The Secret Origins of Comics
Comics got their start in America in the nineteenth century as artists began using both words and illustrations to tell a story or make a point. Early political cartoons were distributed as flyers or broadsides and published in the newspapers of the day. By the 1900s, newspapers were attempting to attract new readers by including entertaining comic strips. The “funny pages” were born! The comic strips were often compiled and reprinted together—creating the first comic books.

Soon artists and writers began creating original stories in comic-book form. In 1938, Superman appeared as the first comic-book superhero. He was followed by multitudes of superhuman characters. Comics also featured humorous characters of all kinds, including animals. Most of these stories were entertaining for both children and adults. 

In the 1950s, some people began to fear that comics were becoming unsuitable for children. The Comics Code Authority (CCA) was created to monitor content and approve comics for specific audiences. At this point, comics for children and those for adults began to diverge. In the 1970s, comics began to become a more adult medium. Comics and superheroes reflected the cultural diversity and social concerns of the time. Science fiction and the supernatural were also popular topics as heroes and plots became darker and more violent.