Integrative Arts 10

Chronology of Comic Strips and Comic Books in America

1865
· Wilhelm Busch's "Max und Moritz" introduced in German papers. This strip had a direct influence on Rudolph Dirks who would plagiarize the strip for the Katzenjammer Kids.
· A.N. Kellogg News Company established. First newspaper syndicate in the U.S. consolidated during the final days of the Civil War for faster news reporting.

1877
· Puck magazine begins publication in America.

1881
· Judge magazine begins publication.

1883
· Life magazine begins publication

1894
· The first color newspaper page is published in the New York Recorder.
· One week later, the New York World under Joseph Pulitzer publishes it's first color page.
· "The Little Bears" by James Swinnerton begins in the San Francisco Examiner under William Randolph Hearst.

1895
· Richard Felton Outcault's "Yellow Kid" makes his first appearance in Pulitzer's the World.

1896
· The Yellow Kid begins publication as a weekly feature.

1897
· R.F.Outcault moves from Pulitzer's "The World" to Hearst's "Examiner".
· Hearst's "Journal American" establishes it's Sunday comic supplement, called the American Humorist it features Outcault's "Yellow Kid" and
· Dirk's "Katzenjammer Kids" make their first appearance.

1900
· "Foxy Grandpa" by Carl Schultze makes first appearance in the New York Herald.
· Frederic Burr Opper's "Happy Hooligan" first appearance.

1902
· R.F.Outcault's "Buster Brown" makes first appearance in the New York Herald.
1903
· Gustave Verbeck's "The Upside Downs" begins in the New York Herald.
· Clare Briggs's "A.Piker Clerk" makes first appearance the Chicago American.

1904
· First appearance of "The Newlyweds" by George McManus.
· Winsor McCay's "Dream of the Rarebit Fiend" makes first appearance in the Evening Telegram.
· James Swinnerton's "Little Jimmy" makes his first appearance.

1905
· Winsor McCay's epic "Little Nemo in Slumberland" makes first appearance in the New York Herald.
· Gustave Verbeck's "The Terrors of the Tiny Tads" makes first appearance.

1906
· C.W.Kahles "Hairbreadth Harry" makes first appearance.
· Lyonel Feininger's "The Kin-der-Kids" & "Wee Willie Winkie's World" begin in the Chicago Tribune

1907
· Bud Fisher's "Mutt & Jeff" makes it's first appearance as "Mr. A.Mutt" in the San Francisco Chronicle. Accredited as the first successful daily comic strip.

1910
· Harry Hershfield's "Desperate Desmond" first appearance.
· George Herriman's "Dingbat Family" makes it's first appearance. On July 26 Krazy Kat makes first transformed appearance

1911
· Sidney Smith's "Old Doc Yak" makes first appearance.

1912
· William Randolph Hearst creates "International Feature Service", later renamed King Features.
· Rudolph Dirks quits Hearst's Journal American and goes to Pulitzer's the World. Move results in lawsuit against Dirks that he may not take the Katzenjammer Kids with him. A landmark decision handed down in 1914
· Cliff Sterrett's "Positive Polly" makes first appearance. Later renamed Polly & Her Pals.
· Edgar Rice Burrough's "Under the Moons of Mars" published in All Story.
· Edgar Rice Burrough's "Tarzan of the Apes" published in All Story Magazine

1913
· George McManus' "Bringing Up Father" makes first appearance in the Journal American
· George Herriman's Krazy Kat appears as it's own strip with title on October 28

1914
· On appeal, Hearst v. Dirks suit settled. Landmark decision retains the rights of Hearst's Journal American to publish the Katzenjammer Kids without Dirks, while Dirks retains the right to draw his characters under a different title for the rival New York World.
· Harold H.Knerr's first Katzenjammer Kids appears.
· Dirk's "Hans and Fritz" makes first appearance. Later renamed "the Captain and the Kids" after America enters World War I.
· Harry Hershfield's "Abie the Agent" makes first appearance.

1915
· Fontaine Fox's "Toonerville Folks" makes first appearance as a regular feature.
· Rube Goldberg's "Boob McNutt" makes first appearance.
· Merrill Blosser's "Freckles and His Friends" makes first appearance.
· Moses Koenigsberg consolidates all of Hearst's syndication companies under one banner and calls it King Features Syndicate.

1917
· Sidney Smith's "the Gumps" makes first appearance in the Chicago Tribune.
· Felix the Cat appears in animated cartoons.

1918
· Frank King's "Gasoline Alley" makes first appearance in the Chicago Tribune

1919
· Billy DeBeck's "Barney Google" makes first appearance in the Journal American.
· Elzie Crisler Segar creates "Thimble Theater" in the Journal American.
· Carl Ed's "Harold Teen" makes first appearance in the Chicago Tribune.

1920
· Martin Branners "Winnie Winkle" makes first appearance.

1921
· Ed Wheelan's. "Minute Movies" first appearance.
· Russ Westover's "Tillie the Toiler" first appearance.
· J.R.Williams' "Out Our Way" first appearance.
1922
· Walter Berndt's "Smitty" makes first appearance.

1923
· Pat Sullivan's "Felix the Cat" first appearance as a newspaper strip in the Journal American.
· Sol Hess' "The Nebbs" makes first appearance, illustrated by W.A.Garrison.
· Frank Willard's " Moon Mullins" makes first appearance in the Chicago Tribune
· Ad Carter's "Just Kids" makes first appearance.

1924
· Harold Gray's "Little Orphan Annie" makes first appearance in the New York News
· Roy Crane's "Wash Tubbs" first appearance in the Chicago Tribune.
· Edgar Martin's "Boots and Her Buddies" makes first appearance.

1925
· Charles Plumb and Bill Conselman's "Ella Cinders" first appearance.

1926
· "Amazing Stories" begins publication.

1927
· Frank Godwin's marvelous adventure (later sci-fi) comic strip "Connie" makes first appearance.

1928
· Buck Rogers Makes first appearance in Amazing Stories, August 1928.
· Lyman Young's "Tim Tyler's Luck" first appearance.
· Hal Forrest creates "Tailspin Tommy" with Glenn Chaffin.
· Ham Fisher's "Joe Palooka" makes first appearance.
· Percy Crosby's "Skippy" makes first appearance in the Journal American.

1929
· Dick Calkin's "Buck Rogers" first appearance, January 7.
· Tarzan introduced as a comic strip illustrated by Harold R. Foster, January 7.
· Popeye makes his first appearance in Segar's "Thimble Theatre".
· Clifford McBride's "Napoleon" first appearance.
· Internationaly famous strip "Tintin" appears in Belgium created by Herge (Georges Remi).<

1930
· Walt Disney's "Mickey Mouse" introduced as a comic strip drawn by animator Ub Iwerks.
· Chic Young's "Blondie" makes her first appearance. Becomes the quintessential family strip a la "All in the Family".
· John Terry's "Scorchy Smith" makes first appearance.
1931
· Chester Gould's immortal "Dick Tracy" makes his first appearance in the Detroit Free Press on October 4.

1932
· Martha Orr's "Apple Mary" makes first appearance, becomes "Mary Worth" in 1940 by Dale Allen (Allen Saunders & Dale Conners).
· C.D. Russell's "Pete the Tramp" first appearance nationally.

1933
· Eastern Publishing prints "Funnies on Parade" the first comic book for Procter & Gamble as a promotional item. The contents of the book were entirely comic strip reprints.
· Zack Mosley's "On the Wing" makes first appearance on October 1, becomes "Smilin' Jack" in December.
· Brick Bradford by William Ritt & Clarence Gray makes first appearance.
· Milton Caniff's "Dickie Dare" makes first appearance.
· Vincent T. Hamlin's "Alley Oop" makes first appearance.

1934
· Alex Raymond's "Flash Gordon", "Jungle Jim" and "Secret Agent X-9" all begin in January. Secret Agent X-9 written by Dashiell Hammett.
· "Famous Funnies" #1 published in May becomes the first continuing comic book publication.
· "Skippy's Own Book of Comics" published. The first four-color comic book.
· Al Capp's "Lil Abner" makes first appearance.
· Milton Caniff's "Terry & The Pirates" makes first appearance.
· Will Gould's "Red Barry" first appearance.
· Lee Falk & Phil Davis' "Mandrake the Magician" makes first appearance.
· Otto Soglow's "Little King" first appearance.
· F.Martinek & L.Beroth's "Don Winslow" first appearance.
· Noel Sickles becomes artist & writer on "Scorchy Smith"

1935
· National Publications publishes "New Fun Comics", the first comic book with original content.
· Mickey Mouse Magazine begins publication.
· Bill Holman's "Smokey Stover" first appearance in the Chicago Tribune.
· Zane Grey's "King of the Royal Mounted" becomes a strip illustrated by Allen Dean.
· Ralph Fuller's "Oakey Doakes" first appearance.
· Bob Moore and Carl Pfeufer's "Don Dixon" makes first appearance.

1936
· The advent of Eastern's success with comic books prompts newspaper syndicates to issue their own titles.
· King Comics begins by King Features Syndicate.
· Tip Top Comics by United Features Syndicate.
· Popular Comics by Tribune syndicate.
· The Funnies by NEA Syndicate.
· Lee Falk & Ray Moore's "the Phantom" makes first appearance.

1937
· Harold Foster leaves the Tarzan strip (for the second time) to create his own strip "Prince Valiant" for King Features.
· Burne Hogarth becomes artist on the Tarzan Sunday page.
· Detective Comics #1 published by National.

1938
· Jerry Siegel & Joe Shuster's "Superman" makes first appearance in Action Comics #1. One of the most important events in comics history.
· Jumbo Comics begins publication.
· Alfred Andriola's "Charlie Chan" strip makes it's first appearance.
· Vernon Greene's "the Shadow" comic strip makes it's first appearance.
· Fred Harmon's "Red Ryder" makes his first appearance.
· Fran Stiker's "Lone Ranger" become a comic strip illustrated by Charles Flanders and written by Ed Kressy.
· In Italy, Benito Mussolini bans publication of American comic strips with the exception of Mickey Mouse.
· First Donald Duck comic published.

1939
· Bob Kane's "Batman" written by Bill Finger makes his first appearance in Detective Comics #27.
· Motion Picture Funnies #1 featuring Bill Everett's "Sub-Mariner"
· Carl Burgos' "Human Torch" and Bill Everett's "Sub-Mariner" make their first appearances in "Marvel Comics" #1, the first Marvel comic book.
· Superman #1 published. The first comic book devoted to a single superhero.
· Motion Picture Comics #1 published by DC. First adaptation comic of movies.
· All American Comics #1 published.
· New York World's Fair Comics Published with Superman, Batman, others.
· Batman #1 published.
· Jerry Robinson creates "the Joker" in a Batman #1.

1940
· Will Eisner's "the Spirit" makes his first appearance.
· Dale Messick's "Brenda Starr" makes her first appearance in the Chicago Tribune.
· "Robin the Boy Wonder" makes his first appearance in Detective #38
· C.C.Beck & William Parker create "Captain Marvel", he makes his first appearance in Whiz Comics #1.
· "Daredevil" makes his first appearance in Silver Streak #6.
· Gardner Fox & Harry Lampert create "the Flash" for DC. Flash Comics #1.
· The Shadow & Doc Savage get comic book titles.
· All-Star Comics #1 published. The third issue creates the Justice Society of America, the first superhero group.
· Walt Disney's Comics & stories #1 published.
· Planet Comics published. The first comic book devoted to science fiction.

1941
· Jack Kirby & Joe Simon create "Captain America". Captain America #1.
· Jack Cole's "Plastic Man" makes his first appearance in Police Comics #1
· Gus Arriola's "Gordo" first appearance.
· William Marsten & H.G. Peters' "Wonder Woman" makes her first appearance in All Star Comics #8.
· Bob Montana's "Archie" makes his first appearance in Pep Comics #4.
· George Papp's "Green Arrow" first appearance in More Fun #
· Looney Tunes & Merrie Melodies #1 published, featuring Bugs Bunny, Elmer Fudd and Porky Pig.
· Classic Comics #1 published, title becomes Classic Illustrated in 1943.

1942
· Crime Does Not Pay #22, the first crime comic appears.
· George Baker's "the Sad Sack" makes his first appearance.
· Crockett Johnson's "Barnaby" first appearance.
· Carl Barks first "Donald Duck" story appears in Four Color Comic #9.
· Wonder Woman #1 published.
· Archie Comics #1 published.

1943
· Roy Crane's "Buz Sawyer" makes first appearance.
· Alfred Andriola's "Kerry Drake" makes first appearance.
· Walt Kelly's Pogo makes his first appearance in Animal Comics #1

1944
· Frank Robbins' "Johnny Hazard" makes first appearance.
· Alex Raymond does his last Flash Gordon Sunday page.

1945
· "Little Lulu" becomes a comic book.
· Burne Hogarth leaves Tarzan to create his own strip "Drago".
· Ray Bailey's "Bruce Gentry" makes first appearance.
· "Frankenstein" comics #1 published.

1946
· The National Cartoonists Society founded. Rube Goldberg serves as President.
· Alex Raymond's "Rip Kirby" daily strip makes first appearance.
· Milton Caniff does his last Terry & the Pirates strip.

1947
· Max Gaines dies in boating accident, his son William M. Gaines takes over EC Comics.
· Eerie Comics #1 published by Avon Publishing, the first horror comic.
· Milton Caniff's "Steve Canyon" first appearance.
· George Wunder takes over Terry & The Pirates.
· Coulton Waugh's book "The Comics" published by MacMillen Publishing Company. It is the first in depth discussion and study of the comic strip's history in America. Reprinted by Luna Press in 1974. (Gilbert Seldes touched on comics as popular culture in his book "The Seven Lively Arts", 1924 Harper Bros.).

1948
· Walt Kelly's Pogo introduced as a comic strip in the New York Star.
· Frank Godwin's "Rusty Riley" first appearance.
· Rex Morgan, M.D. created by Nicholas Dallis & Allen Saunders.

1950
· Charles Schulz's "Peanuts" released as a comic strip. Previously the strip appeared in a magazine and was called "Lil Folks".
· Mort Walker's "Beetle Baily"
· EC Comics launches its "new trend" of horror comics signaling a new era in comics. Titles published are Crypt of Terror (Tales From the Crypt), Vault of Horror, Haunt of Fear, Weird Science, Weird Fantasy, Crime Suspenstories and Two Fisted Tales.

1951
· Jose Luis Salinas' "Cisco Kid" comic strip makes first appearance.
· Hank Ketcham's "Dennis the Menace" make his first appearance. (five days later British cartoonist David Law creates a strip of the same name).

1952
· Judge created by Nick Dallis and Dan Heilman.
· Mad Comics #1 published, the most popular humor comic of all time, it continues a successful run after more than 40 years.

1953
· Fawcett publications ceases comic publication after years of litigation over Captain Marvel, November. DC gets rights to Fawcett's characters.
· Planet Comics ceases publication in October with issue #73.
· Captain America, Human Torch & Sub-Mariner return for short time at Atlas (Marvel Comics).
· Weird Science & Weird Fantasy cease publication. Becomes a single title, Weird Science Fantasy in 1954.

1954
· Senate Committee on Juvenile Delinquincy holds hearings on comic books. EC publisher William Gaines testifies.
· Fredric Wertham's book "Seduction of the Innocent" is published in April. It's paranoid concepts lead to the Comics Code being created in October of the same year.
· World's Finest Comics #71, first Superman/Batman team-up.
· Mort Walker & Dik Browne create "Hi & Lois".
· Jimmy Olsen #1 published.

1955
· EC ceases publication of all horor titles, revamps entire line of comics.
· Mad Comics becomes Mad Magazine.
· Brave & the Bold comics #1 published.
· Gus Edson & Irwin Hasen co-create "Dondi".

1956
· EC ceases publication of all comic book titles.
· Showcase Comics #4 introduces the new Flash, signaling a new age of superheroes.
· Alex Raymond dies in car crash.

1957
· Showcase Comics #6 "Challengers of the Unknown" created by Jack Kirby. The prototype creation that led to The Fantastic Four in 1961.
· Reg Smythe's "Andy Capp" first published in England.
· Leonard Starr's "On Stage" first appearance.
· Mell Lazarus' "Miss Peach" first appearance.

1958
· Challengers of the Unknown #1 published.
· Johnny Hart's "B.C." first appearance.
· Jules Feiffer's "Feifer" syndicated.
· Stan Lynde's "Rick O'Shay" first appearance.
· Irving Phillips' "The Strange World of Mr. Mum" first appearance.
· James Warren introduces the influential magazine "Famous Monsters of Filmland" edited by fan favorite Forrest J. Ackerman.
· Lois Lane #1 published.

1959
· Stephen Becker's "Comic Art in America" published by Simon and Schuster.
· the Flash #105 (first issue) published.
· Jack Kirby returns to Marvel Comics writing & illustrating fantasy & sci-fi stories.
· The Green Lantern returns in Showcase #22

1960
· the Justice League of America first appearance in Brave & Bold #28. They get their own title in December.
· Green Lantern #1 published.

1961
· Jack Kirby (& Stan Lee) create "the Fantastic Four"(Fantastic Four #1) and the Marvel Age begins.
· Nick Dallis & Alex Kotsky's "Apartment 3-G" first appearance.
Jack Kirby, the King of of the Comics

1962
· Steve Ditko (& Stan Lee, with Jack Kirby) create "Spiderman" for Amazing Fantasy comics #15.
· Harvey Kurtzman & Will Elder's "Little Annie Fanny" first appearance in Playboy (October 1962)
· Jack Kirby creates "the Mighty Thor" and "the Hulk".

1963
· Jack Kirby creates the "X-Men".
· The first "Comic Book Convention" takes place in the basement of a comic book store in New York City.

1964
· Johnny Hart & Brant Parker's "Wizard of Id" makes first appearance.

1965
· Jack Kirby (& Stan Lee) create "Nick Fury, Agent of SHIELD", Strange Tales #135.
· Jules Feiffer's book "the Great Comic Book Heroes" published by Dial Press (Crown Publishers).
· Robert Crumb's "Fritz the Cat" first publication.
· Creepy and Eerie magazines begin publishing by Warren Pubs. These magazines re-unite the EC artists.

1966
· The City Museum of Cartoon Art inaugurated in Omiya, Japan. The first museum devoted to comic art.

1967
· Underground comix get a big boost with the printing of "Zap Comics" #0. The book features Gilbert Shelton's "Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers" and Robert Crumb's "Mr. Natural".
· Bill Blackbeard founds "The Academy of Comic Art" in San Francisco.
· In Paris, the Musee des Art Decoratifs exhibits a comprehensive overview of comic art "Bande Dessinee et Figuration Narrative".

1968
· Maurice Horn's book "A History of the Comic Strip" published (co-authored with Pierre Couperie).
· Jack Kirby creates "the Silver Surfer"
· Al Saunders & Al McWilliams's "Dateline: Danger" first appearance.
· Phil Seuling, a high school English teacher sponsors the New York Comic Art Convention over the July fourth weekend at the Statler Hilton Hotel signaling the organization of comics fandom.

1969
· "Collected Works of Buck Rogers in the 25th Century" published by Chelsea House.

1970
· "Conan the Barbarian" #1 published by Marvel, illustrated by Barry Smith.
· Garry Trudeau's "Doonesbury" syndicated.
· Russell Myers' "Broom Hilda" first appearance.

1971
· Maurice Horn organizes the exhibition "75 Years of the Comics" at the New York Cultural Center, the first comic exhibition ever held in a major American museum.

1972
· "The Comics, an Illustrated History of Comic Strip Art" by Jerry Robinson published, Putnam Books.
· "Swamp Thing" makes first appearance in House of Secrets #92.

1973
· Dik Browne's "Hagar the Horrible" makes first appearance.
· the Shadow returns to comic books at DC.
· Captain Marvel returns to comic books at DC.

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