Markup View

Author: Melkior

Apr 12th 2013 at 9:25:28 AM

Thanks for the help.  I'll have a look at the information when I get a chance.

I think the SilentSnarker should normally go in Facial Dialogue because it's habitual behaviour of a particular character and I see MeaningfulLook as belonging more to one-off situations.  A single incidence of Silent Snarking may apply if the message contains more than just snark and the message is an unusual one for the character.

Discuss: Should Meaningful Look also apply if the look is intended for the audience rather than for an in-universe character?  This applies whether or not the look is BreakingTheFourthWall.

I'm thinking in particular of things like the [[ElfQuest ElfQuest]] story Kings Of The Broken Wheel, where Ember nearly hits Suntop for insulting her, then suddenly changes her mind as she realises why he's doing it.  The look of combined concern, pity and realisation on her face in panel 3, page 18, chapter 3 is only seen by the reader and although it doesn't break the fourth wall, it's particularly meaningful because it shows that she really does love her brother.

This look is obviously intended for the reader, since not even Suntop sees it (he's facing the other way at the time).  Should this type of example be included as a Meaningful Look, or should it be restricted to only in-universe (character to character) looks?  I'm inclined to include it.

You can examine the page at www.elfquest.com if you go to the Online Comics section then scroll down to Kings Of The Broken Wheel and select chapter 3.  You'll need to advance through the flash pages until you reach page 18.

I'm considering using panel 3 from that page as the page image for Meaningful Look, but I'm not certain it's the best illustration (and I still don't know how to upload images to add to pages).

I'm inclined to use it because it's a less-obvious example and yet is a good example of the to-the-audience version of the trope.