Publisher's Weekly reports on an appearance at NYU by the great Scott McCloud, author of Understanding Comics
. On the basis of his previous brilliance, I bought his new book Making Comics, even though I have no interest in making comics myself. Here's a bit:
In his talk McCloud covered the heart of his book, explaining his theoretical position that the comics artist faces five major areas of decision making when creating a new work: choice of moment (which moments of an action to show), choice of frame (how to frame what is being depicted), choice of image, choice of words and choice of flow (how the reader's eye follows the sequence of images). McCloud classifies comics artists in four "tribes": the classicists (like Alex Raymond), who value beauty and mastery of craft; the animists (like Jack Kirby), for whom art serves story content; the formalists (including himself), who experiment with the medium; and the iconoclasts (like Robert Crumb), whose foremost goal is to vividly convey reality. McCloud also narrated an entertaining montage of images illustrating his life story and showed examples of various online comics, demonstrating the new experimental forms that comics can take once freed from the printed page.
McCloud then turned the lectern and the screen over to his teenage daughter, Sky, who used the same words-and-pictures format to deliver an amusing presentation of her family's nationwide tour, blogging as they go. At one point she explained that each of them only brings two suitcases, one for clothes and one for electronic equipment, which is "pretty much all you need in the McCloud family."
Posted by Virginia Postrel on December 03, 2006 • Comments
The WaPost's David Segal reports on the tough question of who's too obscure even for the Wikipedia. Apparently a lot of people try to write their own bios. Not me. Yuck, what a job. Mine is officially a "stub," and it is indeed quite stubby, though I notice that someone has added my birthdate and Atlantic column since the last time I looked.
Posted by Virginia Postrel on December 03, 2006 • Comments
One of the most interesting business articles I've read in a long time. And it's short.
Posted by Virginia Postrel on December 03, 2006 • Comments
The Ball of Whacks is sold out at Amazon, but Roger von Oech, its inventor, emails to say that if you don't want to wait four weeks, you can order one directly from the online store at www.creativewhack.com.
Posted by Virginia Postrel on December 03, 2006 • Comments
The LAT's Jerry Hirsch reports on El Pollo Loco's plans to expand into New England, in part by selling its wares more as chicken than as Mexican food. The story made me think of an interesting cross-cultural moment. We were in a busy part of Tokyo with my parents and needed to find a quick bite to eat before catching a train. The answer: El Pollo Loco, a new experience for my parents. The main difference I remember is that in Japan they take the corn off the cob.
Posted by Virginia Postrel on November 28, 2006 • Comments
| What American accent do you have? Your Result: The Inland North
You may think you speak "Standard English straight out of the dictionary" but when you step away from the Great Lakes you get asked annoying questions like "Are you from Wisconsin?" or "Are you from Chicago?" Chances are you call carbonated drinks "pop."
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| The Northeast |
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| Philadelphia |
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| The Midland |
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| The South |
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| Boston |
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| The West |
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| North Central |
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What American accent do you have?
Take More Quizzes |
[Via Jane Galt.]
I would have had different results 30 years ago--and wildly different if the quiz captured just how different Southern vowels are.
Posted by Virginia Postrel on November 27, 2006 • Comments
My latest Atlantic column (link good for three days) defends the virtues of chain stores and restaurants against critics who complain that "every place looks the same."
Posted by Virginia Postrel on November 27, 2006 • Comments
I discuss the economics of style with Russ Roberts on his latest EconTalk podcast. We also talk a bit about organ markets.
Posted by Virginia Postrel on November 27, 2006 • Comments
Megan McArdle publishes her annual list of suggestions.
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Posted by Virginia Postrel on November 26, 2006 • Comments
In Saturday's NYT business section, Claudia Deutsch had an even-toned, solidly reported article on why new CEOs demand, and get, so much money and such generous "prenups" in case they're fired.
"Two years ago, people might have accepted the C.E.O. job with a one-page term sheet," said Thomas J. Neff, chairman of United States operations at the recruiter Spencer Stuart & Associates. "Today, depending on the lawyer, the contracts can be 30 pages long."
In the end, lawyers and management experts say, executives are still getting what they want. "The process has become grueling, with everyone fretting over every provision and every clause, but the result is pretty much the same," said Robert J. Stucker, chairman of the Chicago law firm of Vedder Price.
The reason the directors are still granting sweet deals rests, quite simply, with the law of supply and demand. The corporate seat of power is not only getting hotter, but is increasingly equipped with an ejector button that directors are ever quicker to press. In fact, turnover in the corner office is heading toward a record high this year....
That means the supply of untainted superstar executives--or "gold medal winners," as Mr. Stucker calls them--is dwindling.
And private equity firms often get first crack at those who are left....
"Private equity is sucking up a huge amount of top management talent, because they offer the opportunity to make a bundle without reporting to a board," said Gerard R. Roche, senior chairman of Heidrick & Struggles.
Now if only Gretchen Morgenstern would stop crusading against CEO pay long enough to do similar reporting--or at least read her colleague's work.
Posted by Virginia Postrel on November 26, 2006 • Comments