Comics

Comics are a graphic art form using words and images in order to convey a narrative. Comics can contain few or no words, and consist of one or more images, which may either illustrate or counterpoint the text to effect greater depth. more...

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Although historically the form dealt with humorous subject matter, its scope has expanded to encompass the full range of literary genres.

Comics are typically seen as a low art, having established as a form in the late 19th and early 20th century. While preceding works are seen as sharing certain techniques, most notably the conveying of a narrative through imagery, most commentators are agreed that the form was established in the the humorous cartoons and comic strips found in newspapers and magazines of the late 19th and early 20th century, and was fuelled by the boom in publishing technology. Early precursors include Trajan's Column and the Bayeaux Tapestry, as well as works by William Hogarth, Rodolphe Töpffer, Wilhelm Busch and George Cruikshank. Discussion of the form is even more recent, especially in the United States; although early criticism can be traced back to the 1920s, it is only in the latter half of the 20th century that serious examination of the form was begun. Definitions of the form are rather loose in their approach; some claim its printed format is crucial, some emphasize the interdependence of image and text, and others the sequential nature of the images.

Different conventions were adopted around the globe, from the Manhua of China to the manga of Japan, the comic books of the United States and the anthology comic magazines featuring a variety of strips in Europe, initially established by the Ally Sloper comic paper. The comic strip established itself on the pages of newspapers through the success of Outcalt's Hogan's Alley and Yellow Kid, and was soon adopted elsewhere.

Although practitioners can eschew any formal constraints, they often use particular forms and conventions to convey narration and speech, or to evoke emotional or sensual responses. Devices such as speech balloons and boxes are used to indicate dialogue and impart establishing information, while panels, layout, gutters and zip ribbons can help indicate the flow of the story. Comics use of text, ambiguity, symbolism, design, iconography, literary technique, mixed media and stylistic elements of art help build a subtext of meanings. Similarly, the partnering of words and pictures can create a synergy of expression through the manner of their combination which can either enhance or subvert the meaning of each partner's individual contribution.

Read more at Wikipedia.org