Portal:Comics

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Introduction

Comics is 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. The size and arrangement of panels contribute to narrative pacing. Cartooning and other forms of illustration are the most common image-making means in comics; fumetti 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, while online webcomics have proliferated in the 21st century.

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."). Though the term derives from the humorous (comic) work that predominated in early American newspaper comic strips, it has become standard for non-humorous works too. The alternate spelling comix – coined by the underground comix movement – is sometimes used to address these ambiguities. In English, it is common to refer to the comics of different cultures by the terms used in their original languages, such as manga for Japanese comics, or bandes dessinées (B.D.) for French-language comics. There is no consensus amongst 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. The increasing cross-pollination of concepts from different comics cultures and eras has further made definition difficult. (Full article...)

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The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is an American media franchise and shared fictional universe that is centered on a series of superhero films, independently produced by Marvel Studios and based on characters that appear in publications by Marvel Comics. The franchise has expanded to include comic books, short films, and television series. The shared universe, much like the original Marvel Universe in comic books, was established by crossing over common plot elements, settings, cast, and characters. Clark Gregg has appeared the most in the franchise, portraying Phil Coulson, a character original to the MCU. The first film released in the MCU was Iron Man (2008), which began the first phase of films, culminating in Marvel's The Avengers (2012). "Phase Two" began with Iron Man 3 (2013), and concluded with Ant-Man (2015). The universe began to expand with the release of the first official tie-in comics in 2010, and saw further expansion with the Marvel One-Shots direct-to-video short films in 2011 and the television series Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. in the 2013–14 television season from Marvel Television. Marvel has multiple films and television projects in various stages of development. The franchise ranks as the highest-grossing film franchise both in the United States and worldwide, and has inspired other film studios with comic book character film rights to attempt to create similar shared universes.

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Anniversaries for November 29

1919: birth of Gill Fox, American comic book artist known for his work at Quality Comics
1942: birth of Maggie Thompson, editor of Comics Buyer's Guide
1953: death of Milt Gross, American comic strip creator known for Count Screwloose of Tooloose
1969: birth of Greg Rucka, American comic book writer
2006: first session of the Create a Comic Project, a webcomic-based educational endeavor founded by John Baird

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

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Captain America, foreground, and Spiderman greeted many Pentagon-assigned servicemembers and their children on April 28 for the unveiling of a custom comic book for members of the armed services.

Credit: United States Department of Defense

Captain America is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Captain America Comics #1 (cover-dated March 1941), from Marvel Comics' 1940s predecessor, Timely Comics, and was created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby.

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Did you know...

...that while Al Jaffee (pictured) created the comics character Ziggy Pig, it was Stan Lee who named him?

...that after 25 years of aging in real time, John Constantine is getting younger?

...that The Punisher can be distinguished from other beat 'em up games by its frequent use of firearms?

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...'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

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Featured content

This is a list of recognized content, updated weekly by JL-Bot (talk · contribs). 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. See WP:RECOG for configuration options.