J. Conrad Dunagan Library:
Comic Books & Graphic Novels
A slight abridgement of Comic Books and Graphic Novels: Digital Resources for an Evolving Form of Art and Literature, by Leslie Bussert in C&RL News pp. 103-106, 113, February 2005.

Comic books and graphic novels are becoming two of the most pervasive and influential media forms of popular culture.... in [the] context of changing society, comic books and graphic novels entertain and educate, but .... [are] also instrumental in documenting and interpreting social, historical, and current events.

Scholarship and research surrounding comic books and graphic novels are growing. Many in the fields of history, sociology, and arts and literature realize the unique and valuable insight inherent in studying comic books and graphic novels....

With numerous comic book and graphic novel Internet resources today, it is challenging to identify those frequently updated or professionally maintained; many lack organization but contain authoritative content. While the list provided here is not comprehensive, ... [readers] should find these resources vaulable [as a starting point.]
Note: Many of the listed sites are .com sites with lots of pop-up ads, and so on.
Starting Points: Research Guides
Comic Books: Internet Resources 
contains annotated online comic book resources compiled by Michael Lavin, Arts and Sciences Librarian at the Univ. of New York at Buffalo; categories include Internet portals and guides, news and previews, magazines and journals, history, and bibliographies.
Comic Books, New York Public Library (NYPL) 
in addition to describing the NYPL's comic book collection; also includes valuable bibliographies for general comics research, history and criticism, and more.
Yale Univ. Library's Comic Books, Comic Strips, and Graphic Novels Research Guide  
offers LC Subject Headings for searching library catalogs, print and online research sources, and links to comic books and graphic novel publishers.
News and Reviews
ArtBomb.net
aims to broaden the appeal of comic books and graphic novels through promoting and reviewing diverse titles
Comic Book Resources 
a popular site, offering numerous resources for any level of fan; daily news, featured articles including interviews with artists and writers, opinion and editorial pieces; archives are limited but go back to 1998
Comics Continuum 
very straightforward site offering up-to-date breaking industry news; archives go back about 3 weeks.
Comics Worth Reading 
another site providing industry news, reviews and extensive recommendations for manga, independent, DC Comics and Marvel Comics titles and series. Reviews include publishing history, art samples, plot summaries and Web links.
Newsarama 
updated several times daily; offers breaking industry news; also reviews and previews

Organizations and Associations

Comic Book Legal Defense Fund (CBLDF) 
aimed at preserving First Amendment rights for members of the comics community; offers news, featured links, convention previews, and reports. Also offers a comic censorship bibliography and a comic censorship timeline beginning in the 1750s.
International Comic Arts Association (ICAA) 
a nonprofit organization which aims to "support, promote, and strengthen the comic industry, its products, and professionals"; the web site offers industry and organizational news, and resources for retailers, libraries, teachers, creators, collectors and fans.
National Assn. of Comic Arts Educators (NACAE) 
"Committed to helping facilitate the teaching of comics in higher education"; contains resources for individuals and institutions interested in teaching visual storytelling. Also includes teaching resources (exercises, study guides, syllabi, handouts, etc.)
Bibliographies and Collections
Comic Books, Library of Congress Popular Culture Collections... 
both foreign and US titles included; collection includes scattered issues back to the 1930s but is mostly comprehensive from 1950 on. The site provides information for using and researching the collection.
The Comic Journal's Topp 100 English-Language Comics of the Century
This list archived by Everything2.com includes links to relevant websites for most items on the list.
Comics-Related Dissertations and Theses 
provides an international bibliography of doctoral and master's dissertations and theses going back to the 190s.
The Comics Reporter Books About Comics Bibliography 
international in scope; entries are in alphabetical order by title; coverage back to the 1950s.
Comic Scholarship Annotated Bibliographies (SCAB) 
covers book-length works about comic books and strips ranging from "fannish" histories to academic publications; divided by subject categories such as genre, guides, countries, etc.
Michigan State University Comic Art Collection 
The MSU Comic Art Collection has more than 200,000 items mostly comic books, and is known as the primary library resource for the study of US comic book publications.
Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art (MOCCA) 
MOCCA's purpose is to collect, preserve, study, educate and display comic and cartoon art; genres treated include animation, cartoons, comic books and strips, graphic novels, and more.
New York City Comic Museum (NYC-CM) 
founded in 1999, the museum promotes comic book history, preservation, and literacy; the site offers online exhibits, an education center with lesson ideas, and current museum news.

Online Magazines and Journals

ImageTexT 
a web-based journal with free access to all articles; the journal strives to advance academic study of comic books, cartoons and other media blinding image and text; includes articles, reviews of current scholarship, and conference or publication announcements
The Comics Journal
Some materials archived for public access; covers the comics medium from an "arts-first" perspective
Indy Magazine archives only
briefly published by Alternative Comics, this online journal offered feature articles, reviews and news about independently published comic books and graphic novels.
Ninth Art archives only
From 2001-2006 this was a weekly online journal which strives to provide a space for an expanding repository of ideas, analysis and contemporary thought through exploring every aspect of the arts and industry of comics.Archives, message boards, and RSS feeds are available.

Reference Tools and Resources

Comic Art in Scholarly Writing: A Citation Guide 
Allen Ellis, research and instructional services librarian at NKU has created this guide in accordance with the Comic Art and Comics area of the Popular Culture Assn. The online style guide offers instruction and numerous examples for citing comic books, comic strips, editorial cartoons, and graphic novels.
Grand Comic Book Database 
searchable by writer, artist, title and publisher; the database has more than 70,000 records; most entries include a color image of the over, information about the binding, ink, paper type, publisher, run dates, issues published, and language.
Who's Who of American Comic Books 
a resource which provides biographical listings for over 19,000 artists, writers, editors, and personnel involved in producing comics; also provides some artists aliases

Miscellaneous

Comic Scholars Discussion List 
this community is aimed at those involved in research, criticism, and teaching related to comic arts.
Librarians in Comics 
Steven Bergson, a Canadian librarian maintains this site which contains an annotated bibliography of books, comic books, and graphic novels in which a librarian or library plays a role.
No Flying, No Tights 
created and maintained by librarian Robin Brenner and friends, this resource contains three comic book and graphic novel review sites, one each for kids, teens, and adults. Includes a core list of recommended and reviewed titles divided into various topics.
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