Comics and Graphic Novels

 

1) 

Comics are a creative, powerful mix of visuals and storytelling used to entertain, educate, and express ideas across all ages and cultures.

• Combine images and text to entertain, inform and engage readers 
• For entertainment - fun stories, action, humour and fantasy 
• Attracts children, teens and adults so wide range of people
• Storytelling - complex and easy to read stories with visuals and text such as dialogue can be fictional or non fiction (real life events)
•  Education - explain and engage interesting topics such as science and history
• Creative expression - for artists and writers to express themselves and explore emotion, cultures and combines art with language 
• Builds community and fandom - fan cultures and conventions such as fan art and cosplay
• People read comics because they’re fun, emotional, creative, and often easier to understand than traditional books. Whether it’s for escape, learning, or laughter, comics offer something for everyone
• People watch for entertainment (fun, exciting, dramatic stories and characters, easy to follow, visually engaging) humour - funny or light hearted For art - creative visuals, colours and style emotional connection - characters struggles, relationships or growth people relate to escape reality 

2) 

• Graphic novel is a book length story told using both words and pictures, just like comics but longer and deeper in theme 
• Longer format - comic style panels- cam be 100+ pages - visual storytelling - combines images, dialogue bubbles and narration boxes (helps tell complex stories)
• Appeals to all ages kids, teens and adults 
• Graphic novel is like a comic book more like a full novel more serious or meaningful storytelling 
• A graphic novel = a full-length story told in comic form 
• A comic book = a shorter, serial format
• Both use the same visual storytelling techniques, but graphic novels are usually more complete and literary.

Feature	Comic Book	Graphic Novel
Length	Short, often part of a series	Book-length, complete story
Format	Released in issues	Released as full book
Topics	Often superhero/action	Can be fiction or nonfiction

3) 

Mainstream

Publisher	Known For
Marvel Comics	Spider-Man, Avengers, X-Men
DC Comics	Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman
Image Comics	The Walking Dead, Saga, Spawn
Dark Horse Comics	Hellboy, The Umbrella Academy, Star Wars
IDW Publishing	Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Transformers
Boom! Studios	Lumberjanes, Power Rangers, Something is Killing the Children

Independent 

Publisher	Known For

Drawn & Quarterly

Persepolis, Chester Brown’s work, Julie Doucet

Fantagraphics Books

Love and Rockets, Ghost World, The Complete Peanuts

First Second Books

American Born Chinese, This One Summer

Top Shelf Productions

March trilogy, Blankets, Essex County

SelfMadeHero (UK) British and European graphic novels – Shakespeare 4)  Name Role Known For Stan Lee Writer Marvel superheroes like Spider-Man Bob Kane Artist/Co-Creator Batman (with Bill Finger) Osamu Tezuka Manga Artist/Writer Astro Boy, modern manga style Jack Kirby Artist/Writer Co-creator of Marvel characters Will Eisner Artist/Writer Stan Lee (USA): creating Spider-Man, iron man, x-men, hulk and Thor Company - marvel comics  Giving superhero’s human problems and personalities  Bob Kane (USA): Artist and co-creator - Batman - DC comics helped design the original dark and mysterious look of Batman  Osamu Tezuka (Japan): Artists and writers such as - creating Astro Boy, Black Jack and Buddha - nickname “God of Manga) - introduced cinematic style to Manga, inspired generations of Manga and Anime creators Jack Kirby (USA): Penciller and writer - co-created Captain America, Fantastic Four and New Gods - Marvel and DC - known for bold, powerful drawings and epic sci-fi storytelling - nicknamed “The King of Comics”  Will Eisner (USA): Writer and Artist - known for - The Spirit and helping define graphic novel format wrote - “A Contract with God” one of the first graphic novels - awarded Eisner Awards Like Oscar of Comics (named after him) 5) Print - bookstores and comic shops - costs £3–£20 depending on type (issue vs full book). Libraries - many public libraries have comic and graphic novel selection - free to borrow  Digital Platforms - Comixology - Amazon - huge collection of Marvel, DC, indie comics - £5/month - Webtoon and Tapas - mobile apps for web comics and graphic novels- free with paid episodes - Marvel Unlimited/ DC Universe Infinite - access to thousands of comics from Marvel/DC - £8–£10/month - Digital Libraries - such as OneDrive - read graphic novel through local library account - free  with library card Multimedia Versions - motion comics or animated adaptations - turned into animated films/videos watch on YouTube or Netflix - free or included in subscriptions Social Media and Free Web Access - Instagram, Tumblr and Reddit - Indie artists post short comics or web strips - free, creative and easily shared  Comic 1 - Spider-man (Marvel Comics): Title - amazing Spider-Man - publisher - Marvel Comics - Style - action, colourful and dramatic  Features - art style - bright, bold, action poses - tone - heroic, emotional - language - comic-style dialouge - bubbles inner thoughts shown in narration boxes  Story - Peter Parker balancing high school life with being Spider-man  Target Audience - Teens and superhero fans  Comic 2 - Saga (Image Comics) Title: Saga - publisher - Image Comics - style - Sci-fi/fantasy and mature themes Features - Art style - detailed, imaginative designs and creative visuals - Tone - serious, emotional and dark - Language - natural and Mature (swearing) - Story - a family from two species trying to survive and raise a child  Target audience - adults and older teens