I have no desire to violate protocol, but I did want to acknowledge and thank you for those two fascinating websites about the development of word balloons. Everyone ought to see this stuff.
There was also an article in a recent issue of Comic Art about Rudolph Topffer (sp?), who is credited as one of the first cartoonists to employ all sorts of devices that modern comics employ.
Thanks, all i did was ask a question, and then, well, stuff happens.
I found the websites fascinating too, and it seemed to me that word balloons really were an invention of newspaper comics. Though sparingly used from almost the beginning of time.
If you ever get your hands on a copy of The Penguin Book of Comics (either the original printing or the 25th Anniversary Edition), you'll be amazed at how much comic-book material was being published in 19th century England--well before the Yellow Kid or Funnies on Parade. All sorts of formats and strips.
