Based on the three attached Ella Cinders Sunday strips, written by Bill Conselman and drawn by Charles Plumb, analyze the comic strip’s cartooning and visual-narrative style. The paper should be 4-5 pages in length (that is, extending at least to the bottom of the fourth page; any paper shorter than that will probably not be able to analyze the topic in enough detail to earn full credit), twelve-point, double spaced.
Begin with a short introductory paragraph, then proceed by answering each of the following topics in this order:
- What framing choices are used? Find all the types of framing choices that apply. Why do you think some framing choices are NOT used?
- What types of panel-to-panel transitions are used? Find all the types of transitions that apply. Why do you think some transitions are NOT used?
- What emanata, motion lines, sound effects, and other related indicators are used? Make sure to note all the ones you can find in all three strips.
- What types of layout are used? Discuss any particularly interesting layout choices you identify.
- Describe the comic’s cartooning style. Where does it fit on the sliding scale from totally realistic to the simplicity of the smiley? Where does it fit in McCloud’s triangle describing cartooning style? (The triangle is available as a slide in your first class PowerPoint.) What types of line are used? Is shading used or not?
- Based on your analysis above of Plumb and Conselman’s visual-narrative choices, discuss their overall narrative style and how it serves to convey the story.
Here is more information on the strip as a whole:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ella_Cinders (Links to an external site.)
http://www.toonopedia.com/ellacind.htm (Links to an external site.)
And here are other installments of the series, in case you are curious:
http://comicbookplus.com/?cid=1951 (Links to an external site.)