Scott McCloud

RAJ

Okay, so I've dug into the archive and listened to the Geekights where Rym and Scott talk about Big O, an episode where either of the two mentioned and expressed disagreement with the financial opinions of Scott McCloud on web comics, which is understandable, but have either of the two hosts or other listeners besides myself actually read one of Mr. McClouds works. I don't want to accuse anyone or takes sides or any of that, I'd just like to open a window to discussion. (New to forums,-- of any kind-- [but not to hearing about flame wars], so just thought I'd mention that last part)

La Petit Mort

His Understanding Comics was one of my textbooks back in high school. It was probably my favorite schoolbooks and I almost didn't give it back.

Kiey

Understanding Comics was one of my textbooks in grad school, I also read Making Comics, both are great. I never read Reinventing Comics, because from what I understand it's largely irrelevant. Much of what it talked about potentially happening with comics and the internet was already happening by the time the book came out. And I think McCloud has pretty much said as much.

Dr. Timo

I don't want to accuse anyone or takes sides or any of that, I'd just like to open a window to discussion.

Look, the way you ask the question makes it sound like you DO have an axe to grind. Otherwise you could just ask -- without the preamble -- "Has anyone read Scott McCloud? Let's discuss!"

Anyway, I have read Zot!, most of the digital stuff and the Google Chrome(?) thingy he did a few years ago. With Zot! I think he is being too simplistic for my taste and the online comics are nice but the fact that they are experimets of his shows through way too much. It's a bit like a professor telling a joke that suddenly turns into a "see what I did there?" teaching moment.

I haven't gotten round to his actual claim to fame works yet but they are on my reading list.

RAJ

@ La Petit Mort
Wow, a text book? Your high school sounds pretty bad ass,was it assigned to you in an art class?

@ Kiey
I'm happy and a little crushed to hear that about Reinventing Comics since just kind of bought it... but I'm happy to hear that about Understanding Comics (Which I need to get to eventually) and making comics (The one so far that I've read). So which side of the potentially omnipotent fence are you reading from?

@Timo
Noted. And to tell the truth, honestly, I may have been about 5% salty when I set out to make this thread having just finished Making Comics.

Also, I'm guessing Zot! is fairly okay to skip? And it shouldn't take me to long to read through his web comics, after that, I can legitimately hash some opinions with out ya, but for right now, in the case of the web comics, I'd assume he's presenting himself strongly in the role of the formalist,* i.e., showcasing what can be done with the medium rather than presenting said potential in it's best form; sorta the kicker for artists who can be classified as this type who can't so well balance the new and intriguing with grounded qualities such as characterization in Salinger's Catcher in the Rye, or Joyce's The Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man.

La Petit Mort

It was actually one of the English elective classes, Literature and the Arts, dealt with many subjects, but comic books were a big part of it; we also had Watchmen, Dark Knight Returns and Kingdom Come as assigned reading.