The construction of humor in the comic strip Bichinhos de Jardim: the comic expressiveness

Abstract

The aim is to understand one of the aspects that contribute to the construction of humor in the comic strips Bichinhos de Jardim: comic expressiveness. Created by Clara Gomes, the strips address contemporary themes in a humorous and critical manner. Considering the role of the character Joana and the cartoonist’s ability to satirize human behavior and herself amidst everyday situations, visual expressiveness plays a fundamental role in shaping these reflections, often being responsible for the comic resolution. A total of 184 strips, produced between 2009 and 2021, were compiled, selected based on Joana's prominence and their connection with technology. For this study, three strips related to comic expressiveness available on the blog bichinhosdejardim.com were chosen. In this context, humor was conceptualized (Alberti, 1999; Bergson, 2018; Propp, 1992; Minois, 2003), along with studies on the language of comics (Cagnin, 2014; Ramos, 2011, 2012). Gomes uses both text and visual expressiveness to generate comic effects. Joana's humor, while placing her in a position of superior maturity to that of humans, also allows her to equate herself with them, making her more relatable. The presence of the notebook exposes the interference of technology and human susceptibility.