Blockbuster Summer: A Short Comic-Book History

1897 NEWSPAPER COMIC STRIPS LIKE RICHARD OUTCAULT'S "YELLOW KID" ARE COLLECTED AND SOLD AS TABLOIDS

1933 "FUNNIES ON PARADE" IS THE FIRST COLLECTION OF STRIPS PRINTED AT ABOUT THE SIZE WE NOW ASSOCIATE WITH COMIC BOOKS

1935 FIRST PRINTING OF COMIC BOOK WITH ORIGINAL MATERIAL

1938 SUPERMAN DEBUTS, BEGINNING THE GOLDEN AGE OF COMICS

1950-55 EC COMICS MAKES A MINT OFF LURID BOOKS LIKE "TALES FROM THE CRYPT" BUT IS ALMOST PUT OUT OF BUSINESS BY A CENSORIOUS COMICS CODE. ALL COMIC SALES PLUMMET, AND THE MEDIUM SUFFERS

1961 "THE FANTASTIC FOUR," ABOUT A SQUABBLING, DYSFUNCTIONAL SUPERHERO TEAM, BEGINS MARVEL'S REINVIGORATION...

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