Chapter 3: Page 19
This page demonstrates one of my favorite elements of Rachel’s prowess for visual storytelling: onomatopoeias. Or, for those not familiar with the term, words that signify sounds. I’ve talked a little about this many years ago, but I absolutely love the addition of onomatopoeia as a “scene builder.” By that, I don’t mean a literal scene with a script and characters and a location — I mean the prospect of building a reality in your mind as you read the panels and look at the actions within the art. There is always a time and place for onomatopoeia in visual storytelling — it’s a tool like any other.
I’m sure Rachel could expound on her technique a lot more than I, but I always see onomatopoeia as something built into general “feel”. Does an action feel like it’s heavy enough or expressive enough without the sound? Does the action feel like it’s actually happening in front of you without the sound? In the page this week, there’s very little dialog, but a lot of action. The scene itself, therefore is kind of acting in a way — speaking lines to tell you things. The familiar sounds of a heavy iron key in a lock, the creaking of hinges on a heavy wooden door, the slam of wood and metal and stone, and the telltale klunk (with a period no less!) to suggest the finality and inevitable silent beat of a lock being reapplied.
Let’s take a moment to look at one of the masters of onomatopoeia: Bill Watterson:
This is a mostly silent scene, but Watterson’s use of onomatopoeia drives home every single action you see. In panel 4, when the spring launches Calvin into the air, you might not need the SPROING sound to show what’s happening, but you can feel that it needs to be there. It adds to the humor, and doesn’t detract. Every use of it helps build an imagine and sound in your mind of this preposterous “bedtime machine”.
But even Watterson knew when to hold back, because onomatopoeia can also detract from a scene if used improperly. Let’s take a look at another Calvin and Hobbes comic:
The final panel is a water balloon gag. Very visual, very effective! There’s definitely a sound we can hear when Hobbes does this, but why didn’t Watterson plug it in? I mean, in the previous comic, he had a “SPLOOSH” sound for when Calvin fell into a tub, so why the inconsistency?
To put it simply, it’s because we don’t need to know what the sound is here. The joke is 100% built on the visual of Hobbes spraying Calvin with the water. Adding a “FFSSSH” or something else there would have, objectively, helped you complete the image of this scene in your mind, but it wouldn’t have added anything to the joke. The onomatopoeia would have, in this case, compromised the flow and aim of the comic’s story.
Before guest art this week, I’ve wanted to share this spoof Rachel put together of the Chapter 3 title image for a very very long time, but I’ve repeatedly kept forgetting for reasons passing understanding.
See?! How could I forget to post that up for you?? I feel like it captures Chapter 3 perfectly.
Anyway, sorry, Rachel — I couldn’t resist.
LASTLY! For guest art, I wanted to share this amazing (and timely) piece from reader RM Fung, who was inspired by the wonderful new PS4 open-world action adventure game Horizon: Zero Dawn. For those not in the know, Horizon takes place in a post-post-apocalyptic future where human society has collapsed and reverted to tribalism, and the world is overrun by giant robot animals. The protagonist hunts these robots with a sweet suite of bows and arrows (and other trap-making tools), so Quin might be right at home here!
I’ve been playing Horizon for a while now and I love it, though Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild has kinda grabbed all my attention as of late. But I love the idea of a giant mechanical robo-treewalker! And I love the detail in the piece — it really does sell the idea. Hopefully Quin isn’t too far out of his depth here!
How, precisely, does one pronounce “wkud?”
“Chum-breath” – hee! Although I’d think Dak would be far more likely to boast fishy breath than any Canid; guess it’s just a generic Lutren insult. And so good to hear our ottery friend speaking in full sentences again, after the presumed knockabout he took.
As for the dialogue in that final panel, calling back to the now-idyllic Sunsgrove scenes in Chapter One – priceless! So much goodness this week – as usual.
All Lutren have fish breath, but there’s a difference whether that comes from eating delicious salmon or nasty offal. Hence, chum-breath.
Thank you for that clarification, tronn. It made my morning.
Also, forgot to mention … Vintage “Calvin and Hobbes!” That never fails to inject a touch of classic comic quality wherever it’s introduced! Which only makes this entire page all the sweeter!
(Oh, and nice fan art too, Fungguy!) (As opposed to Fungi … )
That makes…so much sense!
It’s so good to see these two interacting again. And that’s //actually interacting, not interacting as in one person is covered in blood and in shock/covered in blood and half-conscious after an implied torture session.
I love that period at the end of klunk (someone tell Mikey his cat’s loose) it really locks the mood of the scene.
And colorful Lutren insults absolutely warm my heart. But since Lutra is “Sir-Not-Appearing-In-This-Comic” I don’t think we’re going to get to see Tosch torn apart by sharks, more’s the pity.
I’m not sure what to call that line of Dakkan’s about commanding a room- not quite an in-joke, not quite a callback, but whatever it is I like it. These two have a great rapport and it’s always a joy to see their dynamic. I know I’ve said many times that their friendship feels so real and fleshed out, and this little exchange right here is one of many, many examples of that
Anyway.
Rachel, I’m also going to take a moment to appreciate how roughed up they both look here- Dakkan’s not what anyone would call neat, but it’s easy to see here his fur is mussed up- same with Quin, although his beauty sleep and not getting tortured is probably why he’s less of a mess than Dakkan at the moment.
Alex, I always love your little asides about composition, whether it be about panel composition or story beats.
I’m really excited to see where this goes next. I mean, I always am, even though I’m in a somewhat quiet period of my internet activity, my thoughts are never far from this comic and hopefully once I graduate I can darken your door once again with my previous level of activity.
Ah but Dak’s line about commanding a room IS a callback! Specifically to Chapter 1 Page 24
in the story’s time, it’s 2 days ago so the memory’s still fresh
Wow, two days in comic time, five years in real time!
Yay, they’re talking again! I’m glad Quin managed to control the situation.
I really like the visual storytelling in this page! This is why I usually prefer comics over text based novels. They can show things in one page what a lot of pages in a novel would take. Especially with sound effects and the atmosphere of a situation
Nice guest art! But still, regular tree walkers are scary enough. How much more for a giant robot one with a lot of weapons…
I love how Dakkan’s fluffy head is just a mess from both being grabbed and having a terrible time in general. Besides that, it’s nice to see our two boys talking again without Canid intervention. I’m sure they’ll have a lot to discuss before their hosts reappear. Lovely art, as always, and some rad fanart too!
Stuff like that you never really pay attention to, but nevertheless you realize that it’s what sometimes makes visuals give that extra flair.
I’m happy that despite what everything happened, Dakkan and Quinlan still can retain their usual light banter every now and then. Let’s hope that stays with them for the rest of the story.
Awesome work from Fung, the mechanical detail of that treewalker is very nice and I’m afraid that Quin might need some heavier artillery if he’s planning on taking that thing down with just a plain ol bow and arrow haha
Yup,Quin’s improved upon his room-commanding, especially having improved with a more intimidating political figure as only his second tester. Keep working at it Quin! You’ll be a master at it like your grandfather for sure! But really, what Dakkan said is a nice callback to Chapter 1, which is so many years ago at this point. (also love that he finally speaks actual full sentences again for the first time)
And the guest art…whoa, that blew me away! Now I’m getting ideas of Dunia secretly being a post-post-apocalyptic world! Hopefully none of the Old Ones’ secrets are discovered until after the incoming war is over. I can imagine the other characters facing off against robots of a similar like, though I’m more interested in how scholars from all the Four Kingdoms might get all over this…That should be fun.
Thank you Corner Canid for unlocking the door, much obliged. Also chum breath? Did we just glimpse Lutren slang? Wonderful.
Callback to Chapter 1! That’s always fun.
Not to much to say this week. I was going to mention the fun onomatopoeia, but Alex has already expounded on it.
I’m very much looking forward to the first real Quin and Dak conversation since Feyn kicked the door to their room in! There’s a lot for them to discuss . . .
Since Quin and Dak aren’t going anywhere at the moment, I wonder if we’re going to cut back to Janik?
Don’t comment too often, and I’m a bit zonked out atm but:
I love reading your explanations / analyses / WIPs in the description. Especially when they contain Calvin & Hobbes. Don’t ever stop.
“I think we’re done here.”
So basically “We lost them and have no idea where they went.”
Thus allowing the story, and the war, to continue for its due course rather than ending in a week.
Can’t help but see KWUD and think of a radio station.
“Welcome to KWUD, Home of all the top howling wolf hits of the 90s, 2000s, and Today.”
Call /me/ crazy, but I think I kind of prefer the earlier version of Dak’s line to the one that’s in the final script. “An’ who’s this,” has more character and is a more interesting line I feel than “Call me crazy,” which feels kind of flat in comparison I think? Still a great moment! Happy to see these two talk again after such a long time.