Chapter 24: The History of Comics
By Yue Shang Xintou
The modern comic book, as we know it, was born in the 1930s.
It is the product of a combination of two literary forms: pulp magazines and newspaper comic strips.
Prior to this, comic strips were primarily serialized in newspapers, known as "strips."
Influenced by the newspaper distribution method, comic strips were generally serialized one line per day (with longer editions on Sundays), and their narrative techniques were relatively fixed. The content and style of comics were diverse, ranging from the well-known humorous "four-panel comic" to detective and action themes.
Many highly acclaimed serialized comics originated from pulp novels or drew a lot of inspiration from them. A prime example is *Tarzan*, adapted from the novel of the same name. Although its plot wasn't original, this type of comic made significant strides in dramatic storytelling compared to simple humorous comics.
However, the economic crisis and The Great Depression changed the status quo of comics.
Readers were no longer satisfied with mere humor or simple gags. The rising crime rate and helplessness in the face of reality led people to crave stronger, more commanding figures to turn things around. He would be powerful, invincible, and unbeatable; he would uphold justice, eliminate the evils of the world, and bring hope to humanity.
Crimes like those of Bonnie and Clyde were not uncommon; they just weren't as famous. And apart from a few ardent followers of criminals, the vast majority of the public felt fear and revulsion.
On their way home from work on weekends, people had to carefully guard their paychecks.
To protect them from insidious robberies and thefts.
In short, people were calling for heroes.
This is also one of the main reasons why detective comics like *Dick Tracy* were born and became popular. The "hard-boiled" private detective who fought against evil became a reflection of the readers' reality, and Dick Tracy's tough approach to fighting crime in the comic indirectly provided an outlet for their dissatisfaction and frustration with real life.
Perhaps, this was an opportunity.
Colin withdrew his gaze from the *Dick Tracy* comic in Little John's hand, and the vague inspiration in his mind grew clearer.
The condensation of the [Mark] requires the will of [Faith], and comics seem like a good choice.
Unlike The Messenger Newspaper in the past, which relied on hateful rhetoric to absorb some distorted [Faith].
Instead, it was a way of deliberately guiding and instilling the readers' [Faith] into the comic's characters, just like in primitive society, people used all things as totems to forge a path of faith.
Colin also intended to use comics as the pattern of the [Mark] to absorb readers' [Faith].
So, am I actually a missionary?
No, that's not right. I don't molest children or am a pervert, so I'm not qualified to be a priest at all.
…
Thinking of a way to change the method of obtaining [Faith], the expression on Colin's face lit up with excitement.
Following his train of thought, he began to seriously consider the theme of the serialized comic in The Messenger Newspaper.
As a transmigrator, having been immersed in the Internet age of later generations, Colin's choices could be described as extremely wide, and the content of various comics, novels, and even film and television blossomed, providing him with a vast array of choices.
However, such a rich selection of materials not only failed to make things easier for him, but also became an impediment for Colin in some respects.
How to choose the most favorable story from so many themes as the next serialized comic in the newspaper truly tested Colin's keen eye.
"..."
A silent atmosphere flowed within the Messenger Newspaper office.
Looking at Colin, who had just asked about the content of the comic and suddenly fallen into deep thought, Little John looked at Old John next to him with some trepidation. The latter shook his head, motioning him to remain silent.
No, no, maybe I'm overthinking it.
Shaking his head, Colin reined in the countless ideas that had sprung up in his mind and began to think about all this from a realistic perspective.
The history of the Main World was in The Great Depression, so many comic themes that were too ahead of their time might not be suitable for publication in this era. Considering the overall atmosphere of society at this time and the public's acceptance, an idea slowly formed in Colin's mind.
Looking at the content of *Dick Tracy* fighting criminals in the newspaper, a slight smile touched the corners of Colin's mouth.
Since the people of this era were calling out for, longing for heroes.
Then he would give them heroes—superheroes, in fact.
That's right. After Colin's careful consideration, he finally decided to make the serialized comic's story about superheroes.
The Great Depression was the very crucible for the birth of superhero comics.
The terrible economy fostered rampant crime. Those living in this era not only suffered from economic hardship but also faced a more dangerous public safety environment than ever before. This harsh environment shook the public's [Faith].
Many people who did not originally believe in religion falsely claimed to be religious in order to obtain the food and sanctuary provided by the Salvation Army.
People were in urgent need of a [Faith] and spiritual sustenance to get rid of the difficult life and pain in the Main World.
Radio seized this opportunity, ushering in a golden age of rapid growth, and comics, too, clearly stood at the precipice of a similar unique opportunity.
In fact, not long after *Dick Tracy* was serialized, a newspaper also serialized a comic that was similar to or a prototype of modern superheroes, *The Phantom*. The protagonist of the comic wore a bodysuit, a mask, and had a secret identity. Except for not having superpowers, there was little difference between him and traditional superheroes.
And *The Phantom*'s qualities inspired many later authors and became the predecessor of superheroes.
Of course, the object Colin chose for the serialized comic would naturally not be this so-called *The Phantom* or 'Phantom Man' or whatever.
This character, although his name contained "phantom," was essentially just an ordinary person wearing a bodysuit. The plot was mostly derived from the framework of detective comics. Rather than a superhero comic, it was more a variant of a detective comic.
Since he chose superhero comics as the pattern for obtaining [Faith] in The Great Depression, Colin would naturally not handicap himself by using an ordinary character without any superpowers as his subject.
Predictably, once he chose *The Phantom* to condense the Black Iron [Mark], the result would not be much different from using Hoover.
Conversely, if the title 'superhero' was to be truly fitting.
Then, the character should truly live up to the "super" in the title, so that comic readers would immediately associate the name with this hero's presence.
Thinking of this, a name immediately appeared in Colin's mind.
Superman!
(end of chapter)