On boring Sundays, through long winter Nights, in the Subway, traveling, as bathroom companions, as night reading matter, as newspaper strips - they are everywhere: picture stories.
Everybody read some already and was amused even though almost no one admits it gladly in public.
Most people know only Micky Mouse and Donald Duck, Mosaic, Fix and Foxy, Asterix and perhaps also the Comicstrip from the daily paper.

But now and then there is one who changes from occasional reader to fan.
Thats how I began to discover the world of Comics in 1983.

'The' Comic for me is without any doubt:  


Since 1983 I follow the stories of the Wolfriders on Abode. Among the most fascinating aspects of Elfquest is the large number of different characters which play a role in the long history of the world of two moons.
Contrary to many other Comics the characters do not remain flat and anonymous, but become good acquaintances. Thats how the world of two moons becomes a place you gladly visit again and again.
Cutter the leader of the Wolfriders discovers on his search for other Elfs many before unknown descendants of the high ones. The dark-skinned Sunfolk, the die elitist and imperious Gliders and the cold-blooded and martial Snow Elfs.
Even to the tunnel-digging Trolls ans the lively Preservers which descend from the servants of the high ones the world of two moons offers a home.
Finally there are the natives of the planet, humans. Most of them see the Elfs as Intruders and meet them with fear and hostility or make them the object of their worship. Now and again the Elfs meet humans, who offer neither hate nor worship, but friendship to them.
Elfquest art copyright 2001 Warp Graphics, Inc. Elfquest, its logos, characters, situations, all related indicia, and their distinctive likenesses are trademarks of Warp Graphics, Inc. All rights reserved.

I developed my enthusiasm for mangas when I visited the Comic-Salon taking place in Erlangen. There was a small topic corner with mangas and I discovered the best manga ever: GON!

The term Manga was first used in 1814 by the woodcut artist Katsushika Hokusai, who presented a set of sketch volumes under the designation. The term was taken up again 1899 by the draughtsman Kitazawa Rakuten, who published a collection of his caricatures under this designation. Since then the designation became gradually accepted in everyday language.

The word maga consists of two Kanji >>man<< (= funny, amusing) and >> ga>> (= drawn and printed picture) and is very similiar to the term "Comic". In Japan the term manga covers all Comics, in the western world the term stands comics of japanese origin and comics drawn "in japanese style".

GON gon is a small Tyrannosaurus Rex who travels through nature and makes the acquaintance of many animals. The stories are told by the highly detailed pictures and the chapter titles are the only texts. So you can enjoy this maga in the japanese original.

Another outstanding Manga is in my opinion Battle Angel Alita.

Battle Angel Alita is the story of a lively girl - or rather a machine. During the whole series we are confronted with two big secrets. What is the mysterious city Tiphares realy like? Where did Alita learn to fight so well? At the end of the series the reader knows everything he must know, including the answer to these two questions.

There are of course many more mangas which should be mentioned here (Lone Wolf and Cub, Ghost in the shell, AKIRA, Ranma 1/2, Gun Smith Cats ...) but that would be to much, I only wanted to present my favorites.