Thursday, May 25, 2017

Blank Backgrounds

The Incredible Hulk #289
I might be showing my age, but I remember a time when there were several panels in comics that had "blank" backgrounds (see above). I have no problem with something like this, where the characters are in a battle. I think it adds more focus to the action and keeps the page from getting over-detailed.

That's not to say that doing away with backgrounds, or just drawing the most basic of backgrounds, is an okay thing to do in most cases. I like to see Kirby Tech as much as the next guy, but I think I prefer this kind of simplified approach when it comes to fight scenes. Unless, of course, the background plays a part. Such as the Hulk picking up a big piece of the aforementioned tech to smash down on the Abomination. That kind of thing always trumps on style.


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2 comments:

  1. It's very effective to showcase a dramatic moment in a fight like this one. Everything else disappears in the moment of this hit and this revelation that the Hulk might be in trouble. Obviously you wouldn't want *all* of the panels to be like this, but I agree that comics have moved away from this blank panel, and they've lost a story telling element.

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    1. I think it's a mindset thing. While I like "realistic" looking comics (in proportion and all that), I don't want them to be all photo referenced. There's a nice middle ground there, and I think that hasn't been seen since the 80's.

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