Text - Rhodes University

disappears. Judging the degree of compensation required in the original artwork is a
matter of trial-and-error; some artists have simply resorted to working full-size.
In the work of Komiksoc and Bitterkomix artists, a gradual acceptance and use of classic
comic conventions demonstrates increasing confidence in and understanding of the
medium, through relinquishment of self-concious mannerisms that are irrelevant to the
process and hamper communication, not only of the story but of the overall vision and
intent.
A common criticism of amateur comics is that the work is simply an imitation of already
existing work. Although the issue of originality as an indicator of quality is a contentious
one, it is possible to qualify the work of the artists under scrutiny according to this
standard. Bitterkomix, the major Komiksoc contributors, and to a large extent Morai, can
be said to have developed a part of their personal style before copying other more
established comics. In these cases, the stylistic copyings were purely stylistic; other comics
were looked at in a search for tools to improve the clarity of each artists' own work. This
approach, whether condous or not, determines that an understanding of stylistic
conventions be reached before appropriation happens. In having already established some
measure of individuality in their own work, however slight, the artists were concerned
with building a more conventional style around this core, rather than swamping and
dissolving it within a standard comic.
The advantages that Bitterkomix and Komiksoc had over Morai are that the juxtaposition
of work compelled artists to experiment and improve, as well as to learn from each
other's work. Morai, working in a metaphorically closed environment, continued steadily
on his own development.
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