How to translate comics. The Marvel app will translate comics into Russian. How to make translations

Comic is a special kind of art that combines literary and pictorial forms. In fact, this is a drawn story, which can be presented as short story, and in the volume of a full-fledged novel in pictures. Comics embody any genre of literature and image styles. In the form of comics, there are even classic works of literature.

IN Western countries and the USA comics in the middle of the last century became a mass product. Rapidly gaining popularity, today they have already moved into the category of a separate cultural phenomenon, covering the whole world. Our country joined this layer of culture not so long ago, but many stories have managed to be adapted into Russian, and new ones are waiting for their turn.

Drawn narratives are very attractive and amateurs willingly take up their translation. However, despite the seeming simplicity of the matter, unprofessionalism here can become a serious obstacle. Amateur translations are plausible in content, but mistakes made due to insufficient skills sometimes greatly distort the meaning.

Professional translation of comics is impossible without careful preliminary analysis and research of the context. Getting started, the translator must have an idea about the author, the history of the creation of the comic, the environment in which it appeared and developed. It is important to be sure to read the entire story in full, even if only one issue of the series is to be translated. In addition, it is worth finding and carefully studying the versions of existing translations of other parts of the series in order to take into account the established interpretations of titles, names, etc.

Features of comics translation

The main task of the translator is to interpret the original language to create the integrity of the comic book narrative and the visual component of the action.

Since there is not so much text in comics, in comparison with other literary works, the peculiarity of its initial creation is the concentration of the meaning and mood of the narrative. The use of special language forms, idioms, slang, jargon helps to successfully convey the essence. Therefore, the translator needs to have knowledge and techniques of colloquial speech, which will allow preserving the expressiveness of the original story.

For a qualitative result, the translator does painstaking work, which includes content analysis, elaboration of the structure of the material, as well as text execution identical to the original. The main feature of the comics - dialogues transmitted by direct speech in the allotted area - creates one of the conditions that must be taken into account in the translation process. The text that is placed in the "cloud", in the translated form, must retain the original number of characters, since if it is significantly exceeded, the information will not fit in the selected area.

SME "Filin" - work with skill

Turning to the Filin Translation Agency, you can count on professional execution with a worthy result. Comics translation services is one of the areas in which we have been actively engaged for more than a year. During this time, the company's specialists have gained useful experience and skills, perfecting the work with such material.

Our translators will complete a task of any complexity promptly, competently, preserving the meaning of the original content. The translation made by SME "Filin" complies with the established norms and rules related to the comics genre. Proofreaders will make sure that there are no errors and inaccuracies in the text, and editors will control the style of presentation.

With us you will receive the result within the agreed time for a fee corresponding to the quality of the work done. For each project, the price is calculated based on the volume and complexity of the task, as well as the timing of its implementation. For consultations on all issues, you can always contact the managers of the company by calling indicated numbers phones or by ordering a call back.

So, good day to everyone, Kant is with you again with a series of informative articles “ Magic world comics." Anticipating various kinds of stupid questions and idiotic jokes, I will say that I am not at all trying to seem like a comics guru (which I am not), but I am quite able to talk about some banal things.

This time I will try, to the best of my ability and ability, to talk about such a phenomenon as the translation of comics (here the guys are indignant, they say that comics not only translate, but also arrange, so to say that we “translate” them is pure chauvinism , but we will not pay attention to their exclamations). Of course, I understand that not everyone who comes to Translation database, the following stream of consciousness will be of interest, but if you have already decided to start translating (okay, you can decide and design, but this is your problem) comics - then you are welcome. A set of common truths and little secrets of our idiotic hobby.

First, let's understand the basics. Comics are a completely independent medium, whose culture no one in our country was engaged in instilling (we don’t take into account any unlucky unfortunate popularizers like Khikhus - of course they do, but somehow painfully unsuccessfully). It is for this reason that, until relatively recently, the “ticket to enter” the world of Western comics was (and still is to some extent) the ability (well, or in extreme cases, the desire) to read in the original language. They were translated, for the most part, either by the well-known Komiks publishing house (famous for its focus on a very young audience) and, in fact, by the same young audience that actively skipped Russian language classes and read three books in a lifetime at best (primer book, second and blue). In this way, the canonical conflict “Translations are shit, only originals, only youth”, which is characteristic of cinema, books, TV series, and the notorious manga and anime, has also become very acute for comics. This is all to the fact that no matter how hard you try to do something good, there will always be dissatisfied people who will find something to complain about. So since you have decided to translate comics, treat this with a due dose of self-irony.

Secondly, the question is often heard: “Why do you translate comics, if you don’t even say thank you for it, but only whine and beg to translate something else there?”. In principle, this question can generally be considered rhetorical, and nothing to answer, but I'll try anyway. Translation of comics is exactly what a hobby is. Quite dreary, requiring the expenditure of time and effort. And what is characteristic, absolutely not profitable. Well, feel free to laugh in the faces of those mercenary bastards who think only about the benefits of this kind of occupation. Guys working six hours a day on the most difficult tapping guitar solos, unlucky graphomaniacs writing about everything that comes to mind, audiophiles trying to solder the coolest sound system with their own hands - also spend a lot of notorious effort and time not at all for the sake of profit. Here. In short, we just love translating comics and love that our translations are being read. I hope everyone who decides to do this is aware of this. You are unlikely to get any benefit from this.

Thirdly, in order to translate comics, you must first of all be a realist. For some mysterious reason, people who have just plunged into a new medium for them (usually there are only two options here: “I used to watch cartoons about Spider-Man / X-Men ... What was there next in the comics? or “The boys recommended Transmetropolitan to read. So it's finally a fly away. What else is there in this spirit? ”) They decide that they will definitely, taking the bull by the horns, in a couple of weeks WILL TRANSFER THE WHOLE SPIDER-MAN ... which, of course, does not happen (I think there is no need to chew here ). A little later (if the person has not yet decided to score everything), Pautinich's place is taken by some other long series, but still it rarely goes beyond a number or two. So, if you are "impatient" to translate, it is better to spend a little time getting to know the medium himself. Read comics, good and different, and then, when you at least roughly form an idea of \u200b\u200bwhat you like, proceed. Otherwise, you will be banally disappointed and abandon this thankless task.

Okay, that's enough for a start. As soon as I find inspiration, I will continue.

In the West, comics, or graphic novels, have long been part of the culture, while in Russia they have appeared relatively recently, but are gaining ground more and more firmly. If readers used to associate comics with funny cartoons and superheroes, now more and more comics come out on serious topics: from the problem of fathers and children to the Holocaust. Comics have made their way into non-fiction as well: they tell the biographies of great people or explain scientific topics. Both publishers and readers gradually began to understand that comics are just a form (text + graphics) with which you can express almost anything: from funny adventures to tragedy. Comics have ceased to be considered exclusively entertaining reading matter for children and young people.

Publishing houses specializing only in comics have even appeared in Russia, such as Jellyfish Jam and Boomkniga. The vast majority of comics published in Russia are translated ones, because we do not yet have our own well-established school of graphic novels in our country.

As well as there is no well-established school of translators of comics into Russian. There are plenty of people involved in the translation of graphic novels - from amateurs on the Web to certified translators collaborating with publishers. But, judging by the negative reviews on the Internet, many readers are dissatisfied with the quality of Russian translations of comics.

Note that publishers sometimes go to improve the translation. For example, when Azbuka Atticus decided to republish Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, it not only acquired the rights to an already existing Russian translation (published by Amfora), but released a revised translation of this translator. Some inaccuracies of the first translation were taken into account.

The comic may seem deceptively simple: there is little text, and these are mostly character lines, there are no long descriptive constructions, as in fiction. In addition, since the volume of the actual text is small, publishers, as a rule, pay translators a little too. All this forms a frivolous attitude towards the translation of comics - as if it is easier and less responsible than the translation of "traditional" stories or novels.

However, the translation of comics has its own characteristics. Among them are:

text and image form a single whole, and the translator needs to translate in such a way that he reveals the essence of the depicted, focus not only on the text, but also on the picture;
there are many bright characters in comics, often with their own speech characteristics. The translator must convey this;
the lion's share of the text is made up of dialogues, while colloquial speech and slang are often used. Consequently, the translator must be well versed in these layers of the language;
comics often come out in series, and in order to translate just one comic, the translator needs to familiarize himself with other issues of the series;
there are well-established translations of character names and other realities that should not be ignored. On the other hand, it makes sense to replace established variants with new ones if the previous translation was less accurate;
there are a lot of allusions in comics, references to events, persons, phenomena. Only a broad-minded translator is able to catch them;
a lot of interjections, onomatopoeia, which need to find adequate equivalents in their native language.

It's fair to say that comic book translation is separate view artistic translation. Vasily Kistyakovsky, founder of the Jellyfish Jam comic book publishing house and translator of graphic novels, is sure that the translation of graphic novels is similar to the translation of poetry, not prose. As in poetry, every word is strictly perfected by the author and stands in its place, so in comics every phrase is as capacious and clear as possible, and the translator needs to try hard to make the translation just as perfect. It is precisely because many of those who undertake translations of comics do not understand the peculiarities of this type of translation and its complexities that the market is inundated with low-quality translations of comics, Kistyakovsky believes. In his opinion, many comics in Russia are hopelessly corrupted by translation, and there are few true professionals in the translation of comics.

So, the demand for comic book translators is getting higher, but there are few professionals in the labor market. For a good translator, this situation can be an opportunity to prove himself. Unfortunately, publishing houses are not always ready to adequately pay for quality work. But the reader is gradually becoming more choosy, picky about translation, which can push publishers to start appreciating the quality of translation.

10 cool comics that you don't have to wait for translation

Everyone loves Sarah Andersen's comics and many people like Horace the horse, but waiting for new translations can be boring. No problem! the site has collected 12 regularly updated comics for you, which you can run to watch immediately after publication, without waiting for the translation. Because they are written immediately in Russian!

Morning Cup of Comics

Vladimir Khaetsky is known not only for being the son of a famous Russian science fiction writer, but also for comics about his family life with screenwriter Anastasia Garbuz. By the way, he also conducts classes in creating comics. But we love him not for this.

Cynic Mansion

These comics are something like the Russian equivalent of Cyanide and Happyness: badly rendered, disgustingly cynical and incredibly funny. It is drawn by a team of three artists known as killallhumans, Pchelka and Magarych.

Milk. Stories in pictures

Vika Moloko is an artist from St. Petersburg who works with Vladimir Khaetsky. But they draw comics different. We have already made a selection of comics from Vicki before, but it is never a sin to repeat.

Guardians

An acutely relevant “civilian” comic, which, nevertheless, is nicely rendered and sometimes ridiculous to the point of colic. The main characters of the comics are personalized phenomena of Russian life: Censorship, Sberman, Captain Post, Incredible Alk, Fashion Punisher and Bureaucrat Man.

Cats and mice

“People are cool – they are like gods. And the animals - they are atheists, you know ... ”- this is the motto of a simple at first glance, but cute and addictive comic strip from a young Yakut artist Evgeny Fedotov. In this series of comic strips, the main characters are a spoiled and almost peaceful domestic cat, no less spoiled mice, a life-weary bestial death and the cat's owners. We say “in this series” because before Fedotov had some amazing comics “Yakutia for those who are not there”, but they are no longer updated.

Nastya's comics

Anastasia Lemova can be called the St. Petersburg version of Sarah Anderson, except that her comic strips are deliberately drawn rougher. But it's still a big girl's complexities big city. I want to subscribe to every second comic strip.

Which will translate electronic versions of the publisher's comics into Russian and 11 other languages.

iPad version of the Marvel Global Comics appiPad version of the Marvel Global Comics app

The iPhone version of the Marvel Global Comics appThe iPhone version of the Marvel Global Comics app

Marvel Global Comics is a collaboration between publisher and startup iVerse Media. The latter is responsible for the visual presentation system electronic versions comics and an innovative method of translating the text of cartoon stories. In general, Marvel Global Comics resembles a popular application for reading and buying electronic versions of comics ComiXology: you can purchase new issues, maintain a library of already purchased comics, and also receive some publications for free (at the time of this writing, you could read the first issue of the Civil War crossover for free). war"). At the same time, you can follow the coming comics both in your native language (Russian, French, German, Italian, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, Portuguese, Hebrew and Hindi), and in the original language. Of course, the list and number of issues in both tabs will vary.

For now, Marvel Global Comics is only available on the App Store. The release of the application in other platforms should take place in the second half of 2014.

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