Collages and such oh my.

First, I read Unflattening by Nick Sousanis and it had some thought provoking ideas in it, though I think that it could have done more to answer the question it posed to the reader. Indeed, a question I myself have been posing in various forms (and the likes of Hockney as well, coming from the visual side). 
Thing is, either way (I've come from the other side, mimicking photo essays in the form of short stories etc) I've come to the conclusion that some kind of collage and map and abstraction is needed. This is a limited take, and I'd say that there needs to be more thought (certainly there is more non-western thought as I've pointed out in the links above) put into it on my side of things. 
I'd say the same about some of Nick's points. I liked to hear someone else asking the same question as me, and even seeing different thought processes that brought him to similar conclusions as I have. But to simply stop at comics, or collages, as I have, seemed a little underwhelming (though it has pushed me to think about the question more and that is always worthwhile). 
So where to go from here? I suppose I'll think on the subject just a little more. But after looking at Nick's twitter and the obsession with comics specifically (and slight variations of the same old ideas), I was a little let down. I wanted to see things that were out there, not just aesthetic, but also a better way of putting forth ideas, you know?
Even looked at some reviews of his books, like this one and this, and though some seemed to point to some of my own criticisms, I wanted more. I wanted a conversation, a dialogue where people, if they asked said question about his book, gave an answer or, dammit, at least attempted to answer it. You know?
And, again, there are a million ways to try to come at this, at the linearity of words, as you're reading them here. I know Egan tried powerpoint (not a fan of the result, but liked the question it asked and definitely liked that she was bold enough to ask it[1]) and there's Moore who points out that his attempt at changing some aspects of comics with his storytelling and visuals was never used "for good". 
Again, I'm not against comics, I'm just trying to stretch my own mind and thoughts on this matter. So I'm going to look for more discussions (though I'm sensing that either the internet culture or tools are a little too sick to ever find stuff like that? Because I'm seeing either praise, which is never really specific enough or I'm seeing criticism, which is specific at times, but rarely in a built up discussion way. You know? Cause I too thought that Nick should have had more on breaking the linearity of words, but what comes from that? Why not mention non-western ways of dealing with it and so on? Why not build on it? It's like everyone wants to be their own silo. Or maybe that's what's found first. 
Well, reader, if I come across such an article or post I'll send it your way. 
edit: Good one deciphering non-Western "comics"


[1] Seriously, some of the diagrams do not make sense. I'm sure some one will tell me it's art, but it could have been more than that. And, again, it's breaking up linearity, but then again, it's really not:


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Published on November 06, 2022 23:13
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