Which Comic Came Out First?

Comic books have been a beloved form of entertainment for generations. They have captured the imaginations of children and adults alike, telling stories of superheroes, villains, and everything in between. But with so many comic books out there, it can be difficult to keep track of which ones came out first. In this article, we’ll take a look at the history of comic books and try to answer the question: which comic book came out first?

The Early Days of Comics

The first comic book is widely considered to be Famous Funnies, which was published in 1933 by Eastern Color Printing. Famous Funnies was a collection of reprints of newspaper comic strips, but it marked the beginning of the comic book as a distinct medium.

However, the history of comic books can be traced back even further. Comic strips had been appearing in newspapers since the late 1800s, and some of these strips were collected and published in book form. These early books were called comic annuals or comic magazines, and they were popular in the United Kingdom and other countries.

In the United States, comic books began to take off in the 1930s. Publishers like DC Comics and Marvel Comics (which was then known as Timely Comics) began to produce original content featuring superheroes like Superman, Batman, and Captain America.

The Golden Age of Comics

The period from the late 1930s to the early 1950s is known as the Golden Age of Comics. During this time, superheroes were incredibly popular, and comic books were selling in huge numbers.

Some of the most iconic superheroes of all time were created during this period. Superman, who first appeared in Action Comics #1 in 1938, was the first superhero to capture the public’s imagination. Batman, who debuted in Detective Comics #27 in 1939, was another hugely popular character.

Other Golden Age superheroes included Wonder Woman, The Flash, Green Lantern, and Captain Marvel (who was later renamed Shazam due to a legal dispute).

But it wasn’t just superheroes that were popular during this time. Horror comics, crime comics, and western comics were all popular genres. EC Comics, in particular, was known for its horror comics like Tales from the Crypt and The Vault of Horror.

The Silver Age of Comics

The 1950s and 1960s saw a decline in the popularity of comic books. This was due in part to the Comics Code Authority, a self-regulatory organization that was created in response to concerns about the content of comic books.

However, the 1960s also saw the beginning of the Silver Age of Comics. This period was marked by a resurgence of superhero comics, as well as the introduction of new characters and concepts.

Marvel Comics was at the forefront of this resurgence. In 1961, they introduced the Fantastic Four, a team of superheroes who were unlike anything that had come before. The Fantastic Four were flawed and human, and they had real-world problems like paying the rent and dealing with personal relationships.

Other iconic Marvel characters were created during this time, including Spider-Man, The Hulk, and The X-Men. DC Comics also introduced new characters during this period, including Green Lantern and The Atom.

The Bronze Age and Beyond

The Bronze Age of Comics began in the early 1970s and lasted until the mid-1980s. During this period, comic books became more socially conscious and dealt with more mature themes.

Perhaps the most famous example of this was the Green Lantern/Green Arrow series by writer Denny O’Neil and artist Neal Adams. This series dealt with issues like drug addiction, racism, and poverty in a way that was unprecedented in mainstream comic books.

The 1980s and 1990s saw the rise of independent comic book publishers, like Dark Horse Comics and Image Comics. These publishers gave creators the freedom to tell their own stories and take risks.

Today, comic books continue to be a popular form of entertainment. Superhero movies dominate the box office, and television shows like The Walking Dead and The Umbrella Academy are based on comic book series.

So, which comic book came out first? While Famous Funnies is widely considered to be the first comic book, the history of comic books is a rich and complex one that spans over a century. From its humble beginnings as a collection of newspaper comic strips to a medium that has captured the imagination of millions, the comic book has truly come a long way.