- In 1934, "Famous Funnies" was printed. This comic book introduced the modern comic-book format in America. This format included the graphic cover, word-bubble texts and individual panels that comic books have come to be identified for. The so-called "Golden Age" of American comics took place between the late 1930s and the early 1950s. In 1938, the character of Superman was introduced, which changed comic books forever and gave the country its first "superhero." Superman was beloved for his dedication to protecting the weak from injustice using his super-human strength.
- Comic books function in many ways. The most notable, of course, is their entertainment value. These days comic books are not just for kid audiences, so the young and old alike can indulge in the escapism they allow the reader. In many cases, comic books can often function to inform or educate. Sometimes, comic books will feature public service announcements or educational lessons geared toward teaching their readers about a subject. For example, "Archie" comics have been known to feature strips in which their characters preach the importance of having wheelchair-accessible ramps, recycling, and wearing the proper safety equipment when engaging in sports. Comic books also function as an important art form. Stars of the "Pop Art" movement like Warhol and Lichtenstein borrowed heavily from comic books in their very famous works.
- Comic books are still a booming industry today, though they never have reached the acclaim they received during the Golden Age. With independent publishing, it is becoming easier and easier for "everyday" artists to create and distribute their own comic books featuring new heroes or even anti-heroes. Often, comic fans will write and illustrate their own comics and make copies to be published in independent "fanzines." While they are still very popular, comic books do not require a superhero anymore. Many comics focus on more realistic characters, styles and plots that are inspired by real-life. For example, comic book creators like Daniel Clowes, R. Crumb, and Harvey Pekar rarely, if ever, feature a superhero. In fact, their main characters tend to be something of an anti-hero in that they are often meek, unlikeable, and follow very unnoticed lives. Comic books have been expanded into different mediums, such as graphic novels, which are extended comic books often published in hardcover form. Hit films have also been made involving comic books heroes including Spiderman, Superman, Iron Man, X-Men, and more.
- Comic books are usually drawn on Bristol paper with hard graphite pencils. The colors are added to the page with India pen inks. The pages are divided up into boxes called "panels." Inside the boxes are the art and words which tell the comic book's story. The panels are arranged sequentially and are typically meant to be read from left to right. The comic-book cover traditionally features the comic's hero in a vibrantly colored action pose, with some hint as to what is contained inside. The inside of the comic book can either be in full color or black and white. Computer illustrating programs are increasingly being used to create comic books for their convenience, as well as for their ability to create clean and well-polished looks.
- Comic books are an important part of American history. Often, the superheroes depicted in the comic books are representative of an American struggle throughout history. For example, characters like Superman and Captain America are seen as embodiments of the American spirit for their strength, righteousness, and pursuit of justice. This is especially shown in Superman, as the character is actually an immigrant to America. Despite this fact, he has still become a representative of the strength of American culture, adding dimension to what makes someone an "American." Comic books are also so significant because they represent childhood for many people who grew up reading and loving them. They possess a nostalgic quality for many adults who love to read them because it allows them to regain the feelings they once experienced in their childhood. For many, they also have a very strong artistic draw as well.
