Portal:Comics

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Introduction

Little Sammy Sneeze comic strip,
published 1904-1906
by Winsor McCay

Comics are 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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LGBT themes in comics are a relatively new concept, as lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) themes and characters were historically omitted intentionally from the content of comic books and their comic strip predecessors, due to either censorship or the perception that comics were for children. With any mention of homosexuality in mainstream United States comics forbidden by the Comics Code Authority (CCA) until 1989, earlier attempts at exploring these issues in the US took the form of subtle hints or subtext regarding a character's sexual orientation. Comic strips have also dealt in subtext and innuendo, their wide distribution in newspapers limiting their inclusion of controversial material. The first openly gay characters appeared in prominent strips in the late 1970s; representation of LGBT issues in these titles causes vociferous reaction, both praise and condemnation, to the present day. Portrayal of LGBT themes in comics is recognized by several notable awards, including the Gaylactic Spectrum Awards and GLAAD Media Awards for outstanding comic book and comic strip.

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Anniversaries for June 15

1915: birth of Hilda Terry, American cartoonist best known for the comic strip Teena
1927: birth of Hugo Pratt, Italian comics artist and author, famous for Corto Maltese
1927: birth of Ross Andru, American comic book artist best known as cocreator of Metal Men and Punisher
1940: birth of Michael Barrier, American comic book and animation historian, founder and editor of Funnyworld, the first magazine exclusively devoted to comics and animation
1941: birth of Neal Adams, American comic book artist known for his work on various superhero comics and his cover art
1945: birth of Don McGregor, American comics creator known for the early graphic novel Sabre
1955: birth of Brent Anderson, American comics artist known for his work on the comic book series Astro City
1958: last appearance of Polly and Her Pals, American comic strip by Cliff Sterrett
1974: last issue of Cor!!, British comic book which ran since 1970
1976: birth of Dustin Nguyen, American comics artist for DC Comics and Wildstorm
1999: death of John Glashan, Scottish comic strip creator best known for Genius
2001: debut of The Ravages of Time, Hong Kong manhua created by Chan Mou

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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 2During 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 3
Comics artist Mœbius (2008), who achieved international renown through Métal Hurlant
(from Bande dessinée)
Image 4Chōjū-giga (12th century), traditionally attributed to a monk-artist Kakuyū (Toba Sōjo) (from History of manga)
Image 5Cover to 27 December 1884 edition of Ally Sloper's Half Holiday. (from British comics)
Image 6Image of bathers from the Hokusai manga (from History of manga)
Image 7The French comic Les Pieds Nickelés (1954 book cover): an early 20th-century forerunner of the modern Franco-Belgian comic (from Bande dessinée)
Image 8Convention crowd outside of Golden Hall in 1982 (from San Diego Comic-Con)
Image 9Sequential depictions on Trajan's Column in Rome, Italy (from History of comics)
Image 10Japanese wood block illustration from 19th century (from History of manga)
Image 11Comic-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 12Close Hergé collaborator and magazine contributor Bob de Moor (from Bande dessinée)
Image 13A Fallout Cosplayer photographed at a Comic Con in a Fallout Themed area (from Comic book convention)
Image 14A page by Rodolphe Töpffer, whose work is considered influential in shaping the comics form. (from History of comics)
Image 15Phoenix Fan Fusion's 2017 convention in Phoenix, Arizona (from Comic book convention)
Image 16Hokusai Manga (early 19th century) (from History of manga)
Image 17Comic Con crowds in 2011 as seen from a helicopter (from San Diego Comic-Con)
Image 18Cover 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)

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

... that M. Night Shyamalan's Old is based on a Swiss graphic novel that the filmmaker received as a Father's Day gift?
... that the USC Trojans team that won the 2022 NCAA Beach Volleyball Championship had been compared to the Marvel Comics' Avengers?
... that the Buddhist themes of David Bowie's 1967 composition "Karma Man" were compared to the Marvel Comics character Doctor Strange?
... that Kake has been described as "a sort of Johnny Appleseed ... spreading the seeds of liberated, mutually satisfying, ecstatically explicit gay sex"?
... that Arnie Roth debuted as a gay Marvel Comics character at a time when the publisher maintained a "No Gays in the Marvel Universe" policy?
... that until the 1970s, most shōjo manga (Japanese girls' comics) were written by men?
... that the 1992 comic book storyline "Man and Wolf", in which Captain America is transformed into a werewolf, has been described as "one of the most bizarre moments of the core Marvel Universe"?
... that John Romita Sr. has been credited with introducing romance comic themes to Spider-Man comic books?

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Credit: Emuzesto

Scott McCloud, whose work Understanding Comics identified the different styles of art used within comics.

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More did you know...

...that Len Lawson created several popular Australian comic book characters, including the "Lone Avenger" and the "Hooded Rider"?

...that Harvey Pekar described his collaboration with Heather Roberson on the comic book Macedonia as one of the best working relationships he has ever had?

...that an excerpt of Nick Bertozzi's The Salon containing a nude depiction of Picasso caused a comic book store owner to be charged with distributing obscene material to a minor?

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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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