Comics

The traditional comic book consists of narratives told in text placed within a series of brightly colored panels the sequentially depict the plot's action. Traditionally, these narratives have been printed on cheap newsprint sandwiched between glossy covers published in magazine format. Historically, comic books have been produced and consumed primarily by males. Consequently, the narratives featured in comics and the characters that populate them reflect mainstream masculine tastes. This gender bias is significant, given that the sociocultural influence of comic books extends far beyond the printed page to include books, films, and television series, as well as lunch boxes, toys, video games, and other merchandise.

The comic book medium can be traced to the Great Depression as the brainchild of entrepreneur Max Gaines, who saw the social need for, and the commercial potential of, inexpensive escapist entertainment. Initially, “the comics” were cheaply reproduced collections of “funnies” that had first appeared in newspapers. These were popular enough to warrant the development of original material, as there were not enough recyclable funnies to satisfy demand. Initially, new material consisted of stories conforming to the conventions of popular genres, such as hardboiled detective mysteries and “shoot ‘em up” westerns, adapted to the comic book format. In February 1935, Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson published the first comic book to contain all-new material, New Fun. This venture proved successful enough to prompt him to publish others, including Detective Comics, which was launched in 1937. Although financial difficulties forced Wheeler-Nicholson out of the comic book business, Detective Comics continued to be published, with its publisher adopting the name Detective Comics, Inc. (which became DC Comics). This publisher went on to become one of the giants in the industry.