Silent comics


Silent comics are comics which are delivered in mime. They make use of little or no dialogue, speech balloons or captions written underneath the images. Instead, the stories or gags are told entirely through pictures.

Definition

Silent comics have the advantage of being easily understandable to people - like children - who are slow readers. The genre is also universally popular since translation is not required, lacking the usual language barriers. Sergio Aragonés, a famous artist in the field, once said in a 1991 interview with Comics Journal: Silent comics tend to be popular in the gag-a-day comics genre, where they typically consist of just three or four images per episode. But some graphic novels with longer narratives also make use of pantomime. This allows for a more visual experience, where the actual meaning of the events is left to the readers' own interpretation. Some famous silent-comics artists are Sergio Aragonés, Guy Bara, Chaval, Henning Dahl Mikkelsen, Adolf Oberländer, Wil Raymakers, Otto Soglow, Gluyas Williams and Jim Woodring.

List of notable silent comics

Argentina

Australia

The Arrival by Shaun Tan.

Belgium

25 Images de la Passion d'un Homme by Frans Masereel.Balthazar by Bob de Moor.Cet Aimable M. Mops by Hergé.Fireplug kung fu by Eco.Game Over by Midam.Histoire Sans Paroles by Frans Masereel.The Idea by Frans Masereel.Klopstock by Sinap.Love Story by Eco.Les Malheurs de Charlie by Jem Het Manneke by Marc Payot and Paul Ausloos.

Canada

The Life and Times of Conrad Black by George Walker.The Mysterious Death of Tom Thomson by George Walker.Pour un Dîner de Noël by Raoul Barré.Southern Cross by Laurence Hyde. Tales From The Vase by Billy Mavreas.

China

Mr. Chu and Aunt Eight by Mak Man-chung . Old Master Q by Alfonso Wong.Sanmao by Zhang Leping.
  • The cartoons of Tango Gao.

Cuba

Geste Hypergraphique by Roberto Altmann, a comic book with abstract imagery, a surreal plot and symbols and freeform interpunction. While there are speech balloons it's unreadable gibberish, making it somewhat of a pantomime comic.

Denmark

Alfredo by Cosper and Jørgen Mogensen.

Finland

Lämsänperäläiset by Wallu.

France

Arzach by Moebius.L'Enclos by Blexbolex.Lily Sprint by Bindle.' by Malabar, the mascot of chewing gum brand Malabar, whose adventures were told in pantomime comics. The first artist to draw the series was Jean-René Le Moing.Mistouflet by Aldé.Monsieur Mouche by Rab.Monsieur Pépin by Piem.La Mouche by Lewis Trondheim.
  • ' by and.Le Pantin by Michel Alzéal.Passages by Thibault Poursin.' by and Lewis Trondheim.Le Petit President by J. Lap.Pervers Pépère by Marcel Gotlib.Poustiquet by Bindle.
  • ' by.Riri by Maurice Chénechot.Les Souris by Pierre Clément.La Théorie du Chaos by Pierre Schelle.Turlupin by Piem.

Germany

' by.Die Abenteur des kleinen Ako by Klaus Vonderwerth.Albert by Klaus Vonderwerth.Alpha...directions by.Beta... civilisations part 1 by.Dackel Willi by.

Hungary

Italy

Squeak the Mouse by Massimo Mattioli.

Japan

Gon by Masashi Tanaka.Kuri-chan by Susumu Nemoto

Mexico

Pedrito by William de la Torre.

Netherlands

Norway

Grosz by Lars Fiske.Sshhhh! by Jason.

Philippines

Beelzebub by Malang Santos.Chain Gang Charlie by Malang Santos.Kosmé the Cop by Malang Santos.Malangs Menagerie by Malang Santos.Pocholo by Malang Santos.

Poland

Josephine by Elisabeth Brozowska.Professor Filutek by Zbigniew Lengren.Sans Titre by Jerzy Skarzynski.

Spain

Cándído by José Luis Martin Mena, aka Mena.Don Celes by Olmo
  • The work of OPS.

Sweden

Adamson by Oscar Jacobsson.Ba-Ba by Sten Rinaldo.Gorillan Gusten by Jan Romare.Götlund by Birger Malmborg.Gus by Gunnar Persson.Mannen Som Gör Vad Som Faller Honom In by Oskar Andersson.Mullvaden Malte by Jan Romare.Pyton by Jan Romare.Ugglan Urban by Jan Romare.Ur Igelkotten Huberts Dagbok by Jan Romare.

Switzerland

Alberto by.Dead End by Thomas Ott.Geteilter Traum by Daniel Bosshart.Greetings from Hellville by Thomas Ott.Max by Pericle Luigi Giovannetti.Tales of Error by Thomas Ott.

Taiwan

Ichthyophobia by Li Lung-chieh.

United Kingdom

Brenda Breeze by Rolfe.Caesar by Tim.Chicko by Norman Thelwell.Come on, Steve! by Roland Davies.Les Aventures des Deux Barbus by Harold Mack for the Marten Toonder studios.Little Dead-Eye Dick by Charles Holt.Louie by Harry Hanan.Perkins by John Miles.The Snowman by Raymond Briggs.Sporting Sam by Reg Wootton.THHRP! by Leo Baxendale.Uncle Charlie by Peter Laing.

United States

Age of Reptiles by Ricardo Delgado.The Ambassador by Otto Soglow.Bozo by Foxo Reardon. Doctor Bill by Jack Tippit.Fox Bunny Funny by Andy Hartzell.Frank by Jim Woodring.Gods' Man by Lynd Ward.Grindstone George by Clifton Meek.Hannah by Courtney DunkelHawks & Doves by Al Jaffee.He Done Her Wrong by Milt Gross.Henry by Carl Thomas Anderson.Herman by Clyde Lamb.Hi and Jinx by Jonny Hawkins.Johnny Mouse by Clifton Meek.Korgi by Christian Slade. Lancelittle by Paul Sellers.Little Farmer by Kern Pederson.Little Umjiji by Syd B. Griffin.Liō by Mark Tatulli.The Little King by Otto Soglow.A Mad Look At... and Marginals by Sergio Aragones.Madman's Drum by Lynd Ward.No Comment by Vahan Shirvanian.Owly by Andy Runton. Prelude to a Million Years by Lynd Ward.Sad Sack by George Baker started out as a pantomime comic, but later became a speech balloon comic.Sentinel Louie by Otto Soglow.Song Without Words by Lynd Ward.Splinters by William Steinigans.Spy vs. Spy by Antonio Prohías.Sticks and Stones by Peter Kuper.Sticky by Dale Lazarov and Steve MacIsaac. The Strange World of Mr. Mum by Irving Phillips.The System by Peter Kuper.Tall Tales by Al Jaffee.Travelin' Gus by Otto Soglow.Vertigo by Lynd Ward.Wild Pilgrimage by Lynd Ward.Wordless Workshop by Roy Doty.

Yugoslavia

Ljuba Truba by Milorad Dobrić.