1. Development & Maturation: Classification of the Genre, Era, and the Industry!

2. Classifying the Medium Eras of the American Comic Book Hmmmmm..what does this mean… Classification Based on Major changes in comic book content or industry practices! Follow These Terms Closely… 1.Inception: the initial development of the characteristics that define the era. 2.Flashpoint: the works that embody the characteristics of the era and stand as models for other works to follow or actions that truly “ignite” the era. 3.Lasting effects: considerations of how the medium was altered by the era. Glad You Asked!

3. Era of Invention Lasting Effects: Established the characteristics of the art form (gutter, balloons, etc.) and the medium (cheap, disposable) Era of Proliferation Inception: 1934 - Famous Funnies #1 Flashpoint: 1938- Action Comics #1 Lasting Effects: The “superhero” became strongly associated with the comic book. Era of Diversification Inception: 1940 - SciFi, aviation, funny animals… Flashpoint: 1947 - William Gaines inherits Educational Comics Lasting Effects: Established a number of various genres that have been repeated and revised by subsequent creators. Era of Retrenchment Inception: 1952 – Competition from TV/peak and decline of industry Flashpoint: Seduction of the Innocent & the Comic Code Authority Lasting Effects: Constraints on the content of mainstream comic books, limiting the complexity of storytelling

4. and more… Era of Connection Inception: 1956 (Showcase #4) Flashpoint: 1962 (Amazing Fantasy #15) Lasting Effects: The more fallible hero eventually led to the anti- hero, and comics fandom comes into being. Era of Independence Inception: 1958 – Kurtzman’s Humbug Flashpoint: 1968 – Zap #1, His Name is Savage Lasting Effects: Alternative and small press comic books emerge, allowing varying degrees of freedom from traditional mainstream constraints Era of Ambition Inception: 1978 – A Contract With God Flashpoint: 1986 – Maus Watchmen The Dark Knight Returns Lasting Effects: Ambitious works that garner mainstream media attention

5. Era of Reiteration Inception: 1986 – The Man of Steel Flashpoint: Marvels Zero Hour Lasting Effects: Mainstream publishers continue to cater to a smaller, highly specialized audience. To infinity…and BEYOND!

6. The Shop System Developed in the mid-thirties to meet growing demand for MATERIAL to fill comic books. Assembly-line fashion Publishers USED these shops Mainly large, one-room studios with rows of artists and writers. And what did these individuals produce? Superhero genre and funny animal comics: early 1940’s! Romance Comics: in the late 1940’s- early 50’s! Western Comics: late 1940’s! Popular rise in Crime genre books: late 40’s/50’s! …in response to this growing subculture, 1954 saw the medium in a fight of its own!