Types and Genre Specificity of the Comics in Ukraine

The article is devoted to the coverage of the main trends in the comics’ development in Ukraine from the standpoint of its types and genre specificity. The increase of comic books popularity as an information product on the domestic book publishing market has been revealed. Based on the analysis of statistical data, the tendency to increase both the number of names of domestic comics and the number of publishers specializing in comics’ products has been shown. The perspectives of comics as a tool for engaging in reading in an informative society have been substantiated. An attempt to classify comics in Ukraine by format, genres and originality (translated, adaptations of classic and contemporary Ukrainian literary works, original ones) has been made. The development of the domestic comic book market towards more expensive and better products – production of graphic novels has been revealed. The peculiarities of different types of domestic comics are revealed, the influence on the popularity of historical and heroic types of comic books of social and political processes, in particular the events of the Revolution of Dignity and War in the East of Ukraine, has been emphasized, the attempt to create a national pantheon of superheroes has been reviewed. The educational functions of comics in Ukraine, modernization and integration of comics by means of modern social contexts that are important in terms of national identity have been underlined. Against the backdrop of the growing popularity and the fantasy comic book genre development and widespread presence on the book market of historical and heroic comics, the decline of the humorous comic book in Ukraine has been noted. Such forms and means of comic book promotion and dissemination of comics’ culture in Ukraine as festivals, blogs, thematic evenings, presentations, special Internet resources have been substantiated. It has been determined that cinema is a powerful means of promoting comics