A Brief History of the Comic Character in America
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of collecting and the role of both the beginning and the advanced collector.
This week, we’d like to continue in that vein with a look at the history of the
comic character in America, by Richard D. Olson, Ph.D. We think you’ll find
Olson’s insights both inspiring and enlightening. Read on…
Mint and now would be considered one of the keys in any collection. Although its
size, features, and denomination are unlike any coins minted today, it is still
an American coin and has great historical significance. In every field of
stature in which people collect, there are similar examples: e.g., automobiles,
sports, stamps, and toys.
We have to remember that the term “toys”
represents a genre as well as one specific form of that genre. Remember when you
studied biology and had to learn similar headings for family, genus, and
species. In its most general sense, the field of toys contains over 350
categories. One sub-heading would be comics, which at the more specific level
contains political cartoons, newspaper comics, comic books, and over 100 other
categories, and within these categories are titles or artists. It is very
important that we realize that all of our diverse collecting interests come
together under this generic category of “toys” and that we share a common field
of interest.
The 1842 comic book, “The Adventures of Mr. Obadiah
Oldbuck,” was probably the first comic book published in America. Like the 1793
half cent, it would be one of the keys in any comic book collection in spite of
its unusual size and adult content. As in every field of collecting, the
earliest known examples of an item rarely look anything like today’s products.
During the next 25 years, individual publications and cartoons in
regularly published magazines continued to appear in a wide variety of sizes and
formats. For example, Scribner’s began publication in 1870 and usually contained
a few political cartoons. However, in 1877, the first issue was published of
the English edition of the now-famous humor magazine, Puck. Judge
followed in 1881, Life began in 1883, and several other humor magazines
followed them. All of these magazines contained adult humor, illustrations, and
cartoons.
The move from narrative to cartoon increased as the readership
of magazines became more widespread. In a country where a surprisingly large
number of people were either illiterate or immigrants from every country
speaking their native tongues, the cartoons could be understood even if the
language wasn’t clear.
Thomas Nast became famous for his cartoons
criticizing the infamous Boss Tweed of Tammany Hall. Tweed reportedly told his
henchmen, “Stop them damn pictures. I don’t care so much what the papers write
about me. My constituents can’t read. But, damn it, they can see pictures.” He
even offered Nast $500,000 to go study art in Europe. Nast continued his
cartoons for Harper’s Weekly and was credited as being one of the primary
reasons for Tweed’s downfall.
Because of Scribner’s success with
their adult magazine, they created a similar magazine for children. St.
Nicholas, A Magazine for Children, began publication with the November, 1873
issue. It was the first magazine specifically marketed for children that also
contained a few pages of cartoons, fantasy illustrations, and other humorous
material. Beginning with the February, 1883, issue, Palmer Cox introduced his
trademark verse and art fantasy feature, The Brownies. The Brownies were
immensely popular, and became the first comic characters to successfully
merchandise goods. By the end of the century, Brownies products were being sold
in Europe as well as America, and the Brownies became the first magazine comic
characters to achieve significant financial success.
Scribner’s
decision to publish a smaller, age-oriented magazine for children has been a
common theme throughout history. Companies have made fortunes by creating
smaller or age-based versions of adult products. The excitement of a real fire
truck became the basis of a toy fire truck. A man’s rifle translated into a
small version for a boy. The mother’s house became a dollhouse for her daughter.
In many cases, the smaller version prepared the child for using the adult
version as they aged. Take a walk through Toys-R-Us and you will see this theme
repeated in most of the merchandise.
Because of the financial success
magazines were attributing to their illustrators, Joseph Pulitzer started a
colored supplement for the Sunday edition of his paper, The NY World,
which would contain illustrations and cartoons. R. F. Outcault, a popular
cartoon artist at Truth Magazine, published his first cartoon in the
magazine on March 4, 1893. He was hired by Pulitzer to draw for the NY World
and was featured by 1894. On February 17, 1895, Outcault’s first Yellow
Kid cartoon appeared in the paper in black and white. On May 5, 1895, the
Yellow Kid was published in color for the first time, and by the end of the
year, the Yellow Kid had become the toast of the town. Because there is some
confusion over the historical role of the Yellow Kid in the history of the
comics, let me state explicitly that he was not the first comic character in
America as many others had already appeared in magazines, and a few had even
appeared in newspapers. However, he was the first recurring character in the
newspapers to become a superstar! For the first time, a newspaper comic
character had demonstrated that he could sell papers and be used to merchandise
a wide array of goods. New York City fell in love with the Yellow Kid, and the
Yellow Kid permanently established the comics in the newspapers and the use of
newspaper comic characters to market merchandise. In short, he was the first
great newspaper comic character to achieve financial success. His fame was
short-lived, however, and his last regular appearance in the papers was in 1898.
It has been speculated that he was just to rough and mischievous for parents to
let their children read his exploits.
In 1902, Outcault invented Buster
Brown. This time he created an upper class boy who got in trouble with his
pranks, was punished, and finished each Sunday’s page with a RESOLUTION panel
stating that he would never be bad again. Parents liked this comic, and
Buster Brown became the first nationally syndicated comic strip. Buster
sold newspapers and products like never before, and his shoes are still for sale
today.
Soon publishers were reprinting the Sunday pages full size on
quality slick paper, cutting them in half, and binding them between hardboard
covers. These 11″ x17″ oblong reprint comic books were even sold by Sears.
Similar books in other sizes and formats followed, and the stage was set for the
birth of the modern comic book in the 1930’s. For a more detailed discussion of
all aspects of the history of the American Comic Book, please read the articles
in The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide.
d the Brownies became the first magazine comic characters to achieve significant financial success.
par
par i Scribner’si0 decision to publish a smaller, age-oriented magazine for children has been a common theme throughout history. Companies have made fortunes by creating smaller or age-based versions of adult products. The excitement of a real fire truck became the basis of a toy fire truck. A man’s rifle translated into a small version for a boy. The mother’s house became a dollhouse for her daughter. In many cases, the smaller version prepared the child for using the adult version as they aged. Take a walk through Toys-R-Us and you will see this theme repeated in most of the merchandise.
par
par Because of the financial success magazines were attributing to their illustrators, Joseph Pulitzer started a colored supplement for the Sunday edition of his paper, i The NY Worldi0 , which would contain illustrations and cartoons. R. F. Outcault, a popular cartoon artist at i Truth Magazinei0 , published his first cartoon in the magazine on March 4, 1893. He was hired by Pulitzer to draw for the i NY World i0 and was featured by 1894. On February 17, 1895, Outcault’s first i Yellow Kidi0 cartoon appeared in the paper in black and white. On May 5, 1895, the Yellow Kid was published in color for the first time, and by the end of the year, the Yellow Kid had become the toast of the town. Because there is some confusion over the historical role of the Yellow Kid in the history of the comics, let me state explicitly that he was not the first comic character in America as many others had already appeared in magazines, and a few had even appeared in newspapers. However, he was the first recurring character in the newspapers to become a superstar! For the first time, a newspaper comic character had demonstrated that he could sell papers and be used to merchandise a wide array of goods. New York City fell in love with the Yellow Kid, and the Yellow Kid permanently established the comics in the newspapers and the use of newspaper comic characters to market merchandise. In short, he was the first great newspaper comic character to achieve financial success. His fame was short-lived, however, and his last regular appearance in the papers was in 1898. It has been speculated that he was just to rough and mischievous for parents to let their children read his exploits.
par
par In 1902, Outcault invented Buster Brown. This time he created an upper class boy who got in trouble with his pranks, was punished, and finished each Sunday’s page with a RESOLUTION panel stating that he would never be bad again. Parents liked this comic, and i Buster Browni0 became the first nationally syndicated comic strip. Buster sold newspapers and products like never before, and his shoes are still for sale today.
par
par Soon publishers were reprinting the Sunday pages full size on quality slick paper, cutting them in half, and binding them between hardboard covers. These 11” x17” oblong reprint comic books were even sold by Sears. Similar books in other sizes and formats followed, and the stage was set for the birth of the modern comic book in the 1930’s. For a more detailed discussion of all aspects of the history of the American Comic Book, please read the articles ini Thei0 i Overstreet Comic Book Price Guidei0 .b
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