Mox Nox

Joann Cornell's graphic novel Mox Nox was a delight to read. Some where really humorous to me, but others were alittle to graphic which lead me not being able to enjoy it. Cornellà is a brilliant artist. He is genuinely insightful and witty without being at all pretentious. He is focused on his art and not on his image. Great bold bright colors through out the comics adds to its humor and makes the comic for the young generation. He is a minimalist, conveying exactly and only what needs to be shown. He understands that there is no need for fluff or filler in great art. His minimalist approach is refreshing; I do get bored of photorealists drawing meaningless, complicated dragons and shit. Mox Nox does not seem at all manufactured, forced, rehearsed or 'thought up'; it feels natural and like Cornellà is giving a part of himself to his art. It is raw and vulnerable. The brilliant, short comics make abstract, sometimes riddle-like comments and inferences about human nature and culture. The recurring characters are archetypal and memorable and the facial expressions Cornellà draws are simple yet timeless. A favorite most defiantly. 

Dockwood is a contemplative glimpse into an otherwise uneventful Fall day in a sleepy town somewhere in the UK. You spend the first half of the day following a young kitchen porter as he prepares and delivers meals to the residents of the nursing home where he works, while a section of the afternoon is spent with a high school paperboy as he goes around Dockwood delivering the local evening newspaper.
Yeah, not much happens in terms of a plotline, but then again, you get the feeling that complicated plots were never the point of this graphic novel. Capturing everyday life, as quiet, uneventful and even boring as it might be sometimes seems more in line with the purpose of Dockwood, and in this aspect, the novel succeeds most brilliantly. The color schemes used by the artist are stunning and complement the Fall spirit of the novel entirely. I particularly like the “silent” moments of some of the panels, the ones in which the two main characters simply stop what they are doing and take the time to appreciate simple things, such as tree leaves or a starry sky. But humans are not the only protagonists in Dockwood, and I found the numerous panels depicting nature and the animal life of that quiet town really enjoyable too. 
That being said, it is fair to warn that Dockwood is an unusual book and that it is certainly not everyone’s cup of tea, but if you tend to find beauty in the ordinary, it might just be the thing for you. 

The french film we watched in class was also a delight to watch. I love the style of art it had through out the film. How each character was drawn, the dog being round so he is friendly to the audience and the evil man have sharp edges making the audience to know they are not friendly. The muted dirty colors made it seem like a older piece then it is, and I loved seeing that sketchy feel all around. This art style is the kind of style I love to see in art. I would recommend this film even though we sadly never go to finish the film in the class.