Who do you credit in regards to comic books?

[jeffery]

comics books are strange things. there are so many hands involved in creating one that it seems strange to attribute just one person as the author.

the original creator ( who may by now be long dead or no longer involved )
the writer
the penciler
the inker
the colorist
the editor
even the letterer
etc...

But when it comes to out metadata and most software, there's only one spot for the author.
Who would you list as the author for a comic that is on, let's say, issue number 852, or some other crazy high number, where the comic has a life of it's own?

I'm leaning towards the Original Creator (perhaps that shouldn't be in caps?) for simplicity's sake.

[sealbeater]

You could always substitute the Publisher. Dark Horse, Marvel, DC comics, etc.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by jeffery

comics books are strange things. there are so many hands involved in creating one that it seems strange to attribute just one person as the author.

the original creator ( who may by now be long dead or no longer involved )
the writer
the penciler
the inker
the colorist
the editor
even the letterer
etc...

But when it comes to out metadata and most software, there's only one spot for the author.
Who would you list as the author for a comic that is on, let's say, issue number 852, or some other crazy high number, where the comic has a life of it's own?

I'm leaning towards the Original Creator (perhaps that shouldn't be in caps?) for simplicity's sake.

I would suggest the owner of the copyright.

Unless it's a creator owned title, it is a corporate product and in many cases not even the official "creator" did much creation.

That would be consistent with prose books, where the author of record is almost always the creator and the owner of the copyright.
(With rare exceptions, like THE VAMPIRE DIARIES.)

[DrNefario]

I always try to credit the writer and the main artist (I guess that means the penciller in the Marvel/DC way of doing things). The art is basically what makes a comic a comic and not a short story, so it seems a bit bizarre to leave it out.

On the other hand, I do still tend to follow writers, rather than artists. A good script with bad art is generally better than a bad script with great art.

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by jeffery

comics books are strange things. there are so many hands involved in creating one that it seems strange to attribute just one person as the author.

But when it comes to out metadata and most software, there's only one spot for the author.

Who would you list as the author for a comic that is on, let's say, issue number 852, or some other crazy high number, where the comic has a life of it's own?

I attribute the writer of that particular issue. NOBODY cared about Animal Man until Grant Morrison wrote him.

I respect Steve Ditko an awful lot, but I'd rather read Peter Milligan's Shade the Changing Man and Dennis O'Neil's The Question.

[ottdmk]

I'm with ZodWallop. It's impossible to assign a "writer" to the full run of almost any comic, with a couple of rare exceptions. You have to go with individual issues/runs. Jason Aaron's Thor is supposed to be excellent, but so was Walter Simonson's and they are quite, quite different from each other.

[Tarana]

I think it's great that you want to give credit to the entire group that did the comic. Is this for your personal collection or something you are creating for a more public venue? If a personal collection, I think whatever makes it easiest to find your comic. For a more public venue, limited to one author, then I would go with the creator as that would be the most likely, though not only, search word that someone would use. You, as a comic book reader, would probably have a better bead on that. I would search by series personally, as I don't know the authors of any comic books.

The goal of a library isn't about recognition of an author as it is ease of finding the materials. Recognition would be in the pages themselves. (paraphrased from a Library 101 class).

[astrangerhere]

I agree with the above. Who wrote that issue? Who drew it? I want to be able to sort by Greg Rucka, Nicola Scott, Ed Brubaker, etc.

[HarryT]

I must admit that it would never occur to me to even pose the question.

[theducks]

Here be Dragons.

Just look at the Movie industry. In the 50's, the stars, other actors, producer and director were in the credit roll
Now days, even the cook is listed.

Story creator, story autor, artist, colorist...

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by theducks

Here be Dragons.

Just look at the Movie industry. In the 50's, the stars, other actors, producer and director were in the credit roll
Now days, even the cook is listed.

Story creator, story autor, artist, colorist...

Gaffer.
Best boy.

[j.p.s]

Originally Posted by theducks

Here be Dragons.

Just look at the Movie industry. In the 50's, the stars, other actors, producer and director were in the credit roll
Now days, even the cook is listed.

Story creator, story autor, artist, colorist...

In the beginning even the leads did not get on screen credit. Fans struck by the looks of Florence Lawrence wrote to the studio demanding to know her name. Be careful what you ask for. Credits now often run over 10 minutes.

[j.p.s]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

Gaffer.
Best boy.

Those are way ahead of the end now.

[sealbeater]

Originally Posted by Tarana

I would search by series personally, as I don't know the authors of any comic books.

The goal of a library isn't about recognition of an author as it is ease of finding the materials. Recognition would be in the pages themselves. (paraphrased from a Library 101 class).

This. I organize by volume date but I'm assuming most here are using calibre.

Personally I've found calibre a poor choice for comics but to each their own.

For file system organization, I've found this to work for me.

DC Comics/Batman (1940 Series)/Batman Vol.1940 #001. (April. 1940).cbz

So, if I'm looking for say, Chris Claremont and X-men:

Marvel/X-Men (1991 Series)/X-Men Vol.1991 #001. (October. 1991).cbz


but that requires having some knowledge of the timeframe the writer did the series but I have found most comic fans are aware of the general timeframe.

Use whatever works best for you.

EDIT: I should note that all of my comics have complete and accurate metadata so comic readers like Comicrack are able to extract more info. Personally I haven't really found the need but it's there if needed.

[sealbeater]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I must admit that it would never occur to me to even pose the question.

Organizing data is a very additive and dangerous hobby.