Comic books can be a great form of entertainment for all ages. This media has many fans, both young and old, and the fan base is growing. However, getting into comics can be intimidating if you aren’t familiar with where to start, especially for those like Marvel and DC. To be honest, it’s much simpler than it appears, but if you’re a beginner with questions, check out my comic book guide here.
What is a comic?
Comics are stories in art form. They are usually made up of multiple panels with artwork and captions for narration or speech bubbles for dialogue. There can be single-panel comics with only one scene, or a couple of panels containing a few scenes, as seen in newspapers, or a whole book full.
Comics come from all over the world, but many of them have their own terminology in their language to describe them. I’ll mention just a few of them as examples.
Asian Comic Books
Asian comics are produced in a variety of Asian countries and have their own distinct names. Japanese comics are called manga. South Korean comics are usually called manhwa. Chinese comics are called manhua. These terms all mean “comic” in their respective languages. They also have their own elements. For example, manga is read from right to left and is usually in black and white, whereas manhwa is in color and is read from left to right. Other countries also have their own terms and elements.
Comics from other countries begin in their own languages, but many are translated either by fans (which is usually considered piracy) or by official companies that translate and then legally distribute the comics. Manga may be Japanese comics, but it has a worldwide following and is especially popular in the United States. It’s become so popular that there are reports that it’s even outselling the big two: Marvel and DC.
Check out my anime and manga glossary if you want to learn some more about terminology.
American Comic Books
American comics, like any novel, are read from left to right. They are usually in color, but there are a few exceptions. For a certain aesthetic, a creator may choose to leave it in black and white or only color it in certain hues. Several publishers include Marvel, DC, Image, Dark Horse, IDW Publishing, and Valiant.
With the increased availability of the internet and creative outlets, even smaller authors can create their own and have an audience read them.
Now let’s get into some more specifics about American comics, because I have a feeling that’s why you’re reading this post.
Marvel Comics
Marvel is one of the largest comic book publishers in the United States. It features superheroes and has overarching story lines that are constantly intertwined to create a universe. These stories and characters have become so popular that they have inspired the creation of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Now, if you’re here because you started with the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe), you should know that what you see in the movies will not be exactly the same as in the comics. The movies have taken liberties in changing characters and plots in various ways.
Marvel characters examples:
- Spider-man
- Iron Man
- Black Widow
- Captain America
- Black Panther
- Thor
- Dr. Strange
- X-men
There are many, many other characters, but these are just a few, and some of the most popular.
DC Comics
DC Comics is also one of the largest publishers in the United States. They are very similar to Marvel comics. They also have superheroes and their own movie universe: The DC Extended Universe. Again, the movies can and will deviate from their comic counterparts. Both have overarching, connecting stories.
DC characters examples:
- Batman
- Robin
- Superman
- Joker
- Harley Quinn
- Green Lantern
- Wonder Woman
- Aquaman
There are also many, many other characters, but these are some of the most popular and most well-known.
Other Publishers
Marvel and DC are the two biggest names in comic publishing, and they are usually the first two companies that come to mind when someone mentions the term “comic book.” There are other companies, which I already briefly mentioned, that also have some very popular comics. Unless it’s for a certain character or series, their books don’t connect like Marvel or DC’s.
Some popular Image comics include:
- Deadly Class
- Invincible
- The Walking Dead
- Spawn
Some popular Dark Horse comics include:
- Hellboy
- The Umbrella Academy
- Aliens
- Sin City
- Star Wars (before Disney acquired it)
Feel free to check out the other publishers to see what they have.
Indie Comic Books
Many of these other publishers, besides Marvel and DC, are referred to as “Indie Comics.” Indie comics typically imply that creators aren’t tied to a company and have complete control over their work. They can do whatever they want with their work without a company telling them what to do. The creators are independent. Disney owns Marvel, and Warner Bros. owns DC (which was purchased by AT&T until it merged with Discovery), so the companies own the work, and their decisions must be approved.
Indie comics cover a wide range of topics and genres. There could be horror comics, fantasy comics, comedies, or even slice-of-life comics. They are easier to read because the characters and series are completely separate from one another, as opposed to Marvel and DC, where the comics create a whole connecting universe.
The connected universe concept can be quite amazing, but it can also be very confusing if you haven’t read all the relevant material that may be discussed in one of the comics you’re reading. That isn’t to suggest none of the others have connected universes. Some of them might, as I haven’t read every single comic and don’t know every single story.
Check out Comic Book 101 Part 2 to learn about how to read comics and how to store them.
Do you have any questions regarding comic books? Ask them in the comments.