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Comics

           

This article is about comics, the art form. There is a separate article about comics, the humorous performers also known as comedians.


Comics is an art form using a series of static images in fixed sequence. Written text is often incorporated into the images. The two most common forms of comics are comic strips (as appear in newspapers) and comic books (also popularly called manga when referring to Japanese comic books). Large volumes or collections of comic books are often termed graphic novels.

Table of contents
1 Definition
2 History
3 Media
4 Related articles
5 External links

Definition

The precise definition of comics remains a subject of debate, with some scholars insisting that their printed nature is crucial to the definition, or that they should be defined by the interdependence of image and text. Others define the medium in terms of its sequential nature. Artist Will Eisner has referred to comics as sequential art. Artist Scott McCloud refined this definition in his 1993 work of comics theory, Understanding Comics. According to McCloud, "[Comics are] juxtaposed pictorial and other images in deliberate sequence, intended to convey information and/or to produce an aesthetic response in the viewer." By this definition, single panel illustrations (such as The Far Side, The Family Circus, or many political cartoons) are not comics, but are instead cartoons.

The comic form has extended to new media as they have been developed, although in spirit they are the same. These include web comics and sprite comics.

The term comics is typically not applied to animation, which uses technology to create the illusion of true movement, rather than relying on being a sequence of static images.

Some may consider storyboards for films to be a form of comics.

History

When comics originated is a matter of debate. While many point to early precidents such as Egyptian hieroglyphics, European stained glass windows or the Bayeux Tapestry, there is increasing agreement that recognizably modern comics begin with the Swiss artist and author Rodolphe Töpffer, who began producing printed comic strips in the mid-1820s.

The term "comics" likely originated in early 20th century comic strips, which were originally a venue for serial and gag humor (i.e., the name came from comedy). Comic books developed as collections of previously printed newspaper comic strips and carried the name forward. This use of a term traditionally applied to subject matter instead being applied to a medium is sometimes confusing.

Though there is little about the medium that intrinsically favors one type of story over another, certain genres have dominated the modern comics, and comics have often been marketed to children and adolescents. These genres include anthropomorphic funny animals, science fiction and horror, romance and superhero adventure. Journalistic, historical, educational, erotic, autobiographical, non-narrative and propagandistic comics have also been produced.

A radical break with the traditional comic genres occurred in the late 1960s with the advent of satirical, psychedelic, and sexually explicit underground comics. Those set the precident for a subsequent (and ongoing) international movement toward personal, artistically ambitious comics that are published without the involvement of the "mainstream" comic book industry. These are loosely grouped under the labels "independent" or "alternative" comics.

Media

The images in printed comics most often originate as pen and ink drawings, but there are exceptions. A few artists use paint, pastel or pencil in their comics, and an increasing number use computer-based drawing tools. Comics that combine photographic images and speech balloons are sometimes known as fotonovelas.

Related articles

External links


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26pigs
Devoted to comics published in the UK last century. Includes description of comics and associated artwork.
http://26pigs.com/

Super Marketing
A selection of weird ads from classic comic books. Including Sea Monkeys and Live Bats.
http://www.steveconley.com/supermarketing.htm

Slumberland
Offers articles and criticism of modern comics and practices versus older issues - includes a few online comic strips.
http://members.tripod.com/~box_of_delights/slumb.html

Wolverine_78763
Offers information on Batman, Wolverine, Punisher and Ghost Rider, and information on a couple current issues.
http://www.geocities.com/wolverine_78763

Dragon's Heart
A list of comics collected over the years.
http://www.angelfire.com/ar2/dragonsheart

Michael Tomiak's Comic Pages
Provides an overview of comic titles from several publisher, including DC, Marvel and Image.
http://mitglied.lycos.de/splasher/

Platinum Grit
Dedicated to Australian comic. Contains information on characters, stories and pictures that can not be found in the comics.
http://members.tripod.com/~farry

Comic Book Home Page
An introduction to comics, with quotes from relevant authors, a short history of comics and some personal favourites.
http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/5537/

Comics and Stories
InterCom is an e-mail discussion list devoted to foreign comic where foreign means comics that did not originate in the United States and comics means comic books, newspaper comic strips, editorial cartoons, graphic novels and comic albums.
http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Hills/6569/

Broadsword Comics
Creator/character profiles, news, gallery, archives and issue summaries.
http://www.geocities.com/broadswordcomics

EC Comics from the Fifties
EC titles, issues, genres and reprints. Lists of selected readings about EC Comics and EC artists. In English or Finnish.
http://www.sci.fi/~karielk/eccomics.htm

ComicsDB.com Image Server
Web database of comic book related information including artists, characters, cover scans, reviews and plot summaries.
http://comicbookcovers.dyndns.org/

The Gloor's Comicpage
Pictures and information about Sandman, The Crow, Sin City, Shi, Darkchylde, and Die Vergessenen.
http://www.thegloor.com/eindex.html

Bamdad's Math Comics
Private collection of comics, cartoons and strips about math.
http://www.csun.edu/~hcmth014/comics.html

Brother Head's Wacky and Somewhat Humorous Website
Personal webpage. List of favorite comics.
http://www.psnw.com/~brotherhead

The Cosmic Odyssey
Artwork and commentary on several current and Silver Age comics - including Silver Surfer and Green Lantern.
http://members.tripod.com/~Silver_Surfer1/

Harold Gibson's Tribute to Black Superheroes
Character profiles, images, and information for a variety of titles.
http://members.tripod.com/~crashman2g/index.html

Yet Another Comics Site
Various comic related opinions, rants and reviews.
http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Atlantis/9354/1.html

Jeff's Homepage
Contains images and information of various heroes including Spiderman, Superman and Batman.
http://geocities.com/jroball/

Cybercat Graphics
Furry, X-Men, fantasy, and anime art, the current X-men related MUX, Mu.
http://www.activecom.net/~cybercat

Mark's Comics Page
Images of some DC and Marvel comic book characters, with a message board and a PalmPilot comics database program.
http://www.intuitivewebdesigns.com/comics

David's Comic Book Page
Depictions of Marvel and DC superheroes done in CG and pencil.
http://members.tripod.com/bigdavec/comic_book_art_by_david_chesley.htm

Prodigious Comics, Cartoons, and Anime
Biographies, images and fan fiction for Sonic, Sailor Moon, Gundam Wing, the Young Justice team, the Tenchi Muyo.
http://www.angelfire.com/ny4/koala

Rob's Comics
News, reviews, polls, trivia, images, and sounds.
http://www.angelfire.com/nj/robscomics/index.html

Nad's Pad
An archive of comic book quotes, from many publishers, categorized by week. Updated weekly, and includes sub pages, mostly related to comics.
http://www.angelfire.com/pa2/nadspad

A Comicbook Romance
Scans of comicbook covers--silver age to present and discussion of each. Criteria for inclusion is that kissing or a marriage appears.
http://www.angelfire.com/in2/comicbooks

Vay's Artwork
Original artwork based on Dragon Ball Z, X-Men, Iron Man and Witchblade.
http://www.angelfire.com/md2/vaynet/

Frank's Cartoon Page
Information and strips about the author's favorite comics and cartoons.
http://www1.tip.nl/~t604212/index0.htm

Johnen Vasquez Sooper Site
Artwork and strips from Johnen Vasquez and Roman Dirge.
http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Palms/1598/untitled2.htm

The Comic Book Universe Battles
Grudge fight between various heroes / villians from sci-fi, fantasy and superhero comics and tv shows. Includes a message board, images and archives.
http://www.electricferret.com/battle/



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