The “A Softer World” comic series was created by Emily Horne and Joey Comeau. It was first published online on February 7, 2003. (asofterworld.com) This comic series is in tradition of ‘romans durs’ or ‘hard novels’ and can be harsh or sad, but really pertains to life. This comic strip is unlike other, traditional comic strips. Instead of being a hand-illustrated strip, Horne captures a photograph, which is used across all the panels in a single strip. Comeau is responsible for writing the actual “comic.” This comic series is very different from others out there because it is real and doesn’t hold back when expressing feelings or emotions.
The fact that these comics are derived from ‘romans durs’ makes the words of the comic strips that much more interesting, considering ‘romans durs’ are defined as works that present a compassionate awareness of the emotional pain that goes along with daily life. The words found in the comics can come across quite depressing, while other times can seem so happy and full of joy, but are also found to be full of sarcasm and wit at times. That’s one of the interesting aspects of this comic series. These words always keep you hooked and guessing because you never know what direction they are going to go for the next strip.
The comic strip, “We Will Make Everything Wrong in the Right Way,” demonstrates the want and desire to keep, or reignite, the fire in a loving relationship. The argument of the emotional pain that is described in this comic series is created through key technical elements such as wording, saturation and hue of the photograph, separation of the photograph and pathos developed by the wording and imagery.
The words found in the strip, “We Will Make Everything Wrong in the Right Way,” are quite inspiring. “I want to rob lumber mills and hospitals with you and just bewilder the hell out of people the way love should.” These words can appear a little drastic, but really do present the shock factor that is necessary to make the point. The use of words in this comic is the biggest factor that appeals to pathos. The words provoke some humor, but also some serious thought and emotions within the reader.
The global pattern of this comic was most likely constructed by using the arguing by example definition. Arguing by example is best explained by, “giving an example.” (CDA, pg. 203) The words in the comic strip do give an example of what they want their love to be like. They want it to “bewilder the hell out of people,” which is an example of a reaction that the author is looking for. The author is aiming to get the readers to examine their current relationships and possibly rekindle a spark that has been lost. This form of argument is an effective way to do so because of the shock factor it can present.
The way the words are presented are also elements that can be considered when describing the argument of the comic strip. The words are not just printed onto the picture or in a thought or word bubble like traditional comics, but instead appear to be cut and pasted onto the pictures. The words look like they have been cut from a magazine or newspaper and pasted onto the three frames. The fact that there is not many words to the comic and they have all been cut out and arranged in a readable format makes the comic more appealing to readers because it doesn’t take a lot of time to read the comic strip and the comprehension level will be higher because there isn’t a whole lot to think about. The words are separate from the photograph, which presents an opportunity to process each element of the comic strip individually and then bring them together for further comprehension, if necessary.
Another interesting part of this particular comic strip is the picture that was chosen for the background. In the first frame is a man who appears to be holding back a laugh. He appears to be in a train or subway station from what a person can see in the next two frames. This picture fits the words of the comic quite well. It also adds to the humorous aspect of the strip. It also creates questions within the reader/viewer. They may now be wondering if the man is laughing because of the ridiculous ideas of the comic or is he laughing because he’s guilty of one of the “crimes” mentioned.
The hue and saturation of the photograph used for this comic strip are quite beneficial to the argument the photograph is presenting. This particular photograph is printed in black and white, which can signify the loss of passion and fire in the relationship being spoken about in the comic. The fact that the photograph isn’t very dark where it could be may indicate the hope that there is for the same relationship to recover what it used to be.
The separation in the photograph can play a large part in the meaning of the photograph too. The fact that the man’s face is only on the first slide where they actually speak of human interaction is something that could simply symbolize the need for the connection with another human. The fact that the other two frames have no main vectors of attention and aren’t in focus could symbolize the confusion and haziness that can be seen in the words of the last two frames. “The way love should,” is a statement of boldness, but also one of uncertainty, not in the words themselves, but in the relationship being referred to. The fact that nothing is really in the photos of the frames of the last two sets of words is a symbol of the doubt of the statement.
The words of this particular comic bring forth various emotions. One could find a bit of humor in these words, just from the absurdness of the idea of robbing lumber mills and hospitals to demonstrate your love for another human being. Another reader could find sorrow in these words, as they can sound like a desperate cry to fix what was once a wonderful, passionate relationship.
The photograph also contributes to the feelings of humor and laughter, as you see the man who is holding back laughter. Seeing another person laugh can sometimes trigger a comical responses within a reader as well. The photograph, while in black and white, really does present more of an upbeat feeling than a sad, sorrowful feeling.
Through the various key technical elements mentioned throughout the essay, the comic strip from the series, “A Softer World,” does measure up to the standard of a ‘romans durs’ writing. It expresses the emotion that comes from everyday life. It also measures up to the standards of a comic. It represents an aspect of the word, even though it doesn’t follow the ways of a “traditional” comic strip.
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