The Lexicon of Comicana

by Mort Walker, Chris Ware (Foreword), Brian Walker (Contributor)

A new edition of Beetle Bailey 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.

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 a “Waftarom.” This sort of playful comics nomenclature abounds in The Lexicon of Comicana, the revered 1980 cartooning handbook authored by Mort Walker, creator of the legendary daily comic strip Beetle Bailey.

Both a send-up of lofty how-to-draw books and a sincere and hilarious love letter to the art of drawing cartoons, the Lexicon is a joyously exhaustive cheat sheet to key comics visuals that has been referenced and treasured by generations of cartoonists. This new edition includes a foreword by Chris Ware and a meticulous appendix by Mort’s son Brian Walker, who delves deep into the visual language of comics.

With the help of The Lexicon of Comicana, you’ll come away a better, wiser, richer, and funnier artist. Plus, you’ll learn what a “Morf” is—Mort’s favorite part.

Genres: Comics, Art, Nonfiction, Reference, Drawing, Writing, Humor

128 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1980

About the author

Addison Morton Walker, more popularly known as Mort Walker, was an American comic artist, best known for creating the newspaper comic strips Beetle Bailey in 1950 and Hi and Lois in 1954.

Born in El Dorado, Kansas, he grew up in Kansas City, Missouri. He had his first comic published at the age of 11, and sold his first cartoon at 12. At 15 he worked as a comic-strip artist for a daily newspaper and by 18 he became chief editorial designer at Hall Brothers. After graduating from Northeast High School in the Kansas City, Missouri School District, he attended the University of Missouri, where a life size bronze statue of Beetle Bailey sits in front of the alumni center.

In 1943 he was drafted into the United States Army where he spent time in Europe during World War II. He was discharged as a First Lieutenant four years later. After military service and graduation from University of Missouri in 1948, where he was president of the local Kappa Sigma chapter[1], he went to New York to pursue his cartooning career. His first 200 cartoons were rejected, but he was slowly gaining recognition among the editors for his talent. His big break came with Beetle Bailey and another success followed with Hi and Lois. Other noteworthy cartoons he has created include Boner's Ark, Gamin & Patches, Mrs. Fitz's Flats, The Evermores, Sam's Strip and Sam & Silo (the last two with Jerry Dumas).

After more than 50 years in the business, Mort Walker still supervises the daily work at his studio, which also employs 6 of his children.

In 1974 he founded The National Cartoon Museum, and in 1989 he was inducted into the Museum of Cartoon Art Hall of Fame. He received the Reuben Award of 1953 for Beetle Bailey, the National Cartoonist Society Humor Strip Award for 1966 and 1969, the Gold T-Square Award in 1999, the Elzie Segar Award for 1977 and 1999, and numerous other awards for his work and dedication to the art.

In his book The Lexicon of Comicana (1980), written as a satirical look at the devices cartoonists use in their craft, Walker invented a cartoon vocabulary called Symbolia. For example, Walker coined the term "squeans" to describe the starbusts and little circles that appear around a cartoon's head to indicate intoxication. The typographical symbols that stand for profanities, which appear in dialogue balloons in the place of actual dialogue, Walker called "grawlixes."

Reviews

[Théo d'Or]

Oh my. Mort's lexicon made me a lexicologist à mort. Now, my phantasmagoric cogitations mixed with the ephemerality of my diaphanous memories, each more evanescent than the last, when - with an abruptness befitting a cataclysmic apotheosis, a lachrimose peripeteia transpired, precipitating an inexorable concatenation of mirthful sweet nothings, and when I think it all commenced with the dyspeptic ululations of an aberrant colporteur peddling anachronistic bric-à-brac, whose pecuniary aspirations were tantamount to those of a deliquescent cataphract - think of a knight in shining armor who accidentally sings in the rain, the day crescendoed into an epicurean symposium of solipsistic elocutionists, each more loquacious than the preceding, engaging in a cacophonous cacophony of paronomasia and anacoluthon, all whilst indulging in an interminable ambrosial repast, which, in their ostentatious plénitude, were as arcane and esoteric as the very bulshicon with which I now regale you, mon cher blameless reader.

[Haley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was entertaining and the creation of language to describe visual storytelling with lines and symbols was very creative and fun.

I’m interested in a more nuanced and thoughtful examination of the role of symbols and their “universality” as well as recognition of the prejudice inherent to the humor of many “universal” tropes and archetypes.

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

RIP Mort Walker! Every aspiring cartoonist needs to read this! Incredibly smart and hilarious.

[Tanya Turner · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an entertaining read for a brief over-view of some of the cartoonist's tricks of the trade. However, it lacks the visual impact and depth of Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art a later and much fuller investigation of visual storytelling.

[Bogdan Sorlea · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very nice synthesis of the basic elements and techniques in comic design. A good start for beginners.

[BJ Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Because: who doesn't want to use words like emanata, fumetti, and maladicta? Fast, fun & fascinating read.