--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The confusion inherent in the word comics…" description: "\"“The confusion inherent in the word comics has been apparent to those writing in the filed for years. The word has a plural form but is singular in app..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/527/r-c-harvey-71868_comics_the-confusion-inherent-in-the-word-comic_1175607.jpg" --- # The confusion inherent in the word comics has been… ![“The confusion inherent in the word comics has been apparent to those writing in the filed for years. The word has a plural form but is singular in application. And in its singular form, comic, it can be an adjective for something humorous or another name for a comedian. In short, comics lacks the…” quote by R.C. Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/527/r-c-harvey-71868_comics_the-confusion-inherent-in-the-word-comic_1175607.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/527/r-c-harvey-71868_comics_the-confusion-inherent-in-the-word-comic_1175607.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/527/r-c-harvey-71868_comics_the-confusion-inherent-in-the-word-comic_1175607.jpg) > ““The confusion inherent in the word comics has been apparent to those writing in the filed for years. The word has a plural form but is singular in application. And in its singular form, comic, it can be an adjective for something humorous or another name for a comedian. In short, comics lacks the precision it ought to have for ordinary communication let alone serious philosophical deliberations.”” [R.C. Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-harvey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The term “comics” is ambiguous, mixing plural and singular meanings, which hampers clear communication and philosophical discussion. **In simple terms:** The word “comics” is confusing and imprecise. Key Takeaway Clarify terminology when discussing visual storytelling. Themes language communication media theory Mood analytical critical thoughtful Type definition clarity precision When to use this quote - academic papers - teaching media studies - publishing guidelines - media criticism Key Concepts semantics lexical ambiguity genre classification Questions to Reflect On - How can we standardize terminology without alienating practitioners? - What impact does ambiguous language have on scholarly analysis? A Different Perspective The term is entrenched in popular usage, making change difficult. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Comic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comic/) [Comic Adjective](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comic-adjective-3425815/) [Comics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comics/) [Comics Apparent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comics-apparent-3425818/) [Form Comic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/form-comic-3425816/) [Word Comics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/word-comics-3425817/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [When you start in the childhood period, when you begin to form a comic sense, it was the radio comedians - from the last…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/when-you-start-in-the-childhood-period-when-you-begin-to-form-a-comic/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [“Comics are a sub-set of pictorial narrative; therefore, all comics are pictorial narratives, but not all pictorial narratives are comics.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-harvey/comics-are-a-sub-set-of-pictorial-narrative-therefore-all-comics-are/) [R.C. Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-harvey/) > [I kind of understood inherently - and I wasn't really conflicted about this - that comics were not for me or by people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noelle-stevenson/i-kind-of-understood-inherently-and-i-wasn-t-really-conflicted-about/) [Noelle Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noelle-stevenson/) > [The first work I ever did in comics was for Archie Comics, and I didn't do that very long because I did other stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-adams/the-first-work-i-ever-did-in-comics-was-for-archie-comics-and-i-didn/) [Neal Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-adams/) > [I've actually steered away from just calling them 'comics.' I just call them books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/i-ve-actually-steered-away-from-just-calling-them-comics-i-just-call/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [I stopped doing comics because I found the pressure really high to nail it every time. It's really difficult to be creative all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-beaton/i-stopped-doing-comics-because-i-found-the-pressure-really-high-to/) [Kate Beaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-beaton/) > [I grew up with comics. Whether it be from the East or the West, I devoured them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ng-chin-han/i-grew-up-with-comics-whether-it-be-from-the-east-or-the-west-i/) [Ng Chin Han](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ng-chin-han/) > [I don't buy comics anymore, for the most part. I eat my lunch off of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-lee/i-don-t-buy-comics-anymore-for-the-most-part-i-eat-my-lunch-off-of/) [Jim Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-lee/) > [In their heyday, comics were a dominant force in popular culture, but that's over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-trudeau/in-their-heyday-comics-were-a-dominant-force-in-popular-culture-but/) [Garry Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-trudeau/) > [Comics seem to be cooking these days. It's like being a rock star.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-spiegelman/comics-seem-to-be-cooking-these-days-it-s-like-being-a-rock-star/) [Art Spiegelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-spiegelman/) > [When I was auditioning for 'Gotham,' I got a handful of comics from different decades, so I had a perspective - it's been around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-michael-smith/when-i-was-auditioning-for-gotham-i-got-a-handful-of-comics-from/) [Cory Michael Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-michael-smith/) > [Art uses many different styles, but his voice is very consistent. He's always concise and clever and funny. That's true of somebody like Chris…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francoise-mouly/art-uses-many-different-styles-but-his-voice-is-very-consistent-he-s/) [Francoise Mouly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francoise-mouly/) > [I've been reading Ed Brubaker comics since the first appearance of Ed Brubaker comics and every single time he announces a new title I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-michael-bendis/i-ve-been-reading-ed-brubaker-comics-since-the-first-appearance-of-ed/) [Brian Michael Bendis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-michael-bendis/) > [The main way I start to allocate color is that it comes from the comics. That's where it all starts from.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-byrne/the-main-way-i-start-to-allocate-color-is-that-it-comes-from-the/) [Alexandra Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-byrne/) > [I enjoy the fact that we have these mobile comics now, which are sort of a cross between a comic book and an animated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-lee/i-enjoy-the-fact-that-we-have-these-mobile-comics-now-which-are-sort/) [Stan Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-lee/) ## More by R.C. Harvey > [“Comics are a sub-set of pictorial narrative; therefore, all comics are pictorial narratives, but not all pictorial narratives are comics.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-harvey/comics-are-a-sub-set-of-pictorial-narrative-therefore-all-comics-are/) [R.C. Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-harvey/) > [“Comics ... are sometimes four-legged and sometimes two-legged and sometimes fly and sometimes don't ... to employ a metaphor as mixed as the medium…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-harvey/comics-are-sometimes-four-legged-and-sometimes-two-legged-and/) [R.C. Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-harvey/) > [“As every schoolboy knows, comics do not stand alone at microphones in the dark. Indeed, we cannot even read them in the dark. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-harvey/as-every-schoolboy-knows-comics-do-not-stand-alone-at-microphones-in/) [R.C. Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-harvey/) [Explore all 4 R.C. Harvey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-harvey/) ## More Comic quotes > [Any incarnation of 'Batman' I am delighted to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-west/any-incarnation-of-batman-i-am-delighted-to-do/) [Adam West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-west/) > [I always loved as a kid reading 'Spider-Man,' and the 'Fantastic Four' would show up... it was all about that larger universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peyton-reed/i-always-loved-as-a-kid-reading-spider-man-and-the-fantastic-four/) [Peyton Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peyton-reed/) > [One of the key characteristics of the comic book medium is that it is not brought to life by just one voice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-lee/one-of-the-key-characteristics-of-the-comic-book-medium-is-that-it-is/) [Jim Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-lee/) > [I identify with Superman. I am adopted, I am an only child, and I love the idea that he comes from another world, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-singer/i-identify-with-superman-i-am-adopted-i-am-an-only-child-and-i-love/) [Bryan Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-singer/) > [Before World War II, I was living a very cloistered existence, as most cartoonists do. The work I was pouring out did not come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-eisner/before-world-war-ii-i-was-living-a-very-cloistered-existence-as-most/) [Will Eisner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-eisner/) > [If you look at Marvel Comics, there are very few Marvel characters I would like to write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-ennis/if-you-look-at-marvel-comics-there-are-very-few-marvel-characters-i/) [Garth Ennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-ennis/) > [The big problem for comic art is you don't want to overwork it. If a drawing is overworked it isn't funny. It's the spontaneity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-sorel/the-big-problem-for-comic-art-is-you-don-t-want-to-overwork-it-if-a/) [Edward Sorel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-sorel/) > [Leslie Stein's comics give readers privileged access to a complete and wholly original world of gently skewed wonders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-woodring/leslie-stein-s-comics-give-readers-privileged-access-to-a-complete/) [Jim Woodring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-woodring/) > [I've certainly seen a lot of my cartoonist friends embrace 'Little Lulu' in a much deeper way because their kids love it so much.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth/i-ve-certainly-seen-a-lot-of-my-cartoonist-friends-embrace-little/) [Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth/) > [Batman doesn't have any superpowers. He's not superhuman. He's not super. So therefore he can't be a superhero.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-silvey/batman-doesn-t-have-any-superpowers-he-s-not-superhuman-he-s-not/) [Craig Silvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-silvey/) > [When I was writing 'Black Panther,' on one level, I was angry because DC would never let me write 'Batman,' so I was doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-priest/when-i-was-writing-black-panther-on-one-level-i-was-angry-because-dc/) [Christopher Priest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-priest/) > [I was really into the first 'Spider-Man' films with Tobey Maguire, so it's pretty cool how it all came full circle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-batalon/i-was-really-into-the-first-spider-man-films-with-tobey-maguire-so-it/) [Jacob Batalon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-batalon/) > [Most men are secretly still mad at their mothers for throwing away their comic books. They would be valuable now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-rudner/most-men-are-secretly-still-mad-at-their-mothers-for-throwing-away/) [Rita Rudner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-rudner/) > [I'll only diet for a Marvel movie. I will give up bacon and waffles to be Storm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-james/i-ll-only-diet-for-a-marvel-movie-i-will-give-up-bacon-and-waffles-to/) [Janelle James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-james/) > [You've seen the first issue and what happened in the last page. Some pretty awful stuff. I don't know why I seem to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declan-shalvey/you-ve-seen-the-first-issue-and-what-happened-in-the-last-page-some/) [Declan Shalvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/declan-shalvey/) [Browse all 5,841 Comic quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comic/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The confusion inherent in the word comics has been apparent to those writing in the filed for years. The word has a plural form but is singular in application. And in its singular form, comic, it can be an adjective for something humorous or another name for a comedian. In short, comics lacks the precision it ought to have for ordinary communication let alone serious philosophical deliberations.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "R.C. 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