The Lexicon of Comicana

<b>A new edition of <i>Beetle Bailey</i> creator Mort Walker’s riotous and immensely influential handbook for drawing and reading cartoons—a book that’s both a parody of humorless how-to guides and a genuine (and genuinely instructive) ode to the art of making comics.</b><br><br>In a cartoon, what do you call the sweat drops shooting off a character’s head? Those are “Plewds.” What about when you see a character wagging their tongue out of their mouth? Oh, that’s a “Protusilation.” How about the lines coming off a freshly baked pie? That’s “Waftarom.” This sort of playful comics nomenclature abounds in <i>The Lexicon of Comicana</i>, the revered 1980 cartooning handbook authored by Mort Walker, creator of the legendary daily comic strip <i>Beetle Bailey</i>.<br><br>Both a send-up of lofty how-to-draw books and a sincere and hilarious love letter to the art of drawing cartoons, the <i>Lexicon</i> is a joyously exhaustive cheat sheet to key comics visuals that has been referenced and treasured by generations of cartoonists. This new edition includes an introduction by Chris Ware—who keeps a copy of the <i>Lexicon</i> next to his desk—and a meticulous appendix by Mort’s son Brian Walker, who delves deep into the visual language of comics.<br><br>With the help of <i>The Lexicon of Comicana</i>, you’ll come away a better, wiser, richer, and funnier artist. Plus, you’ll learn what a “Morf” is—Mort’s favorite part.