Funny Business a Brief History of Comic Books

When you go to any bookstore these days, it is quite likely that you will find an entire section devoted to the newest and most popular comic books.  These illustrated books have been popular for decades now, and even have their own conventions.  Many of them have even been turned into movies.  Have you ever taken the time to wonder how comic books got started?  

Comic books originated from comic strips, which have been published almost as long as newspapers have been in print.  In 1837, a Swiss author named Rudolphe Topffer created a book called the Adventures of Obadiah Oldbuck.  This is considered the first comic book in history.  It would certainly not be the last.

In the early 1900’s comic strips were confined to newspapers, but by the 1930’s, the strips were being turned into comic books that were sold to the public.  These included such popular characters as Dick Tracy and Little Orphan Annie.  In 1934, the Flash Gordon comic books were released, creating a spinoff film. 

The Flash Gorden stories were quite popular, and the owners created a new story, revolving around a then unheard of hero named Superman.

From the creation of Superman, the development of comic books into staples for every young child was rapid.  In the years that followed, Wonder Woman, Captain America, and the Green Lantern became household names. 

Comic books are now incredibly popular around the world, and it is hard to imagine what would have happened if not for the creation of a man in blue who is faster than a speeding bullet.