Comic

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Comics (sometimes spelled comix) are combinations of words and images into a printed or electronic medium for telling stories. They are typically printed on paper, with the most common formats being newspaper strips, magazine-format comic books, and larger bound volumes called graphic novels.

Comics are thought by some to be an art form, also known as sequential art, although whether they are an art form or are merely a medium in which sequential art is practised is still a matter of debate amongst creators, scholars and readers.

Terminology

Outside the United States comics are known by various established/well known terms such as Manga (Japan), Bandes dessinée (French speaking countries), Manhwa (Korea), Fumetti (Italy), Tebeo/Historieta (Spanish speaking countries) and Manhua (China).

• Manga (漫画; also known as Amerimanga or Global manga) is a term usually used outside Japan that refers specifically to Japanese comics. Manga developed from a mixture of ukiyo-e and foreign styles of drawing, and took its current form shortly after World War II. It is usually printed in black and white, except for the covers and sometimes the first few pages. Manga published by amateurs and amateur groups is known as Dōjinshi.

Formats

• Comic book (also known as Comicbook and Comic magazine) - A publication that consists of comic art in the form of sequential juxtaposed panels that represent individual scenes.
• Graphic novel - A compilation or collections o multiple comic books into a bound format. Also used to describe stand-alone comic works and stories.
• Newspaper comic strip (also known as Comic strip) - A newspaper comic strip that consists of a sequence of drawings arranged in interrelated panels to display brief humor or form a narrative. Originally a printed medium only, some are displayed on the web-based form of the publication.
• Webcomic - A digital version of a comic strip whose distribution is through the Internet.
• Editorial cartoon (also known as a Political cartoon) - An illustration containing a commentary that usually relates to current events or personalities.
• Gag cartoon (also known as a Single-panel cartoon, Panel cartoon or Gag panel) - An one panel cartoon, usually including a hand-lettered or typeset caption beneath the drawing.
• Webtoon - A webcomic format where each episode is published on one long, vertical strip, making use of an infinite canvas rather than multiple pages so that it is easier to read on a smartphone or computer.

Comics and furry

Large publishers, with their vested interest in existing titles, have historically been reluctant to publish new titles involving furries and funny animals, but there have been two major exceptions. One was DC Comics' Captain Carrot and His Amazing Zoo Crew!, and the other was Peter Porker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham, published by Star Comics, subsidiary of Marvel. Both of these were parodies of existing genres and titles. Archie Comics' Sonic the Hedgehog and Antarctic Press's Gold Digger perhaps come closest to being mainstream furry titles, though classifying them as 'furry' is debatable. Most other furry-friendly titles have been published independently with relatively small print runs. The furry fandom itself was established partly around the publication of titles such as Omaha the Cat Dancer, Albedo Anthropomorphics, and Equine the Uncivilized.

Furry comics

The question on what exactly makes a comic (web or print) a "furry comic" does not have a specific answer.

For some, just having anthropomorphic characters in the comic makes it furry. Others prefer to reserve the "furry" label for those comics where the characters are predominantly anthropomorphic animals, and act as such.

There are many comics that have "furry" characters in a minor role, and/or whose audience is not primarily the furry fandom. For example, Gaming Guardians has "furry" characters, but the primary characters are human, and the webcomic is meant more for the gaming audience.

Also, some creators use anthropomorphic characters as metaphors (as in TwoKinds, where the Keidran and Basitin are metaphors for different human races in real life), or simply as an artistic style (as with Omaha The Cat Dancer and Shanda The Panda - see humans in fursuits).

Some comic creators prefer to avoid the "furry" label entirely, often due to negative connotations (real or perceived) of being associated with furry fandom. Artists creating characters more in the Golden Age mold might call their strip a funny animal comic, while others may refer to the "furry" characters as weres, or simply as fantasy characters.

Amerimanga Anthropomorphic comics include Buster the Amazing Bear, Gold Digger, Inverloch, and Reality Check!

See also

• Featured comics
• Comics category
• Publishing companies categories

Wikipedia entries

• Comic book
• Graphic novel
• Newspaper comic strip
• Webcomic
• Editorial cartoon
• Gag cartoon
• Webtoon