Scott McCloud addresses the gutter on page 66 of Understanding Comics. He explains that in the gutter, "human imagination" makes connections between the panels, forming a single idea about what's happening in the comic. Flipping through V again, I realized how narrow the panels are, and how consistent that narrowness is. I think this gives the reader a sense of oppression. It seems as if the reader is given little room to imagine between the panels, to be involved in comics' unique and involved reading process. I think this feeling is reinforced by the rectangular, regular paneling. McCloud addresses the fact that panel shapes can affect the reading experience, but doesn't really go into further detail (p. 99). It kind of hit me that the regularity in V felt a bit oppressive- none of the panels stood out through shape, making everything feel sort of flat, muted, equal. As a reader, it made me feel tied down to a concrete, dull regularity.
What effect does this oppressed feeling have on the reader?
I think the suppressed feeling I mentioned before is very much the intention of Moore. As a character, V stands against the dull background of fascist government, emphasizing the need to be free as individuals. He prides himself on his collection of movies, books, and music, which all demonstrate freedom of expression. Faced with such a bland, bleak set of panels and gutters, none of which have individual traits or shapes or sizes, the reader is more inclined to side with V. We become eager to break the regularity, eager to imagine and make decisions in the gutter, eager to speak for ourselves. By writing V for Vendetta in such a concrete form, Moore actually encourages the reader to seek individuality and freedom.
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A picture from last year which I found fitting:
I think it's pretty interesting that the book's cover pretty much doubles as a mask. :)
I think it's pretty interesting that the book's cover pretty much doubles as a mask. :)
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