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We've all experienced it: We're reading a book, or a comic, or a website, when all of a sudden:
*POW!*
You get hit by an Onomatopoeia.
Sound effects written out as onomatopoeia can be used in many media, but they play a special role in Sequential Art. Comics are highly visual media that show a scene in pictures instead of describing it in words. Without written sound effects, those scenes would live in a peculiarly silent space in the reader's head, where the only imagined sounds would be the dialogue, if any.
Some very creative things can be done with fonts, sizes, colors, shadows or glow, placement, spatial orientations, and curvatures to make a Written Sound Effect more evocative and fit it with the art.
The Written Roar is one specific kind of Written Sound Effect. Contrast the Unsound Effect, which is a written effect that is not onomatopoeia. A particularly common form of Editorial Synaesthesia. Can be used for Sound Effect Bleep with Speechbubbles Interruption. See also Saying Sound Effects Out Loud.
Examples
- A fundamental tool of the trade, widely used in Sequential Art in general.
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Anime and Manga
- Light Novels tend to have these a lot, probably since they are closely related to manga. Especially romantic novels tend to be filled with sound effects ranging from falling petals, the rain, wind to the fast beating of the human heart.
- In Doraemon, there's a drink that makes your sound solid, turned it into letters. The size is according to how loud you speak it.
- Hirohiko Araki (known best for JoJo's Bizarre Adventure) takes this trope very seriously. Very notable written sound effects are one of the notable traits of his style and he considers them an integral part of his artwork. Two characters in his series even utilize onomatopoeia as their weapon.
- The opening
 for the second season of The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya uses this in the same way american comics do it. One could argue that "Tug" and "Stop" are the Unsound Effect, but everything else fits this.
- An early chapter in Tsubasa features a battle where the opponent is a singer, who can literally use her voice as a weapon. The art features HUGE words written out which physically attack the main characters and stretch the frames of the comic.
- A bizarre example is in Sayonara, Zetsubou-Sensei, particularly the third season. The sound effects are actually written on the frame, and they are voiced by the actors.
- Due to it's vertical strip format, Tower Of God can have long-lasting sound effects written in one continuous string over entire sections of a chapter.
- Gainax's newest Widget Series Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt goes so far as to also include a few Written Unsound Effects, as if it were a deranged comic.
- Dr Slump - Arale (unknowingly) weaponizes the Written Sound Effect; her boisterously loud "HOWDYA DO!" comes out as solid words and is capable of knocking people off their feet. In another chapter, Akane does this deliberately after getting heckled by one of a flock of Idiot Crows; she calls him a "JERK!", and uses the enormous exclamation point produced to knock the crow out of the sky.
- Used occasionally in Axis Powers Hetalia, most noticeably in the "United States of Hetalia" strips and episode, which imitates American-style comic books. All of them are written in English/Romaji, though some are a little odd (like "spam spam spam" for patting someone on the shoulder) and others Unsound Effects (a cat appearing sounds like "Neko!").
Comic Books
- The Doctor Who comics represented the TARDIS's instantly recognisable phasing-in effect with the equally distinctive "VWOOOOORP! VWOOOOOORP''
- In a classic Uncle Scrooge tale by Carl Barks, Gyro Gearloose invented an "implosion bomb" that sucked up material in a certain radius and compacted it into a neat pile. Intended for litter collection, the Written Sound Effect was "MOOB" — explicitly stated to be "BOOM" backwards.
- Notable aversion: Many of comics writer Alan Moore's works have no sound effects at all. This is lampshaded in Watchmen with this exchange between two police detectives.
Joe: Incidentally, the phone's ringing.
Steve: Sure. Y'know, all today I've had this funny feeling. It's like there's something in the air...
Joe: That's sound waves, man. They're coming from the phone.
- Memorably subverted in The Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck: The Cowboy Captain Of The Cutty Sark when the space where the sound effect should have been written is left blank with the explanation:
- A Marvel Adventures comic featuring French Boisterous Bruiser Bartroc ze Lepair had all of his sound effects made French. "LeBOK!"
- Speaking of Marvel, they even have trademarked onomatopoeiae, like SNIKT (Wolverine sheathing his claws - temporarily changed to SCHLIKT when he had the adamantium sucked out of his bones), THWIP (Spider-Man casting his webbing) or BAMF (Nightcrawler teleporting).
- The Incredible Hercules especially as written by Greg Pak employed this with GUSTO. Most Triumphant Example was when Hercules, dressed as Thor, was fighting Thor, dressed as Hercules, and Hercules grabbed Thor by nipples. The effect? "NURP!"
- "Captain America!, I command you to-" WANK!
- Excalibur once gave us the memorable sound of a bathroom exploding: BA-THROOM!
- Green Arrow fought a serial killer named Onomatopoeia, who only spoke to describe the sounds he heard (or anticipated hearing.) He'd usually say 'CLICK, BLAM!' before shooting his victims.
- Warrior #1 treats us to "SKRONK," which supposedly represents the Ultimate Warrior's snarling/coughing-up-phlegm. He does it underwater.
- EPA is the sound of Green Lantern punching Sinestro, according to the Comic Book Guy of The Simpsons. Became an Ascended Meme with The Sinestro Corps War.
- MAD #20 had a story told almost entirely in pictures with sound effects written over. Dialogue was reduced to the phrases "AARRGH!" and "GNNG!"
- Youngblood uses "eepBeep" for the sound of a beeping wrist communicator.
- Wilhelm Busch (19th century artist from Germany) was pretty good at them. "Klickeradoms", "Rickeracke", "Klingelings"... these wouldn't be out of place in a modern comic either. The dogs Plisch and Plum are even named after sound effects (which are used when evil guy Schlich throws them into a pond).
- In one Achille Talon album, a villain has the (dis)ability to produce sounds completely inappropriate, like a grenade detonating with a klaxon sound.
- Tiny Titans had a lot of fun with this. In addition to the classics such as "Bam" and the like, it included such sound effects as "Run", "Swing", and "Milk".
- John Workman Jr. is well-known for creating impressive sound effects, such as the mighty "DOOM!" of Surtur's forge in Walt Simonson's The Mighty Thor.
- The Impaler, the cool-as-hell stake gun issued to Vampire Knights in the graphic novel series Requiem Chevalier Vampire, goes "TEPES!" when it's fired.
Literature
- Older Than Television: One of the most famous examples in classic literature is the word "Bababadalgharaghtakamminarronnkonnbronntonnerronntuonnthunntrovarrhounawnskawntoohoohoordenenthurnuk" from James Joyce's Finnegans Wake. It's supposed to represent the thunderclap that occurred in the Garden of Eden at the Fall.
- The Star Wars Expanded Universe's notorious "Jedi Prince" cycle (The Glove Of Darth Vader et al) makes extensive use of these, never describing a sound when something like "GRONG!" would suffice. This causes at least one Narm moment when the Big Bad shoots one of his inner circle, "ZAP!" detracting somewhat from the intended drama of the scene.
- James Joyce's Ulysses had a cat say "Mrkgnao", which he felt a better approximation than "miaow".
- In a literary example, L.E. Modesitt, Jr. likes to use those in his novels, notably in the Saga of Recluce series. By far the most prevalent is the explosive CRRRRRUMMMMMPTTTTT.
- A Song of Ice and Fire does this a few times for warhorns in the distance. Aaaaarrrrrroooooooooooo!
- If the original cover art for Doctor Who and the Dinosaur Invasion is anything to go by, a pterodactyl's jaws go "K-KLAK!"
Live Action Film
- Scott Pilgrim vs. the World may be the only live action movie to have this.
- Don't forget the movie Sssssss. Yes, that's the title. Obviously, it's about snakes.
Live-Action TV
- The old Batman Live-Action TV series used comic-style written sound effects for The Hit Flash. "BIFF! ZOK! POW!"
- The Simpsons' Batman parody, Radioactive Man, featured these and more, including back references to previous episodes. "BORT! MINT! SNUH!"
- The Avengers (no, not The Avengers) parodied a Batman fight sequence in "The Winged Avenger". Also, the comic book writer in the episode uses rather odd onomatopoeia. Eeee-erp!
- Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy in Sponge Bob Square Pants use this as well, along with Unsound Effects - punching over cardboard cut-outs of villains in their opening sequence produce "PROP", "CARDBOARD", and "LAME".
- Monty Python's Flying Circus featured "Bicycle Repairman" as a heroic figure in a world filled with Supermen. As he works, sound effects crop up on screen: "CLINK!" "SCREW!" "BEND!" "INFLATE!" "ALTER SADDLE!"
- During one episode of How I Met Your Mother, the sound of glass shattering symbolised a sudden realisation. When a deaf character has a sudden realisation at the end of the episode, we are treated to a subtitle saying "*shatter* "
- Often used in Ninja Sentai Kakuranger, but not in any other Super Sentai.
- In the That '70s Show episode "Cat Fight Club", Jackie's fight with Laurie is illustrated by Batman-style Hit Flashes and written sound effects like "Meow" and "Scratch!".
- Big Bad Beetleborgs, oh so much.
MMORP Gs
- An addon for World of Warcraft named (appropriately enough) Comix! adds these to the game. When you get a Critical Hit (incoming or outgoing) "Pow!" "Baff!" and so on appear in midair.
- Champions Online, with its comic book-based style, uses this with NPCs, having written sound effects appear over their heads that correspond with the attack they are currently using(with different sound effects for differing types of attacks, such as cone AOE, melee AOE, targeted attacks, etc.)
Music
- "Skronk"—an onomatopoetic rendering of the skreeching honk made by a deliberately-mistreated saxophone—has become a recognized genre classification, though you might be more likely to encounter terms like "free improv" or "avant-noise". As performances by Arto Lindsay or Oren Ambarchi might attest, a string- and ear-damaging guitarist can skronk in as great a manner as, say: John Zorn, Kenta Tsugami (or both) on tenor or alto.
Newspaper Comics
- "SPLUT!", for the sound a pie makes when it hits Garfield's face.
- Peanuts, of course, has "AUUGHH!"
- Calvin And Hobbes had a Crowning Moment of Funny when testing Calvin's duplicator. Paraphrased:
Hobbes: Are you sure this is such a good idea? Calvin: Brother! You doubting Thomases get in the way of more scientific advances with your stupid ethical questions. This is a brilliant idea! Hit the button, will ya? Hobbes: I'd hate to be accused of inhibiting scientific progress... Here you go. The button: BOINK! Hobbes: ( staring right at the fourth wall) Scientific progress goes 'boink'?
Theatre
- In The Bible: The Complete Word of God (abridged), the Tower of Babel scene ends when one of the characters threatens the others with a picture of a bomb. On the reverse of this picture is printed "BOOM!", or, when the bomb-picture-thrower is speaking in fake Spanish, "EL BOOMO!"
Toys
- The BIONICLE comics all use this. Probably the most famous sound among fans is the Bohrok's distinctive "Chik Chik Chik Chik". Amusingly, a Translation Train Wreck fan-video of one of the movies subtitles the slashing sound effects as "Hurting Noises!".
Video Games
- The first video game for the 2003 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles uses sound effects show up when someone or even objects like cars take damage. Thok
- Kingdom of Loathing uses these whenever someone takes damage. If you're dealing it, it's blue ZAP!s, POW!s, and BARF!s; while if you're taking damage, you see red Ouch!es and Ow!s.
- Persona 3 and Persona 4 use this both in and out of combat.
- Being beaned in the head with a baseball in Team Fortress 2 results in a flashing, neon sign above your head, reading "BONK!", which is a fairly accurate description of what just happened. And when being scared by a ghost in the Halloween event, it reads, "YIKES!".
- Freedom Force
- XIII actually uses them to enhance gameplay, allowing the player to tell which direction sounds are coming from (like seeing the "tap, tap, tap" of patrolling guards' footsteps over some foliage.)
- Elite Beat Agents and Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan use this a lot, mainly because the stories are told using manga panels. Special mention goes to the ending of Elite Beat Agents, where combined music and goodwill of the world blow up the alien mother ship with a "KA-LAPOWABOOOM!"
- Various sound effects in the black and white (except for blood) game MadWorld appear as yellow text onscreen.
- Sega Genesis game Comix Zone, happening inside a comic book, is filled with this.
- Many of She-Hulk's attacks in Marvel Vs Capcom 3 produce one of these.
- In the 1989 Arcade Game Violence Fight, every time somebody got knocked to the floor a written sound effects as "BOGON" or "DOGOON" would pop up.
- In Captain America And The Avengers, comicbook-style fight noises such as "KRAK!" and "WABOOM!" appear on screen.
- Mario Kart 64 has sound effects such as "POOMP!" when hitting the ground, and "SKREEEEEEEEEEEE" when sliding over a banana peel.
- Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc has sound effects appearing on-screen when punching enemies, such as "KOPN".
Webcomics
- Project0 started with more traditional words and sounds showing up, but more recent pages tend to make them as integrated as possible
- Girl Genius's Agatha making coffee.
- Parallel Dementia has some good examples of the written sound effect at work. Strip #32 shows how the basic choices make a difference. Strip #97 shows how to simulate echoes with layered lettering and connect the action across panels with an extended effect. The next link is rather spoilery if you haven't read the comic yet, but in addition to another example of how written sound effects can give more dynamism to panels frozen in time, strip #341 also has an example of how they can be used with creative panel arrangements to show causality and simultaneity of events in different places.
- This uses onomatopoeia by occasionally incorporating them into the art.
- *ka-click* usually means someone is having or will soon have a really, really, really bad day, thanks to a certain lop-ear.
- This strip of Irregular Webcomic! provides a subversion. "You can stop making those silly sword noises".
- Geist Panik uses these in combination with Unsound Effect.
- Sound of a heavy metal air vent cover falling on a human skull in The Omega Key: CLONG! ONG ONG
- Daisy Owl uses these liberally, and epically.
- Occasionally used in Everyday Heroes; for example, someone punching in on a time clock goes "ka-CLOCK".
- The Wotch uses this frequently, especially when one of Anne's (male) friends gets transformed into a girl. "Ka-GIRL!"
- Digger uses them, and occasionally has oddly specific ones with the meaning described in a footnote. For example: "SQUITHMPGLUGH *
The sound of a large Gourd commiting a Kamikaze assuault. Difficult to render phonetically at the best of times.
- Game Destroyers uses this all the time, usually with a particular color surrounding the text to make it stand out from the background. Typically, the sound is placed near the thing generating the sound, but it is occasionally placed elsewhere to make sense with the timing of the dialogue.
- Occasionally Lampshaded in Everyday Heroes; for example in this strip, where the author's comment underneath mentions that sound effects are "brought to you by the Don Martin Memorial Onomatopoetic Society."
- In Impure Blood During this fight scene — and this one as well.
- In Thistil Mistil Kistil, as the ship goes to sea.
- In Galactic Maximum, GZAT!
- In Doodze, numerous, as they fall.
- In American Barbarian, numerous during the fight, quite often elsewhere.
- In The Adventures of Shan Shan, WHAM! into the gate.
- In Blue Yonder, both RUMBLE! and BEEP!
- In Question Duck, during (claimed) underwater comic book style adventures.
- In Sinfest,
- In Our Little Adventure, BOP for a collision, and WHAMP for letting her fall as he started to help her up — she apologizes, because that was a stupid time to insult him.
- In Bob and George, the author was introduced with a sound effect. Followed by a more suitable one.
- In Rusty and Co.,
- In Parallels, launching the pod. In outer space. (Perhaps the POV is still in contact with the ship, though; that would transmit sound.)
- In Freefall, running in galoshes through mud: G'LOSH, G'LOSH, G'LOSH
Western Animation
- Many episodes of Cartoon Network's Courage the Cowardly Dog had these, along with the Unsound Effect at times.
- The French animated series Enigma used them from time to time.
- Sometimes used in Ren And Stimpy, one example is when Ren throws the Cheese-o-Phone at Stimpy and the word "Splat!" appears in the splattered cheese.
- Whenever Batfink uses his Supersonic Sonar Radar, it manifests as the word "BEEP".
- Every time Cosmo and Wanda grant a wish in The Fairly OddParents, a magic cloud that reads "Poof" appears. A lot of times a non sound effect word appears relating to what Timmy wished for.
- Some of the Grim and Evil shorts of The Grim Adventures Of Billy And Mandy.
- Used in the Henry and June sketches on KaBlam
Other
- "The UNH! Project" has amassed a sizeable collection of these.
- MAD artist Don Martin was a master of wild onomatopoeia, including such sounds as "SPLOYDOING!" (something springing out jack-in-the-box style), "SWAKLAKKO!" (leaning too far back in a wheeled desk chair on a tiled floor, and a personal favorite, "SKWEEBEEDEEBEEDAP!" (five cockroaches squashed under a board). Martin himself had a vanity license plate that read "SHTOINK".
STING!
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