Medusa Graphic Novel: Symbolism

Last week I introduced my graphic novel project. Link: http://panoskamoulakos.blogspot.gr/2013/02/medusa-graphic-novel.html

The Medusa myth raises issues concerning human psychology. It speaks off the complications of male, female relationships. Medusa’s head is a symbol of powerful instinctive femininity. Men are overwhelmed by its sheer force; it threatens their manhood, their ego and their pride. I quote:

The Medusa myth awakens a number of fears in people, especially men, this image of the all-powerful woman whose gaze can’t be averted, whose gaze can see right through you to expose everything inside of you, that can freeze you in your tracks and somehow devour you and consume you… (Michael Fontain, Cornell University, History Channel “Medusa: Clash of the Gods” 2009) 

Medusa’s head symbolizes also the face of death. Here is an ancient depiction of the gorgon’s head:

We as a modern society are separated very early from the sight of death and corpses. In the ancient world death was everywhere. Wars, plagues and executions, dead bodies were a common sight back then. The characteristics of the face resemble closely the features of a human corpse. The broad wide open eyes, the marks on the face, the bloated face, the pullback skin, the showing off teeth and the tongue protruding are all characteristics of a dead body. 

I will carry on my analysis on the myth next week. Now check out the pencils, inks and finishes of pages 2 and 3.

See you next week!

Panos.