COMICARTAlthoughoftendismissedasunsophisticated,therootsofComicArtcanbefoundinthemostaustereofbeginnings—fromthehieroglyphsofAncientEgypttothefrescoesoftheVatican.TheseearlyformsofNarrativeArttoldastorythroughanimageoraseriesofimages,muchlikethecomicsoftoday.ModernComicArtfirstreachedthemassesthroughnewspapers.Innovativeartistspairedillustrationswithcaptionsthatdisplayedacontinuousnarrativeandsometimesfeaturedtheuseofspeechballoons,satireandcaricature.Manyclassicstripsarestillwidelycirculatedtoday,boastingbelovedcharactersthathavewithstoodthetestoftime.HaroldGray’sLittleOrphanAnnieandChicYoung’sBlondiehaveentertainedmultiplegenerationsofreaders,andthecharactersfeaturedinCharlesSchulz’sPeanutsarerecognizedandbelovedaroundtheworld.TheadventofcomicbooksbroughtpublishinggiantsMarvelandDConthescenewithsuperheroeslikeSpider-Man,SupermanandBatman,andathrivingsubcultureofdevotedfanswasborn.Overthepastcentury,artistshaveexperimentedwithnarrative,formatandcontent,producingworksthathaverunthegamutfromearnestreligiousdirectivestosearingsocialandpoliticalcommentary.Thegraphicnovelformat,popularizedbypioneerWillEisnerbeginninginthe1970s,hasseenanexplosioninpopularityinrecentyears,providingarangeofcontentforeverykindofreader.ComicArthassteppedfromthefringesofpopculturetotakeitsplaceasoneofthegreatAmericanartforms.EducatorshaveembracedComicArt,recognizingthevalueofengagingstudentswithmaterialthatmakesreadingfun(inexamplearechildren’sbooks).

NewspaperComics–Garfield

GarfieldisacomiccreatedbyJimDavis.Publishedsince1978,itchroniclesthelifeofthetitlecharacter,Garfield,thecat;JonArbuckle,thehuman;andOdie,thedog.Asof2013,itwassyndicatedinroughly2,580newspapersandjournals,andheldtheGuinnessWorldRecordforbeingtheworld'smostwidelysyndicatedcomicstrip.

Thoughthisisrarelymentionedinprint,GarfieldissetinMuncie,Indiana,thehomeofJimDavis,accordingtothetelevisionspecialHappyBirthday,Garfield.CommonthemesinthestripincludeGarfield'slaziness,obsessiveeating,coffee,anddisdainofMondaysanddiets.Thestrip'sfocusismostlyontheinteractionsamongGarfield,Jon,andOdie,butotherrecurringminorcharactersappearaswell.Inadditiontothevariousmerchandiseandcommercialtie-ins,thestriphasspawnedseveralanimatedtelevisionspecials,twoanimatedtelevisionseries,twotheatricalfeature-lengthlive-action/CGIanimatedfilms,andthreefullyCGIanimateddirect-to-videomovies.

Partofthestrip'sbroadpopculturalappealisduetoitslackofsocialorpoliticalcommentary;thoughthiswasDavis'soriginalintention,healsoadmittedthathis"graspofpoliticsisn'tstrong,"jokingthat,formanyyears,hethought"OPECwasadentureadhesive.”

JimDavis:Garfield+Intentions+InspirationsInthe1970s,DaviscreatedacomicstripcalledGnormGnat,whichmetwithlittlesuccess.Oneeditorsaid,"hisartwasgood,hisgagsweregreat,"butthat"nobodycanidentifywithbugs."Davisdecidedtotakealong,hardlookatthecomicsandhesawthatdogsweredoingverywell,buttherewerenocatsatthetime.Davisfiguredthatsincehehadgrownuponafarmwith25catsthathecouldcomeupwithastripbasedonacat.HethenproceededtocreateanewstripwithacatasitsmaincharacterandthuscreatedGarfield,whoborrowsthefirstletterofhisnamefromDavis'searlierwork.Garfieldoriginallyconsistedoffourmaincharacters.Garfield,thetitularcharacter,wasbasedonthecatsDaviswasaroundgrowingup;hetookhisnameandpersonalityfromDavis'sgrandfather,JamesA.GarfieldDavis,whowas,inDavis'swords,"alarge,cantankerousman".JonArbucklecamefroma1950scoffeecommercial,andOdiewasbasedonacardealershipcommercialwrittenbyDavis,whichfeaturedOdietheVillageIdiot.Thestripunderwentstylisticchanges,evolvingfromthestyleofthe1978–83strips,toamorecartoonishlookfrom1984onward.ThischangehasmainlyaffectedGarfield'sdesign,whichunderwenta"Darwinianevolution"inwhichhebeganwalkingonhishindlegs,"slimmeddown",and"stoppedlooking...throughsquintylittleeyes"Hisevolution,accordingtoDavis,wastomakeiteasierto"pushOdieoffthetable"or"reachforapieceofpie."

Media

InternetGarfield.comisthestrip'sofficialwebsite,whichcontainsarchivesofpaststripsalongwithgamesandanonlinestore.JimDavishasalsocollaboratedwithBallstateUniversityandPearsonDigitalLearningtocreatewww.ProfessorGarfield.org,aneducationalwebsitewithinteractivegamesfocusingonmathandreadingskills,andwithChildren'sTechnologyGrouptocreateMindWalker,awebbrowserthatallowsparentstolimitthewebsitestheirchildrencanviewtoapre-setlist.

AvarietyofeditedGarfieldstripshavebeenmadeavailableontheInternet,somehostedontheirownunofficial,dedicatedsites.Datingfrom2005,asitecalledthe"GarfieldRandomizer"createdathree-panelstripusingpanelsfrompreviousGarfieldstrips.Anotherapproach,knownas"SilentGarfield"involvesremovingGarfield'sthoughtballoonsfromthestrips.Someexamplesdatefrom2006.Aweb-comiccalledArbuckledoestheabovebutalsoredrawstheoriginalsinadifferentartstyle.TheArbucklewebsitecreatorwrites:"'Garfield'changesfrombeingacomicaboutasassy,corpulentfeline,andbecomesacompellingpictureofalonely,pathetic,delusionalmanwhotalkstohispets.ConsiderthatJon,accordingtoGarfieldcanon,cannothearhiscat'sthoughts.Thisistheworldasheseesit.Thisishisstory".[Anothervariationalongthesamelines,called"Realfield"or"RealisticGarfield",istoredrawGarfieldasarealcataswellasremovinghisthoughtballoons.StillanotherapproachtoeditingthestripsinvolvesremovingGarfieldandothermaincharactersfromtheoriginalscompletely,leavingJontalkingtohimself.

TelevisionGarfield'sanimationdebutwasonTheFantasticFunnies,whichairedonCBSinMay15,1980,voicedbyactorScottBeach.Garfieldwasoneofthestripsfeatured,introducedasanewcomer(thestripwasonlytwoyearsoldatthetime).From1982to1991,twelveprimetimeGarfieldcartoonspecialsandonehour-longprimetimedocumentarycelebratingthecharacter's10thanniversarywereaired;LorenzoMusicvoicedGarfieldinallofthem.ASaturdaymorningcartoonshow,GarfieldandFriends,airedforsevenseasonsfrom1988to1994;thisadaptionalsostarredMusicasthevoiceofGarfield.TheGarfieldShow,aCGIseries,starteddevelopmentin2007tocoincidewiththestrip's30thanniversarythefollowingyear.ItpremieredinFranceinDecember2008andmadeitsU.S.debutonCartoonNetworkonNovember2,2009.

MoviesGarfield:TheMoviewasreleasedintheatersonJune11,2004.Itssequel,Garfield:ATailofTwoKitties,wasreleasedonJune16,2006.Threedirect-to-videofilmswerereleased,GarfieldGetsRealonAugust9,2007,Garfield'sFunFestonAugust5,2008,andGarfield'sPetForceonJune16,2009.OnMay24,2016.

VideoGamesAGarfieldvideogamewasdevelopedbyAtari,Inc.foritsAtari2600homevideogamesystemandappearsintheir1984catalog.However,afterAtari'sspinoffandsaleofitshomegamesandcomputersdivision,ownerJackTramieldecidedthecharacter'sroyaltiesweretooexpensivegiventhedecliningstateofthevideogameindustryatthetime,andthegamewascancelled.

Garfield:BigFatHairyDealisa1987videogamefortheAtariST,ZXSpectrumbasedonthecomicstrip.TowaChikimadeAWeekofGarfieldfortheFamilyComputer,releasedonlyinJapanin1989.SegaalsomadevideogamesbasedonGarfieldfortheGenesis(Garfield:CaughtintheAct)andWindows3.1computers.Othercompaniesmadegames,suchasATaleofTwoKittiesfortheDS,publishedbyGameFactory,Garfield'sNightmareforDS,Garfield'sFunfestforDS,andGarfieldLabyrinthforGameBoy.OnPlayStation2wereGarfieldandGarfield2(knownintheUSasGarfield,aTaleofTwoKitties).GarfieldLasagnaWorldTourwasalsomadeforPS2.Andrecentadditionsformobiledevicesare"Garfield'sDiner"and"Garfield'sZombieDefense".

StageJosephPapp,producerofAChorusLine,discussedmakingaGarfieldstagemusical,butduetosomecomplications,itnevergotoffground.Afull-lengthstagemusical,titled"GarfieldLive",wasplannedtokickoffitsUStourinSeptember2010,butgotmovedtoJanuary18,2011,whereitpremieredinMuncie,Indiana.ThebookwaswrittenbyJimDavis,withmusicandlyricsbyMichaelDansickerandBillMeade,anditwasbookedbyAWATouringServices.Theopeningsong,"Cattitude"canbeheardonthenationaltour'swebsite,alongwithtwomore,"OntheFence,"and"GoingHome!".WhentheNorth-Americantourconcludedin2012,ittouredthroughoutAsia.

ComicBookInagreementwithPaws,Boom!StudioslaunchedinMay2012amonthlyGarfieldcomicbook,withthefirstissuefeaturingastorywrittenbyMarkEvanier(whohassupervisedGarfieldandFriendsandTheGarfieldShow)andillustratedbyDavis'slong-timeassistantGaryBarker.

ArtBookIn2016,HermesPresssignedanagreementwithPaws,InctopublishanartbookontheartofauthorJimDavis,titledTheArtofJimDavis'Garfield.ThebookincludesanessaybyauthorR.C.Harveyandotheroriginalmaterial,andwasreleasedinJuly2016fortheSanDiegoComic-Con.

MARVEL+DCCOMICS

MarvelComicsisthebrandnameandprimaryimprintofMarvelWorldwideInc.,formerlyMarvelPublishing,Inc.andMarvelComicsGroup,apublisherofAmericancomicbooksandrelatedmedia.In2009,TheWaltDisneyCompanyacquiredMarvelEntertainment,MarvelWorldwide'sparentcompany.

Marvelstartedin1939asTimelyPublications,andbytheearly1950s,hadgenerallybecomeknownasAtlasComics.TheMarvelbrandingbeganin1961,theyearthatthecompanylaunchedTheFantasticFourandothersuperherotitlescreatedbySteveDitko,StanLee,JackKirbyandmanyothers.

Marvelcountsamongitscharacterssuchwell-knownsuperheroesasSpider-Man,IronMan,CaptainAmerica,Thor,theHulk,CaptainMarvel,BlackPanther,Deadpool,SilverSurfer,DoctorStrange,Wolverine,Daredevil,GhostRiderandthePunisher,suchteamsastheAvengers,theX-Men,theFantasticFour,theInhumansandtheGuardiansoftheGalaxy,andsupervillainsincludingThanos,DoctorDoom,Magneto,RedSkull,GreenGoblin,Ultron,DoctorOctopus,Loki,Galactus,andVenom.MostofMarvel'sfictionalcharactersoperateinasinglerealityknownastheMarvelUniverse,withmostlocationsmirroringreal-lifeplaces;manymajorcharactersarebasedinNewYorkCity.

ThefirstmoderncomicbooksundertheMarvelComicsbrandwerethescience-fictionanthologyJourneyintoMystery#69andtheteen-humortitlePatsyWalker#95(bothcoverdatedJune1961),whicheachdisplayedan"MC"boxonitscover.Then,inthewakeofDCComics'successinrevivingsuperheroesinthelate1950sandearly1960s,particularlywiththeFlash,GreenLantern,andothermembersoftheteamtheJusticeLeagueofAmerica,Marvelfollowedsuit.

In1961,writer-editorStanLeerevolutionizedsuperherocomicsbyintroducingsuperheroesdesignedtoappealtoolderreadersthanthepredominantlychildaudiencesofthemedium.ModernMarvel'sfirstsuperheroteam,thetitularstarsofTheFantasticFour#1(Nov.1961),brokeconventionwithothercomicbookarchetypesofthetimebysquabbling,holdinggrudgesbothdeepandpetty,andeschewinganonymityorsecretidentitiesinfavorofcelebritystatus.Subsequently,Marvelcomicsdevelopedareputationforfocusingoncharacterizationandadultissuestoagreaterextentthanmostsuperherocomicsbeforethem,aqualitywhichthenewgenerationofolderreaders

appreciated.ThisappliedtoTheAmazingSpider-Mantitleinparticular,whichturnedouttobeMarvel'smostsuccessfulbook.Itsyoungherosufferedfromself-doubtandmundaneproblemslikeanyotherteenager,somethingwithwhichmanyreaderscouldidentify.

Leeandfreelanceartistandeventualco-plotterJackKirby'sFantasticFouroriginatedinaColdWarculturethatledtheircreatorstorevisethesuperheroconventionsofpreviouserastobetterreflectthepsychologicalspiritoftheirage.Eschewingsuchcomic-booktropesassecretidentitiesandevencostumesatfirst,havingamonsterasoneoftheheroes,andhavingitscharactersbickerandcomplaininwhatwaslatercalleda"superheroesintherealworld"approach,theseriesrepresentedachangethatprovedtobeagreatsuccess.

SOCIALMEDIA–Instagram,YouTube,PatreonInmorecontemporarytimes,graphicdesigners/illustrators/digitalartistswhocreatecomics(oringeneraljustnarrativeart)posttheirworkonsocialmediatogainafollowingandattractadaudience.ThereareseveralartistsIfollowonsocialmediathatreallyinspireme.Awomanundertheusername‘lavendertowne’particularly.IfollowheronbothinstagramandYouTubeunderthesameusername.Shedesignscharactersandhasaconsistentuniquestyle.Imagebelow.Withquitealargesocialmediafollowingtakescommissionstodesigncharacters.Shealsomakesmoneythroughpatreonbygivingpeopleexclusivepeakstoherartandcansubscribetoher.Shealsohascreatedstorieswithheroriginalcharacters.Shewrites,draws,andproducesetc.itall.Sheproducescomicstrips,comicbooks,andalsocreatesYouTubevideoswheresheisillustratingavoiceoveroftheseries.ThismaybesomethingIbringupagainwhenbeginningtowork.