The Early Years
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The first Superman comic flew into stores in 1938, which marked
the beginning of an era of original stories told through original art. Comics, however, go
back to the turn of the century with the "What, me worry" predecessor, the
Yellow Kid, which started out in newspapers as a single panel cartoon similar to the
editorial cartoons of the time. Some comics were reprinted in comic book format as early
as 1916-1920 but not on a regular publication schedule. It wasn't until the late
'20s that the first monthly comic books were published, but again, these were reprints of
newspaper comics.
Titles in this era include Ace Comics, with reprints of Jungle
Jim, Blondie, and Krazy Kat; Comic Monthly, which had reprints of Polly & Her Pals,
Barney Google, Tillie the Toiler, and Little Jimmie; The Funnies, with reprints of Big
Brudder, Jazzbo & Jim, and Foxy Grandpa, and later Tailspin Tommy, Alley Oop, and
Captain Easy Funny Pages, and one of the earliest dedicated to just one title, Mutt and
Jeff.
It wasn't until Action Comics #1, in 1938, when original stories
and art were finally being conceived just for comic books. I mark the early years of comic
books from their beginning up to 1938 when the super heroes were born (originated), which
was the semi-official start of the Golden Era of comic books.
Unfortunately, my collection does not include any early comics,
but I do have some very early color and black and white newspaper comic strips, which I
will be scanning in soon.