What do comics and poems have in common: silence p1

IMPORTANT OR NOT

We all care about something. But, is it the same thing we care about? No, we don’t. Consequently, if we are to try and decide what comics and poems have in common, our answers might diverse as much as saying comics and poems are nothing alike.

Indeed, they are alike. Both are stories to begin with. Poetry is, yes it is my opinion and therefore not humble at all but still an opinion not a fact so convince me of the contrary; the nirvana all writers wish for. If the micro novel (6 words according to Hemingway) is the smallest unit of fiction; then poetry is THE story. The Enuma elish, The Odyssey…The Iliad…they are poems. Maybe because poems are easier to remember than prose.

Then if we look back to the old times as those of the poem as epic narrative; what do we get image wise? Trajan’s column in Rome, The book of the dead, Altamira, Johannes Vermeer or ukiyo-e. Yes, the last ones are way more modern than any epic poetry but still old enough to say comics have been around for a while. Are ruin engraves totally devoid of narrative?

WHAT ABOUT SILENCE?

Silence is nothing. However, important to fiction, design and perhaps, engineering. Without silence, there’s no tale, no reading and hence fore, no communication.

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?

We break it. It is the white or the black we intrude into either with words or image.

We are the creators around it. It is the white or the black around the word (mostly scenes when talking prose) or the image we use to pause, ration or uphold as more important. Sequence depends on what’s missing and what’s there. Rhythm requires silence in between the groups. Interest depends on us getting quiet at the right time.

Alfredo Ballesteros¹, prize winner… no idea which prizes for I have never met him and I doubt he would ever care about me; thinks it is a sequence we can drag to give space to contemplation. I don’t think so.

TO B E CONTINUED

1. The chap has read his share of poetry and manga to be able to state such a thing; he is director to the publishing house Agua Verde and has no more information Wikipedia wise. ↩︎