▁a ▁letter er , ▁who ▁adds ▁the ▁ca ptions ▁and ▁speech ▁bal lo ons . ▁ ▁Et ym ology ▁ ▁The ▁English - language ▁term ▁com ics ▁der ives ▁from ▁the ▁hum orous ▁( or ▁" com ic ") ▁work ▁which ▁pre domin ated ▁in ▁early ▁American ▁newspaper ▁com ic ▁stri ps ; ▁usage ▁of ▁the ▁term ▁has ▁become ▁standard ▁for ▁non - hum orous ▁works ▁as ▁well . ▁ ▁The ▁term ▁" com ic ▁book " ▁has ▁a ▁similarly ▁confusing ▁history : ▁they ▁are ▁most ▁often ▁not ▁hum orous ; ▁nor ▁are ▁they ▁regular ▁books , ▁but ▁rather ▁period ical s . ▁ ▁It ▁is ▁common ▁in ▁English ▁to ▁refer ▁to ▁the ▁com ics ▁of ▁different ▁cult ures ▁by ▁the ▁terms ▁used ▁in ▁their ▁original ▁languages , ▁such ▁as ▁ ▁for ▁Japanese ▁com ics , ▁or ▁ ▁for ▁French - language ▁Franco - Bel g ian ▁com ics . ▁ ▁Many ▁cult ures ▁have ▁taken ▁their ▁words ▁for ▁com ics ▁from ▁English , ▁including ▁Russian ▁( , ▁) ▁and ▁German ▁( ). ▁ ▁Similarly , ▁the ▁Chinese ▁term ▁ ▁and ▁the ▁Korean ▁ ▁derive ▁from ▁the ▁Chinese ▁characters ▁with ▁which ▁the ▁Japanese ▁term ▁ ▁is ▁written . ▁ ▁See ▁also ▁▁ ▁An imation ▁ ▁Billy ▁Ireland ▁Cart oon ▁Library ▁& ▁Museum ▁ ▁Picture ▁book ▁ ▁See ▁also ▁lists ▁▁ ▁List ▁of ▁best - s elling ▁com ic ▁series ▁ ▁List ▁of ▁best - s elling ▁m anga ▁ ▁List ▁of ▁com ic ▁books ▁ ▁List ▁of ▁com ics ▁cre ators ▁ ▁List