Portal:Comics

Portal topics: Activities; Culture; Geography; Health; History; Mathematics; Nature; People; Philosophy; Religion; Society; Technology; Random portal

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...)

Show new selections below (purge)

edit

Selected article

Batman Begins is a 2005 superhero film based on the fictional DC Comics character Batman, directed by Christopher Nolan. It stars Christian Bale as Batman along with Michael Caine, Liam Neeson, Katie Holmes, Cillian Murphy, Gary Oldman, and Morgan Freeman. The film reboots the Batman film series, telling the origin story of the character from Bruce Wayne's initial fear of bats, the death of his parents, his journey to become Batman, and his fight against Ra's al Ghul's plot to destroy Gotham City. After a series of unsuccessful projects to resurrect Batman on screen following the 1997 critical failure of Batman & Robin, Nolan and David S. Goyer began to work on the film in early 2003 and aimed for a darker and more realistic tone, with humanity and realism being the basis of the film. The film opened on June 15, 2005, in the United States and Canada in 3,858 theaters. It grossed $48 million in its opening weekend, eventually grossing over $372 million worldwide. The film received a generally positive critical response. The film begins The Dark Knight trilogy; its story arc is continued in The Dark Knight (2008) and concluded in The Dark Knight Rises (2012).

More selected articles

Read more

edit

Anniversaries for November 18

1951: birth of Bob Smith (comics), American comic book artist and inker for DC Comics and Archie Comics
1953: birth of Alan Moore, British comics author best known for From Hell, Watchmen and V for Vendetta
1956: first appearance of Johnny Reb and Billy Yank, American Sunday comic strip created by Frank Giacoia
1969: birth of Lysa Hawkins, American comic book editor
1985: debut of Calvin and Hobbes, a highly popular American comic strip by Bill Watterson
1991: death of Reg Parlett, British comics author known for his work in Buster
1994: death of Peter Ledger, Australian comics artist known for his airbrush work
1998: launch of Penny Arcade, American webcomic by Jerry Holkins and Mike Krahulik

More November anniversaries / All Anniversaries...

General images

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

Image 1A page by Rodolphe Töpffer, whose work is considered influential in shaping the comics form. (from History of comics)
Image 2Chōjū-giga (12th century), traditionally attributed to a monk-artist Kakuyū (Toba Sōjo) (from History of manga)
Image 3The French comic Les Pieds Nickelés (1954 book cover): an early 20th-century forerunner of the modern Franco-Belgian comic (from Bande dessinée)
Image 4Comic Con crowds in 2011 as seen from a helicopter (from San Diego Comic-Con)
Image 5Cover 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 6Comic-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 7During 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 8Cover to 27 December 1884 edition of Ally Sloper's Half Holiday. (from British comics)
Image 9Hokusai Manga (early 19th century) (from History of manga)
Image 10The San Diego Convention Center during Comic-Con in 2013 (from San Diego Comic-Con)
Image 11A Fallout Cosplayer photographed at a Comic Con in a Fallout Themed area (from Comic book convention)
Image 12Image of bathers from the Hokusai manga (from History of manga)
Image 13Phoenix Fan Fusion's 2017 convention in Phoenix, Arizona (from Comic book convention)
Image 14Close Hergé collaborator and magazine contributor Bob de Moor (from Bande dessinée)
Image 15Japanese wood block illustration from 19th century (from History of manga)
Image 16Convention crowd outside of Golden Hall in 1982 (from San Diego Comic-Con)
Image 17Sequential depictions on Trajan's Column in Rome, Italy (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 John Romita Sr. has been credited with introducing romance comic themes to Spider-Man comic books?
... 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 the Buddhist themes of David Bowie's 1967 composition "Karma Man" were compared to the Marvel Comics character Doctor Strange?
... that a graphic novel for teens was among the 10 most challenged books in the United States in 2023?
... that a teacher of medieval literature and comic books writes the blog Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle?
... that comic book artist Barry Windsor-Smith wrote, drew, inked, and lettered every page of his graphic novel Monsters by himself?
... that Steve Englehart wrote the Captain America comic book storyline "Secret Empire" as an allegory for the Watergate scandal?
... 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?

edit

Selected picture

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.

More selected pictures

Read more

edit

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?

More did you know facts

edit

Selected quote

...'comic' simply means funny, so the word is inadequate. To tack on the word 'adult' has resulted in a style of magazine suitable for only some adults, glossy comics barely containing their airbrushed breasts, leaving little room for genuine content.

— Paul Gravett

More selected quotes

More from Wikiquote

edit

Topics

edit

Featured content

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.