International influences

Comics constitute a large part of the cultural diet of many countries in the world. They are in some ways a 'universal language', and because of this there has been a measure of international traffic: British and American comics have influenced different parts of the globe, and, more germanely to us here, vice versa. Although it would be impossible to trace in detail a pattern of influence, we can narrow things down by looking at the impact on the anglophone industry of comics from the two most important areas in this respect: Europe and Japan.
The particular cultural significance of comics in these regions is due to the fact that they have never been subjected to the same kind of prejudice as in Britain and America. In fact, today, they are accepted as an artform on a par with novels, movies and television, and this difference in status has led to a situation where children form only part of the comics market. Unsurprisingly, therefore, Europe and Japan have become increasingly influential on the ever-more age-conscious British and American industries. On one level, this has meant the raiding of ideas - art styles, formats and working practices - to be imitated in indigenous comics. On another, it has led to an influx of European and Japanese comics on to the shelves, usually, but not always, in translation, which have carved their own niche as a genre. However, as we shall see, sales have rarely been as impressive (relatively) as in their region of origin, and, with a few notable exceptions, the history of international influence in this respect has been one of critical praise and public indifference.