Overall, comics citations require that the writer(s) reference, Writer, artist/illustrator, Letters by, story title, publication information, and publication medium. In the boxes below are examples of citations comics in single issue, comic strip, graphic novel, and webcomic format. If you need more guidance please see your subject librarian.
MLA Format
Last Name, First Name. Title of Book. Publisher, Publication Date.
Eisner, Will. Graphic Storytelling and Visual Narrative. W.W. Norton, 2008.
APA Format
Author, A. A. (Year of publication). Title of work: Capital letter also for subtitle. Location: Publisher.
Eisner, W. (2008). Graphic storytelling and visual narrative. New York: W.W. Norton.
Chicago Format
Lastname, Firstname. Title of Book. Place of publication: Publisher, Year of
publication.
Eisner, Will. Graphic Storytelling and visual narrative. New York: W.W. Norton,
2008.
For more on these citation styles, refer to the Purdue OWL for MLA, APA, and Chicago formatting.
Basic Format
Writer Lastname, Firstname (w), Penciller Firstname Lastname(p), Inker Firstname Lastname (i). "Story Title." Publication Title #issue (Date of Publication), Publisher.
Example Citation
Coates, Ta-Nehisi (w), Brian Stelfreeze, and Laura Martin (a). "Black Panther." Black Panther #16 (September 2017), Marvel Worldwide.
For more on this citation style, refer to Comic Art in Scholarly Writing.
MLA Format
Last Name, First Name. Title of Work. Date, Medium, Collection Name, The Ohio State University Cartoon Library and Museum, URL. Accessed Day Month Year.
Caniff, Milton. Terry and the Pirates. 14 October 1941, Ink/Illustration Board, Milton Caniff Collection, The Ohio State University Cartoon Library and Museum, http://osucartoons.pastperfectonline.com/webobject/F10D4AE8-3893-4FD9-BE2F-642182478796. Accessed 9 January 2018.
APA Format
Artist, A. A. (Role). (Date). Title of work [Format]. Collection Name, The Ohio State University Cartoon Library and Museum. Retrieved from URL.
Caniff, Milton (Artist). (14 October 1941). Terry and the pirates [Original Art]. Milton Caniff Collection, The Ohio State University Cartoon Library and Museum. Retrieved from http://osucartoons.pastperfectonline.com/webobject/F10D4AE8-3893-4FD9-BE2F-642182478796.
Chicago Format
Last name, First name Middle initial. Title of Work. Format. City: Publishing Company, copyright date. Source, Collection. Medium, http://...(accessed date).
Caniff, Milton. Terry and the Pirates. Comic strip. 1941. Milton Caniff Collection, The Ohio State University Billy Ireland Cartoon Library and Museum, Ink/Illustration board, http://osucartoons.pastperfectonline.com/webobject/F10D4AE8-3893-4FD9-BE2F-642182478796 (accessed January 9, 2018).
Include the URL and date accessed only if you viewed the art online. If you viewed the art in person, this is not necessary.
For more on these citation styles, refer to the Purdue OWL for MLA, APA, and Chicago formatting.
Basic Format
[identification of item], [Box Number/ Folder Number], [Collection Name], SPEC.CGA.[Collection ID], Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum, Ohio State University.
Example Citation
History notes on European cathedrals and churches, [undated], Box MAC.P2 / Folder 1, Milton Caniff Collection, SPEC.CGA.MAC, Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum, Ohio State University.
Many collections also include this information in their finding aids.
MLA Format
Last Name, First Name. "Title of Article or Work." Title of Periodical, Volume, Issue, Year, pages.
Robb, Jenny E. "Bill Blackbeard: The Collector Who Rescued the Comics." Journal of American Culture, vol. 32, no. 3, 2009, pp. 244-256.
APA Format
Author, A. A. (Year). Title of article or work. Title of Periodical, volume number(issue number), pages.
Robb, J. E. (2009). Bill Blackbeard: The collector who rescued the comics. Journal of American Culture, 32(3), 244-256.
Chicago Format
Last name, First name Middle initial. "Title of Work." Journal title volume issue
number (date): pages.
Robb, Jenny E. "Bill Blackbeard: The collector who rescued the comics". Journal of
American Culture 32 no.3 (2009): 244-256.
For more on these citation styles, refer to the Purdue OWL for MLA, APA, and Chicago formatting.