Popular Concepts

Green Lantern

A Green Lantern is an officer of the intergalactic police force known as the Green Lantern Corps, who have the ability to overcome great fear with the might of willpower. They possess power rings capable of creating constructs characterized by their will and strength to use it. Each Green Lantern is given a Sector of the Universe to protect and it is their priority to suppress any threat against their sector.

Women in Comics

Article covering the role of women in comics throughout the ages.

Bad Girl Art

Bad Girl Art is an edgier version of Good Girl Art, focusing on sexy and scantily-clad female characters who are known for morally ambiguous and violent behavior. Its earliest precursor, Vampirella, has been around since the late 1960's, though the Bad Girl term was not coined until the 1990's when the popularity of the genre reached its peak.

Retcon

The term "Retroactive Continuity" or "Retcon" for short is used in comic books to define a re-write of a current origin or introduction of new information as if it had always been that way.

Cross Company Character Rankings

General power rankings for characters from different comic universes, like the Marvel , Dc, Top Cow, Image and Wildstorm Universes.

Flashback

Homage Covers

Covers that pay homage to, or parody, existing covers or artwork from the same or different medias.

Women in Refrigerators

A term that was created by Gail Simone. Women in Refrigerators (WiR) refers to comic book women who have been depowered, raped, murdered and/or had their lives ruined specifically in order to fuel the stories of men.

Sidekick

A sidekick is a superhero partnered with another in a lesser capacity. Used for comedy, to relate to readers, but also to move plot, and in some cases to become an integral part of the mythos.

Strength Level

How much weight a being can lift determines that beings strength level. The following is a list cataloging and categorizing many characters of the Marvel Universe among others of similar strength based on their demonstrated strength. The class number label of each category denotes the range of weight (in tons) a character can lift/press, unassisted, using only physical/muscular strength.

Omega Effect

One of Darkseid's deadliest weapons, the Omega Effect is capable of annihilating virtually anything in the path of its beams. It also has a variety of other abilities.

Anthology

An anthology is a type of comic book containing a range of stories featuring different characters and situations. Famous anthology titles include 2000AD and Topolino.

Superpowers

Superpowers are abilities uncommon to the average human. There are many different types of superpowers though most are physical, mental, technological, or mystical. Powers can be inherited from parents, bestowed by a higher power, acquired by exposure to an outside force or passed to them by others.

Jutsu

Jutsu is the Japanese word for "art" and sorts of techniques in the Naruto Universe.

Canon

Canon, in regards to comic books, is what is considered to be "real," "what really happened" or "what that character is really like" as opposed to events, etc., that happened in comic books, but nobody "counts it" as being "real" or "actually happened."

Public Domain Characters

Today there are a wealth of Golden and Silver Age comic book characters who have fallen into Public Domain. This is a list of such characters.

Gender Change

A look at the other side of the street.

Crossover

A crossover is when two or more universes collide and characters from two distinct universes interact.

Video Game Tie-In

Comics that are based on video games. They typically come in the form of one-shots or a mini-series to help promote the release of a video game.

Photo Cover

Device used in comic book publishing.

Penance Stare

The Penance Stare is a powerful weapon used by Ghost Riders to inflict upon victims all the pain that victim has cause to others.

Swimsuit Issue

An issue of a comic which usually contains pin-up style art.

Synchronicity

It is a term created by Carl Jung. Because of its pop-culture presences it is found in some comics, such: as Alan Moore's Swamp Thing, where John Constantine was created as a tribute to Sting. Sting while in the Police wrote a Synchronicity and Synchronicity II.

Anthropomorphism

An Anthropomorphic Comic is one in which one or more non-human characters display distinctly human characteristics.

Substance Abuse

As an industry which has traditionally been focused on a younger audience, certain social statements have occasionally been issued by the comic book companies through stories involving comic book characters. As such drug use is almost universally regarded as a dangerous activity that affects not only the individual but also facilitates a criminal industry.

Black Comedy

Black Comedy is found throughout many forms of fiction and comics have featured plenty of Black Comedy from different writers. A lot of the black comedy in comics tends to be found in mature comics.

The New 52

DC Comics' controversial 2011 reboot of its entire line of ongoing comic books following the universe altering event, Flashpoint. After Doomsday Clock, it was redefined as Earth-52.

Sex

The most intimate act of any animals (including humans) is often present in Comic Books. According to Freud, along with aggression, sex is what drives every action. Humanity, like every other being on the planet has an ever present urge to reproduce.

The Green

The natural force behind all plant life.

Digital Comic

Comics either released first, or exclusively for digital purchase for reading on computers, phones, tablets, etc.

Marvel Cinematic Universe

Marvel's superhero movie continuity that is shared between several major character franchises.

Marvel Zombies

The Marvel Zombies is a concept that started with reality (Earth-2149) and contains alternate versions of Marvel superheroes infected with a zombie virus.

Marvel NOW!

Marvel NOW! is a Marvel relaunch that began in October 2012. It brought some major changes to the Marvel Universe and launched many new ongoing series from some of the biggest names in the business.

Marvel Noir

In 2009, Marvel came out with a good amount of comic books with the "Noir" theme, taking many of their superheroes and placing them in the 1930's. The Noir story-lines remained pretty similar to the character's originals, adding many of their already supporting cast, but there were often unforeseen twists and variants from the original.

Bondage Cover

Comic book cover art that depicts a character physically restrained, most commonly with ropes or chains, and sometimes gagged. A popular exploitation theme during the Golden Age of Comics, bondage covers became more subdued and rare during the days of the Comics Code Authority (CCA). After the CCA's demise they have seen a revival with the proliferation of variant covers.

Indigenous People

Groups of people who live outside of civilization and are often stereotypically depicted as savages. In comics they can play the roles as villains' minions or spiritual guides for heroes.

Ghost Rider

The Ghost Rider is an empyrean/infernal creature made of a human spirit and a Spirit of Vengeance through a contract with Satan, dealings with an immortal vengeful spirit, or a supernatural entity. Ghost Riders tend to seek out vengeance for sins rendered. Notable Ghost Riders include Johnny Blaze, Dan Ketch, Alejandra and most recently Robbie Reyes.

Nudity

The absence of clothing, usually employed in fiction for either erotic or comedic situations.

Incest

Is the concept of sexual attraction towards family relatives.

Variant Artist: Skottie Young

Series of variant covers by Skottie Young, depicting characters as babies or children.

Translated Comic

Comics translated in other languages than the original release.

Prostitution

The business or practice of engaging in sexual relations in exchange for payment or some other benefit. Prostitution tends to be referred to as "the world's oldest profession".

True Believers

Series of value priced reprints from Marvel.

Variant Cover: Action Figure

Variant covers drawn to look like an action figure in the packaging. Marvel started this trend, and other companies have since followed in doing these covers.