Existing graphic novel or comic publishers and products (U9: P1, P2)

P1 (U9): Describe the work of a graphic novel or comic publisher

DC: American

image: www.theverge.com 

DC is an American comic book publisher that began publishing comics in 1937, shortly before the golden age of comics. DC Comics was founded by Malcolm Wheeler Nicholson and is interestingly a subsidiary company of Warner Bros, who later helped the classic comic books transform into beloved film franchises. Furthermore, DC comic books take place in the DC universe where all the adventures occur between famous characters such as; Superman, Batman, Aqua man, and The Flash.

Significantly, DC is most well recognised for their iconic superhero comics which include heroes such as; Wonder Woman, Shazam, Green Arrow, and Green Lantern battling the infamous villains of the DC universe such as; The Joker, Harley Quinn, and Lex Luthor. 

Comic 1: Suicide Squad

In 1987 (during the modern age of comics), the Suicide Squad comic was released, featuring the Joker who first appeared in the original Batman comic in 1940. Additionally, the character of Harley Quinn was introduced as a henchwoman for the Joker and had many abilities such as; agility, gymnastic ability, enhanced strength, and proficiency in weaponry, making her a great supervillain.

Although the comic debuted in1987, this squad of villains first featured in the comic 'The Brave and the Bold #25' in 1959. The original creators for this Suicide squad were Robert Kanigher and Ross Andru however the more recent, modern versions of the comic were created by John Ostrander. There were many individuals who worked on the comic series which featured several volumes, some instrumental writers were John Ostrander and Kim Yale alongside them were talented artists who fulfilled their roles as inkers, pencilers, and Colourists for example; Karl Kessel, Todd Klein, and Carl Gafford. The comics are designed in a pop art style, using bold and vibrant colours while maintaining a retro theme. Interestingly, the style used for the characters has a sense of realism to it as a way to further engulf the reader into the story, making the DC universe feel more genuine. 

Harley Quinn

image: www.fruugo.fr

Harley Quinn, full name: Harleen Quinzel, was first created for a sense of comic relief for the supervillain Joker and also acted as his henchwoman. Interestingly, we later learn more about her origins as an expert in her field of psychiatry- where she first met the Joker and later developed a crush on him. After her supervisor learned of this, Harley attempted to kill her but was interrupted by a guard who she killed in order to set the Joker free from his cell. 
Significantly, the Joker attempted to drown Harley Quinn in a chemical vat however once he had drained the liquid he discovered she was still alive but had gained powers such as superhuman strength, agility, and reflexes which will later help the pair on their quests. 

The suicide squad first debuted on screen in 2005 in the second season of Justice league unlimited and continued to grow, featuring cameo performances in several other films/ TV shows until 2016 when Suicide squad grew to become a massively popular franchise premiering its first film 'Suicide Squad' as well as many other films and TV shows which they continued to star in later on. 

Comic 2: Wonder Woman

Wonder woman first appeared in the DC universe in 1941 (during the golden age of comics), making a cameo in 'All-star Comics'. This female superheroine was created by writer William Moulton Marston and illustrator Harry G. Peter- the inspiration for the heroine's appearance is credited as Moulton's wife and their life partner. Furthermore, this character is a founding member of the Justice league- appearing alongside Green Lantern, Flash, Aqua man, Batman, Superman, and Martian Manhunter. Interestingly, the wonder woman comics use a realistic approach through the use of duller colours. While the character is drawn very realistically to an extent, her more desirable features are exaggerated as a way to appeal to the target audiences and therefore grow successful. 

Wonder woman was created in the 1940s, during WWII, and can be seen fighting the Axis forces (Germany, Italy, and Japan) as a way to reinstate hope into the lives of readers, during a difficult time. In addition, the damsel in distress trope was somewhat eradicated as wonder woman proved successful at freeing herself from captivity leading to a list of enemies forming for the strong heroine. This list included villains such as; Ares, Cheetah, Circe, Doctor Poison, and Doctor Psycho who made it their mission to defeat her. 

Wonder Woman

image: en.wikipedia.org

Wonder woman has a Greek background, she was formerly known as Princess Diana and was a warrior princess in the Amazonian tribe who had departed from Greece. Interestingly, Diana (Wonder woman) was never born, she was created by her mother out of clay and brought to life by the Olympian Gods and therefore gained special powers. Diana competed to go out into America to help fight the war despite her mother's forbiddance, when she won the contest she was given more powers and the superhero title 'Wonder Woman'. Finally, she went to America to fight the war and this is where she met and joined the Justice League of America. 

Wonder woman is a popular comic title and therefore was soon adapted into an on-screen film in 1967 and later went on to make several other films, the most recent one gaining roughly $818,000,000 over the worldwide box offices. In addition, the iconic superhero character was represented through many games, dolls, merchandise, and even a nutritional food brand that used the character's desirable figure as a way to promote their new nutrition bar to consumers. 

DC Thomson: UK

image: www.miles33.com

DC Thomson is a Scottish publishing brand that began publishing comics in 1905 when founded by David Couper Thomson. Interestingly, the company owns several subsidiaries including; Puzzler, Parragon, and Findmypast which publish within different sectors of the industry. Furthermore, the publisher is responsible for comics such as The Dandy, The Beano, and Commando.

DC Thomson is a publishing company that is best known for publishing various newspapers such as The Dundee Courier and the Evening Telegraph however the comic book sector for the company has published many great best sellers including; The Beano and The Dandy which hit 2 million copies sold per week during the 1950s (during the golden age of comics). 

Comic 1: The Beano

The first issue of The Beano was published by DC Thomson in 1938, it later became known as the world's longest-running comic, publishing its 4000th issue in 2019. The comic was initially created as a children's comic, featuring iconic characters such as; Dennis the Menace, Billy Whizz, and Minnie the minx who was beloved by all, therefore, expanding to a wider target audience of adults too. The children's comic was written by over 40 different individuals over 80 years, some instrumental writers include; Barrie Appleby, Leo Baxendale, and Paddy Brennan.  Interestingly, the current chief editor is John Anderson, and he works closely to ensure the team behind him is the most talented, for instance, the illustrator- Nigel Parkinson. Significantly, the art style he uses within these comics is very animated, using bright/ bold colours and thick ink lines to connect with the primarily young target audience.

The bash street kids are a fictional group of 15 kids featured in the Beano comics, one of the members in this group is Dennis the menace. Dennis is a 10 year- old boy who is portrayed as a troublemaker and goes on adventures around Beanotown with his dog/ best friend Gnasher. The storyline appeared in the 452nd issue of The Beano and rapidly increased the sales for the comic- Dennis remained the poster boy for The Beano as his adventures to terrorise 'the softies' piqued the interest of many readers.

Dennis The Menace 

image: ukcomics.fandom.com

Dennis was a mischievous boy and the comic follows his adventures as he torments his parents, teachers, friends, and neighbour- Walter. Although his dog/ sidekick Gnasher is an iconic character and completes the main character's ensemble, he wasn't actually introduced into the comic until 1968, 17 years after the initial release of Dennis the menace. Interestingly, Dennis and Gnasher share a spikey black hairstyle and Dennis famously wears a red and black striped jumper throughout the entirety of the comic.  

This popular comic strip has gone on to inspire many other media productions for instance; a book, TV shows, films, video games, and even a theme park- where he was the main mascot in Chessington theme park. Interestingly, this comic was clearly very popular and audiences needed more therefore triggering companies to create new ways to consume and enjoy this majorly celebrated character.  

Comic 2: The Dandy 

The Dandy was published as a children's comic in 1937 by the subsidiary publishing company 'Dundee'. The comic was available both in print and online since the relaunch of the strip on its 75th anniversary, this was accessible through a website and app, however, this wasn't a success and the comic ended 6 months later. The Dandy's chief editor was George Thomson and the illustrator of the beloved comic was Nigel Parkinson who uses bold colours and thick lines in his art style. Furthermore, the drawing style used accentuates various features of each character, for instance, the character Desperate Dan is drawn with an abnormally large chin to exaggerate the feature and make it more comical for readers.

This popular children's comic had several storylines featuring many different characters over the years as a way to keep the comic fresh and new while still remaining familiar to audiences. One example of a character who features regularly in these comics is Desperate Dan who began as an aggressive yet comical character but grew a bit kinder as the years progressed. The law-breaking character went on adventures around town breaking rules and the audience appeared to enjoy this as he is the longest-running character in the comic series, appearing in the very first issue up until now.

Desperate Dan

image: static.wikia.nocookie.net

Desperate Dan, like the other characters within DC Thomson comics, has a name that describes his personality to ensure the correct audience is reached. Interestingly, Desperate Dan is seen to break the law on multiple occasions throughout the comics and therefore implies he is desperate and sees no other option. Furthermore, Dan's appearance works with his character and is exaggerated for emphasis- using a large chin, round stomach, and small legs to create some comic relief for the audience.  

Interestingly, the Dandy was later adapted into an app, website, card game, and book by various media companies to further supply the audience with what they desired. Although the website and app were unsuccessful, The Dandy still publishes a strip each summer to provide fans with an annual story. 

Shueisha: Japan

image: www.shueisha.co.jp/en/

Shueisha is one of Japan's leading comic book publishing companies and tries to publish many different types of publications covering a variety of topics in an attempt to educate their audiences on many subject matters. The company was founded by another entertainment company named; Shogakukan in 1925 but Shueisha later became an independent company and began publishing vastly popular publications. For example, Weekly Shonen Jump, Skeleton double, Blue Box, and many more manga titles which are also adapted into various languages for a more global reach. 

Comic 1: Skeleton Double

Skeleton Double is a manga comic first published in 2022, new chapters (issues) appear on Sheuishas website every Thursday at 4pm. Interestingly, this is a fairly popular comic with 142,000 views, as can be seen on the website. Tokaku Kondo is the primary writer for the Skeleton Double comic book and is also the illustrator for the story, he uses a manga art style. Significantly, this can be recognised by the defining features of the art style, including large eyes, small mouths, indicating to audiences the style used., enticing readers as it's fairly realistic and therefore makes the story easy to follow. Another notable thing about comics published by Japanese companies such as Shueisha is that while the covers are in colour, the rest of the comics are published in black and white to save money.

The story of Skeleton Double follows a boy named Yodomi Arakawa, his father previously dies at a train station, and to learn the real story behind the death Yodomi meets an invisible man and must become invisible himself. We follow Yodomi as he goes on this quest to find out the truth about his father, even if he must be invisible to do so.

Yodomi Arakawa

image: www.anime-planet.com

Yodomi is a boy in high school, he first appears alongside two friends, sympathetic to his situation. His mother must work extra shifts in order to provide for her and her son due to her husband's sudden death, therefore Yodomi must become independent and is seen doing many things for himself. Yodomi appears as an average teenage boy, with dark hair, and wide-set eyes- in line with the art style. 

Significantly, this comic appears on the Shueisha app and website but has also made it into one of Japan's leading manga magazines- Shonen Jump- clearly demonstrating the potential success of the new comic. However, due to the very recent publishing of the comic, it has not yet ventured into other mediums and therefore it's difficult to measure the overall success. 

Comic 2: Blue Box 

Blue Box is another manga-style comic published by Shueisha in 2021, new issues of the story are published on the website every couple of months and each issue is a continuation of the original story. The comic has 101,000 viewers and therefore implies it is a popular and successful story published by the company, the writer and artist- Kouji Miura has written and illustrated many successful comics including; Parasol Doumei and Sensei, Suki Desu. Remarkably, the comic follows the same manga art style, using soft lines, large eyes, and small mouths for the characters portrayed in the story.

The story we follow in Blue Box features Taiki Inomata- a boy who plays on the badminton team and quickly falls for a girl- Chinatsu Kano- who plays on the girls' basketball team. The story follows the young pair as their relationship takes a turn and becomes love. 

Chinatsu Kano

image: www.anime-planet.com

Chinatsu Kano begins the comic during her first year of high school and loves to play basketball with her team, she first meets Taiki Inomata at the gym where they train alongside each other. The high school athlete has light hair and large eyes- making her desirable to Taiki and still remaining within the art style of the wider comic.

Finally, the story is available on the Shueisha website and app but due to the very recent publishing, it has not gone any further than a comic. However, as it grows in popularity I'm sure it'll be adapted into games, movies, and more.

P2 (U9): Describe a chosen graphic novel or comic product

Graphic Novel
A graphic novel is a book that depicts a story in both images and text, using a comic strip format in conjunction with other comic conventions such as speech bubbles, panelling, and illustrations. A graphic novel combines the length of a novel with the style and structure of a comic book.

Heartstopper (graphic novel)
The graphic novel I have chosen is the British novel, Heartstopper. Interestingly, this graphic novel is targeted at teenagers and has a series of genres including drama and romantic comedy which is displayed through the storyline and use of characters. Furthermore, the story follows Nick Nelson and Charlie Spring as they fall in love and face many other interesting and exciting challenges, the LGBTQ+ theme appeals to many teenagers in the modern day as this topic is massively relevant and gives others either something to relate to or insight into what it is like for someone within this community. 

Structure elements:
Panelling
Image: Pintrest.com

The heartstopper graphic novel is available both online and in print form, the panelling differs between pages but the one displayed above is the most commonly used throughout the novel. Interestingly, the panelling features a variety of sizes, using the larger panels to display more of the scene and help give context to the reader- creating a focal point on the page. Furthermore, the smaller panels zoom in and focus more on a specific character to better convey the emotions they're feeling in the moment, this is an essential part of graphic novels, displaying emotions through images rather than words to make the novel easier and quicker to read. Finally, the top panels are drawn with the two characters facing away from each other (back to back) and this displays that they're together but the separate panels help break up the story and show that the two are not directly next to each other but instead opposite, portrayed through the different backgrounds seen in the two panels.

Text and speech bubbles
Text in heartstopper is only speech or labelling, for instance labelling the character to directly tell the audience in a quick and efficient way. Interestingly, all the text is displayed in a handwriting font to give the novel a more personal touch and appeal to the target audience who might enjoy the more feminine feel of this script typeface. Furthermore, the speech bubbles used often bleed out the panels, the novel uses a variety of speech bubbles to connote different meanings, for example, a cloud shape implies the text is a thought, squiggly lined bubbles imply weak emotions/ words, and thick black letters without a speech bubble indicate a sound. Interestingly, the speech bubbles used in heartstopper encapsulate the text in a space-efficient way by drawing the bubble around the words instead of trying to fit the words into the bubble. Overall, the speech bubbles in the novel help move the story along and give additional context where the images are unable to.

Storyline
Heartstopper follows the lives of Charlie Spring and Nick Nelson as they meet in school after being sat together in form class, rapidly becoming friends and soon becoming lovers. Interestingly, the storyline appeals to its target audience who are members of the LGBTQ+ community by delving into the world of this community and exploring the relationship of Charlie Spring and Nick Nelson.

Structure
The structure of the heartstopper novel follows Todorov's theory of narrative structure as the story begins at the start and follows a chronological structure with all the elements of his theory. In the beginning, there appears to be an equilibrium but it's soon disrupted when it's revealed that this was a false equilibrium and the main character was unhappy in the situation. Later on, the disruption is noticed by Nick, the Deuteragonist as he attempts to resolve the issue resulting in a new equilibrium for the narrative.

Iconography
Iconography refers to the images used in a work of art to represent themes and help the audience interpret ideas/ gain context for the story. Interestingly, school uniforms, mobile phones, messaging apps, laptops, and other generic clothing items are all used as iconography throughout the novel to convey the teen theme and better relate to the target audience by reflecting them in the novel. 

Visual narrative
The British romance graphic novel is read from left to write through pages however it is read from top to bottom on each individual page as it helps the story flow better. Furthermore, the panels are displayed side by side and on top of one another to allow the reader to consume the content more naturally as the eyes move in this way. Interestingly, some focal points in the novel help draw attention to the importance of the scene by using larger panels this helps convey the significance and makes it more memorable for the reader. 

Colour
The original print version is in black and white as this is a typical convention for graphic novels however the front cover has colour and there have been some online versions that are adapted with colour and a slightly different art style (with a sense of realism) to further bring life to the novel. Significantly, the coloured cover pages use pastel colours in conjunction with darker colours however all of these are slightly dull to ensure it doesn't overpower the title or the story as a whole. 

Meaning created through content and style
Alice Oseman creates meaning through the imagery and use of speech in her novel 'Heartstopper'. Interestingly, she generates themes of friendship through commonly understood signs such as laughter, teasing, and positive facial expressions/ body language to show the development of the early stages of Nick and Charlie's friendship to readers. The imagery used in this novel well demonstrates this, for instance, laughter is displayed in a scene where Nick and Charlie are sitting together and motion lines are used to express the laughter- proving the closeness of the developing relationship. 
Significantly, their friendship quickly evolves into something more and this is gradually displayed in the novel to indicate it to the audience without revealing it immediately- helping to create a narrative and build anticipation. The more intimate relationship is displayed through more physically close scenes as well as obvious displays of affection between the two characters, for instance, when they share a kiss butterflies are drawn over the pages to connote passion and further emphasise the meaning of their romantic relationship to the audience.

Target audience
The target audience for heartstopper is primarily young girls aged 14-18 as they are likely to enjoy a love story and therefore would be enticed by the book. Furthermore, the LGBTQ+ community is a primary audience for the novel as its main focus is the relationship between two boys- helping the audience to feel understood or gain an insight into what it might be like for them/ others. Additionally, the secondary target audience for heartstopper is likely to be teenage boys who perhaps learned of the graphic novel from their friends/ siblings. The mainstream storylines with relatable content are likely to appeal to a wider range of teenagers, not just girls, and therefore appeal to this secondary audience. 

Characters:

Charlie Spring
Image: pinterest.com

Charlie Spring is a 14-year-old boy in Truham school, he was outed at school and suffered from bullying as well as a toxic relationship with Ben Hope. Interestingly, Charlie experienced mental health issues and insecurities as a result of this bullying and began to not eat as well as self-harm but his new boyfriend, Nick Nelson, helped him get better and work through this.
Charlie is high-strung and sensitive, he often puts other people's happiness above his own and this can sometimes allow him to be taken advantage of, for instance during his relationship with Ben.
Furthermore, Charlie's character begins to develop and grow after he ends the relationship with Ben and begins to fall for Nick. Interestingly, he appears happier, more confident, and more positive about his experiences, therefore showing his growth throughout the novel series. However, some of these insecurities will rise up during the novel for instance when Nick leaves shortly after their kiss, showing audiences that everyone has ups and downs and allowing readers to further relate to the novel making it more popular with the target audience. Overall, Charlie connects well with the target audience and helps them feel understood by the novel by serving as a mirror for them. He also makes them feel noticed. He resonates to the target group since he is a strong role model for them and is easily relatable.

Nick Nelson
Image: pinterest.com

Nick Nelson is 16 years old and goes to Truham school, he plays on the school rugby team with his friends; Christian, Sai, and Otis but they need a new player so he quickly recruits his new friend, Charlie. Nick is one year above Charlie in school and they met after being sat together in their form class, due to his rugby history he is assumed to be rude and abrasive but soon proves to be very kind-hearted. Interestingly, Nick is thoughtful and quick to defend those he cares about in any situation which he displays in the first volume of heartstopper when he protects Charlie from Ben. Furthermore, Nick's personality and overall character begin to grow as he develops feelings for Charlie Spring and consequently questions his sexuality in the graphic novel. Significantly, Nick represents a boy who is slightly shyer about his sexuality and begins to further explore it after meeting someone he likes and feels comfortable with, which his Mum recognises. Nick represents many individuals within this community and gives them a voice and someone to look up to as he begins to grow comfortable and embrace this part of his identity- appealing to the target audience.

How characters are represented and the effect on the audience
Alice Oseman represents each character with a different set of defining traits to help establish a character type, relating to Propp's character theory. Interestingly, Charlie can be seen as the princess character in this novel as he is the main focus and requires a hero to save him from a variety of potentially dangerous situations that he becomes involved in. For instance, when he tries to end things with Ben (the villain) he is put in danger as he threatens him and harasses Charlie until Nick- who appears as the hero- comes to defend him and 'saves the day'. Furthermore, each of these characters are represented in the typical way according to Propp's theory to allow the narrative to progress but to ensure the audience enjoy the novel there have been modern elements introduced into each character to ensure they aren't stereotypical and boring. For example, Charlie is seen to be experiencing mental health issues which is a common issue in current society for the target audience and therefore will help them to better relate to the story. 

Evaluation of design and pencilling 
Image: pintrest.com

Alice Osemans 'Heartstopper' fits the typical design conventions of a graphic novel including elements such as panels, speech bubbles, gutters, and motion lines. Significantly, these conventions help readers recognise Heartstopper as a graphic novel and ensure the correct target audience is therefore reached. Furthermore, you're able to see all of these conventions in the image to the left- the gutters are the spaces between the panels which are two defining features of a graphic novel and the speech bubbles can be seen both inside and bleeding out of the panels creating a vision of space on the page. Moreover, the artwork seen in this novel is a cartoon but still looks very realistic to readers, the illustrations aren't very detailed and therefore take away from the realism but you readers can gain a good understanding of what the characters might look like in reality. Significantly, in this way, the audience can better relate to the graphic novel as they feel like they better know the characters, proving a sign of good artwork. Finally, Alice Oseman uses repetition and contrast in her graphic novel to reinforce a sense of uniformity and structure to the story, helping readers to follow the plot but notice when something has changed/ disrupted the narrative through the use of differently shaped panels (e.g. triangles).