Three rows. Rows 1 and 2 are of equal height, while row 3 is slightly larger. Row 1 is made up of three panels of equal size. Row 2 is made up for two panels of equal size. Row 3 is made up of a single panel.
1 – Wile E. Coyote is in his home, walking towards his bookshelf. A sofa chair is visible in foreground.
2 – Close-up of the bookshelf. It is overfilled with books. The largest and most prominent is an enormous tome with "ACME Ordering Catalogue" written along the spine. It is clearly well-used and worn. Beside it is a smaller book titled "101 Ways to Cook a Road Runner", which is pristine - as if it has never been used. However, Wile E. isn't going for either of those; he's reaching for a simple dictionary (listed as such on the spine, of course).
3 – Same angle as the first panel. Wile E. Coyote is now sitting on the chair, reading the dictionary.
4 – Switch shot to focus on the page of the dictionary. The panel is focused on the entry for “perseverance”. It reads as follows:
per·se·ver·ance (pur-suh-veer-uh'ns). n. 1. steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, a state, etc., especially in spite of difficulties, obstacles, or discouragement.
5 – Similar shot to panel 4, but this time, the panel is focused on the entry for “madness”. It reads as follows:
6 – A wide shot of Wile E. Coyote sitting on the sofa chair. The book remains open on his lap, but he is no longer paying it any mind. Instead, he looks towards the reader with his hand on his chin, wearing a very concerned and trouble look.
I am not quite sure how I feel about this page. On one hand I get the joke of the madness and perseverance but I am pretty sure they are not described as closer as that at all. So the end result and last panel don't do much for me.
ReplyDeleteHowever panel 2 is pure gold. The two books and the visuals of them are perfect. I almost feel you could have done more with that angle. Perhaps had Wile placing an order for a whole bunch of stuff from the battered and worn ACME catalogue then have him putting it back up next to the pristine "101 Ways to Cook a Road Runner" as the final panel.
There's a thin line between genius and insanity... and part of me hates the idea that Wile E. will ever realise which side of the line he falls on. Ignorance is bliss. Nice work, Grant.
ReplyDeleteI think this panel does a great job of summing the 3rd unofficial rule of the Coyote & Roadrunner cartoons: "The Coyote could stop anytime—IF he were not a fanatic."
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