Week 3 Meaning 2

Promotional Cover art of the new Ms. Marvel comic for 2014

Representational:

The basic image is that of a young dark-skinned woman. She seems to be slim and pretty as most women in media are. The woman is clad in a lighting bolt shirt which is the symbol of Ms. Marvel, she is standing in a strong pose with one hand clenched and the other arm hold school books. The woman herself has dark hair and skin- a deviation from the blonde-haired and blue-eyed Carol Danvers Ms. Marvel from previous comics.

The image conveys a lot of meaning to the viewer about the kind of woman this person is. In 2014, Marvel plans to pass the mantle of Ms. Marvel from the caucasian Carol Danvers to a 16-year-old daughter of Pakastani immigrants named Kamala Khan. Because this is a first for Marvel comics as a company and for readers as a character, the viewer is treated to a pose that is shrouded in a bit of mystery. We cannot see the figure's face in this image and we don't know a lot about her personality other than the fact that she is in school and is apparently, determined. The simplicity with the mystery of the girl and her pose represents a new beginning for the comic, full of potential.

The representation of the woman is essentially the vehicle used to convey the abstract emotions in the image. The implication of the dark skin and the pose shows us that this girl is not just a new girl taking the position of Ms. Marvel but she is proud of who she is and what she's going to be doing in spite of opposition from those who'd judge her for her background, age or gender. The girl gives us a physical representation of what we're going to expect from the character and therefore a canvas for the abstract and symbolic aspects of the image.

Abstract:

While there isn't a lot abstracted in the image itself we do have an abstract sense of determination created by the pose the girl is standing in. The gripped fist that points to the lighting bolt- or perhaps the lighting bolt in conjunction with the gripped fist, makes for a strong sense of power as well

The use of strong poses and gestures in art conveys just that, strength. The closed fist could be in preparation for a punch or to be thrust into the air. It's placement next to the lightning bolt also allows this feeling of power to come through.

The abstract sense of power from the girl's pose can only be conveyed through the canvas of the girl making it. The pose and the girl's image work in conjunction to send the message of strength. The pose also could be considered a symbol of heroism as it is a traditionally heroic-looking.

Symbolic:

The main symbol in this image is the lighting bolt on the girl's chest. This is the symbol for the superhero Ms. Marvel. The lightning bolt symbolizes Ms. Marvel's superpowers and is a dynamic-looking shape to be the focal point of the image. There is also some symbolism in the girl's scarf and books, indicative of her heritage and general character.

Because this is a new character to take on the roll of Ms. Marvel, the symbol of the lightning bolt on this figure's chest roots the viewer to the old superhero. This is a good way to establish a connection with the old Carol Danvers Ms. Marvel while creating a bridge to the new Kamala Khan. The viewer gets hints of the new character's occupation as a student through the books she's holding in her hand: history, a how-to and even an illustration and design book. The scarf while not incredibly obvious is reminiscent of scarves commonly worn in middle eastern countries by muslim women to cover their hair. The scarf's pattern also invokes the geometric designs often found in Islamic art and architecture.

The symbols act as a way to indicate who the girl in the image is. In conjunction with the pose that implies power and the actual representation of the girl herself, the viewer gets a very basic portrait of who this woman is. The pose reads strength in conjunction with the lightning bolt. The figure is clearly not a fully grown adult, aided by the textbooks in her left hand. Looking at the representation of the girl, we see a young woman, of non-caucasian descent, ready to take on the world with her new superpowers. Perhaps there is a bit fear in her frown and the viewer knows that there will definitely be sub-plots about juggling school and hero-work (indicated by her still holding her books) but this image conveys confidence which is a trait that is critical for the Ms. Marvel role.

Week 3 Meaning

The Batman crest is an interesting representation in a few ways. The first, and surface layer of meaning is simply the stylized image of the bat. Image is not of a fruit bat, or a specific characterized bat, it's a general representation that invokes bat-ness through retaining and stylizing the ears of the bat and the wings. As a representation it is also indicative of the character himself. Batman does not look like image on his chest but due to his legacy as a pop culture icon, he is also represented by the image of the bat. The Batman logo has gone through many iterations in it's lifetime but in spite of the variations, it's connotations are still the same. This is a representation of a bat and has become a symbol of the caped crusader. 

Chairs are one of my favorite examples of physical representations of an abstract concept. The shape of a chair is essentially the physical version of the verb "to sit." From the earliest age, we can look at a chair and understand it's function. In particular, this chair, a design indicative of the Arts and Crafts movement, is simple and spares the chair from representing anything other than function. The shape itself, mimics the body once it's sitting, further highlighting the representation of the action.  In contrast to say, a stool or an unusually smooth rock, which one can also sit on, the back of the chair mimics the back of a sitting person, giving the person doing the sitting action, something to lean against. 

The Star of David has a long history of both good and bad symbolism. While the symbol is linked quite heavily to the jewish faith, this was not the case until very recently. Until very recently, the jewish people was not only considered a faith but a race as well. The symbol of the star itself links back to a story of the shield of Abraham, the man considered the father of the Jewish nation. During a battle Abraham's shield- a triangle pointing up to symbolize everything coming to God- fused to a rival king's shield-  a triangle pointed down, symbolizing everything coming to him. The fused triangles created the star shape we recognize today. The star- later taken as a symbol of King David who became a leader of the jewish people. This gold star symbol in particular was used by the Nazis during the Holocaust to differentiate between christian citizens and jewish. Because of the diaspora, Judaism was not relegated to one specific race and therefore, a symbol was needed, thus transforming it into a faith symbol more than racial. The symbol itself, comprised of two triangles along with the gold color creates a distinctive and strong shape that is easily and quickly recognizable.