This guide suggests resources and strategies for research on graphic novels & comic art.

Background Information  | Find Articles  |  Find Books  |  Criticism & Reviews  |   People  |  Organizations  |  Web Resources  |  Additional Resources

Encyclopedias and other reference works are an excellent place to start a research project or simply learn more about a particular topic.  They provide topic summaries, context, and bibliographies for further reading.

The 101 best graphic novels ( R 741.59016 W4316o)
Comics & sequential art ( 741.5 Ei87c)
Graphic storytelling ( 808.066741 Ei87g)
Reinventing comics ( 741.5973 M1327r 2000 )
Understanding comics (741.5 M1327u )
The world encyclopedia of cartoons (R741.503 W893 1999) 

Search indexes, abstracts, and databases to find journal, magazine, and newspaper articles.  For a complete list of Kent Library's online indexes and databases, see the Find: articles page (http://library.semo.edu/find/articles.asp).

To find historical/source materials, use the following print sources:
Art Index
Readers' Guide to Periodical Literature

To find recent articles and scholarly/peer-reviewed articles use the following online databases:
Academic Search Premier
ARTstor
MLA
Proquest Research Library
Wilson Omnifile
 

Use the Kent Library Catalog (http://library.semo.edu/find/books.shtml) to find books, periodicals (journals, magazines, & newspapers), videos, government documents and other materials.

Keyword searches allow you to use your own words as search terms.
Subject heading searches use Library of Congress subject headings. Printed volumes of these headings are located near the Reference Desk on the main floor.

Comic books, strips, etc.
Graphic novels
Horror comic books, strips, etc.   
Science fiction comic books, strips, etc.   
Western comic books, strips, etc.

Browse the shelves by call number.  Use the Dewey Decimal chart  to get you in the right subject areas or try the following:

741.5.
 

comicsworthreading.com.
Library Journal (Periodicals section and online via the E-Journal Portal)
No flying, no tights.  Graphic novel reviews

Learn about important people, such as authors, researchers & historical figures related to this topic or field.

The great American comic strip : one hundred years of cartoon art .(Oversise 741.50973 Os8g)
Scott McCloud website of author of Understanding comics & Transforming comics
Will Eisner  graphic novel pioneer

Professional organizations and/or societies often provide very useful topic related information.

Comic Book Legal Defense Fun (CDLDF)
National Association of Comic Arts Educators (NACAE)

American Library Association Graphic Novel Guide
Cartoon research library at Ohio State University
Comic art in scholarly writing: a citation guide
Comic art collection homepage Michigan State University Libraries
Comic Book Resources
Comics related dissertations & theses
Comics related links from the University of New York, Buffalo -- large collection of links
Comics scholarship annotated bibliographies
Grand Comic Book Database
ImageTexT  an online scholarly journal covering comic art and related subjects
Toonopedia

For a list of Web searching tools, see the Find: web resources page (http://library.semo.edu/find/webpages.shtml).

Argon Zark -- claims to be first comic designed specifically for the web, debuted in 1995. Includes helpful notes about techniques & tools
Modern Tales -- a large collection of web based comics by various authors. Subscription service, but a lot of the newest content is free.
Rec.arts.comics.misc usenet discussion group