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1 What Is a Comic? If ­you’re reading this book, you prob­ably already have an idea what a comic is. You prob­ably know that comics, which can also be called sequential art or graphic narrative (Chute 2006), is a narrative format that tells a story through panels of words and pictures. You likely know that comics come printed in paper and ink, sometimes in black and white, sometimes in color, but that they can also be digital. You may have heard in the past the frequently vocalized motto of librarians and academics: “comics are a format, not a genre” though ­ there are certainly ­those who would debate such a statement (West 2013). But if ­ you’re reading this book, ­ there’s also a significant chance ­ there’s a lot you ­don’t know about comics. If ­ you’re a comics newbie, then you may very much enjoy this chapter. If ­ you’re a current comics expert, you’ll likely shake your head disapprovingly at the information that this book leaves out. That’s why it’s up to you, dear comics-­fan librarian, to fill in the gaps for your staff and patrons. DEFINITIONS­ Here are some of the common words and phrases one may encounter when dealing with comics. You may encounter a few of ­ these quite fre- quently or you may encounter them a ­ whole whopping never, but you ­ will definitely encounter some. Keep in mind, when it comes to comics, many of the commonly used terms and their definitions can be nebulous and subjective, as comics scholarship and authoritative bodies are still rela- tively new. The definitions listed ­here are typically agreed upon by most comics scholars, fans, and, of course, many librarians.