Western comics

WESTERN COMICS: A PRIMER

Asha Bardon agrees that comics are cool, but given the number of countries around the world, where do you begin – and where did they?

Think of the word “comic” and you’re probably either drawn to manga from Japan or comics from Western countries, such as the US or France, each with their own histories and subcultures. But, as we move into the latter half of the 2020s, one thing is key: regardless of region, comics are cool.

No longer the sole province of nerds and picky readers, comics are in vogue, both as living pieces of art on bookshelves and walls, and inspiring everything from Netflix’s next big hit to summer blockbusters. But where did they come from and how did we get here?

Comics are as varied as the genres they cover and the mediums they’re created in, from satirical single panels in political magazines and daily newspapers to short strips such as Fred Bassett, Peanuts and Strange Planet, to longer story-length titles like Watchman, Kabuki or adaptations of other media, such as The Last Unicorn, Doctor Who or Hellraiser.

COVER STORIES The cover of the 2019 edition of classic comic Watchmen, by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons.

© Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons/DC Comics

The cover of the graphic novel adaptation of Peter S Beagle’s The Last Unicorn by Peter B Gillis (author), and Renae De Liz (artist).

© IDW Publishing

The most freeing part of the medium is its versatility; each publication or strip has its own distinctive art style, some black and white, others coloured. Some are written by one person, others are collaborations between writers and artists, with patron saints such as Stan Lee, Jack Kirby and Alan Moore. And, now we live in an online world, they’re often available in digital form as well, meaning they’re even more accessible than ever for anyone with a phone, Kindle or library card.

ART AS EDUCATION

Art has always been a way for people to tell stories, dating back to hunters in the famed French caves of Lascaux – now a UNESCO World Heritage site – where the art has been dated to around 20,000 years ago. This was well before humans could write, before complex civilisations existed or words were pressed into clay tablets or scribed on papyrus paper.

PANEL SHOW Panels from Daniel Gete, an artist from Spain who’s worked professionally on several comic series.

© Daniel Gete/Oni Press