Web Resources
- Queer Comics DatabaseDatabase designed to help researchers discover comics that tell a wide range of LGBTQ stories.
- Comic Book DatabaseAn extensive database seeking to catalog comics of every format and genre. Use this free, interactive site to look up your favorite characters, artists, writers, or comic book series.
- Comic Book Shop LocatorLooking for comic books, graphic novels, toys and other pop-culture merchandise? Then start your search with the Comic Shop Locator, your link to the latest and greatest items at your local comic book shop!
- Comic Books PlusA public domain archives for Golden Age (1938-1950) and Silver Age comics (1956-1970), comic strips and more!
- Comic Book Legal Defense FundNon-Profit designed to serve as whistle blower to any first-amendment violations in libraries and schools as they relate to comics. Their archive of case-files can be useful for primary sources in comics studies and censorship.
- Comics ForumThe Comics Forum website regularly publishes articles on a wide range of topics. The site also hosts regular columns on comics scholarship in Germany, Manga Studies and a monthly news review. Comics Forum provides a range of scholarly resources, including a directory of comics scholars, documentation from affiliated conferences and a selection of digital texts.
UC Library Search
- UC Library Search This link opens in a new window
UC Library Search is the unified discovery and borrowing system for all 10 UC Campuses. Select the UCLA Library Catalog scope to search holdings of materials owned by the UCLA Library and other UCLA collections, whether online or in print. Does not contain full-text articles or article citations. Select the Articles, books and more scope to search for materials in all 10 UC campuses. More information in this guide.
Searching for Comics
Searching Online
When searching for specific comics or comics studies, we recommend conducting keyword, author, or title searches. Beginning your search on the advance search page of UC Library Search discovery tool catalog will allow you to filter your search by those fields (to learn more about and how to use UC Library Search, see the UC Library Search Research Guide). For general browsing of comics and comics studies categories, the below subject headings may be of use. You also can filter your search by subject heading in the advance search options.
By Format
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Comic strips
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Comics
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Funnies
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Manga (Comic books, strips, etc.)
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Manhua (Comic books, strips, etc.)
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Manhwa (Comic books, strips, etc.)
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Serial picture books
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Webcomics
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Newspapers--Sections, columns, etc.--Comics
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Graphic Novels
By Genre
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Detective and mystery comic books, strips, etc
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Documentary comic books, strips, etc
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Erotic comic books, strips, etc
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Superhero comic books, strips, etc
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Superheroes -- United States
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Underground comic books, strips, etc
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Webcomics
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Western comic books, strips, etc
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Autobiographical comics
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Graphic medicine (Comics)
By Country of Origin/Setting of Narrative
- "Country"--Comic books, strips, etc
By Character
- "Fictitious character"-- Comic books, strips, etc
Comics Studies (Topical)
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Moral and ethical aspects comic books, strips, etc
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Social issue comic books, strips, etc
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Comic books, strips, etc -- History and criticism
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Genderqueer comics
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Visual perception--Comic books, strips, etc. Knowledge,
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Theory of--Comic books, strips, etc. Imagery (Psychology)
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Comic books, strips, etc., in education
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Comic books, strips, etc--Study and teaching.
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Visual perception--Comic books, strips, etc.
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Knowledge, Theory of--Comic books, strips, etc.
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Imagery (Psychology)--Comic books, strips, etc.
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Communication--Methodology--Comic books, strips, etc.
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Female friendship--Comic books, strips, etc.
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Politics and culture--Egypt--Comic books, strips, etc.
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Culture conflict--Comic books, strips, etc.
Powell Graphic Literature Collection
The Graphic Literature Collection includes a broad selection of graphic literature reflecting the evolution of the genre from early twentieth-century comics through twenty-first century graphic fiction and non-fiction. It also includes a limited amount of manga in translation. Titles are primarily in English, although graphic literature in other languages is actively acquired.
Comics Studies Book Series
Listed below are book series from renown academic publishers. Each image is hyperlinked to the subject series in the catalog which will show you all of the published books from the respective series. These books are great places to start your journey in comics studies or take your scholarly understanding of comics to new heights!
- Routledge Advance studies in Comics
Promotes outstanding research on comics and graphic novels from communication theory, rhetorical theory and media studies perspectives. Additionally, the series aims to bring European, Asian, African, and Latin American comics scholarship to the English speaking world. - Palgrave Studies in Comics and Graphic Novels
International in scope and provides a space in which scholars from all backgrounds can present new thinking about politics, history, aesthetics, production, distribution, and reception as well as the digital realm. Books appear in one of two forms: traditional monographs and shorter works (Palgrave Pivots). Palgrave Pivots include new takes on theory, concise histories, and—not least—considered provocations. - Rutgers University Press: Comics Culture
The series address major themes or topics in comics studies, including prominent genres, national traditions, and significant historical and theoretical issues. The series recognizes comics of all varieties, from mainstream comic books to graphic non-fiction, produced between the late 19th-century and the present. - University of Texas Press: World Comics and Graphic Nonfiction Series
The books published in the series use analytical approaches from literature, art history, cultural studies, communication studies, media studies, and film studies, among other fields, to help define the comic book studies field at a time of great vitality and growth. - Ohio State University Press: Studies of Comics and Cartoons
Books published in Studies in Comics and Cartoons focus exclusively on comics and graphic literature, highlighting their relation to literary studies. It includes monographs and edited collections that cover the history of comics and cartoons from the editorial cartoon and early sequential comics of the 19th century through webcomics of the 21st. - University of Mississippi Press: Comics Studies
One of the first university presses to devote a book series to comics studies arguably before "comics studies" became a recognized discipline. Publishing scholarship on comics since the early 1990s, there are a number of book series and book subjects to search for. The hyperlinked image will take you to the press' website.
Digital Comics
While these comics do exist in print, they are also available digitally through the below outlets/platforms available through or outside of UCLA. Some platforms require a paid subscription.
- Underground and Independent Comics, Comix, and Graphic Novels This link opens in a new window
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Online collection of underground and independent comic books and graphic novels. Also contains selected interviews, commentary, theory, and criticism.
- ComixologyAn Amazon company that hosts a substantial collection of digitized comics (25K). Subscription rates do apply.
- Digital Comics MuseumOpen access site for downloading free public domain Golden Age Comics. All files here have been researched by staff and users to make sure they are copyright free and in the public domain. To start downloading just register an account and enjoy these great comic books.
- Marvel UnlimitedOnce known as Marvel Digital Comics, Marvel Unlimited is a service offered by Marvel Comics that distributes past issues in digital format. Its growing archives make this an excellent resource Marvel Comics limited studies. Most comics also included editorial correspondences with readers at the back of comics. Subscription rates do apply.
- The NibThe Nib is a daily publication devoted to publishing and promoting political and non-fiction comics. We run journalism, essays, memoir and satire about what is going down in the world, all in comics form, the best medium.
- Hoopla (Los Angeles Public Library)Hoopla contains many online e-books, comics and graphic novels. To use it, you will need to get a Library Card from the Los Angeles Public Library.
Powell Library's Anti-Racist Reading Club: Comics Edition
To highlight media by and/or for the Black community and support research in these genres of media, UCLA librarians compiled a list of sources organized by genre. Below is a selection of the comics highlighted.