The comic strip has an interesting history. The first comic strip
was run way back in 1895. It was "Hogan's Alley," by Richard F. Outcault
for New York City's Sunday edition of The World. The comic
strip was about a mischievous little boy, Mickey Dugan. Nicknamed
the Yellow Kid, the strip was renamed this in 1896. Soon, other comic
strips such as "The Katzenjammer Kids" appeared in other newspapers.
This strip by Rudolph Dirks first appeared in the New York Journal
in 1897. The first successful daily comic strip was Bud Fisher's
"A. Mutt" (later retitled "Mutt and Jeff".) It appeared in the San
Francisco Chronicle
in 1907.
Adventure strips became popular in the 1930's. Chester Gould created
the detective story "Dick Tracy" in 1931. Also popular were "Prince
Valient" by Harold Foster in 1937, and "Superman" created by Jerry
Siegel and Joe Shister in 1938.
Many comic strips have also become the basis for an artist's political
views. Strips such as: "The Yellow Kid," "Little Orphan Annie" (1924)
by Harold Greg, Al Capp's "Li'l Abner" (1934), and "Pogo" (1949)
By Walt Kelly. Political views are still apparent in today's comic
strips as well. In Berke Breathed's "Bloom Country" (1980),
"B.C." (1958) drawn by Johnny Hart, and Garry Tredeau's "Doonesbury,"
social events and political views are all commented on.
Comics began to lose popularity after the introduction of television in
the late 1940's. Yet, by the 1960's, comics became popular
once again. Today's comics not only appeal to children, but
also to adults.
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