This introduction provides an overview of the historical-cultural, theoretical, and analytical dimensions of the engagement with comics and graphic novels, being both systematic and practice-oriented. Notable experts contribute individual articles on media theoretical aspects, issues related to the specific production, distribution, and reception of comics, central genres and their classics, and present a manageable toolkit for comic analysis. The volume is complemented by discussions on web comics and institutions of comic research, a glossary, and annotated references to specialized literature for each contribution. In this way, it offers not only a comprehensive introduction to theory but also a guide for practical comic research. Contributors to the volume include: Julia Abel, Jochen Ecke, Barbara Ede.