Internal Monologues & Thought Balloons in comics

[Lee Stone]

I think internal monologue is ABSOLUTELY NEEDED in a comic book story.

This is what separates, let's say, comic book Batman from animated/movie Batman (or Wolverine). This is my one gripe that I have with superheroes on screen, an interesting character like Batman is stunted because 90% of his dialogue is limited to "Where is he?" "Tell me the truth" "Why are you trying to kill me?" "Come with me" "I'll stop you!"

I wish they would find a way to incorporate internal monologue into film as well.

I think this is why the Deadpool movie was so different and such a refreshing take, you get to hear what he thinks of every situation, you get to know the character so well that he feels like a true friend.

Confession time...

Something that will often irk me is sound effects, or rather... the lack of them.
A comic doesn't have to have a "WHOOOSH!" or a "KABAM!" to be a comic but if it does have them, I tend to enjoy the book more. Especially if they look organic and compliment the art.

BTW... I remember when I was younger, it was a sort of unspoken rule that if a character had a thought balloon they were more important than the ones who didn't. Kinda like a reverse Redshirt on Star Trek.

[Lightning Rider]

Mentions of movies are interesting. I really enjoyed Sin City for that reason, plenty of internal monologue to complement the visuals. It more easily fit into that type of movie, but I would be interested in seeing it carry over. The Flash is someone I think it could work great with since he's always running and his perception is pretty distinct. Batman as well since he's constantly working his detective mind. Also Green Arrow, his narrations are always gold.

[Jim Kelly]

Internal monologue sounds like the stomach flu. Why do we use a $40 word when a 25c word will do? They're thoughts.

[RobinFan4880]

Internal monologue sounds like the stomach flu. Why do we use a $40 word when a 25c word will do? They're thoughts.

Back in my day, big words were forth 50 cents...

[dancj]

To be fair, describing what the character already knows for the benefit of the reader has always happened and probably always will, at least as long as the books are serialized. Because every issue is someone's first. And not everything in the characters' past can be expected to be known. It's a literary device that doesn't translate to real life.

It's also clumsy. There are cleverer ways to do it.

Also, in this day and age of TPBs, digital comics and longer arcs, we need to accept that some issues in the middle of stories are not good jumping on points and the experience shouldn't be dragged down for the benefit of the few people who'll benefit.

Also, in the worst examples (Claremont's X-Men) it doesn't help new readers. It just overloads them with loads of information that mostly isn't relevant right now and makes the whole comic a painful slog.

[GlennSimpson]

It's also clumsy. There are cleverer ways to do it.

Also, in this day and age of TPBs, digital comics and longer arcs, we need to accept that some issues in the middle of stories are not good jumping on points and the experience shouldn't be dragged down for the benefit of the few people who'll benefit.

Also, in the worst examples (Claremont's X-Men) it doesn't help new readers. It just overloads them with loads of information that mostly isn't relevant right now and makes the whole comic a painful slog.

They have gotten cleverer with it - thus the narration boxes rather than thought balloons, with the illusion that they are explaining the situation to a third party who doesn't know this stuff.

[dancj]

They have gotten cleverer with it - thus the narration boxes rather than thought balloons, with the illusion that they are explaining the situation to a third party who doesn't know this stuff.

For the most part they have. When they do it well enough it doesn't detract any more.

[Jim Kelly]

The early JLA/JSA two-part crossovers (written by Gardner Fox) would have a big yellow narration caption on the first page of the second issue, which would explain everything that had happened in the first part. I think this was cut out when they'd reprint these in the 100 Page Super-Specs in the '70s. I never liked them--sure it saved having to do it the other way, as the action unfolded--but it was one bland page and it seemed like a waste.

I like it when the previous events are recounted in the middle of the story. It's one of those many challenges for the writer and artist--and the best writers and artists rise to the challenge. It shows you who is really the master of their craft. DETECTIVE COMICS No. 367 had one of the greatest recounting of past events I've ever seen (written by Gardner Fox) and it stands up as a simply beautiful piece of art by Carmine Infantino and Sid Greene (and whoever the uncredited letterer might have been).