Speech balloon

A balloon (more generally, text bubble) is in comics part of the panel and contains spoken ( speech bubble ) or imaginary ( Thought Bubble ) text or logos. The label is called Lettering.

Text bubbles consist of a text box and a hint line for generating figure. Balloons have to figure a spokesman solid line Note, thought bubbles broken lines or small circles; of equipment generated bubbles (such as radio, television, radio, robot ) often have jagged Note strokes.

History

In the Middle Ages the Spoken by fluttering ribbons ( Banner ) was indicated in paintings and prints. In the early 19th century, numerous satirical graphics that took on current political and social events relating emerged. Countless of these cartoons appeared as single sheets, other than illustrations in the newspapers of the period. The graphs show the rapid transition from Banner to fully trained speech bubble with numerous intermediate forms. Some leaves were designed by such greats as James Gillray and George Cruikshank.

In the remaining precursor of modern comics - about the image boards of ballad singer of the 17th century or the popular image novels Rodolphe Töpffers - the bubble has not yet been used for text placement.

In the first "modern" comic to the - always dressed in a yellow nightie - " Yellow Kid" Mickey Dugan speech bubbles already appear. However, the words of the minor characters, the statements of the main character are provided in full on its yellow nightgown, but in speech bubbles. Since that time only a few comics without this typical stylistic device that has not a little contributed to the rejection of the mass medium of comic strip by generations of educators.

Shaping

Form

The configuration of the balloons based on the displayed content and the genre. Within a comic is maintained mostly a uniform style. Some artist prefer a specific text bubbles style to which they can be identified. The bubbles are either drawn freehand or geometrically designed as an ellipse or rectangle, this. Rectangular with rounded corners or concave The reference line can be designed as narrow, straight or curved triangular flag or be drawn as a line with a ruler.

Color

Text bubbles are outlined in black and usually contain black text on a white background. But they may also be highlighted, either because it is characterized by the color of the speaker ( red with anger, green with anger, green with envy ), or because the white surface with a preponderance of text bubbles the color overall impression of a panel or a comic would interfere page (about the artist Hermann Huppen ). In this case, the bubbles are generated in a color corresponding to the color composition of the panel or the whole page. White bubbles can then be used to highlight particularly important points.

Font

While in the USA, France and Belgium, the text has been inserted in block letters by hand (hand lettering ), was preferred in Germany for price reasons, even when translated to comics in the 1970s, machine - Lettering. Therefore, the graphic character of a comic was severely disrupted. The text filled the bubbles not optimal and the typeface was always the same, even if other characters and formatting used in the original with changes in mood of the speaker.

Arrangement

Balloons are arranged in accordance with the reading from left to right and from top to bottom (with the opposite direction of reading, such as manganese in, correspondingly conversely ). To avoid crossing the lines of evidence, the speaking figures in the same order they are positioned in the panel. The bulk of the text bubbles located at the top of the panel.

When changing speeches several bubbles are concatenated by overlapping the order is clarified. Balloons can be pulled over in the next panel or to the previous panel refer ( text from the Off). You brace by two settings in two different panels to a scene.

Importance

In particular, the lines of evidence, but also the form and design of the text bubbles may help to identify speaker (various forms in different speakers, see, eg, Volume 6 of the series Valerian and Veronique, p 18). By constrictions in the bubbles and silences, and paragraphs may be indicated. The shape of a bubble can characterize the nature and tone of the text.

Word meaning in everyday language

Speech " secrete: Although balloons usually contain complete monologues or dialogues, has been due to the prejudice that the quality of the texts in many comics was poor, naturalized in language use " balloon " as an expression of claptrap, nonsensical statements, linguistic clichés, platitudes, and the like ". Often this is due to some politicians, based celebrities, talk shows or other formats of private television.