[NetBehaviour] Evolution of Speechballoons.

[marc]

Evolution of Speechballoons.

By Andy Knonkykru.

During the 18th century, British caricaturists changed the shape of 
speechballoons from gothic speech-bands or flags into fluffy balloons, 
our modern speechballoons.

I'm using the word speechballoon as the general, inclusive term. (The 
gothic form of speechballoons are speechbands, flags, scrolls or sheets 
of paper, the modern form of speechballoons are balloons, but also 
little rectangles, often rounded at the edges, or simply little blocks 
of text above the heads of the speaker etc, etc).

The 18th century term for speechballoons was 'labels'. Here you can 
study various experiments and variations and the gradual change from 
bands to balloons. Even the later examples sometimes have tiny leftovers 
of the 'bands' on the other side of the balloon.

http://bugpowder.com/andy/e.speechballoons.evolution.html