This comic employs some of the key elements described in CDA and the McCloud selection. First of all, that is not really a pig or a piggy bank. Just because the shape looks like a pig, there is a hole in its back, and its hue is pink our minds perceive it as a piggy bank. The author used a piggy bank because it is the stereotypical location to put spare money. This is relevant for me because I will be creating my own comic and will therefore need to pick "characters" that are easy to recognize and ones that the general public can identify with. Just like the McCloud selection said, the simpler the drawing, the more people it can relate to and the greater amplification the message can have.
This is a single panel comic and therefore needs to get its message across quickly and concisely. This message is mostly relayed through text since the images don't display any type of movement. Without the text, the reader would have no idea what is going on in this scene. After the reader analyzes the text, they can infer that the blue figure is a "human" figure or "the boss". The green hat helps to personify this figure even more. Visually and textually the blue figure is represented as a man in power. Knowing this I will make sure that I have both textual and visual clues in my comic strip.
One observation I made about this comic was that both characters are the same size. Usually a piggy bank is much smaller than its owner so to have a piggy bank the same size or bigger is an interesting rhetorical strategy. The size comparison makes it more believable that this piggy bank could stand up for itself and talk back to its master. I will employ this strategy in my comic by varying the sizes of characters based on the amount of power I want them to possess. I've learned from this comic that drawing objects out of proportion has a definite impact on the comic's argument.
Another major strategy present is the use of bright colorful hues. Through CDA and the McCloud selection I've learned that comics use bold outlines to create a sense of familiarity in order to connect with a wide range of audiences. The artist uses bold lines in this image but also contrasts that with lightly colored hues. Obviously we would expect the piggy bank to be pink, but how would the argument differ if the piggy bank was a different color, say green with purple polka dots? The other figure consists of green, blue, and pink hues that create a lighthearted aura around him. This comic is meant to be humorous and therefore has lighter hues to attract audiences. In more serious comics like "The Veil" from Persepolis, darker hues that contrast are used to augment the seriousness of the issue. By observing this comic I now know that hue selection plays a major part in the "mood" of the comic, how the audience perceives the characters, and ultimately what the argument is.
