Final Blog

I think McCloud brings up some interesting points about the future of digital technologies, some of which are already obvious or were brought up at the beginning of the Internet's popularity. I feel that these technologies, as McCloud said, will evolve "beyond the limited definitions of [their] origins" (McCloud, 230). Things like the Kindle bring the scope of the digital page to any setting, rather than just at a desk, which is quite an interesting concept to think about.

When it comes to the future of comics, I think McCloud over-defines what a comic is. He mentions early CD-ROM based media and games, and I can't say that I agree that these constitute as comics. They have some semblance of progressive story, so I see the time argument, but the ability in a game like 7th Guest to move freely for most of the game, only being forced into a path at major story points doesn't say comic to me. I've never been a fan of comics personally (I mean I'm not a nerd [Note: I played D&D, Magic: the Gathering, and more fantasy games than I can mention, so I'm clearly kidding here in that respect]) and I don't see them as a highly influential medium.

There is only two comics I read in paper form on a regular basis as a child, Calvin and Hobbes, and occasionally Dilbert. As for web comics, out of the thousands I know of and I'm sure have seen at one point or another, I can only think of ONE that I've even occasionaly gone back to, that being Penny Arcade.

I just don't see the huge draw to "comics," but maybe thats because I see it as a different medium than a hypertext. Just personal opinion.

As for the readings over the course of this... course, there were a few readings I actually enjoyed highly. Lanham is always a good read, and I find it interesting how some people see the concepts of "at" and "through" differently. It leads to interesting discussions.

Even though I think Williams does a ton of things wrong, and the CRAP principles often lead to new age digital pop art that lacks professionalism, she brings up many good points, especially for new digital designers.

The piece I think I enjoyed the most was the Solomon piece on typography was the most fun to read this Summer. I've found typography fairly interesting since I took English 492 with Todd and Butler and got to spend a lot of time in the WSU Library. Seeing things like illustrated letters are interesting to me.



Works Cited:
McCloud, Scott. Reinventing Comics. 230. (http://www.aml.wsu.edu/facultysites/Muhlhauser/McCloud.pdf)