Editing Comic book (section)

==European comics==
{{Main|European comics}}

===Franco-Belgian comics===
{{Main|Bande dessinée}}
[[File:René Goscinny.jpg|thumb|right|200px|[[René Goscinny]] (1926–1977), writer of the ''[[Astérix]]'' comic book series]] 
France and Belgium have a long tradition in comics and comic books, often called ''[[Franco-Belgian comics|BDs]]'' (an abbreviation of ''bandes dessinées'', meaning literally "drawn strips")<ref>{{cite web | title=La véritable histoire des mots " bande dessinée " | website=Comixtrip | date=15 September 2015 | url=https://www.comixtrip.fr/dossiers/la-presque-veritable-histoire-des-mots-bande-dessinee/ | language=fr | access-date=17 June 2022}}</ref> in French, and ''strips'' in [[Dutch language|Dutch]] or [[Flemish language|Flemish]]. Belgian comic books originally written in Dutch show the influence of the [[Francophone]] "Franco-Belgian" comics but have their own distinct style.{{citation needed|date=June 2022}}

===British comics===
{{Main|British comics}}

[[File:Ally Sloper's Half Holiday (front cover - 27 December 1884).png|thumb|upright|200px|Cover to 27 December 1884 edition of ''[[Ally Sloper's Half Holiday]]''. [[Ally Sloper]] is regarded as the first recurring character in comics.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Birch|first1=Dinah|title=The Oxford Companion to English Literature|date=24 September 2009|publisher=Oxford University Press|location=Oxford|page=240}}</ref>]]
Although ''[[Ally Sloper's Half Holiday]]'' (1884) was aimed at an adult market, publishers quickly targeted a younger demographic, which has led to most publications being for children and has created an association in the public's mind of comics as somewhat juvenile. ''The Guardian'' refers to [[Ally Sloper]] as "one of the world's first iconic cartoon characters", and "as famous in Victorian Britain as [[Dennis the Menace and Gnasher|Dennis the Menace]] would be a century later."<ref>{{cite news |title=Top hats off to Marie Duval, a lost Victorian cartoonist sensation |url=https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/jonathanjonesblog/2014/oct/27/marie-duval-victorian-cartoonist-ally-sloper |access-date=21 November 2018 |work=The Guardian |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181122215601/https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/jonathanjonesblog/2014/oct/27/marie-duval-victorian-cartoonist-ally-sloper |archive-date=22 November 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref> British comics in the early 20th century typically evolved from illustrated [[penny dreadful]]s of the Victorian era (featuring [[Sweeney Todd]], [[Dick Turpin]] and ''[[Varney the Vampire]]'').<ref name="histoday94">{{cite journal |url=https://www.questia.com/googleScholar.qst?docId=5000228860 | title= Horror Comics: The Nasties of the 1950s | author= John Sringhall | journal= [[History Today]] | issue= 7 | volume= 44 | date= July 1994 | access-date= 2010-10-23 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120504231008/http://www.questia.com/googleScholar.qst?docId=5000228860 | archive-date= 4 May 2012 | url-status=live}}</ref> First published in the 1830s, penny dreadfuls were "Britain's first taste of mass-produced popular culture for the young."<ref>{{cite news |title=Penny dreadfuls: the Victorian equivalent of video games |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2016/apr/30/penny-dreadfuls-victorian-equivalent-video-games-kate-summerscale-wicked-boy |access-date=21 November 2018 |work=The Guardian |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181122215447/https://www.theguardian.com/books/2016/apr/30/penny-dreadfuls-victorian-equivalent-video-games-kate-summerscale-wicked-boy |archive-date=22 November 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref>

[[File:Minnie the minx.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Statue of [[Minnie the Minx]], a character from ''[[The Beano]]'', in Dundee, Scotland. Launched in 1938, ''The Beano'' is known for its anarchic humour, with ''[[Dennis the Menace and Gnasher|Dennis the Menace]]'' appearing on the cover.]]
The two most popular British comic books, ''[[The Beano]]'' and ''[[The Dandy]]'', were first published by [[DC Thomson]] in the 1930s. By 1950 the weekly circulation of both reached 2&nbsp;million.<ref name="Armstrong">Armstrong, Stephen. [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/pixar/11766202/Was-Pixars-Inside-Out-inspired-by-The-Beano.html "Was Pixar's Inside Out inspired by The Beano?"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180412090211/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/pixar/11766202/Was-Pixars-Inside-Out-inspired-by-The-Beano.html |date=12 April 2018 }} ''The Telegraph''. 27 July 2015</ref><ref>{{citation |title=Dandy owner DC Thomson to end comic's printed edition |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-19284222 |date=16 August 2012 |work=BBC News |access-date=16 August 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120816184800/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-19284222 |archive-date=16 August 2012 |url-status=live}}</ref> Explaining the enormous popularity of comics in the UK during this period, Anita O'Brien, director curator at London's Cartoon Museum, states: "When comics like the Beano and Dandy were invented back in the 1930s – and through really to the 1950s and 60s – these comics were almost the only entertainment available to children."<ref name="Armstrong"/> ''[[Dennis the Menace and Gnasher|Dennis the Menace]]'' was created in the 1950s, which saw sales for ''The Beano'' soar.<ref name="Dennis at 60"/> He features in the cover of ''The Beano'', with the BBC referring to him as the "definitive naughty boy of the comic world."<ref name="Dennis at 60">{{cite news|title=Dennis the Menace at 60|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-12770341|agency=BBC|date=21 November 2018|access-date=22 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190128042310/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-12770341|archive-date=28 January 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 1954, ''[[Tiger (Fleetway)|Tiger]]'' comics introduced ''[[Roy of the Rovers]]'', the hugely popular football based strip recounting the life of [[Roy Race]] and the team he played for, [[Melchester Rovers]]. The stock media phrase "real 'Roy of the Rovers' stuff" is often used by football writers, commentators and fans when describing displays of great skill, or surprising results that go against the odds, in reference to the dramatic storylines that were the strip's trademark.<ref>Tomlinson, Alan; Young, Christopher (2000), "Golden Boys and Golden Memories: Fiction, Ideology, and Reality in Roy of the Rovers and the Death of the Hero", in Jones, Dudley; Watkins, Tony, A Necessary Fantasy?: the Heroic Figure in Children's Popular Culture: Vol 18, Garland Publishing. pp. 190–191</ref> Other comic books such as ''[[Eagle (comic)|Eagle]]'', ''[[Valiant (comics)|Valiant]]'', ''[[Warrior (comics)|Warrior]]'', ''[[Viz (comics)|Viz]]'' and ''[[2000 AD (comics)|2000 AD]]'' also flourished. Some comics, such as ''[[Judge Dredd]]'' and other ''2000 AD'' titles, have been published in a [[Tabloid (newspaper format)|tabloid]] form. Underground comics and [[British small press comics|"small press"]] titles have also appeared in the UK, notably ''[[Oz (magazine)|Oz]]'' and ''[[Escape Magazine]]''.

The content of ''[[Action (comic)|Action]]'', another title aimed at children and launched in the mid-1970s, became the subject of discussion in the [[British House of Commons|House of Commons]]. Although on a smaller scale than similar investigations in the US, such concerns led to a moderation of content published within British comics. Such moderation never became formalized to the extent of promulgating a code, nor did it last long. The UK has also established a healthy market in the reprinting and repackaging of material, notably material originating in the US. The lack of reliable supplies of American comic books led to a variety of black-and-white reprints, including Marvel's monster comics of the 1950s, Fawcett's [[Captain Marvel (DC Comics)|Captain Marvel]], and other characters such as [[Sheena, Queen of the Jungle|Sheena]], [[Mandrake the Magician]], and [[the Phantom]]. Several reprint companies became involved in repackaging American material for the British market, notably the importer and distributor [[Thorpe & Porter]]. [[Marvel UK|Marvel Comics established a UK office]] in 1972. DC Comics and [[Dark Horse Comics]] also opened offices in the 1990s. The repackaging of European material has occurred less frequently, although ''[[The Adventures of Tintin]]'' and ''[[Asterix]]'' serials have been successfully translated and repackaged in softcover books. The number of European comics available in the UK has increased in the last two decades. The British company [[Cinebook]], founded in 2005, has released English translated versions of many European series.

In the 1980s, a resurgence of British writers and artists gained prominence in mainstream comic books, which was dubbed the "[[British Invasion (comics)|British Invasion]]" in comic book history.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.artfund.org/news/2014/05/01/comics-unmasked-the-british-invasion| title= Comics Unmasked: The British invasion| publisher= Art Fund| access-date= 2014-07-26| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151104004957/http://www.artfund.org/news/2014/05/01/comics-unmasked-the-british-invasion| archive-date= 4 November 2015| url-status= dead}}</ref> These writers and artists brought with them their own mature themes and philosophy such as anarchy, controversy and politics common in British media. These elements would pave the way for mature and "darker and edgier" comic books and jump start the [[Modern Age of Comics]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sequart.org/magazine/20743/1986-british-invasion-part-3-neil-gaiman-swamp-thing/ | title=The British Invasion, Part 3: Neil Gaiman & Swamp Thing | author=Peter Sanderson | publisher=Sequart Organization | access-date=28 September 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151104035748/http://sequart.org/magazine/20743/1986-british-invasion-part-3-neil-gaiman-swamp-thing | archive-date=4 November 2015 | url-status=dead}} 29 May 2013</ref> Writers included [[Alan Moore]], famous for his ''[[V for Vendetta]]'', ''[[From Hell]]'', ''[[Watchmen]]'', ''[[Marvelman]]'', and ''[[The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen]]'';<ref>[http://www.slate.com/id/2092739/ Please, Sir, I Want Some Moore / How Alan Moore transformed American comics] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110203001225/http://www.slate.com/id/2092739/ |date=3 February 2011 }}, by Douglas Wolk in [[Slate (magazine)|Slate]], December, 2003</ref> [[Neil Gaiman]] with ''[[The Sandman (Vertigo)|The Sandman]]'' mythos and ''[[Books of Magic]]''; [[Warren Ellis]], creator of ''[[Transmetropolitan]]'' and ''[[Planetary (comics)|Planetary]]''; and others such as [[Mark Millar]], creator of ''[[Wanted (comics)|Wanted]]'' and ''[[Kick-Ass (comic book)|Kick-Ass]]''. The comic book series ''[[Hellblazer|John Constantine, Hellblazer]]'', which is largely set in Britain and starring the magician [[John Constantine]], paved the way for British writers such as [[Jamie Delano]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tabula-rasa.info/AusComics/Hellblazers.html| title= The Writers of Hellblazer: Interviews with Jamie Delano and Garth Ennis| publisher= Tabula Rasa| access-date= 2014-07-27| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070625163337/http://www.tabula-rasa.info/AusComics/Hellblazers.html| archive-date= 25 June 2007| url-status=live}}</ref>

The English musician [[Peter Gabriel]] issued in 2000 [[The Story of OVO]] which was released in a CD-booklet-shaped comic book as part of the CD edition with the title "[[OVO (album)#Release|OVO The Millennium Show]]". The 2000 [[Millennium Dome Show]] based on it.<ref name="TheStoryOfOVO">{{Cite book| last=Gabriel| first= Peter| title= The Story of OVO| publisher= Peter Gabriel Ltd.| language= English| year= 2000| isbn=0-9520864-3-3}}</ref>

At Christmas, publishers repackage and commission material for comic [[Annual publication|annuals]], printed and bound as hardcover [[ISO 216#A series|A4]]-size books; [[Rupert Bear|"Rupert"]] supplies a famous example of the British comic annual. [[DC Thomson]] also repackages ''[[The Broons]]'' and ''[[Oor Wullie]]'' strips in softcover A4-size books for the holiday season.

On 19 March 2012, the British postal service, the [[Royal Mail]], released a set of stamps depicting British comic book characters and series.<ref name="Stamps">{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-17421394 |title=Beano's Dennis the Menace on Royal Mail comic stamps |work=BBC News |date=19 March 2012 |access-date=19 March 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120320010335/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-17421394 |archive-date=20 March 2012 |url-status=live}}</ref> The collection featured ''[[The Beano]]'', ''[[The Dandy]]'', ''[[Eagle (comics)|Eagle]]'', ''[[The Topper (comics)|The Topper]]'', ''[[Roy of the Rovers (comic)|Roy of the Rovers]]'', ''[[Bunty]]'', ''[[Buster (comics)|Buster]]'', ''[[Valiant (comics)|Valiant]]'', ''[[Twinkle (comics)|Twinkle]]'' and ''[[2000 AD (comics)|2000 AD]]''.<ref name="Stamps"/>

===Spanish comics===
{{Main|Spanish comics}}It has been stated that the 13th century [[Cantigas de Santa Maria|''Cantigas de Santa María'']] could be considered as the first [[Spain|Spanish]] "comic", although comic books (also known in [[Spain]] as ''historietas'' or ''tebeos'') made their debut around 1857. The magazine ''[[TBO (comics)|TBO]]'' was influential in popularizing the medium. After the [[Spanish Civil War]], the [[Francisco Franco|Franco]] regime imposed strict censorship in all media: [[superhero]] comics were forbidden and as a result, comic heroes were based on [[historical fiction]] (in 1944 the medieval hero ''El Guerrero del Antifaz'' was created by Manuel Gago and another popular medieval hero, ''[[Capitán Trueno]]'', was created in 1956 by [[Víctor Mora (comics)|Víctor Mora]] and [[Miguel Ambrosio Zaragoza]]). Two publishing houses — [[Editorial Bruguera]] and [[Editorial Valenciana]] — dominated the Spanish comics market during its golden age (1950–1970). The most popular comics showed a recognizable style of [[Slapstick Humor|slapstick humor]] (influenced by Franco-Belgian authors such as [[André Franquin|Franquin]]): [[José Escobar Saliente|Escobar]]'s ''[[Carpanta]]'' and ''[[Zipi y Zape]]'', [[Manuel Vázquez Gallego|Vázquez]]'s ''[[Las hermanas Gilda]]'' and ''[[Anacleto, agente secreto|Anacleto]],'' [[Francisco Ibáñez Talavera|Ibáñez]]'s ''[[Mortadelo y Filemón]]'' and ''[[13, Rue del Percebe|13. Rue del Percebe]]'' or [[Jan (comic book writer)|Jan]]'s ''[[Superlópez]]''. After the end of the [[Francoist Spain|Francoist period]], there was an increased interest in adult comics with magazines such as ''Totem'', ''[[El Jueves]]'', ''1984'', and ''[[El Vibora (magazine)|El Víbora]],'' and works such as ''Paracuellos'' by [[Carlos Giménez (comics)|Carlos Giménez]].

[[Spain|Spanish]] artists have traditionally worked in other markets finding great success, either in the American (e.g., [[List of Eisner Award winners|Eisner Award winners]] [[Sergio Aragonés]], [[Salvador Larroca]], [[Gabriel Hernández Walta]], [[Marcos Martín (cartoonist)|Marcos Martín]] or [[David Aja]]), the British (e.g., [[Carlos Ezquerra]], co-creator of ''[[Judge Dredd]]'') or the Franco-Belgian one (e.g., [[Angoulême International Comics Festival|Fauve d'Or winner]] {{ill|Julio Ribera|fr|Julio Ribera|de|Julio Ribera|es|Julio Ribera|fy|Julio Ribera|it|Julio Ribéra|nl|Julio Ribera}} or ''[[Blacksad]]'' authors [[Juan Díaz Canales]] and [[Juanjo Guarnido]]).

===Italian comics===
{{Main|Italian comics}}
[[File:Hugo Pratt (1989) by Erling Mandelmann - 2.jpg|thumb|150px|right|[[Hugo Pratt]] (1927–1995), author of the ''[[Corto Maltese]]'' comic book series]]
In [[Italy]], comics (known in Italian as ''fumetti'') made their debut as humor strips at the end of the 19th century, and later evolved into adventure stories. After World War II, however, artists like [[Hugo Pratt]] and [[Guido Crepax]] exposed Italian comics to an international audience. Popular comic books such as ''[[Diabolik]]'' or the ''[[Sergio Bonelli Editore|Bonelli]]'' line—namely ''[[Tex Willer]]'' or ''[[Dylan Dog]]''—remain best-sellers.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.fumettologica.it/2014/06/quanto-vendono-i-fumetti-bonelli-i-dati-2014/ |title=Quanto vendono i fumetti Bonelli: I dati 2014 |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=15 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181230160637/http://www.fumettologica.it/2014/06/quanto-vendono-i-fumetti-bonelli-i-dati-2014/ |archive-date=30 December 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref>

Mainstream comics are usually published on a monthly basis, in a black-and-white [[digest size]] format, with approximately 100 to 132 pages. Collections of classic material for the most famous characters, usually with more than 200 pages, are also common. Author comics are published in the French BD format, with an example being Pratt's ''[[Corto Maltese]]''.

Italian cartoonists show the influence of comics from other countries, including France, Belgium, Spain, and [[Argentina]]. Italy is also famous for being one of the foremost producers of [[Walt Disney]] comic stories outside the US; [[Donald Duck]]'s superhero alter ego, [[Paperinik]], known in English as Superduck, was created in Italy.