comic strip

n. a brief sequence of drawings, usually with characters drawn only sketchily, as in a cartoon, with dialog written in “balloons” over a character's head, and depicting a fictional and usually comical incident; -- also called a cartoon. Each comic strip contains typically from four to six panels arranged horizontally, but widely varying arrangements are published. In modern newspapers, weekly comic strips are in color, and daily strips are usually in black and white. In some, the story depicted may be serialized and continuous, carried over from day to day or week to week. Stories of adventure, drama, mystery or an otherwise non-comical nature depicted in the same style are also called comic strips. [ PJC ]