While satirical cartooning had long been a feature of 18th and 19th century periodicals, it was the marriage of pulp narrative with visual graphics in post World-War I America that gave rise to the popular daily newspaper strip and its offshoot - the comic book.
The golden age of comics began in 1938 when Action Comics published its first issue, featuring a character named Superman.
In Australia too, comics have had a long and varied history that spans nearly a century. From the thriving industry of the 40s, 50s and 60s which saw comics such as Silver Starr, The Raven and The Phantom, to a revival of the comics culture in the 90s through to today, with titles such as Dark Nebula, Zxenith and Platinum Grit.