For those of you too young to remember those strange things called "ree-cords," they were fragile platters of vinyl on which were engraved grooves which, when used in the proper player, could reproduce sound.
The shockwave coming off of Schroeder's head in the last panel, is one of those comic conventions, here as a depiction of surprise or dismay, that is mostly just accepted. But what is it supposed to represent? What is it a visual metaphor for? What's to stop us from creating our own such visual metaphors? (I think it'd be fun to do this but make them crazy and nonsensical.) How do these things get invented and agreed upon?
it's always seemed to me like the waves ADD to whatever emotion is being reflected by the character. they've been a comic book/strip staple for a hundred years I'd reckon.
ReplyDeleteDavid
I think the issue regarding the shock waves is not so much the convention of their use, so much as the fact that Schulz used such gimmicks so infrequently. (Another one that Schulz used at least once was a character shrinking when he or she is embarrassed. That's a bit silly when the character is a small child to begin with!)
ReplyDeleteWe've seen the shrinking one before, and I think it is used again some time later. Don't think it's within the next year however.
ReplyDeleteDidn't Scott McCloud already write about these various conventions?
ReplyDeleteWhat strikes me as curious about this strip is that Schroeder isn't playing in CB's ball game. Clearly, at this stage of Peanuts' history 1) CB's baseball team roster isn't yet firmly established, and 2) Schroeder is still somewhat of an outlier, not fully integrated into "the gang."
ReplyDeleteWell, I think it's more that Schulz wouldn't let something like that get in the way of a joke. If Schroeder were playing, he couldn't be home when Charlie Brown comes to ask for a record.
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