LO1: Describe a chosen graphic novel

The comic I will be studying and using as inspiration is the Dark Knights of Steel by DC comics featuring popular characters like Bruce Wayne, Diana Prince and Clark Kent/Kal-El. It is a twelve issue limited series written by Tom Taylor and illustrated by Yasmine Putri.

Overview

"An entire medieval world will be forever changed when a spaceship crash-lands from a doomed planet. Monarchs will die, kingdoms will rise, and what seemed the end of the world for many…was only the beginning!" A great war between kingdoms and magical being that stems form a prophecy that might destroy their world. The story is mostly centered around the lives of Superman/Kal-El and Batman/Bruce Wayne. Though, it shifts its focus onto many other characters as the story progresses.

Purpose, Genre and Structure

All the above mentioned concepts are intertwined. The genre of the comic is medieval fantasy and superhero, which is a mix many people have been waiting to explore since the popularity of franchises like Game of Thrones, The Hobbit, Lord of the Rings and games like Dungeons and Dragons. The idea of medieval politics and setting with superpowers is appealing while also being paradoxical- there are limitations in terms of technological developments but unlimited possibilities to integrate many other concepts like magic, witches, wizards, mages etc. DC have always been eager to explore alternate plotlines and dimensions that serve to enhance the base story and characters. This is necessary as the DC universe has existed for many decades. The purpose of the comic series is to provide a fresh perspective to the otherwise repetitive superhero genre. The story follows a linear structure where the characters starts with a quest, leading up to a final conflict and plot twist.

Target Audience

The target audience of the comic series are existing DC and superhero comic fans. They might enjoy medieval themed media like the products mentioned above (Dungeons and Dragons, The Hobbit etc.) Most audience members are older (18-35) as it deals with mature topics like politics, death, war, violence etc.

Paneling

The paneling of this comic follows the traditional style panels and gutters and is read left to right as it is a western comic. Though, a unique feature that is seen in some modern comics is how certain scenes don't follow the traditional white background/gutters and opt to fade in background or layer multiple panels over bigger ones. This helps bring a cohesive look to the entire page and allows seamless transitions between scenes. This layout is optimised for a physical book but has some similarities to a webcomic in terms of background placements. Hence, it is possible to upload it rather seamlessly to an online comic distributing platform like Webtoon or Tapas. As comic styles have developed over the years, this has allowed the comic to look more like an animated series due to its paneling choices and detailed art style.

                    

Another aspect that stood out to me was that the gutters/background changed colour depending on the mood of the scene. In scenes of mystery, action, death and even gloomier weather conditions, the gutters and background were a darker, almost black colour to match and enhance the setting and tone. The seamless transitions that these paneling formats create can be compared to cinematic film sequences, which is the effect that the comic artists intended.

Use of Speech and Iconography

The comic uses standard speech bubbles throughout that can be seen in the examples above. They tend to be small and circular throughout the series and use a traditional comic font that is used in most comics. While I was not able to find the exact font, it seems to be a variation of comic sans and/or komica which is one of its newer alternatives. As seen in the examples above, the comic uses many onomatopoeic effects like 'KOOM' and 'SCREEE' to emphasise the sound effects that scene would have. As this is an example of print media, artists have to come up with creative ways to convey the sound effects to the readers. These onomatopoeic effects are usually bigger than the speech bubbles and are usually in white or black with a bright coloured outline, both of which will stand out regardless of the background.

Characters and Storyline

The main characters of the series include Kal-El (Superman), Bruce Wayne (Batman) and Diana (Wonder Woman). In terms of their designs, the artists have maintained certain iconic design elements and motifs from their original costumes like silhouettes and colours but have altered the type of garments, accessories and props to support the medieval setting. For example, Bruce dons armour that resembles his original Batman design/costume while Kal-El has a more relaxed outfit that only resembles the original through colour. He does have a cape that is draped on one side to replicate his original silhouette (same for Bruce). Diana's outfit is the most similar to her original design as her costume is supposed to resemble ancient European armour. Though, she has a slightly more worn look with some rustic elements. She also dons unique jewelry and accessories. Bruce and Diana both have unique swords/weapons while Kal-El relies on his kryptonian powers. Common colours seen in their costumes have various connotations. Red represents courage and passion, Blue connotes hope and trustworthiness and yellow/gold symbolises power, optimism and royalty.

The choices the characters make are dictated by the limitations and rules the world they are in sets. Though, their characterisation is not much different than what we have already seen in the modern versions of these characters. As seen throughout the series, their setting does not affect their psyche as much as one would expect, which robs the readers of an all rounded story.

Plot Summary

In the comic, Jor-El and Lara crash-land on Earth after the destruction of their home planet Krypton, and are confronted by archers who have come to investigate. Jor-El tries to reason but ultimately kills them with his heat vision, and his son, Kal-El, is born shortly after. In the Kingdom of Storms, Constantine has a vision of demons from outer space who will conquer the world, and hence, a prophecy is made. Nineteen years later, Bruce, a knight of the Kingdom of El, and his companions go on a quest to capture a banshee. Prince Kal-El is forbidden to join them due to his family's vulerability to magic. Jor-El reveals that he is Bruce's father and that the Els took over the kingdom after the deaths of King Jefferson and Queen Martha. The Green Man visits King Jefferson and Constantine, who are unnerved and begin to doubt his prophecy. King Jefferson and Constantine travel to Amazonia, where they meet with Queen Hippolyta. They learn that the Els were forced to expose themselves to save the kingdom and became lifelong friends of the King and Queen. Constantine, a spy for Bruce, uses alcohol to numb the death of King Jefferson and informs his assistant, Timothy, that he was a spy for him. He believes Jefferson was murdered by Zala, but does not want to start a war. General Waller warns him that if Hippolyta were to die, Diana would become Queen of the Amazons. Ra's al Ghul revives Prince Jacob in exchange for information on the Titans. Prince Jacob is resurrected but cannot go home. Due to a misunderstanding, Kal-El almost kills Bruce and abandons him, after which a kind couple (The Kents) take him in. At the Kent farm, Bruce is plagued by nightmares of the El family destroying the world. Raven and her Titans save his life, and the Els fight against the Green Man, Luthor. Lara and Diana attempt to negotiate a peaceful solution, but Luthor's ring knocks her unconscious. Lara's assassination of Hippolyta is a result of a misunderstanding. Alfred who later reveals himself to be a white-skinned monster, is interrogated by the Queens, who reveal his true identity as J'onn J'onzz. The Queens set up fire-based defenses around the Kingdom of El, but a more permanent solution is needed.