The Comics: Before 1945

About this book

In their first five decades the funnies became an essential part of American life. Comic strip characters - Mutt and Jeff Barny Google Little Orphan Annie Popeye Blondie Dick Tracy Flash Gordon Lil Abner - were everywhere. They starred in live-action and animated films stage plays and radio programs and they helped market a wide range of products. Their phrases enriched the language; their adventures which reflected societal changes were retold in books and inspired hit songs. Cartoonist and historian Brian Walkers comprehensive survey - illustrated with rare original art - is the most authoritative history of American newspaper comics currently in print. It documents the fascinating origins of the comics and decade by decade the major trends in the funnies business. In-depth biographies of twenty-one of the most important creators of the era are featured as well as samples of many other artists work. The Comics Before 1945 joins the authors The Comics Since 1945 to form a classic survey of American popular culture by one of the greatest authorities in the field.