Portal:Comics

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 single 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 means of image-making in comics. Photo comics are 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 and comic albums have become increasingly common, along with webcomics.

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 as a plural when referring to works collectively (e.g. "Comics are popular reading material."). (Full article...)

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Selected article

Thrud the Barbarian is a comics character created by Carl Critchlow in 1981. Although Thrud himself is a parody of Conan the Barbarian, particularly as depicted in the Arnold Schwarzenegger films, inspiration for the character's adventures and adversaries has been drawn from several fantasy sources. During the 1980s, a Thrud comic strip was a regular and popular feature in the roleplay and wargame magazine White Dwarf with Thrud's grotesque and comic antics forming a memorable part of the magazine's golden age. In 2002, continued interest in the character from role-playing enthusiasts and a desire to be free to experiment with a new artistic style prompted Critchlow to self-publish a series of award-winning full-length Thrud the Barbarian comics. Since October 2002, Critchlow has continued to develop his new artistic style in several different 2000 AD stories, contributing to the success of Lobster Random in particular. While Critchlow's use of muted palettes has been criticised, his style has received praise for being highly recognisable and unique.

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Anniversaries for October 1

1902: birth of Gunila Stierngranat, Swedish comic artist who drew Lilla Lena och Jon Blund
1926: birth of Ben Wicks, English-Canadian cartoonist best known for Wicks
1933: debut of The Adventures of Smilin' Jack, American comic strip by Zach Moseley
1937: birth of Bill Spicer, American editor and publisher known for his publication Graphic Story Magazine
1940: birth of Richard Corben, American comic book author best known for Den
1955: birth of Michael Golden, American comic book artist best known for Micronauts
1958: birth of Dave Dorman, American illustrator and comic book artist
1964: birth of Ande Parks, American comic book author best known for his work on Green Arrow
1964: birth of Ron Boyd, American comic book writer
1967: death of Bob Powell, American comic book artist known for his work on Sheena, Queen of the Jungle
1973: first issue of Cutie Honey, Japanese manga by Go Nagai
1977: birth of Rod Reis, American comic book artist
2001: last publication of Angelic Layer, Japanese manga by CLAMP
2001: launch of Achewood, American webcomic by Chris Onstad
2003: debut of Karin, Japanese manga by Yuna Kagesaki

More October anniversaries / All Anniversaries...

General images

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

Image 1The San Diego Convention Center during Comic-Con in 2013 (from San Diego Comic-Con)
Image 2A Fallout Cosplayer photographed at a Comic Con in a Fallout Themed area (from Comic book convention)
Image 3During 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 4Comic-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 5Todd Gloria with representatives of Comic-Con International 2026 during an announcement that the event is staying in San Diego through 2030. (from San Diego Comic-Con)
Image 6BD artist Mœbius (2008), who achieved international fame through Métal Hurlant (from Bande dessinée)
Image 7Image of bathers from the Hokusai manga (from History of manga)
Image 8Japanese wood block illustration from 19th century (from History of manga)
Image 9A statue of The Rose of Versailles. This is a statue of Oscar and André at the Takarazuka Grand Theater in Takarazuka, Hyōgo, which is the musical of the work. (from History of manga)
Image 10A page by Rodolphe Töpffer, whose work is considered influential in shaping the comics form. (from History of comics)
Image 11Comic Con crowds in 2011 as seen from a helicopter (from San Diego Comic-Con)
Image 12Sequential depictions on Trajan's Column in Rome, Italy (from History of comics)
Image 13Cover 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 14Chōjū-giga (12th century), traditionally attributed to a monk-artist Kakuyū (Toba Sōjo) (from History of manga)
Image 15Close Hergé-collaborator and magazine contributor Bob de Moor (from Bande dessinée)
Image 16Cover to 27 December 1884 edition of Ally Sloper's Half Holiday. (from British comics)
Image 17Bryan Cranston & Aaron Paul at the 2013 Comic-Con International, with Cranston holding his realistic Walter White mask. (from San Diego Comic-Con)
Image 18Hokusai Manga (early 19th century) (from History of manga)
Image 19Convention crowd outside of Golden Hall in 1982 (from San Diego Comic-Con)
Image 20Phoenix Fan Fusion's 2017 convention in Phoenix (from Comic book convention)
Image 21The French comic Les Pieds Nickelés (1954 book cover): an early 20th-century forerunner of the modern Franco-Belgian comic (from Bande dessinée)

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

... that Maystorm, a character from Ultimate X-Men, was initially created for a variant cover for the comic X-Men?
... that, after the US government asked Marvel Comics to make a comic about how drugs are dangerous, the Comics Code Authority refused to approve it because it was about drugs?
... that a teacher of medieval literature and comic books writes the blog Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle?
... that the comic book Nietzsche, se créer liberté tries to express Friedrich Nietzsche's personality visually?
... that the 2003 graphic novel The Life Eaters, presenting an occult-driven, hypothetical Axis victory in World War II, has been discussed in the context of its portrayal of The Holocaust?
... that pages of Lewis Hancox's graphic novel were displayed in The Cartoon Museum of London?
... that a rights dispute meant that two different actors played Quicksilver in two competing film franchises at the same time?
... that a popular Marvel villain appeared in the Transformers and Doctor Who franchises before joining the Marvel Universe?

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Credit: Comic: Zach Weiner

A panel from Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal, a webcomic by Zach Weiner first published in its current iteration in 2002. This daily comic features no recurring characters or storylines, and has no set format; some strips may be a single panel, while others may go on for ten panels or more. Recurring themes include atheism, God, superheroes, romance, dating, science, research, parenting and the meaning of life.

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More did you know...

...that 24-hour comics have become so popular that there's now a holiday for it on April 24?

...that Uri-On, created by Michael Netzer (pictured) in 1987, was the first Israeli superhero to be published in color?

...that T.H.E. Fox, drawn on a C64 KoalaPad and published on CompuServe, Q-Link and GEnie, is among the earliest online comics?

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Selected quote

...if the form is to say something important, rather than just involve itself in the kinetic thrill of drawn characters chasing each other, then we have to think harder.

— Eddie Campbell

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Topics

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Featured content

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