Relevant Content Standard - Students will read and comprehend stories that modern writers have adapted into comic strips.
(Adapted from a resource developed by Mikal Staley)
Comic strips are a medium of entertainment that have been enjoyed by people of all ages for a long time. The origins of drawings with humorous narratives and storylines go back at least 130 years in the United States to publications that were made for readers that satirized current events and social norms of the day. It can actually be said that today’s editorial pages and political commentaries found their roots in the comedic drawings that became known as comic strips in print newspapers and magazines.
The newspaper comic strip The Yellow Kid, created and drawn by Robert Outcault, is recognized by most scholars as the first of its kind in America.
Mickey Dugan as The Yellow Kid and the characters from Hogan’s Alley were created in 1894. The strip appeared from 1895 to 1898 in Joseph Pulitzer's New York World, and later William Randolph Hearst's New York Journal. Outcault's use of word balloons in The Yellow Kid influenced the basic appearance and use of balloons in subsequent newspaper comic strips and comic books.
The Yellow Kid was a bald, snaggle-toothed, barefoot boy who wore an oversized yellow nightshirt and hung around in a slum alley typical of certain areas of squalor that existed in late 19th-century New York City. Hogan's Alley was filled with equally odd characters, mostly other children. With a goofy grin, the Kid habitually spoke in a ragged, peculiar slang, which was printed on his shirt, a device meant to lampoon advertising billboards. His head was drawn wholly shaved, as if recently having been ridden of lice, a common sight among children in New York's tenement ghettos at the time. His nightshirt, a hand-me-down from an older sister, was white or pale blue in the first color strips.
The commercial success of The Yellow Kid was followed by the publishing of newspaper comic strips in 1899 such as Funny folks. The format and structure of comic strips were as large as what we know as full-page advertisements today. Comic strip publications such as Buster Brown, Happy Hooligan, Little Nemo, and The Katzenjammer Kids became well-known by newspaper readers.
The Katzenjammer Kids is a comic strip that features twins Hans and Fritz, two boys who are always up to mischief and pranks. The word Katzenjammer translates literally as the wailing of cats, but is used to mean contrition after a failed endeavor or hangover in German. The Katzies are born troublemakers, and their neat clothes and innocent faces conceal their deep-seated ability to do mischief. The comic strip is an "ethnic" comic strip, with all of the characters speaking with a German accent.
The Katzenjammer Kids is an American comic strip created by Rudolph Dirks in 1897 and later drawn by Harold Knerr for 35 years (1914 to 1949). It was inspired by Max and Moritz, a children's story of the 1860s by German author Wilhelm Busch. It debuted on December 12, 1897, in the American Humorist, the Sunday supplement of William Randolph Hearst's New York Journal. The comic strip was turned into a stage play in 1903. It inspired several animated cartoons and was one of 20 strips included in the Comic Strip Classics series of U.S. commemorative postage stamps.
Buster Brown is a comic strip character created in 1902 by Richard F. Outcault that was adopted as the mascot of the Brown Shoe Company in 1904. The characters of Buster Brown, Mary Jane, and his dog Tige became well known to the American public in the early 20th century. The Buster Brown suit reflected his outfit and became very popular for young boys. The name "Buster" came from the popularity of Buster Keaton, then a child actor in vaudeville.
The Blackberries published in 1901 was the first full color comic.
Mutt and Jeff is an American newspaper comic strip created by cartoonist Bud Fisher in 1907. It features two mismatched characters, Mutt and Jeff, and is commonly regarded as the first daily comic strip. It remained in syndication until 1983. The series eventually became a comic book, initially published by All-American Publications and later published by DC Comics, Dell Comics and Harvey Comics.
As comic strips and their characters became more popular, publishers began printing and selling comic books after the turn of the century. The first monthly comic book, titled Comics Monthly, arrived on the scene in 1921. It cost 10 cents and lasted for 12 issues.
In 1929, Dell Publishing launched The Funnies,
Popeye the Sailor Man is a fictional cartoon character created by Elzie Crisler Segar. The character first appeared on January 17, 1929, in the daily King Features comic strip Thimble Theatre. The strip was in its tenth year when Popeye made his debut, but the one-eyed sailor quickly became the lead character, and Thimble Theatre became one of King Features' most popular properties during the 1930s. Popeye would become the suitor of longtime Thimble Theatre star Olive Oyl, and Segar would introduce new supporting characters such as adopted son Swee'Pea and friend J. Wellington Wimpy, as well as foes such as the Sea Hag and Bluto.
In 1933, Max Fleischer adapted the Thimble Theatre characters into a series of Popeye the Sailor theatrical cartoon shorts for Paramount Pictures. These cartoons proved to be among the most popular of the 1930s, and Fleischer Studios, which later became Paramount's own Famous Studios, continued production through 1957. These cartoon shorts are now owned by Turner Entertainment and distributed by its sister company Warner Bros.
Walt Disney entered the comic book market in 1930 with the Mickey Mouse Book. It was more a magazine than a comic book. It emphasizes stories with Mickey and his supporting cast: Goofy, Donald Duck, Minnie Mouse, Pluto and Mickey's nephews Morty and Ferdie Fieldmouse. Mickey's perpetual rival is the criminal Peg-Leg Pete (sometimes "Black Pete", "Sneaky Pete" or "Big Bad Pete"). By 1933, there were two Mickey Mouse magazines. After many iterations with various publishers, it ended with #330 (June 2017) from IDW Publishing.
Detective Dan, Secret Op. 48, was the first newsstand comic. It lasted only one issue. Because of the depression, free comics featuring product advertising became popular. Gulf Comics Weekly, issued by Gulf Oil, is an example.
Funnies on Parade was launched in spring 1933. It was a Proctor and Gamble premium that featured reprints of newspaper comics.
George Janosik, owner of Eastern Color, and Dell Publishing entered into a partnership to develop 10 cent comics for sale at newsstands titled Famous Funnies. They were sold by Harry Gold’s American News. The first issue was distributed in May 1934.
In 1934, Major Malcolm Wheeler Nicholson hired personnel to create “new” comic characters and stories. New Fun Comics first appeared in 1934, albeit with an issue date of February 1935. Many of the cartoons were knock-offs of syndicated material. The title changed to More Fun Comics with issue #9 and lasted through 127 issues. Nicholson launched New Comics in December 1935. Several name changes followed eventually ending in New Adventure Comics.
Other comic book titles launched in the mid-1930s, included King Comics, Popular Comics, and Tip-Top Comics. King Comics, a short-lived comic book imprint of King Features Syndicate, was an attempt by King Features to publish comics of its own characters, rather than through other publishers. Titles included in the King Comics publications include Beetle Bailey, Blondie Comics, Flash Gordon, Jungle Jim, Mandrake the Magician, The Phantom, and Popeye.
In March 1937, DC Comics printed the first issue of Detective Comics.
Until 1938, adult readers were the principal market for comic books. When the publishers decided to target kids, the comic book retail market changed dramatically.
The Golden Age of Comic Books
The Golden Age of Comic Books describes an era in the history of American comic books from 1938 to 1956. During this time, modern comic books were first published and rapidly increased in popularity. The superhero archetype was created and many well-known characters were introduced, including Superman, Batman, Robin, Captain Marvel, Captain America, and Wonder Woman.
Action Comics is an American comic book/magazine series that introduced Superman in June 1938. The publisher was originally known as Detective Comics Inc.
Detective Comics is an American comic book series, later shortened to DC Comics. The first volume, published from 1937 to 2011 (and later continued in 2016), is best known for introducing the superhero Batman in Detective Comics #27 (May 1939). It is the longest-running comic book series in the United States.
Timely Publications released Marvel Comics #1 in 1939. Timely Comics would eventually become Marvel Comics.
Captain America
Captain America is a superhero created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby who appears in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Captain America Comics #1, published on December 20, 1940, by Timely Comics, a corporate predecessor to Marvel. Captain America's civilian identity is Steven "Steve" Rogers, a frail man enhanced to the peak of human physical perfection by an experimental "super-soldier serum" after joining the United States Army to aid the country's efforts in World War II. Equipped with an American flag–inspired costume and a virtually indestructible shield, Captain America and his sidekick Bucky Barnes clashed frequently with the villainous Red Skull and other members of the Axis powers. In the war's final days, an accident left Captain America frozen in a state of suspended animation until he was revived in modern times. He resumes his exploits as a costumed hero and becomes the leader of the superhero team the Avengers, but frequently struggles as a "man out of time" to adjust to the new era.
Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman is a superheroine who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in All Star Comics #8, published October 21, 1941. She was created by the American psychologist and writer William Moulton Marston (pen name: Charles Moulton), and artist Harry G. Peter in 1941.
In her homeland, the island nation of Themyscira, her official title is Princess Diana of Themyscira. When blending into the society outside her homeland, she sometimes adopts her civilian identity, Diana Prince. Wonder Woman's origin story relays that she was sculpted from clay by her mother, Queen Hippolyta, and given a life as an Amazon along with superhuman powers as gifts from the Greek gods. She possesses an arsenal of magical items, including the Lasso of Truth, a pair of indestructible bracelets, a tiara which serves as a projectile, and, in older stories, a range of devices based on Amazon technology.
The Flash
The Flash is the name of several superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Harry Lampert, the original Flash first appeared in Flash Comics #1 (cover-dated January 1940, released November 1939). Nicknamed "the Scarlet Speedster", all incarnations of the Flash possess "superspeed", which includes the ability to run, move, and think extremely fast, use superhuman reflexes, and seemingly violate certain laws of physics.
Thus far, at least five different characters –each of whom somehow gained the power of "the Speed Force"– have assumed the mantle of the Flash in DC's history: college athlete Jay Garrick (1940–1951, 1961–2011, 2017–present), forensic scientist Barry Allen (1956–1985, 2008–present), Barry's nephew Wally West (1986–2011, 2016–present), Barry's grandson Bart Allen (2006–2007), and Chinese-American Avery Ho (2017–present). Each incarnation of the Flash has been a key member of at least one of DC's premier teams: the Justice Society of America, the Justice League, and the Teen Titans.
Green Lantern
Green Lantern is the name of several superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. They fight evil with the aid of rings that grant them a variety of extraordinary powers, all of which come from imagination, fearlessness, and the electromagnetic spectrum of emotional willpower. The characters are typically depicted as members of the Green Lantern Corps, an intergalactic law enforcement agency.
The first Green Lantern character, Alan Scott, was created in 1940 by Martin Nodell (initially using the pen-name Mart Dellon) in collaboration with Bill Finger in All-American Comics #16 (July 1940). The character usually fought common criminals in Capitol City (and later, Gotham City) with the aid of his magic ring. For the Silver Age of Comic Books, John Broome and Gil Kane reinvented the character as Hal Jordan in 1959 and introduced the Green Lantern Corps, shifting the nature of the character from fantasy to science fiction. During the Bronze Age of Comic Books, Dennis O'Neil and Neal Adams introduced John Stewart, a new member of the Corps who was one of DC's first Black superheroes. Other notable Green Lanterns include Guy Gardner, Kyle Rayner, Simon Baz, Jessica Cruz and Jo Mullein.
Criticism of the Comic Book Industry
In 1954, a book titled “Seduction of the Innocent” was written by a psychiatrist named Fredric Wertham. The book seemed to justify the criticisms that people had about the storylines and images that were being portrayed in comic books. There were rising sentiments that comic books were “corrupting the youth of America” with with its violent, immoral themes, evil villains, lack of respect for civil authorities, and in how they sensationalized criminal activity. Some storylines even included the eating of other humans (i.e. characters as vampires, werewolves, ghouls, or cannibals). Those who criticized and disliked comic books also said that Superman was a fascist, Batman and Robin promoted homosexual lifestyles, and that Wonder Woman was a lesbian. A committee was formed in the United States Senate on Juvenile Delinquency, and the Comics Code Authority (CCA) was created.
The CCA was formed in 1954 by the Comics Magazine Association of America as an alternative to government regulation. The CCA enabled comic publishers to self-regulate the content of comic books in the United States. The code was voluntary, as there was no law requiring its use, although some advertisers and retailers looked to it for reassurance.
By the early 2000s, publishers bypassed the code. Marvel Comics abandoned it in 2001. By 2010, only three major publishers still adhered to it: DC Comics, Archie Comics, and Bongo Comics. Bongo broke with the CCA in 2010. DC and Archie followed in January 2011, rendering the code defunct.
The Silver Age of Comic Books
The Silver Age of Comic Books was a period of artistic advancement and widespread commercial success in mainstream American comic books, predominantly those featuring the superhero archetype. Following the Golden Age of Comic Books, the Silver Age is considered to cover the period from 1956 to 1970, and was succeeded by the Bronze Age of Comic Books.
The popularity and circulation of comic books about superheroes had declined following World War II, and comic books about horror, crime and romance took larger shares of the market. However, controversy arose over alleged links between comic books and juvenile delinquency, focusing in particular on crime, horror, and superheroes. In 1954, publishers implemented the Comics Code Authority to regulate comic content.
In the wake of these changes, publishers began introducing superhero stories again, a change that began with the introduction of a new version of DC Comics' The Flash in Showcase #4 (October 1956). In response to strong demand, DC began publishing more superhero titles including Justice League of America, which prompted Marvel Comics to follow suit beginning with The Fantastic Four #1.
Fantastic Four
The Fantastic Four is a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The team debuted in The Fantastic Four #1 (cover-dated November 1961), helping usher in a new level of realism in the medium. It was the first superhero team created by artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby and editor/co-scripter Stan Lee, and through this title the "Marvel method" style of production came into prominence.
The four characters traditionally associated with the Fantastic Four, who gained superpowers after exposure to cosmic rays during a scientific mission to outer space, are Mister Fantastic (Reed Richards), a scientific genius and the leader of the group, who can stretch his body into incredible lengths and shapes; the Invisible Woman (Susan "Sue" Storm-Richards), Reed's girlfriend and later wife, who can render herself invisible and project powerful invisible force fields and blasts; the Human Torch (Johnny Storm), Sue's younger brother, who can generate flames, surround himself with them and fly; and the monstrous Thing (Ben Grimm), their grumpy but benevolent friend, a former college football star, Reed's college roommate and a skilled pilot, who possesses tremendous superhuman strength, durability and endurance due to his stone-like flesh.
Spider Man
Spider-Man is a superhero in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, he first appeared in the anthology comic book Amazing Fantasy #15 (August 1962) in the Silver Age of Comic Books.
Spider-Man has the secret identity of Peter Benjamin Parker who was raised by his Aunt May and Uncle Ben in Queens, New York City after the death of his parents. Lee, Ditko, and later creators had the character deal with the struggles of adolescence and young adulthood and his "self-obsessions with rejection, inadequacy, and loneliness" were issues to which young readers could relate.[10] Unlike previous teen heroes, Spider-Man was not a sidekick nor did he have a mentor. He would be given many supporting characters, such as his Daily Bugle boss J. Jonah Jameson; friends like Flash Thompson and Harry Osborn; romantic interests like Gwen Stacy, Mary Jane Watson, and the Black Cat; and enemies such as Doctor Octopus, the Green Goblin, and Venom. In his origin story, Peter gets his superhuman spider powers and abilities after being bitten by a radioactive spider. These powers include superhuman strength, speed, agility, reflexes and durability; clinging to surfaces and ceilings; and detecting danger with his precognitive "spider-sense". He sows a spider-web patterned spandex costume that fully covers him and builds wrist-mounted "web-shooter" devices that shoot artificial spider-webs of his own design, which he uses both for fighting and "web swinging" across the city. Peter Parker initially used his powers for personal gain, but after his Uncle Ben was killed by a burglar that he could have stopped but did not, Peter learned "with great power comes great responsibility" and began to use his powers to fight crime as Spider-Man.
X-Men
The X-Men are a superhero team in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer/editor Stan Lee and artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby, the team first appeared in The X-Men #1 (September 1963). The X-Men title may refer to the superhero team itself, the eponymous comic series, or the broader franchise, which includes various solo titles and team books, such as the New Mutants, Excalibur, and X-Force.
In the Marvel Universe, mutants are humans born with a genetic trait called the X-gene, which grants them natural superhuman abilities, generally manifesting during puberty. Due to their differences from most humanity, mutants are subject to prejudice and discrimination; many X-Men stories feature social commentary on bigotry, justice, and other political themes.
The Bronze Age of Comic Books
The Bronze Age of Comic Books is an informal name for a period in the history of American superhero comic books, usually said to run from 1970 to 1985. The Bronze Age retained many of the conventions of the Silver Age, with traditional superhero titles remaining the mainstay of the industry. However, a return of darker plot elements and storylines more related to relevant social issues began to flourish during the period.
With the change in the Comics Code, scarier comics start joining the monthly releases. Titles such as Ghost Rider, Swamp Thing, and Blade are created and made for sale.
Marvel Comics debuted the first supernatural Ghost Rider as stunt motorcyclist Johnny Blaze, who agrees to give his soul to "Satan" (later revealed to be an arch-demon named Mephisto) to save the life of his foster father. At night and when around evil, Blaze finds his flesh consumed by hellfire, causing his head to become a flaming skull. He rides a fiery motorcycle and wields blasts of hellfire from his body, usually from his hands.
The Swamp Thing first ran for 24 issues from 1972 to 1976. It fought against evil as he sought the men who murdered his wife and caused his monstrous transformation. He also searched for a means to transform himself back to his human form. Its most notable villains were the mad scientist Anton Arcane and his army of Un-Men, and a federal agent named Matthew Cable.
Blade
Blade (birth name: Eric Cross Brooks) is a fictional character and antihero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Marv Wolfman and penciller Gene Colan, his first appearance was in the comic book The Tomb of Dracula #10 (July 1973) as a supporting character, but he later went on to star in his own storylines. Devoting his life to ridding the world of all vampires, Blade utilizes his unique physiology to become the perfect vampire hunter. A mixed race (White-Black) British man, he is proficient in weaponry ranging from firearms to swords, and a master of martial arts. H was also originally depicted as a human immune to vampire bites.
African American Characters in Comic Books
As a result of the Civil Rights movement and the beginning of the Women’s Rights movements - more socially conscious stories and characters were included by comic book writers. Storylines that included racism, pollution and social injustice began to be featured. The Green Arrow’s sidekick Speedy has a heroin addiction that must be overcome, Iron Man is a main character who is an alcoholic. Also, the major comic book companies release new Black characters based on audience demand.
Black Panther
Black Panther is the first Black superhero in American mainstream comics. Black Panther is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist-coplotter Jack Kirby, he first appeared in Fantastic Four #52, published in July 1966. Black Panther's birth name is T'Challa, and he is the son of the previous Black Panther, T'Chaka. He is the king and protector of the fictional African nation of Wakanda, a technologically advanced society drawing from a supply of vibranium, a fictional metal of extraordinary properties. Along with possessing enhanced abilities achieved through ancient Wakandan rituals of drinking the essence of the heart-shaped herb, T'Challa also relies on his proficiency in science, expertise in his nation's traditions, rigorous physical training, hand-to-hand combat skills, and access to wealth and advanced Wakandan technology to combat his enemies. The character became a member of the Avengers in 1968, and has continued that affiliation off and on in subsequent decades.
Storm
Storm is a member of the X-Men, a group of mutant heroes fighting for peace and equal rights between mutants and humans. The X-Men series is published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Len Wein and artist Dave Cockrum, the character first appeared in Giant-Size X-Men #1 (May 1975). Descended from a long line of African witch-priestesses, Storm is a a mutant who is able to control the weather and atmosphere and is considered to be one of the most powerful mutants on the planet.
Black Lightning
Black Lightning (Jefferson Michael "Jeff" Pierce) is a superhero who appears in American comic book published by DC Comics. The character, created by writer Jenny Blake Isabella with artist Trevor Von Eeden, first appeared in Black Lightning #1 (April 1977), during the Bronze Age of Comic Books. Although his precise origin story has varied over the years, he is generally depicted as a metahuman superhero who uses the ability to generate and control electricity to defend his community – and the world – as Black Lightning. Although not the first black superhero to be featured in DC Comics stories, Black Lightning was DC's first African-American superhero to headline his own series.
During this time of progressive change in society, women were hired as artists, writers and creators of comic book characters. New characters such as Tempest/Aqualad were introduced. Created by Robert Bernstein and Ramona Fradon, Tempest began as Aqualad in Adventure Comics #269 (February 1960). He was created to be the kid sidekick to the aquatic DC superhero, Aquaman. Aqualad followed the partner step up by other kid heroes Robin, Speedy and Kid Flash functioning as a sidekick.
Apocalypse (En Sabah Nur) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He is one of the world's first mutants, and was a principal villain for the original X-Factor team and later the X-Men and related spin-off teams. Created by writer Louise Simonson and artist Jackson Guice, Apocalypse first appeared in X-Factor #5 (June 1986). Apocalypse is one of the most powerful beings in the Marvel Universe where he is the father of the original incarnation of the Horsemen of Apocalypse.
The Dark Age of Comic Books
The period between 1985 and 1996 is referred to as the Dark Age of Comic Books. It is considered so because dark storylines are the most popular.
Watchmen is a comic book limited series by the British creative team of writer Alan Moore, artist Dave Gibbons, and colorist John Higgins. It was published monthly by DC Comics from 1986 -1987. It depicts an alternate history in which superheroes emerged in the 1940s and 1960s and their presence changed history so that the United States won the Vietnam War and the Watergate scandal was never exposed. In 1985, the country is edging toward World War III with the Soviet Union, freelance costumed vigilantes have been outlawed and most former superheroes are in retirement or working for the government. The story focuses on the protagonists' personal development and moral struggles as an investigation into the murder of a government-sponsored superhero pulls them out of retirement.
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns is a 1986 four-issue comic book miniseries starring Batman, written by Frank Miller, illustrated by Miller and Klaus Janson, with color by Lynn Varley, and published by DC Comics. It tells an alternative story of Bruce Wayne who, at 55 years old, returns from a decade of retirement to fight crime while facing opposition from the Gotham City police force and the United States government. The story also features the return of classic foes Two-Face and the Joker, and culminates in a confrontation with Superman, who is now a pawn of the government.
"The Death of Superman" is a crossover story event mostly featured in DC Comics' Superman-related publications. The crossover, which originated from editor Mike Carlin and writers Dan Jurgens, Roger Stern, Louise Simonson, Jerry Ordway, and Karl Kesel, began in December 1992 and lasted until October 1993. The publication features Superman's fight with the monster Doomsday and concludes with his death. Because Superman comic sales had declined in recent years, the writing teams felt the character had been taken for granted and decided to temporarily kill him to emphasize his importance. They wanted the crossover to surprise readers and show Superman is not invincible.
During this dark age, Hal Jordan – the Green Lantern who had been created in 1959 when the nature of the character was shifted from fantasy to science fiction, slaughters the other individuals in the Green Lantern Corps. In the Emerald Twilight, Zero Hour, and Parallax storylines, he threatens to destroy the universe and showcases his willingness to use lethal force against those he perceives as threats.
Saturday Morning Cartoons
During this time, Saturday morning television cartoon series’ also became popular. TV shows such as Looney Tunes, Tom and Jerry, Scooby Doo: Where Are You?, Woody Woodpecker, He-Man, and Transformers were popular during this time. These and many other original animated series and live-action programming was typically scheduled on Saturday and Sunday mornings in the United States on the "Big Three" television networks – ABC, CBS, and NBC. The genre was a tradition from broadly the mid-1960s to mid-2010s. Over time, its popularity declined, due to changing cultural norms, increased competition from formats available at all times and specifically on cable television networks, and heavier media regulations. They were primarily created and aired to meet "educational and informational" (E/I) requirements. The generally accepted times for these children's programs to air on Saturday mornings were from 8:00 a.m. to approximately 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time Zone.
Comic Book Universe/Multiverse
A comic book universe refers to a world in which all of the characters of a major comic book publisher live. To the extent that they interact and co-exist determines whether or not their universe can be considered a multiverse. However, since a multiverse is literally defined as multiple universes, it is important to note that characters in different universes may or may not interact and coexist with one another.
The concept of a comic book multiverse was initially presented to readers in 1940 with DC Comics’ creation of the Justice Society of America (JSA). The JSA is a DC Comics superhero team that first appeared in All Star Comics #3 (Winter 1940–1941). It was conceived by editor Sheldon Mayer and writer Gardner Fox during the Golden Age of Comic Books. It was the first team of superheroes in comic books. Its original members were Doctor Fate, Hourman, the Spectre, Sandman, Atom, the Flash, Green Lantern, and Hawkman. Although the team was initially popular, sales began to decline and the team’s adventures ceased with issue #57 of the title (March 1951). The Justice League of America, simply Justice League, is a new group of superheroes that appeared in The Brave and the Bold #28 (March 1960) as a revival of the Justice Society of America. Editor Julius Schwartz decided to rename it with the word "League" because he felt it would appeal better to young readers, evoking sports organizations such as the National League. The Justice League is an all-star ensemble cast of established superhero characters from the DC Comics' portfolio - Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and Aquaman. These superheroes were known to operate independently but occasionally assemble as a team to tackle especially formidable villains.
The Justice Society was established as existing on "Earth-Two" and the Justice League on "Earth-One", different versions of Earth in different universes. In this way, the concept of superheroes living in different and multiple universes, or multiverses, was established. Therefore, a multiverse refers to a collection of parallel universes and realities that exist simultaneously, often resulting from divergences from established timelines.
Crisis on Infinite Earths
The year 1985 marked 50 years of comic book publishing for DC Comics, and that year, it presented fans with a 12-issue limited series titled Crisis on Infinite Earths. The crossover series was written by Marv Wolfman and pencilled by George Pérez. It was first released from April 1985 to March 1986. The idea for the series stemmed from Wolfman's desire to abandon the DC Multiverse depicted in the company's comics—which he thought was unfriendly to readers—and create a single, unified DC Universe (DCU).
Although the shared universe allowed for plot elements, characters, and settings to cross over with each other, its concept created challenges to writers as they worked to maintain continuity, due to conflicting events within different comics that needed to reflect the shared nature of the universe. The Marvel Universe is similar in that it includes characters from the Avengers, the X-Men, the Fantastic Four, the Guardians of the Galaxy, Spider-Man, Wolverine, Iron Man, Captain America, and The Incredible Hulk. It also contains well-known supervillains such as Doctor Doom, Magneto, Green Goblin, Loki, Thanos, and antiheroes such as Deadpool, Ghost Rider, Punisher, Elektra, and Black Cat.
The following video provides a summary of the first part of the Crisis series based on one of its many theatrical feature film adaptations. As you watch and carefully listen to the narrator, just remember that this is summary of an adaptation of what was originally released in comic book form.
DC Comics’ 1985 limited series merged all of the company's various alternate realities into one, and was a bestseller for DC.
The Modern Age of Comic Books
The Modern Age of Comic Books is a period in the history of American superhero comic books which began in 1996 and continues through the present day. One major change in the industry is that Marvel Comics goes bankrupt in 1996. Many comic book characters were redesigned, creators gained prominence in the industry, independent comics flourished, and larger publishing houses became more commercialized. Comic book movies start becoming popular in the 1990s, and they still have somewhat dark storylines. Titles that are created and become popular include Span, The Crow, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Men In Black, and new Batman and Blade series’.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TMNT) is an American media franchise created by comic book artists Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. It follows Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael, and Michelangelo, four anthropomorphic turtle brothers trained in ninjutsu who fight evil in New York City. The franchise began as a comic book conceived as a parody of elements popular in superhero comics at the time. The first issue was published in 1984 by Eastman and Laird's company Mirage Studios and was a surprise success.
On August 31, 2009, The Walt Disney Company acquired Marvel Comics' parent corporation, Marvel Entertainment, for $4 billion.
A few years later, Spider-Man (Miles Gonzalo Morales) is a superhero published by Marvel Comics, created in 2011 by writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist Sara Pichelli, along with input by Marvel's then-editor-in-chief Axel Alonso. Born as a modern reimagining of the popular character, Miles Morales was bitten by a model spider specially and genetically engineered to duplicate the abilities of the original Spider-Man of the Earth-1610 Ultimate Universe. The Afro–Puerto Rican teenage son of an African-American father and an Afro-Puerto Rican mother, Miles is the second Spider-Man to appear in Ultimate Marvel, following the death of the Ultimate Peter Parker. He was transported to the main Marvel Universe (Earth-616) with his original Earth-616 counterpart, the villainous Ultimatum, introduced in Spider-Men II in 2017. As a result of the character's popularity, Miles Morales has been adapted in numerous media outside comics. The character is the star of the animated Spider-Verse film franchise produced by Sony Pictures Animation, with Shameik Moore voicing the character in the Academy Award-winning feature film Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018), as well as its sequels Across the Spider-Verse (2023) and Beyond the Spider-Verse (2027), in which Jharrel Jerome voices Miles' Earth-42 counterpart, the villainous Prowler.
The popularity of Marvel Entertainment films prompts DC Comics to create DC Films in 2016. DC Studios is now an American film and television production company that is a division of Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD). It is responsible for the production of live-action and animated films and television series, as well as video games, based on characters from the American comic book publisher DC Comics, primarily as part of its flagship media franchise and shared universe, the DC Universe (DCU). The studio has been led by writer/director James Gunn and producer Peter Safran as its co-chairmen and co-CEOs since it was formed in November 2022. The studio's predecessor, DC Films, was formed in May 2016 as a division of Warner Bros. Pictures to oversee DC-based film productions.
From 2016 to 2023, DC Films produced 13 films within the DCEU, from Suicide Squad (2016) to Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2023), alongside two standalone films, Joker (2019) and The Batman (2022). The first DC Studios production is the television series The Penguin (2024), a spin-off from The Batman. DC Studios released Superman on July 11, 2025.
Suicide Squad (2016) is the first feature film made about villains. It is an American superhero film based on the supervillain/anti-hero team from DC Comics. It was written and directed by David Ayer and stars an ensemble cast including Will Smith, Jared Leto, Margot Robbie, Joel Kinnaman, Viola Davis, Jai Courtney, Jay Hernandez, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Ike Barinholtz, Scott Eastwood, and Cara Delevingne. In the film, a secret government agency led by Amanda Waller recruits imprisoned supervillains to execute dangerous black ops missions and save the world from a powerful threat in exchange for reduced sentences. It was surprisingly more successful than expected. It includes celebrity star Will Smith, and Margo Robbie as Harley Quinn is immensely popular. However, the DC film Justice League (2017) underperformed at the box office compared to company expectations.
DC Studios has generally been more successful with in its adaptation of television shows during the Modern Era of Comic Books with shows like Smallville, Titans, Gotham, Arrow, and The Flash.
Comic book companies that are referred to as third-party companies have grown in popularity in the Modern Age. Dark Horse Comics is an example. Created in 1986, its writers have never followed the Comics Code and therefore do not get an official rating seal on their covers. Their titles include Hellboy, The Mask, Sin City, Alien, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Conan the Barbarian, Predator, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Umbrella Academy, and 300.
Image Comics is an independent American comic book publisher. It was founded in 1992 by several high-profile illustrators as a venue for creator-owned properties, in which comics creators could publish material of their own creation without giving up the copyrights to those properties. Its best-known publications include Spawn, The Walking Dead, Kick-Ass, Invincible, Jupiter's Legacy, Witchblade, The Maxx, Savage Dragon, Descender, Saga, East of West, Monstress, Radiant Black, and Stray Dogs.
But what about Charlie Brown?
As you complete this lesson, you may be wondering where all of the other comic strips characters are mentioned that you have read and have come to know and love. The answer is that these comic strips and famous characters will be featured in history about comic strips in newspapers and magazines. So stay tuned!