Comic books have been part of American popular culture for several decades. Although early comic strip characters like “The Yellow Kid” and “Mutt and Jeff” graced the pages of American newspapers before 1900, it wasn’t until the 1930s that the comic book was born. Unlike Japanese manga, American comic books are like thin magazines with stapled pages, traditionally printed in full color on newsprint with a glossy cover.

In 1938, Superman made his debut in the pages of Action Comics, and fellow superhero Batman was introduced in Detective Comics the following year. Superman, who came to Earth as an infant sent in a rocket to escape the destruction of his home planet, had a variety of powers, including the ability to fly, super speed and strength, X-ray vision, and near-invincibility. When he wasn’t saving the world as Superman, he assumed the secret identity of a news reporter named Clark Kent. Batman, in contrast, was an ordinary man with no supernatural powers. His alter-ego Bruce Wayne, however, was a millionaire and had the resources to outfit himself with the latest gear and technological equipment, and was also a martial arts expert.

Both characters became tremendously popular, especially among adolescent boys. But not all comics featured superheroes --- various other comic genres also sprung up, each targeting a different type of reader. Archie, for example, was a comic dealing with the pitfalls of being high school teenagers. Walt Disney cartoon characters like Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck also were popular among younger children.

In the 1960s, Stan Lee of Marvel Comics created several new comic book superheroes, including Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, X-Men, and the Hulk. Super-powered villains also became the norm, giving comics an interesting new twist. The aforementioned Marvel characters have all been featured in several recent movies. Also, the popular 2005 film Batman Begins introduced that character to yet another new generation of fans.

As comic book readership has become more mature over the years, so have the books themselves. What were once “funny books” that could be purchased for a dime or a quarter at the local drug store have become so-called “graphic novels” costing several dollars apiece. Early comic books also fetch high prices at auctions, and serious collectors will pay thousands of dollars for a first-edition comic book or a page of original comic art. One collection of comic books found in a closet of a home for sale in Denver in 1977 featured many early comics in mint condition, worth a total of over $50 million!

By Jeff Richards