Official Genres List

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GCD Genre Table 1
Genre Description Includes See Also... Examples
adventure Works characterized by an emphasis on physical and often violent action, exotic locales and danger action animal, aviation, car, crime, detective-mystery, fantasy, horror-suspense, jungle, martial arts, science fiction, sports, spy, superhero, sword and sorcery, war, western-frontier Bob Morane, Indiana Jones, Tintin, Captain Easy, Terry and the Pirates
drama Works containing events having vivid, emotional, conflicting, or striking interest or results on a human level melodrama, soap opera, joho, ryori erotica, fashion, medical, romance Box Office Poison, Love & Rockets, Mary Worth, A Tale of Two Cities
humor Works that are primarily comical or amusing pantomime, demenziole anthropomorphic-funny animals, children, domestic, military, satire-parody, teen Mutt and Jeff
non-fiction Works purporting to present factual information fact, real life biography, history, math & science, nature Ripley's Believe It or Not


GCD Genre Table 2
Genre Description Example Keywords Examples
advocacy Works in which the reader is specifically asked to take some action to protect or support a cause, idea, event or person. Often published by an organization outside of normal publishing channels. propaganda, politics, idealogies, charities Brought to Light, Is This Tomorrow?, History of Gas, Eat Right to Work and Win, Blood is the Harvest, The Story of Harry S. Truman, Vica (Nazi comic published in France)
animal Works featuring animals essentially acting like real animals dog, horse, cat Lassie, Rex the Wonder Dog, Inubaka
anthropomorphic-funny animals Works featuring characters acting like humans which are not human Disney, funny animals Donald Duck, Corky the Cat, Cerebus, Milk and Cheese
aviation Works centered on flying planes or other flying machines jets Airboy, Steve Canyon
biography Non-fictional works depicting the actual events and experiences of a real person’s life or real persons’ lives memoir, autobiography American Splendor, Political Power, Wonder Women of History
car Works featuring automobiles, race cars, trucks, etc. hot rod, NASCAR, trucks Hot Wheels, Speed Racer, Michel Vaillant
children Works featuring children (approximately age 12 or younger) as the primary protagonists, often having to act more reasonably and resourcefully than their age, in the absence of adult figures kid gang. Little Lulu, Peanuts, Dennis the Menace
crime Works featuring realistic stories centering on the commission of a crime or crimes and those who commit the crime or crimes gangsters, prohibition Stray Bullets, A True Crime Story, Torpedo
detective-mystery Works featuring realistic stories centering on the solving of a crime or mystery and those who solve the crime or mystery private investigator, whodunnit? Charlie Chan, Roy Raymond, P.C. 49
domestic Works centered on life in and around the home family, sitcom Blondie, The Simpsons
erotica Works with sexually explicit content whose primary purpose is to elicit sexual arousal hardcore, softcore, gay, hentai Tijuana Bibles, Little Annie Fannie, Sally Forth, Dragon Pink
fantasy Works set in worlds where magic or the supernatural predominate over the material, scientific world mythological, fairy-tale Pixies, Fables, Kelly’s Eye
fashion Works centered on fashion and the fashion industry models Katy Keene, Barbie, Cloth Road
historical Fictional works set in an historical period prior to the time of publishing which attempt to convey the spirit, manners, and social conditions of a past age with realistic detail. At least partially they aim to explore some aspects of that setting to play off of particular historical events, to explore social mores, to play with certain technologies and/or technological limitations, examine historical developments, or to involve actual historical personages, etc. Trojan War, Victorian England, Medieval Prince Valiant, Berlin, Lone Wolf and Cub
history Works relating actual events from history American history, World War II Hop Harrigan’s History of Aviation, Picture Stories from American History
horror-suspense Works intended to terrify, frighten, shock, mystify, or otherwise hold the reader in tension or dread. Stories in this genre are often concluded with an ironic plot twist monsters, supernatural The Walking Dead, Jack O’Justice, non-Feature stories from Tales of the Crypt
jungle Works featuring stories primarily set in the world’s jungles, rainforests, or other equatorial wildernesses Africa Tarzan, Nyoka, Saber - King of the Jungle
martial arts Works featuring stories centered on characters who use the fighting styles developed in East Asia and similar fighting styles kung fu, karate, judo Master of Kung Fu, Street Fighter, Jimmy Chang
math & science Works relating information about the mathematical disciplines or the hard sciences astronomy, algebra Science Says You’re Wrong If…, The TRS-80 Computer Whiz-Kids
medical Works centered on medicine and the medical profession nurses, doctors Rex Morgan, MD; Linda Carter, Student Nurse; Black Jack
military Works featuring armed forces outside of combat, or related, situations army, coast guard Sad Sack, Steve Canyon
nature Works relating information about the environment and the natural world ecology Nature’s Notebook, Ma Nature’s Curiosity Shop
religious Works centered on a particular religious tradition or reflecting a particular religious point of view mythology, propaganda Picture Stories from the Bible, The Crusaders, Amar Chitra Katha
romance Works centered on love and related personal relationships soap opera, dating, wedding Johnny Love, Dance ‘Til Tomorrow, non-Feature stories in Sweethearts
satire-parody Works using irony, sarcasm, ridicule and the like to comment on, denounce, or deride social conventions, human relationships, or other literary works (including other comics) pastiche, social commentary Mad’s Spy Vs. Spy, Cerebus, Sid the Sexist, Fighting American, normalman
science fiction Works featuring advanced scientific, futuristic, or extra-terrestrial elements cyberpunk, dystopian, post-apocalyptic, mecha Star Wars, Dr. Who, non-Feature stories from Metal Hurlant
sports Works featuring athletic activities baseball, Olympics, tennis Joe Palooka, Strange Sports Stories, Roy of the Rovers
spy Works featuring spies, secret agents, and secret service agencies espionage, thriller, political Man from U.N.C.L.E., Modesty Blaise, Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D
superhero Works featuring the adventures of costumed crime fighters, who may also battle alien or supernatural menaces, similarly costumed and/or powered criminals, or other antagonists bent on conquest, often with the aid of specialized and/or superhuman abilities or unique weapons and gadgetry. Also include stories of non-costumed characters who otherwise fit the definition, particularly if they are often referred to in story as super-heroes, and also to stories featuring super-villains team, pulp Superman, The Phantom, Marvelman
sword and sorcery Works featuring stories of epic or heroic fantasy, violent conflicts, often with elements of romance, and usually elements of the supernatural enchanted swords, post-apocalyptic Conan, Axa, Elric
teen Works featuring teenagers (approximately 13-19 years of age) as the primary protagonists, particularly in stories that deal with their coming of age or maturing into the beginnings of adulthood pop music, high school, school life Dick Cole, Archie, Kare Kano
war Works featuring armed forces in combat, or related, activities during wartime Revolutionary War, World War II, navy, army, frogmen Willie and Joe, Charley’s War, non-Feature stories from G.I. Combat
western-frontier Works primarily set in the American frontier during the 19th or early 20th century and often featuring cowboys, Indians, ranchers, etc., and other period stories in a similar style, set in other times and places Native Americans Red Ryder, Lucky Luke, Jonah Hex


For a mapping of genres to languages other than English, see https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AkhWAzEemAojdHl0MEluaDJQdmlBMXlXWVlZeUJNTkE#gid=0 .