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 means of image-making 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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Batwoman is the name of two fictional characters who act as female counterparts to the superhero Batman. The original Batwoman was created by Bob Kane and Sheldon Moldoff with writer Edmond Hamilton. This character appears in publications produced by DC Comics and related media beginning in Detective Comics #233 (1956). The character was introduced as a love interest for Batman to disprove allegations of homosexuality in response to the backlash from the book Seduction of the Innocent (1954). When Julius Schwartz became editor of the Batman-related comic books in 1964, he removed non-essential characters including Batwoman, Bat-Girl, Bat-Mite, and Bat-Hound. The modern Batwoman is written as being of Jewish descent and as a lesbian in an effort by DC editorial staff to diversify its publications and better connect to modern day readership. Batwoman's sexual orientation has been both criticized and praised by the general public and the character has been described as the highest profile gay character to appear in stories produced by DC Comics. Both incarnations of the character are written as the heiress of a family whose fortune is comparable to the wealth of Bruce Wayne.

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Anniversaries for January 8

1921: birth of Lee J. Ames, American artist noted for his Draw 50... learn-to-draw books
1955: birth of Ken Steacy, Canadian comics author best known for his work on Astro Boy
1966: birth of Joe Pruett, American comic book writer, editor, and, publisher, co-founder of publisher AfterShock Comics
1968: birth of Eric Stephenson (publisher), American comic book publisher, editor, and writer.
1973: birth of Tommy Lee Edwards, American comics artist known for his work on Batman and Hellboy
1979: death of Victor Hubinon, Belgian comics artist best known for Redbeard and Buck Danny
1990: death of Bernard Krigstein, American comics creator best known for the short story Master Race
1993: first volume of Wangan Midnight, Japanese racing manga created by Michiharu Kusunoki

More January anniversaries / All Anniversaries...

General images

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

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

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

... 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 Fabrizio Dori wants his comic book Il dio vagabondo to bring attention to an ancient Greek view of death?
... that the comic book Nietzsche, se créer liberté tries to express Friedrich Nietzsche's personality visually?
... that a graphic novel for teens was among the 10 most challenged books in the United States in 2023?
... that circulation numbers for early comic books featuring Captain America remained close to a million copies per month, outstripping news magazines such as Time?
... that the Buddhist themes of David Bowie's 1967 composition "Karma Man" were compared to the Marvel Comics character Doctor Strange?
... that Kamome Shirahama, in addition to writing and illustrating her best-selling Witch Hat Atelier manga series, has created variant covers for DC Comics, Marvel Comics, and the Star Wars franchise?
... that until the 1970s, most shōjo manga (Japanese girls' comics) were written by men?

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Credit: Greg Williams

The word cartoon has various meanings, based on several very different forms of visual art and illustration. The term has evolved over time. The original meaning was in fine art of the late Middle Ages and Renaissance, where it referred to a preparatory drawing for a piece of art, such as a painting or tapestry.

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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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A couple of months after I published this story, it occurred to me that a Superman as a hero rather than as a villain might make a great comic strip character in the vein of Tarzan, only more super and sensational than that great character. Joe and I drew it up as a comic book.

— Jerry Siegel

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This is a list of recognized content, updated weekly by JL-Bot (talk · contribs) (typically on Saturdays). There is no need to edit the list yourself. If an article is missing from the list, make sure it is tagged (e.g. {{WikiProject Comics}}) or categorized correctly and wait for the next update. See WP:RECOG for configuration options.