Week 9: European Comic Traditions

     This week I read Marjane Satrapi’s comic novel Persepolis. The comic touches key parts that pertained to Satrapi’s childhood through early adulthood during and after the Islamic revolution. The incredible story shows the essence of dictatorship and bondage in a trapped society. The reader would be able to previse the concept of anti-feminism, gender segregation, socialism, and violence in Islamic culture. The main character Marji has connections with Gods that mentor and give her inspiration in the story. The Gods in the story show the part of her character that is out of touch with reality, but looks through sources by her wisdom and faith. There were a few points where mood of the comic were humorous, even though the reader could still tell that everything is based around a serious situation.   
 

Marji’s character alone is relatable person in the comic. Her character shows the essence of leadership and being a strong person. Marji strived to be different than the society around her. This particular element of the main character showed how she is a true artist creating a obscene atmosphere than the on around her.  

Overall the graphics were stylistic, but lacked of being visually interesting or symbolic to what was going on. This was the only thin that stuck out to me. It was like I was watching a regular basic cartoon. The story was appealing to be, but there really needed to be some conceptual art in this as a comic. I might as well just read a book without any pictures if I was going to read a comic the basic graphics. The only thing that could save this situation is the black a white color scheme. I have no idea if the black and white style was intentional for the graphic mood, or just the final result of the print itself, but that was the only part that could make the graphics stick out to concept the story.