The power of illustration in re-telling the creation myth

Every new version of the creation myth grows further from its original purity and closer to societal misconceptions and stereotypes. The comics The Magna Bible and Testament raise many of the same issues and themes we found in Genesis such as human fascination with stories, subordination, and sexism. The comics elevate these ideas to the next level. The comics are not simply the story of creation, but rather the story of the story of creation. The characters in both comics are extremely aware of their audience. In Magna bible, the narrator encourages the audience to become involved and participate in the storytelling. The Gods in Testament realize that " each story is only as true as the number and intensity of those who believe" and therefore work to create the most convincing myth. This emphasis on the role of the audience plays on the idea that humans are so eager for an explanation of the world around them that they will believe whatever they are told. With this in mind, the storytellers are aware of their power. Both myths also highlight the concept of subordination, a key theme in Genesis. In The Magna Bible the narrator stands on a tall cliff, towering above all of his followers. Similarly in Testament it is the Gods who have the power to create and interfere in the creation myth. As a society, we believe the stories presented to us through religion, books, movies, etc, but these comics make us think about who is behind these stories.

Each re-telling of the creation takes away from ambiguity of the myth and therefore the ability for the reader to employ imagination. The original creation myth was genderless with Ha'adamah as the original Adam. In Genesis we see the emergence of sexism as woman is made to be Adam's partner. However, when the story is told only through words, much is still left to the interpretation of the reader. We have the ability to picture the Garden of Eden and the interaction between Adam and Eve. Both of the comics begin with this same ambiguity, just words set against a black background. On the following pages, however, detailed illustrations appear, which further emphasis gender distinction. Scott McCloud's Understanding Comics explains that less detailed faces in cartoons allow the reader to project themselves onto the character and become a part of the comic. He includes a diagram to show the contrast between a realistic photograph and an ambiguous smiley face. The illustrations in The Magna Bible and specifically Testament are much closer to McCloud's example of extremely detailed figures. These graphic images, especially those of nude women, highlight gender distinctions and the idea of Adam and Eve as sex symbols. Through their illustrations, the comics further solidify and perpetuate these stereotypes that modern day Americans associate with the creation story.