P: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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Selected article

Batman has been depicted by various actors over the years

The Batman franchise, based on the fictional superhero Batman who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics, has seen the release of various films. Created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger, the character first starred in two serial films in the 1940s: Batman and Batman and Robin. The character also appeared in the 1966 film Batman, which was a feature film adaptation of the 1960s Batman TV series starring Adam West and Burt Ward, who also starred in the film. Toward the end of the 1980s, the Warner Bros. studio began producing a series of feature films starring Batman, beginning with the 1989 film Batman, directed by Tim Burton and starring Michael Keaton. Burton and Keaton returned for the 1992 sequel Batman Returns, and in 1995, Joel Schumacher directed Batman Forever with Val Kilmer as Batman. Schumacher also directed the 1997 sequel Batman & Robin, which starred George Clooney. Batman & Robin was poorly received by both critics and fans, leading to the cancellation of Batman Unchained.

Following the cancellation of two further film proposals, the franchise was rebooted in 2005 with Batman Begins, directed by Christopher Nolan and starring Christian Bale. Nolan returned to direct two further installments through the release of The Dark Knight in 2008 and The Dark Knight Rises in 2012, with Bale reprising his role in both films. Both sequels earned over $1 billion worldwide, making Batman the second film franchise to have two of its films earn more than $1 billion worldwide. Referred to as "the Dark Knight trilogy", the critical acclaim and commercial success of Nolan's films have been credited with restoring widespread popularity to the superhero, with the second installment considered one of the best superhero movies of all time.

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Anniversaries for May 8

1909: birth of Everett E. Hibbard, American comics artist known for his work on All-Star Comics
1920: birth of Tom of Finland, Finnish comics artist known for his erotic gay comic books
1936: birth of Kazuo Koike, Japanese mangaka best known for Lone Wolf and Cub
1938: birth of Jean Giraud, important French comics artist best known for Blueberry and his work as Mœbius, including Arzach, The Incal and The Silver Surfer
1961: debut of Apartment 3-G, American comic strip by Nicholas P. Dallis and Alex Kotzky
1967: birth of John Hicklenton, British comics artist known for work on 2000 AD characters like Judge Dredd
1970: birth of Stephen Wacker, American comics editor for Marvel Comics
1973: birth of Hiromu Arakawa, Japanese mangaka best known for Fullmetal Alchemist
1976: birth of Carlos Mangual, comic book letterer
1976: birth of Makoto Yukimura, Japanese mangaka best known for Planetes
2002: death of Thomas Williams, British comics artist
2007: death of Manuel Moro, Mexican artist, known as the artist of Anibal 5, published by Novaro
2012: death of Carlos Loiseau, Argentine cartoonist and humorist, popularly known in Argentina by his byline, Caloi
2012: death of Maurice Sendak, American illustrator and writer of children's books, known for his book Where the Wild Things Are

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General images

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

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

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 John Romita Sr. has been credited with introducing romance comic themes to Spider-Man comic books?
... that M. Night Shyamalan's Old is based on a Swiss graphic novel that the filmmaker received as a Father's Day gift?
... that the robotic enemies in the video game The Incredible Hulk were influenced by Marvel Comics' objection to the Hulk killing humanoid characters?
... that The Steranko History of Comics has been described as the first piece of cultural analysis on American comic books?
... that otomechikku, a subgenre of Japanese girls' comics focusing on stories about ordinary teenaged protagonists, has been compared to monogatari and the genre of Bildungsroman?
... that the Franco-Belgian comic book Hans had its title changed in Poland due to lingering ill-feeling toward Germany?
... that a teacher of medieval literature and comic books writes the blog Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle?

Selected picture

Whiz Comics #2 (Feb. 1940), the first appearance of Captain Marvel. Cover art by C. C. Beck.

Credit: Fawcett Comics

Captain Marvel is a fictional comic book superhero, originally published by Fawcett Comics and later by DC Comics. Created in 1939 by artist C. C. Beck and writer Bill Parker, the character first appeared in Whiz Comics #2 (February 1940). With a premise that taps adolescent fantasy, Captain Marvel is the alter ego of Billy Batson, a youth who works as a radio news reporter and was chosen to be a champion of good by the wizard Shazam.

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More did you know...

...that 24-hour comics have become so popular that there's now a holiday for it on April 24?

...that Uri-On, created by Michael Netzer (pictured) in 1987, was the first Israeli superhero to be published in color?

...that T.H.E. Fox, drawn on a C64 KoalaPad and published on CompuServe, Q-Link and GEnie, is among the earliest online comics?

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Selected quote

You know, I distrust people who 'read' comics ... you don't read a comic book. You look at a comic book. While you're looking at a comic, sure, you read the words; as well, you learn to look at the panels in a certain order, in a certain way ... if you start out to 'read' a comic book, you're starting out with the wrong mind-set.

— Samuel R. Delany

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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.