In their first five decades, the funnies became an essential part of American life. Comic strip characters - Mutt and Jeff, Barny Google, Little Orphan Annie, Popeye, Blondie, Dick Tracy, Flash Gordon, Li'l Abner - were everywhere. They starred in live-action and animated films, stage plays, and radio programs, and they helped market a wide range of products. Their phrases enriched the language; their adventures, which reflected societal changes, were retold in books and inspired hit songs.Cartoonist and historian Brian Walker's comprehensive survey - illustrated with rare original art - is the most authoritative history of American newspaper comics currently in print. It documents the fascinating origins of the comics and, decade by decade, the major trends in the funnies business. In-depth biographies of twenty-one of the most important creators of the era are featured, as well as samples of many other artists' work. The Comics Before 1945 joins the author's The Comics Since 1945 to form a classic survey of American popular culture by one of the greatest authorities in the field.