Comic Glossary
Speech Bubble
A speech bubble (or speech balloon) is the rounded shape containing dialogue in a comic, with a tail pointing to the speaker.
Speech bubble shape conveys tone: round = normal speech, jagged = shouting, cloud = thoughts, dotted = whispering. Vintage comics favor classic ovals with a curved tail. QuickComic auto-places bubbles so they never cover faces or important action.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between a speech bubble and a thought bubble?
A speech bubble has a smooth tail pointing to the speaker. A thought bubble has a cloud-like outline with little circles trailing to the thinker.
Related terms
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