THE APPRECIATION OF COMICS AS A MEDIUM FOR THE RECOLLECTION OF HISTORICAL EVENTS OF THE PAST

Abstract

This article praises a particular style of comic illustration found in recent album format comic book publications in Indonesia. These comics feature fictional stories that stand alone and are completed in one or a short series. However, the backgrounds of the stories are inspired by past events. The aim is to revive the intricacies of historical events or capture the atmosphere of locations in the past. Two examples of such comics are mentioned: “Katumbiri Regenboog” by Yaya Riyadin, and “Laosam 1892” by Toni Masdiono. Both comics are based on the indirect recuperation of past events or places. The style is willing to evoke the nostalgia in reader’s mind through its predominantly black-and-white ink drawings and shading decoration techniques. The article suggests that the art of comics and esthetic appreciation can serve as a form of memory, allowing readers perception to experience past events through the medium of comics. The research method employed is art-based in nature, formalist involving qualitative observations akin to library research.