The first comic strips appeared in American newspapers in the 1890's. From their earliest days, comics have been an important form of popular culture, reflecting the lives and fantasies of their readers. Especially before the advent of television, their popularity was staggering; they were an important means of mass communication, influencing attitudes, highlighting social problems, adding words and phrases to the language. From America comic strips have spread throughout the world and have had a major impact on contemporary painting and other art forms. Most of all, they have helped us throughout the years to see the drama in our everyday experiences and to laugh at some of the things we do. 

The Art of the Comic Strip is a lively exploration of the development of this distinctively American art form from its beginnings to the present. The extensive illustrations present highlights from forty-five outstanding strips, from "Little Nemo," "Krazy Kat," "Blondie," "Buck Roger," "Li'l Abner" and other longtime favorites to contemporary works like "Pogo," "Peanuts" and "B.C." In a simple and concise text, Shirley Glubok discusses the artists who created the strips, the ways the strips have changed over the years and the impact they have had on readers' lives.

From the dust jacket