The word "comic" is the term for a story told in a visual sequence, using a combination of words and pictures. Some historians think comics have roots in much earlier visual storytelling methods, such as Egyptian hieroglyphics, Japanese scrolls and European stained glass windows. Comics, as we know them now, can be traced back to 18th century "picture stories" --sequential drawings with political captions--published in British and German newspapers. By the following century, funny non-political picture stories gained popularity and the "comic strip" was born.

The first comic book was published in New York in 1933. "Funnies on Parade" was a book published by the Eastern Color Printing Company as an advertisement for their business and was initially given away free. By 1938, what is known as The Golden Age of Comics began with the arrival of "Superman."

From 1938-1954 most comics were superhero, action or horror stories made for kids (especially boys). Then in 1954, the Comics Code (created by the Comics Code Authority) was created to curb the violence in comics that was said to be corrupting children. After that, comic content became more creative as a way to work with the new restrictions and it blossomed into a medium for all ages.

Now, in the Modern Age of comics, the medium has become much more popular and creative. As an alternative to the traditional superhero, sci-fi and "Archie" comics, a culture of underground comics began in the late '60s with artists like Sue Coe and R. Crumb. Recently, underground comics have made their mark on the comic world. For instance, Art Spiegelman's graphic novel "Maus" won a Pulitzer Prize in 1992, Chris Ware's "Jimmy Corrigan: The Smartest Kid on Earth" was the only comic ever to be honored at the NYC Whitney Museum Biennial in 2002 and underground comics like "Ghost World" and "Sin City" have been made into Hollywood movies. Comic artists have also started publishing their work online, known as "webcomics," creating a fast and effective way of distributing their work.