The largest known collection of comic books is found in the United States' Library of Congress. The collection includes about 100,000 comic books published in the U.S. and elsewhere. As with other collections, the library’s inventory of comic books continues to be added to from time to time.
More facts about comic books:
- The origin of the contemporary comic book usually is traced to the graphic novels of the latter 19th century. The inspiration for the story lines and characters in comic books have often borrowed from Greek and Roman mythology.
- Comic book historians often divide the history of comic books into several epochs or ages. The Golden Age covered the years 1938 to 1956, and the Silver Age was from 1956 to 1971. The Bronze and Iron Ages covered 1971 to 1980 and 1980 to 1987, respectively. The Modern Age began in 1987.
- Many of the first comic books were compilations of comics that had appeared in daily newspapers or in weekly or monthly publications. During the late 1930s, original characters were developed that became the focus of specific editions of comic books, a trend that continued into the 21st century.
By Malcolm Tatum
, Writer
Malcolm Tatum, a former teleconferencing industry professional, followed his passion for trivia, research, and writing to become a full-time freelance writer. He has contributed articles to a variety of print and online publications, including WiseGEEK, and his work has also been featured in poetry collections, devotional anthologies, and newspapers. When not writing, Malcolm enjoys collecting vinyl records, following minor league baseball, and cycling.