Holly

YES!!! I thought that was brilliant!!! :)

Yep, caught that too-----too cute! I found myself thumbing through the other newspaper pages for the society sections just to read the pop culture stuff! :D

I still liked the earlier illustrations better as far as the character's faces, but I'm not distracted by the changes. I also think I'll wait for the next book to come out instead of buying the individual chapters, but thank you Anne for the tip on where you picked up your copy.

Well, I'm almost done with Issue #3 and if I hadn't seen the cover art of issue #4, I would have expected it. It is very chilling.

I think the artwork is different, but in keeping with the original artist's work.

I hope to finish this weekend.

Holly

Well, I'm not sure, but the graphics aide the story in a number of ways.
I particularly like the dark, brown tones. It sets the ambiance, in a one second way, where as if it were a novel, we would have to read a whole chapter to get the 'feeling' of the setting.

If it were a novel, I would have imagined a more decrepid reeking smelly Paris, rather than the clean and educated, yet dark Paris.
Even the rat in book 2, seems clean cut, but the graphics are used to 'hear' the rat scuttling by. This makes it easier for the author to really get to the point, and use meaningful words that are worthwhile.

One thing I DO like about the drawings is that you can really stop and look at them, where, that is impossible in a movie. In a novel, you have to guess, and once the movie comes out, I tend to be dissappointed that my image is different from the book.

I do like the first two books images alot more than book 3's images. Books 1 & 2 have more lines, and details, and I feel the colors are darker.

Nice to meet everyone! Dyane (Diane)

I guess the difference is that this is not a novel, it's a comic book series and it's an imaginary existance rather like a fantasy that this author has developed so he's free to present any situation to the readers. Every one has a different "take" on story as it's presented, so all readers will of course, see the stories differently.