10 Major Milestones In Comic Book History

1. Action Comics #1 Releases In 1938

Although comics had existed in some capacity before the big blue boy scout arrived on the scene in 1938, none were of the superhero genre as we'd perceive it today. Jerry Siegel and Joe Shushter did, of course, break this trend with the release of Action Comics #1, which contained the first appearance of the world's most famous hero, Superman.

The sheer fact that Siegel and Shushter's book kickstarted the superhero genre in print is cause enough to take note of its significance, but it also introduced the world to Superman too! Today, he's one of if not the most recognisable fictional character in modern history. His creation, too, birthed a massive modern day mythology, one that's spanned across film, TV, gaming and, of course, comics themselves as well.

The release of Action Comics is, without doubt, the most important event in comic book history - a fact that hasn't been lost on collectors, with the most recent sale of the book having come at a price of over three million dollars. It's money well spent, one would imagine, as there's little chance that the issue's value (both monetarily and historically) will deteriorate in the foreseeable future.

Supes may cut a divisive figure these days, but his role in ushering in a golden age of storytelling cannot - and should not - be underestimated.

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Are there any other events out there that you think have influenced the medium? Let us know in the comments below!