Norma, Queen Of The Hotdogs

In its original form, “Norma, Queen of the Hotdogs” tells the story of a young and successful woman entrepreneur who upon being kissed by her accountant, decides to give up her business ambitions in favor of marriage and children. However when the warm, friendly colours used in the comic are replaced with cold blues, greys, and reds, a very different narrative unfolds. The blues and reds communicate the sub current tale of violence, and ultimately assault, which is being carried through this comic. For it is not only Norma’s free will that is being attacked through this story, but that of every woman who was intended to read it. I am focusing here on the last two pages of the comic (3/5-7) and (4/1-7), where the background colours are primarily sunny yellows, creamy whites, and pale pinks. These colours give the pages and uplifting feel, implying that the events taking place upon them are positive and natural. Even in the panel where Tom the accountant seizes Norma and kisses her against her will (3/6), the background is that same calm, cheerful yellow, even though Norma appears severely shocked. The narrative text boxes throughout the comic follow the same trend, ending on that golden yellow, intoning harmony and joy. …show more content…
In those scenes, the colours would suddenly change from whatever they had been in the previous panels, to be replaced by a sort of blue wash. It is this effect which I have called into play in my edit of “Norma, Queen of the Hotdogs”. Apart from the reference to the comic’s overtly violent contemporaries, the sudden shift to blue tones darkens the mood of the story, making the goings on seem sinister, and giving the whole thing a stormy, turbulent