Geigenzähler Radioaktivität
by Hütter, Schneider, and Schult.
by Hütter, Schneider, and Schult.
interpreted in comix by rik
This isn’t the place to discuss synesthesia, to discuss how the visual naturally translates into the aural and vice versa, to discuss the similarities and irresolvable differences in how art and the senses work and their psychological implications.
But I would like to offer this piece up for discussion…
I’ve always been fascinated by the ways music is represented in comix form. During the coronavirus lockdown I was playing around with how Blondie’s FADE AWAY AND RADIATE might work when, while doodling up the image on the right (below,) an easy and effective way to present this Kraftwerk song hit me.
And here we go…
First I had to resolve how the 16 measure structure doesn’t fit within typical comicbook constraints. Fortunately, while still small, it’s acceptable if constructed around the old-skool 12” vinyl album sleeve format.
The second problem was one of compression. Geigercounter’s effectiveness depends on negative space - silences, while crafting the foundation for the song that follows. On the other hand, Radioactivity is overtly repetitious and heavy with overlays, it needs to be visually consolidated.
I adapted the font RaggMopp by Nick Curtis for the lyrics, and used the handsign font Gallaudet by David Rakowski to accentuate one of the melodies, where the song is in morse code I used a simple symbolism.
Coincidentally, a friend was nostalgic about her time as a diplomatic attaché in Beijing, giving me the opportunity to gift her this landscape (the image on the right, below) as it was one of the 10 city (Tokyo, New Delhi, Shanghai, Mexico City, São Paulo, Mumbai, Keihanshin, Cairo, New York City, Beijing) skylines I crafted to represent the choral backgrounds running throughout the second song.
After completion, I have two reservations.
First and most obvious, even the 12 inch page size is too small… I just can’t imagine getting this printed larger that. Perhaps I was too mired in the practicalities of the printing, if each panel wasn’t maxed-out at an inch there would have been space for more creativity and clarity.
The other is, perhaps, a consequence of the first. I wasn’t able to come up with a… I suppose the word used in comix is “visual narrative” to express the music through. The song itself is somewhat impersonal, so there was no really strong inspiration to build-on. The closest I came was something along the lines of this sketch (below.)
Perhaps someday I will revisit this project with solutions, maybe switch-out some iconography with birds and gears, perhaps utilize some sort of infinite digital zoom…
Also, let me promote the idea that what I’ve done here is just a cover of a popular song. There’s no reason that someone should not be inspired to do their own stylings over the essential structure I’ve established in my translation. I’m certainly available for restructuring and look forward to someone playing their own solo over the melodies.
And, finally, by the way, if you’re not familiar with the classic 1975 German synth-pop album RADIO-ACTIVITY from Kraftwerk, here’s a link to the song in question on Youtube:
Initially conceived at classic album size, here are the original set of layouts.
(A colleague recommended showing-off the more familiar, conventional comicbook pamphlet edit, so that most viewers could more easily visualize publication.)
cover
p. 01
p. 02
p. 03
p.04
p. 05
p. 06
p. 07
p. 08
p. 09
p. 10
p. 11
p. 12
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p. 14
p. 15
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p. 18
