Portal:Comics

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Introduction

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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Anarky is a fictional character in the DC Comics Universe. Co-created by Alan Grant and Norm Breyfogle (pictured), he first appeared in Detective Comics #608 (November 1989) as an adversary of Batman. Stories revolving around Anarky often focus on political and philosophical themes. Named after the philosophy of anarchism, the primary philosophical element that has underscored the character's appearances has been anti-statism. With Grant's transition to the philosophy of Neo-Tech, Anarky was transformed from a vehicle for socialist and populist philosophy, to rationalist, atheist, and free market based thought. The creation of the character was also partially influenced by Alan Moore's character "V" from V for Vendetta. Originally intended to only be used in the debut story in which he appeared, positive reception by readers and his editor convinced Grant to continue using Anarky as a recurring character throughout the early 90s. Batman: Anarky, a trade paperback collection of stories featuring the character, soon followed. This popular acclaim culminated, however, in a financially and critically unsuccessful ongoing solo series. The 1999 Anarky series, in which even Alan Grant has expressed his distaste, was quickly canceled after eight issues.

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Anniversaries for June 10

1922: birth of Angela Giussani, Italian comics writer, co-creator of the Diabolik comic book antihero series
1927: birth of Mitacq, Belgian artist is especially known for La Patrouille des Castors in Spirou
1951: birth of Charles Vess, British comics artist best known for his work on Sandman and Stardust
1959: birth of Howard Simpson, American comic book artist known as a penciller, inker, and background artist
1960: birth of Scott McCloud, American comic book artist and leading popular scholar of comics
1960: death of Al Posen, American cartoonist best known for his comic strip Sweeney & Son
1962: birth of Masashi Tanaka, Japanese mangaka best known for Gon
1970: birth of Matt Haley, American film director, art director, and book illustrator artist
2017: death of Malang, Filipino cartoonist, illustrator, and fine arts painter, best known for the series Kosme the Cop, Chain Gang Charlie and Beelzebub

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General images

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

Image 1Japanese wood block illustration from 19th century (from History of manga)
Image 2Hokusai Manga (early 19th century) (from History of manga)
Image 3A Fallout Cosplayer photographed at a Comic Con in a Fallout Themed area (from Comic book convention)
Image 4Cover to 27 December 1884 edition of Ally Sloper's Half Holiday. (from British comics)
Image 5Comic Con crowds in 2011 as seen from a helicopter (from San Diego Comic-Con)
Image 6Sequential depictions on Trajan's Column in Rome, Italy (from History of 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 9
Comics artist Mœbius (2008), who achieved international renown through Métal Hurlant
(from Bande dessinée)
Image 10Cover 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 11Close Hergé collaborator and magazine contributor Bob de Moor (from Bande dessinée)
Image 12A page by Rodolphe Töpffer, whose work is considered influential in shaping the comics form. (from History of comics)
Image 13The French comic Les Pieds Nickelés (1954 book cover): an early 20th-century forerunner of the modern Franco-Belgian comic (from Bande dessinée)
Image 14The San Diego Convention Center during Comic-Con in 2013 (from San Diego Comic-Con)
Image 15Image of bathers from the Hokusai manga (from History of manga)
Image 16During 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 17Phoenix Fan Fusion's 2017 convention in Phoenix, Arizona (from Comic book convention)
Image 18Chōjū-giga (12th century), traditionally attributed to a monk-artist Kakuyū (Toba Sōjo) (from History of manga)

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

... that the Buddhist themes of David Bowie's 1967 composition "Karma Man" were compared to the Marvel Comics character Doctor Strange?
... that a 1944 serial film was the first film appearance of Captain America and the first film appearance of any Marvel Comics character?
... that M. Night Shyamalan's Old is based on a Swiss graphic novel that the filmmaker received as a Father's Day gift?
... that John Byrne retold the origin of Superman in the 1986 comic book limited series The Man of Steel, 48 years after the character was created?
... that the writer of Poison Ivy: Thorns felt the titular DC Comics character was "tailor made for [her] interests as a nature-loving, gay makeup enthusiast"?
... that until the 1970s, most shōjo manga (Japanese girls' comics) were written by men?
... that Iván Arias's eccentric but successful 2021 La Paz mayoral campaign involved an action figure, comics, and chocolate kisses named and styled in his likeness?
... that Steve Englehart wrote the Captain America comic book storyline "Secret Empire" as an allegory for the Watergate scandal?

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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 the fictional goat Koziołek Matołek has been a popular Polish children's literature character since first appearing in 1933?

...that Michigan State University Libraries has the largest catalogued collection of comic books in the world, with over 150,000 items?

...that as part of the DC Universe reboot, Justice League Dark has been launched featuring some of DC Comics' more bizarre and supernatural characters?

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There were other Batman writers throughout the years but they could never capture the style and flavor of Bill's scripts. Bill was the best writer in the business and it seemed that he was destined to write Batman.

— Bob Kane

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