A costumed super-hero, gifted with the power to make sea creatures obey his commands, who is the product of a union between a lighthouse keeper and a young woman of Atlantis. Because of his powers, many consider him to be the useless Superfriend; being able to talk to the fish is not a power that can be used to teach, except maybe to teach the dolphins to avoid tuna nets.

CAPTION

Copy in which someone is talking to the reader.

CCA

Comics Code Authority.

CCA SEAL

The emblem placed on the cover of comics to show approval by the CCA.  This practice began in April-May 1955.

CENTERFOLD

The two folded pages found in the center of the book, where the staples can be seen.

COLORIST

The artist that applies color to black and white pen and ink drawings.

COMIC CODE AUTHORITY

A committee formed in 1954 by the major publishers to set up guidelines for acceptable content in comics.

COMICS

Juxtaposed pictorial and other images in deliberate sequence (Understanding Comics - The Invisible Art, Scott McCloud.).

CON

A comic book convention.

CREDITS

Text where the authors are listed.

DANGLER

An unresolved plotline or mystery that an author has apparently forgotten about since it hasn't been mentioned in a long time.

DEBUT

The first time a character ever appears.

FANBOY/FANGIRL

A rabidly devoted fan.

FLASHBACK

Recalling an earlier story.

FOUR COLOR

A printing process involving three colors and black.

"THE FOURTH WALL"

Originally used with reference to stage sets, this term refers to the imaginary wall between the characters and the audience. "Breaking the fourth wall" refers to comics in which the characters are aware that they exist in a comic book, sometimes for the purpose of humor.

GOLDEN AGE

The period of comics beginning June, 1938 with Action #1 and ending in 1945 with the end of World War II.

GRAPHIC NOVEL

Term created by Will Eisner; comic book with high quality storyline and artwork.

GUTTERS

The space between panels.

INDICIA

Text denoting who, when and where published a magazine, usually found on the bottom of the first page.

INKER

The artist that does the inking for a comic.

LETTERER

The artist that applies letters to comic book artwork.

LOGO

Title of a comic book as it appears on the cover or title page.

MANGA

Japanese comic book.

MARKET VALUE

The price for which a comic may be bought from a dealer for.

MARVEL CHIPPING

A defect that occurred on Marvel Comics during the 1950s and 1960s.  It was caused by a trimming process that caused a ragged edge around the cover.

MECHA

Manga-term about anything mechanical: weapons, vehicles, robots, but usually not items like pencil sharpeners or ceiling fans.

ONE SHOT

When only a single issue is produced of a title, or when the title is changed with each issue.

OPEN LETTERS

Letters drawn in outline, with space for color to be added.

ORIGIN

The story in which a character's creation is given.

OVER GUIDE

When a comic book's price is greater than the guide's price.

PAGE

A leaf of the publication or total area of the work.

PANEL

A box which contains a given scene (also BOX, FRAME).

PEDIGREE

A comic book from a famous outstanding collection.

PENCILER

The artist that does the penciling for the comic.

POD PERSON (or 'POD')

A character who has been taken over by a new writer and/or editor and immediately acts very inconsistently with previous characterization, with no explanation given for the change, and no change noticed by other characters in the book. The term is from the movie Invasion of the Body Snatchers, where aliens grew duplicates of people in giant pods. First use of 'pod' was in reference to the changeover after Keith Giffen left the JLI titles, concerning the characters Fire, Ice, Max, and Oberon.

POST-CODE

Comic books that are published with the CCA seal.

POST GOLDEN AGE

Comic books published between 1945 and 1950.

POST SILVER AGE

Comic books published from 1969 to the present.

POSTURE

Attitude of the body.

PRE-CODE

Comic books published before the CCA seal.

PRE GOLDEN AGE

Comic books published before June, 1938 when Action #1 was published and introduced the Golden Age.

PRE SILVER AGE

Comic books published between 1950 and 1956 when Showcase #4 was published.

PRINTING DEFECT

A defect caused during the printing of the book. These tend to lower the value of the comic book.

PROVENANCE

When the past owner of the book is known, adding to the documentation of its authenticity.

QUARTERLY

A publication published 4 times a year.

RARE

A comic in which only 10 to 20 copies are known to exist.

REPAIR

A repair of a tear, or centerfold with glue, tape or some other easily detected means. This does not change or add to the book's finish and is considered a defect.

REPRINT

Newspaper comic strips reprinted in comic book form.

RESTORATION

Any attempt to enhance the appearance of a comic book. Whether done by a professional or amateur the restored book can not be worth as much as an un-restored book in the same condition.

RETCON

To retroactively change the continuity of a character or title.
Originally, the term "retcon" was used only in cases where the interpretation of "facts" from earlier stories is changed, but the facts themselves are preserved. A "patch" was the term used (taken from programmer's jargon) to mean an actual change, rather than merely filling in details. These days, however, "retcon" is used increasingly to mean changes to history as well as to retroactive continuity.  This can be true of an event, a character or whatever.

RICE PAPER

A thin type of paper used by a restorer to repair covers and pages of comic books.

SCARCE

A comic in which only 20 to 100 copies are estimated to exist.

SILVER AGE

The period that begins in 1956 with the publishing of Showcase #4 and ends in 1969.

SILVER PROOF

The actual size black and white print given to a colorist to indicate colors to the engraver.

SOUND EFFECT

BANG! WHAM! ZAT! etc.

SPINE

The folded and stapled part of the comic book.

SPINE ROLL

A defect of uneven pages and bowing of the spine caused by improper storage.

SPLASH BALLOON

An outline around lettering done in jagged shape.

SPLASH PAGE

The first page of the story with a large introductory illustration.

SPLASH PANEL

A large panel that is usually at the front of the comic book.

SPOILER

Any item which "gives away" information about a comic.  Proper netiquette is to give a "Spoiler Warning" first to allow people to avoid the spoiler if they wish to not have their surprise ruined.

SQUAREBOUND

A glue-bound comic book, resulting in a square spine cover.

STRESS LINES

Wrinkles that occur along the cover or spine of the book.

STRIP

Comics, published in newspapers, mostly 3-4 panels in horizontal layout.

STYLE

The manner in which an artist draws or writer writes.

SUBSCRIPTION CREASE

A defect resulting from the folding of comic books for mailing to subscribers that causes a crease in the center of the book.

SUPERHERO

Phenomenon in American comic culture - strangely popular mutants and freaks, usually wearing tights and some highly uncomfortable costumes. Occupation - saving the world and (pseudo)destroying other similar creatures.

TAIL

Pointer leading from balloon to speaker; sometimes also POINTER.

TECHNIQUE

The manner in which art is rendered.

THOUGHT BALLOON

The container with the text which represents what a character is thinking.

TIER

Row of panels (left to right) on page.

TITLE

UNDER GUIDE