Do you use periods in your comics?

[Evan]

Do you use periods at the end of sentences (speech, exposition, etc.) in your comic?
I've seen it done both ways and sometimes seemingly randomly, but what do you do?

Feel free to promote yourself while you're at it. Here's my comic: https://tapastic.com/series/Penciled
Personally, I like to subtly promote good grammar by adding periods in.

[VermillionWorks]

Yeah? Grammar is still a thing even with comics. XD
Maybe with a character sighing or making a grunting noise or something I might not use a period, but other than that...

[joannekwan]

How the hell else are you supposed to figure out the end of sentences otherwise?

[LoboSong_Hitaka5Ever]

Yes, I use periods, except for if characters sigh or yawn etc. I always have to remind myself to add periods though because online I don't use periods at the end of my paragraphs. So sometimes I forget, but when I notice, I go back and add them. But yes, punctuation is important

[MidZM]

I don't generally use a period in Marked unless I use two sentences within a singular speech bubble, since the sentence usually ends when the speech bubble ends. Plus it might look odd with how I change fonts depending on the character/emotions. I also don't believe adding or not adding a period really creates a difference when you're zooming through the page/chapter since people don't really notice it unless you're looking for it.

[almondjoy445]

What VermillionWorks said.

[scullpanda]

My grammar is terrible and I have a tendency for runon sentences I try to use them and other proper grammar when I can but I always feel I end up messing it up .

[shazzbaa]

I drop periods/fullstops occasionally for effect!

It's a tool in your belt like any other, and I like the way a statement can feel like a noncommittal aside when it's stripped of all punctuation -- for me, it's usually for sake of humour. It's a tendency I first noticed in Kate Beaton's work, which I'll admit influenced my sense of humour with dialogue a lot.

[redsblueyoungster]

I usually do. As others have said, periods are really up to you if it's for single sentence speech bubbles. You defnietly need it for any that are multiple sentences.

[Vanesalisa]

yeah I do well there are times that I was a bit in a hurry

[AnnaLandin]

Well, yes? If I have more than one sentence in a speech-bubble, punctuation is necessary.

I will occasionally avoid using a period at the end of a sentence if it's the only sentence in that speech-bubble - but that's the exception, not the rule.

[Shanny8]

Yeah I use periods at the end of my sentences...not the end of the world if you do or dont- but it does matter if the character is using more than one sentence in the same word balloon. A sentence without proper punctuation is called a RUN ON and sometimes the context can be taken the wrong way with those.

[digitalvalium1]

I think that it's important to know how a thing works. I think that's true even for a period. A period isn't just the end of a sentence, but a metaphorical end. Celia Klin, of Binghamton University performed a study that addressed this question in regard to text messaging. She found that using periods at the end of a text were seen as more formal, and aloof, and those qualities were attributed by subjects in the study to the author of texts that used periods at the end of the text.

So, people perceive and use periods as a statement of finality and inflexibility. Knowing that, if I were to write a character that is persistently indecisive, or weak willed perhaps, I'd use no periods, and break each thought into it's own speech bubble. Most readers wouldn't realize it, but the science suggests that they would feel the difference in tonal quality and personality of the character.

[Shark]

Wow, everyone uses them o.o
In my comic Reden I never use pediods. I don't really know why, it's a rule I self-imposed to myself.
I feel like a speech bubble already implies a period, and if a character says more than one sentence i usually make two different bubbles - or at least I divide one.

[AlkseeyaKC]

Having proper grammar in my comics is important. I always fear driving away people who are bugged out by bad grammar. I wont want to drive away someone who might like my comic if I had just used proper grammar.

Neeeeeon Glow!

[Kayke]

I think in long form comics it's pretty important, but I could see dropping punctuation in gag comics and comic strips.

[DMBrigman]

I use periods and other punctuation consistently in my series Obscurato. I actually have an editor that cleans up my terrible grammar and makes sure everything is correct and proper. She has been known to throw in an em dash or two as well

[popsiclestick]

To be honest, I read the dialogue out in my head and figure out the beat of the conversation, and decide from there. I did use to avoid full stops, but now I vary! It really depends how the sentence was said - an offhand comment, or with finality and expression. People's speech varies, and I change the punctuation according to that!

[colinwmd]

I never came to a conclusion whether it was necessary or not for single sentence speech bubbles but am currently trying to always use a period for consistency. But what if it's just a word? (assuming no exclamation or question mark)

[Michelle]

Not using a period at the end of your sentence makes the sentence sound really goofy. Like, it would be ok to leave off the period if you're doing a gag or trying to replicate the speech pattern of someone making a joking side-comment. But if I'm supposed to take your comic seriously, leaving out punctuation would really ruin that.

For the record, a speech balloon does not imply punctuation (traditionally). :B