Portal:Comics

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Introduction

Comics is a medium used to express ideas with images, often combined with text or other visual information. It typically takes the form of a sequence of panels of images. Textual devices such as speech balloons, captions, and onomatopoeia can indicate dialogue, narration, sound effects, or other information. There is no consensus among theorists and historians on a definition of comics; some emphasize the combination of images and text, some sequentiality or other image relations, and others historical aspects such as mass reproduction or the use of recurring characters. Cartooning and other forms of illustration are the most common image-making means in comics; Photo comics is a form that uses photographic images. Common forms include comic strips, editorial and gag cartoons, and comic books. Since the late 20th century, bound volumes such as graphic novels, comic albums, and tankōbon have become increasingly common, along with webcomics as well as scientific/medical comics.

The English term comics is used as a singular noun when it refers to the medium itself (e.g. "Comics is a visual art form."), but becomes plural when referring to works collectively (e.g. "Comics are popular reading material."). (Full article...)

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Selected article

Louis Riel is a 2003 historical biography in comics by Canadian cartoonist Chester Brown (pictured). It deals with the relationship of Métis rebel leader Louis Riel with the newly established Canadian government. It begins shortly before the 1869 Red River Rebellion, and ends with Riel's 1885 hanging for high treason. The book explores the possibly schizophrenic aspect of Riel's personality—he believed God had named him Prophet of the New World, destined to lead the Métis people to freedom. The work is noted for its emotional disengagement, its intentionally flat dialogue, and a minimalist drawing style inspired by Harold Gray's comic strip Little Orphan Annie. The lengthy, hand-lettered appendix provides insight on Brown's creative process and biases, and highlights where he changed historical facts to create a more engaging story. It was the first comic book to receive a grant from the Canada Council for the Arts. It was critically well received, and won three Harvey Awards. The original serialization (1999–2003) sold poorly, but the book version was a surprise bestseller. Its success played a major part in gaining shelf space for serious graphic novels in mainstream North American bookstores.

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Anniversaries for April 23

1953: birth of L. Lois Buhalis, American comic book letterer
1957: death of Guido Fantoni, Italian comics artist known for work with Florence-based publisher Mario Nerbini
1964: birth of Sergio Cariello, Brazilian-American comic book artist known for his work on The Lone Ranger
1966: birth of Javier Hernandez, American comic book creator best known for El Muerto: The Aztec Zombie
2002: death of Alfredo Pons, Spanish writer-artist, co-founder of the studio La Omertá
2005: death of Romano Scarpa, Italian comics author best known for his work on Disney comics
2017: death of Leo Baxendale, English cartoonist and publisher, creator of the Beano series Minnie the Minx and The Bash Street Kids and co-founder of the British comics Wham! and Pow!

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General images

The following are images from various comics-related articles on Wikipedia.

Image 1Phoenix Fan Fusion's 2017 convention in Phoenix, Arizona (from Comic book convention)
Image 2A Fallout Cosplayer photographed at a Comic Con in a Fallout Themed area (from Comic book convention)
Image 3Japanese wood block illustration from 19th century (from History of manga)
Image 4The French comic Les Pieds Nickelés (1954 book cover): an early 20th-century forerunner of the modern Franco-Belgian comic (from Bande dessinée)
Image 5Comic Con crowds in 2011 as seen from a helicopter (from San Diego Comic-Con)
Image 6Cover of Illustrated Chips in 1896 featuring the first appearance of the long-running comic strip of the tramps Weary Willie and Tired Tim. (from British comics)
Image 7Comic-Con crowd inside the second floor of the convention center in 2011 waiting for the exhibition hall to open (from San Diego Comic-Con)
Image 8Convention crowd outside of Golden Hall in 1982 (from San Diego Comic-Con)
Image 9Chōjū-giga (12th century), traditionally attributed to a monk-artist Kakuyū (Toba Sōjo) (from History of manga)
Image 10Hokusai Manga (early 19th century) (from History of manga)
Image 11Close Hergé collaborator and magazine contributor Bob de Moor (from Bande dessinée)
Image 12The San Diego Convention Center during Comic-Con in 2013 (from San Diego Comic-Con)
Image 13During panels at comic book conventions, the audience is sometimes invited to line up and ask questions using a dedicated microphone. (from Comic book convention)
Image 14
Comics artist Mœbius (2008), who achieved international renown through Métal Hurlant
(from Bande dessinée)
Image 15Image of bathers from the Hokusai manga (from History of manga)
Image 16Cover to 27 December 1884 edition of Ally Sloper's Half Holiday. (from British comics)
Image 17A page by Rodolphe Töpffer, whose work is considered influential in shaping the comics form. (from History of comics)
Image 18Sequential depictions on Trajan's Column in Rome, Italy (from History of comics)

Did you know (auto-generated) - load new batch

... that John Romita Sr. has been credited with introducing romance comic themes to Spider-Man comic books?
... that the writer of the 2022 comic book miniseries Poison Ivy, starring the eponymous Batman villain, described it as a "love story" that features "plant-based body horror"?
... that the original release of Jason Shiga's comic Demon included a four-page issue, a sixty-page issue, and an issue in which all the panels were black?
... that the robotic enemies in the video game The Incredible Hulk were influenced by Marvel Comics' objection to the Hulk killing humanoid characters?
... that comic book creator Brandon Dayton chose medieval Russia as the setting for his minicomic Green Monk after watching Andrei Tarkovsky's film Andrei Rublev?
... that the Franco-Belgian comic book Hans had its title changed in Poland due to lingering ill-feeling toward Germany?
... that the first time The Witcher universe was portrayed outside the novels was in the 1993–1995 Polish comic book series of the same name?
... that although its publisher Dark Horse Comics is American, a significant proportion of artists involved with the comic book series The Witcher have been Polish?

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Captain America, foreground, and Spiderman greeted many Pentagon-assigned servicemembers and their children on April 28 for the unveiling of a custom comic book for members of the armed services.

Credit: United States Department of Defense

Captain America is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Captain America Comics #1 (cover-dated March 1941), from Marvel Comics' 1940s predecessor, Timely Comics, and was created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby.

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More did you know...

...that while Al Jaffee (pictured) created the comics character Ziggy Pig, it was Stan Lee who named him?

...that after 25 years of aging in real time, John Constantine is getting younger?

...that The Punisher can be distinguished from other beat 'em up games by its frequent use of firearms?

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Selected quote

In the early days, I was writing scripts for virtually all the books, and it was very hard to keep all the artists busy; poor little frail me, doing story after story. So I'd be writing a story for Kirby, and Steve Ditko would walk in and say, 'Hey, I need some work now.' And I'd say, 'I can't give it to you now, Steve, I'm finishing Kirby's.' But we couldn't afford to keep Steve waiting, because time is money, so I'd have to say, 'Look Steve, I can't write a script for you now, but here's the plot for the next Spider-Man. Go home and draw anything you want, as long as it's something like this, and I'll put the copy in later.' So I was able to finish Jack's story. Steve in the meantime was drawing another story.....Okay, it started out as a lazy's man's device...but we realized this was absolutely the best way to do a comic.....Don't have the writer say, 'Panel one will be a long shot of Spider-Man walking down the street.' The artist may see it differently; maybe he feels it should be a shot of Spider-Man swinging on his web, or climbing upside-down on the ceiling or something.

— Stan Lee, 1975

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