CELEBRATING NATIONAL COMIC BOOK DAY
This week, Northeast Maglev is joining in celebrating a centuries-old form of entertainment that is enjoyed by children and adults alike around the world. National Comic Book Day is recognized every year on September 25th as a day for fans, lovers and collectors to honor the history of comic books.
Comic Books first became popular in the 1800s by Rudolphe Töpffer, a swiss artist in Europe, as a new way to tell stories. Töpffer is recognized for pioneering the series of illustrated pictures and words that quickly became a popular form of entertainment in the US. In Europe, Töpffer created the first comic book, The Adventures of Obadiah Oldbuck, in 1837. By 1842, An English version of the comic was published in New York, making it the first known comic book to be printed in America.
While only one copy of the comic was printed in the US, other American artists used Töpffer’s influence to illustrate their own American comics. The first American made comic, Funnies on Parade was published in early newspapers in 1933. Funnies on Parade was a collection of comic strips based on popular television cartoons during those times. The comic strips were printed and sold in newspapers across the US.
In 1938 one of the most recognizable comic books, Superman, was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. The success of this comic led to the beginning of a new era of superhero newspaper cartoons. Spin-offs Batman and Robin, Wonder Woman, Plastic Man, Green Lantern and Flash all were popular comic reads that highlight the adventures of superheroes. Captain Marvel is another popular spinoff that ended out outselling Superman during the 1940s.
Comic books have and continue to provide fans with an inexpensive, entertaining and engaging storytelling experience.
To celebrate National Comic Book Day, we decided to create our very own Maglev comic, check it out!
Now more than ever, we need your help to make the project a reality. Be sure to sign our petition, and write letters to your legislators. Keep track of what we’re up to by following us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.