National Comic Book Day

Comics didn’t start with Superman or Spider-Man – in fact, they’ve been around much longer than most people realise. Many comic historians trace the very first comic book back to 1837, when a Swiss artist named Rodolphe Töpffer created The Adventures of Mr. Obadiah Oldbuck. This series of sequential pictures with captions is often considered the earliest recognised comic book​, earning Töpffer the nickname “the father of the modern comic.” His comic tales were reprinted across Europe and even in the United States by the 1840s, proving that the idea of telling stories through drawings and dialogue had universal appeal even in the 19th century.

Fast forward a few decades to the late 1800s, and comics as we know them began taking shape. In 1897, a publication called The Yellow Kid in McFadden’s Flats hit newsstands in New York – notable for being the first to actually bear the term “comic book” on its cover​. This Platinum Age of comics saw collections of popular newspaper comic strips reprinted as books. Soon after, original comic book content emerged: by 1922 the first monthly comic book (Comics Monthly) was published, and in 1933 the first modern comic books in the now-standard format (about 6⅝ x 10¼ inches) were printed in colour​. Titles like Funnies on Parade and Famous Funnies (often cited as the first true American comic book series) gathered newspaper funnies into one handy booklet – and readers ate it up.

Then came the explosion of superheroes. The late 1930s launched what’s now called the Golden Age of Comic Books, starting with a bang in 1938: two young creators, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, introduced Superman in Action Comics #1. The Man of Steel’s debut that year is often credited with kick-starting the superhero genre and turning comic books into a mass medium​. Hot on Superman’s heels, Batman first donned his cape and cowl in 1939 (Detective Comics #27), and by the early 1940s a whole pantheon of heroes had emerged. Marvel’s predecessor (Timely Comics) launched characters like the Human Torch and Sub-Mariner in 1939, and introduced Captain America in early 1941 to punch Hitler on comic covers even before the U.S. entered WWII​. DC Comics, not to be outdone, gave us The Flash and Green Lantern in 1940, and in 1941 psychologist William Moulton Marston created Wonder Woman, one of the first female superheroes, to inspire girls and boys alike​.

Comics were wildly popular during the 1940s – not just in the U.S., but abroad as well. In Britain, for example, the weekly kids’ comic The Beano debuted in 1938 (the same year as Superman!) and soon became a childhood staple. At its peak, The Beano sold up to 2 million copies each week, and it still holds the record as the world’s longest-running weekly comic​. Clearly, whether following the slapstick mischief of Dennis the Menace (a very different character in the UK!) or the heroic feats of Captain America and Wonder Woman, comic books were the go-to entertainment for millions of young readers during the war-era.

However, not everyone was charmed by “pow!” and “bam!” on the page. In the 1950s, as comics branched into creepier horror and crime genres, some parents and authorities grew concerned. The backlash culminated in 1954 when psychiatrist Frederic Wertham published Seduction of the Innocent, a bestselling book that infamously claimed comic books were corrupting the morals of youth​. (Wertham even suggested Superman had fascist overtones, Batman and Robin promoted “immoral” lifestyles, and Wonder Woman’s independence was improper​!) This moral panic led to U.S. Senate hearings and the creation of the Comics Code Authority, a strict content guideline that forced many publishers to tone down or cancel their more violent or edgy series​. The late ‘50s and early ‘60s thus saw superhero comics re-tool with a cleaner image – just in time for a Silver Age resurgence.

Indeed, the 1960s ushered in a new wave of heroes and imaginative storytelling, especially thanks to Marvel Comics. Visionary creators Stan Lee and Jack Kirby teamed up to launch the Fantastic Four in 1961, followed by Spider-Man, Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, X-Men and more over the next few years. Unlike the flawless do-gooders of earlier decades, these characters had relatable problems and personalities, which made them hugely appealing to readers. Marvel’s interconnected stories and shared universe approach (where heroes would team up or cross over) was revolutionary​ – and it wasn’t long before kids everywhere knew the likes of Spider-Man’s motto that “with great power comes great responsibility.” Over at DC, classic heroes also got refreshes and new teammates (the Justice League formed, new versions of Flash/Green Lantern appeared, etc.), keeping the comic book boom going strong.

By the 1970s and 1980s, comic books had expanded far beyond just superheroes. There were underground “comix” with counterculture flair, witty comic strips in newspapers, and a growing recognition that comics could tackle serious, mature themes. The term “graphic novel” gained currency as longer-form comic stories for adults emerged. A landmark moment came with Art Spiegelman’s Maus (published in parts from 1980–1991), a poignant Holocaust memoir told with cats and mice. Maus was so powerful that it won a Pulitzer Prize in 1992 – the first comic/graphic novel ever to receive a Pulitzer honour​. This triumph helped validate comics as a true literary art form, proving that sequential art can explore even the darkest chapters of history in an accessible way.

Today, comic books and graphic novels span every genre and style, from Japanese manga epics to European adventure comics, from superhero sagas to indie webcomics. They’re enjoyed in countless languages across the world. National Comic Book Day itself was created as a celebration of this rich legacy and cultural impact. Interestingly, the exact origins of National Comic Book Day are a bit mysterious – there’s no single founder or organization publicly credited with starting it. Much like a hero with a secret identity, the day “appeared” on calendars and was embraced by fans over time​. What we do know is that for years now, September 25th has been observed as a day for readers to show their love for comics, and for creators, shops, and libraries to join in the fun. In other words, National Comic Book Day is a grassroots celebration – born from the passion of the comic community rather than any corporate promotion​. And that makes it all the more special!

Fun Fact: During the Golden Age, comic books were huge sellers – literally by the million. In the early 1940s, monthly sales of popular titles like Superman, Batman and Captain Marvel (Shazam) often hit 1.5 million copies per issue​. By contrast, today a hit comic might sell around 100,000 copies in a month. Talk about a super readership!