Harman Patil (Editor)

Before 1900s in comics

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This is a timeline of significant events in comics prior to the 20th century.

Contents

1663

  • A sequence, depicting a complete narrative - from the first meeting of the "actors" to the final murder - can be seen in the thirty-chapter headings in John Reynolds' The Triumph of God's Revenge Against the Crying and Execrable Sinne of .... Murther. The resemblance to a comic strip in form (but not matter) is striking.

    • 1682

  • Matthew Turner publishes A True Narrative of the Horrid Hellish Popish-Plot using panels and balloons.

    • 1717

  • Gijsbert De Groot publishes Afbeelding van de Geboorte Lijden en Sterven van de Salighmaecker der Weereld

    • 1783

  • Joseph Franz von Göz publishes Leonardo und Blandine an adaptation of his play in pictures.
  • Thomas Rowlandson publishes Two new Sliders for the state Magic Lanthern

    • 1784

  • Thomas Rowlandson publishes The Loves of the Fox and the Badger, or The Coalition Wedding

    • 1800

  • James Gillray publishes Democracy, or – a Sketch of the Life of Buonaparte (1800), a satirical text comic about Napoleon Bonaparte which uses panels.

    • 1801

  • Pehr Nordquist makes a sequential picture-story, Päder Målare och Munthen.

    • 1807

  • Dutch poet Willem Bilderdijk makes an eight page picture story/text comic, Hanepoot, for his nine year old son, though he doesn't publish it.

    • 1810

  • François Aimé Louis Dumoulin publishes Voyages et aventures surprenantes de Robinson Crusoé, an adaptation in pictures of the novel.

    • 1812

  • Thomas Rowlandson's illustrations to William Combe's novel about Dr. Syntax are notable for following one central character throughout a series of humorous sequences. The character will be re-used in two sequel books, printed in 1820 and 1821, making him the first serialized cartoon character. He is also the first cartoon character to be published in episode format in a magazine and inspire merchandising.
  • Hokusai publishes Hokusai Manga (Sketches by Hokusai), a series of illustrations that will have great influence on manga as a genre.

    • 1816

  • George Cruikshank publishes Gent, No Gent and Regent, a political cartoon poking fun at Prince George in three successive sequences.

    • 1819

  • Isaac Robert Cruikshank publishes the sequential illustration Every Man on His Perch, of Going to Hobby Fair.

    • 1825

  • June 11: First publication of The Glasgow Looking Glass (1825-1826), a British magazine that goes down in history as the first publication devoted entirely to comics and cartoons. In the same magazine William Heath publishes the pantomime comic History of a Coat, which is notable for having the first appearance of the cliffhanger To be continued.... Another comic from the same period by Heath is The Life of a Soldier; a Narrative and Descriptive Poem and An Essay on Modern Medical Education.

    • 1826

  • Isaac Robert Cruikshank publishes the sequential cartoon The National Pop-Shop in Threadneedle Street.

    • 1830

  • First publication of the satirical journal La Caricature (1830-1843) by Charles Philipon, which will attract many French caricaturist and early protototypical comics artists. It will also inspire similar satirical magazines in other countries.

    • 1831

  • Charles Philipon publishes a sequential cartoon, Les Poires, which depicts French king Louis-Philippe I gradually transforming into a pear. The cartoon causes much upheaval from the royal court.

    • 1833

  • First publication of Histoire de M. Jabot by Swiss teacher and amateur artist Rodolphe Töpffer, eventually initiating a trend of "histoires en images" (picture-stories).

    • 1836

  • George Cruikshank publishes Comic Alphabet, an illustration of the alphabet in a sequential narrative.

    • 1837

  • Rodolphe Töpffer publishes Histoire de M. Vieux Bois
  • Rodolphe Töpffer publishes Monsieur Crépin.

    • 1839

  • George Cruikshank's illustrations to William Ainsworth's novel Jack Sheppard make use of several successive illustrations to tell the story.

    • 1840

  • Rodolphe Töpffer publishes Monsieur Pencil.
  • Rodolphe Töpffer publishes Le Docteur Festus
  • Fritz von Dardel, publishes his earliest known comic strip.

    • 1841

  • July 17: The British satirical magazine Punch is launched by Henry Mayhew and Ebenezer Landells. It will be a haven for many British caricaturists and prototypical comics.
  • Rodolphe Töpffer's The Adventures of Mr. Oldbuck is published in the U.K.

    • 1842

  • Rodolphe Töpffer's The Adventures of Obadiah Oldbuck is published in the U.S.A.

    • 1844

  • George Cruikshank publishes the picture novel The Bachelors Own Book Being Twenty Four Passages in The Life of Mr. Lambkin, the first english origin comic book..
  • Fritz von Dardel, publishes 'Ett Frieri, the first Swedish comic strip.

    • 1845

  • First publication of the German satirical magazine Fliegende Blätter, whch will attract many German caricaturists and early comics artists.
  • Heinrich Hoffmann publishes Der Struwwelpeter, a moralistic picture story aimed at children.
  • Rodolphe Töpffer publishes Histoire d'Albert.
  • Rodolphe Töpffer publishes Histoire de Monsieur Cryptogame.

    • 1847

  • Gustave Doré publishes Les Travaux d'Hercule.

    • 1848

  • Félix Nadar draws the comics Les Aventures Illustrées du Prince pour rire (1848), Vie politique et littéraire de Viperin, journaliste et industriel (1848) and Vie publique et privée de mossieu Réac (1848-1849),.

    • 1849

  • George Cruikshank publishes The Preparatory School, a gag comic which makes use of speech balloons to tell a sequential story.

    • 1851

  • Gustave Doré publishes Trois Artistes Incompris et Mécontents.

    • 1853

  • Félicien Rops publishes the comic strip Les époux Van-Blague, making him one of the earliest Belgian comics artists.
  • John Tenniel publishes the comic strip Peter Piper.

    • 1854

  • Félicien Rops publishes Le Juif errant et ferré.
  • Gustave Doré publishes Historie Pittoresque de la Sainte Russie.
  • Fritz von Dardel, publishes Familjen Tutings Lustresa till Bomarsund.

    • 1855

  • John Tenniel publishes the comic strip Mr. Spoonbill.

    • 1856

  • Félicien Rops publishes Promenade au jardin zoologique.

    • 1857

  • Der Staatshämorrhoidarius by Count Franz Pocci - the first comic book from Germany (in the magazine Fliegende Blätter, from 1845).

    • 1858

  • Turmiolan Tommin elämäkerta (The Life Story of Pernicious Tommy), a Finnish temperance society publication - the first comic book drawn by a female artist, (Alexandra Frosterus-Såltin)

    • 1859

  • Fritz von Dardel, publishes Herrar Black & Smith på väg till Skandinavien.

    • 1861

  • Félicien Rops publishes M. Coremans au tir national.

    • 1864

  • Bilderpossen - the first comic book by Wilhelm Busch

    • 1865

  • Wilhelm Busch publishes Max und Moritz.
  • Julius Kell writes a new German text for Rodolphe Töpffer's Histoire de M. Vieux Bois, which he translates into Fahrten Abenteuer Des Herrn Steckelbein.

    • 1866

  • Charles Keene publishes the text comic The Adventures of Miss Lavinia Brounjones.
  • Julius Kell's German translation of Rodolphe Töpffer's Histoire de M. Vieux Bois provides the basis for J.J.A. Goeverneur's Dutch translation Reizen en Avonturen van Mijnheer Prikkebeen.

    • 1867

  • Charles H. Ross (text) and Émilie de Tessier publish the comic strip Ally Sloper's Half Holiday.
  • Léonce Petit publishes Les Mésaventures de M. Bêton (1867-1868).

    • 1869

  • Angelo Agostini publishes As Aventuras de Nhô Quim, the first Brazilian comic strip in history.

    • 1870s (unspecified which year)

  • Kobayashi Eitaku creates a scroll showing the decomposition of a female corpse in nine successive drawings.

    • 1871

  • October 29: First publication of the American satirical cmagazine Puck by Joseph Ferdinand Keppler.
  • Léonce Petit publishes Histoires Campagnardes.

    • 1872

  • Wilhelm Busch publishes Bilder zur Jobsiade.

    • 1875

  • May 22: Rafael Bordalo Pinheiro creates Zé Povinho, the first Portuguese comics character.
  • Wilhelm Busch publishes his Tobias Knopp trilogy.
  • Charles Keene publishes the comic Our American Cousin in Europe, which makes use of both speech balloons and sequences.

    • 1879

  • Palmer Cox publishes The Brownies, the first Canadian comic strip.

    • 1881

  • October 29: First publication of the American satirical cmagazine Judge.

    • 1883

  • Angelo Agostini publishes As Aventuras de Zé Caipora.

    • 1885

  • Political cartoonist Harold R. Heaton joins the Chicago Daily Tribune.

    • 1889

  • Georges Colomb publishes the comics series La Famille Fenouillard (1889-1893) under the pen name Christophe.

    • 1890

  • July 26: Alfred Harmsworth first publishes the British comics magazine Illustrated Chips (1890-1953).
  • Alfred Harmsworth publishes the British comics magazine Comic Cuts (1890-1953).
  • Georges Colomb publishes the comics series Le Sapeur Camember (1890-1896) under the pen name Christophe.

    • 1892

  • Jimmy Swinnerton publishes The Little Bears (1892-1896), the first American comic strip, notable for having recurring characters.

    • 1893

  • Georges Colomb publishes the comics series L' Idée Fixe du Savant Cosinus (1893-1899) and Les Malices de Plick et Plock (1893-1904) under the pen name Christophe.
  • John Tenniel becomes the first cartoonist to be knighted.

    • 1895

  • February 17: First publication of Hogan's Alley by Richard Outcault in the Pulitzer newspaper The New York World.

    • 1897

  • December 12: First publication of The Katzenjammer Kids by Rudolph Dirks in the Hearst newspaper New York Journal.

    • 1898

  • In Jimmy Swinnerton's The Little Tigers the character Mr. Jack makes his debut. He will have a spin-off comic later.
  • February 26: Dan Leno's Comics Journal, a comics magazine created by British comedian Dan Leno, is the first celebrity comic. Leno writes his stories personally, while Tom Browne provides the illustrations.

    • Deaths

  • 1800: Carl August Ehrensvärd, Swedish painter and caricaturist who made some early pantomime comics, dies at age 54 or 55.
  • November 1805: Pehr Nordquist, Swedish comics artist (Päder Målare och Munthen), dies at age 34.
  • April 1811: Isaac Cruikshank, Scottish cartoonist (Female Opinions on Military Tactics, The Humours of Belvoir Castle - or the Morning After), dies of alcohol poisoning at age 47.
  • February 26, 1814: Johan Tobias Sergel, Swedish comics artist (Prästen och Flickan), dies at age 74.
  • 'June 1, 1815: James Gillray, British caricaturist and political cartoonist, passes away.
  • April 21, 1827: Thomas Rowlandson, British cartoonist, illustrator and comics artist (Two New Sliders For The State Magic Lantern, The Loves of the Fox and the Badger, or the Coalition Wedding, Johnny Newcome, Dr. Syntax), passes away at age 70.
  • December 18, 1831: Willem Bilderdijk, Dutch poet and creator of an early unpublished comic (Hanepoot), dies at age 75.
  • April 20, 1836: Robert Seymour, British caricaturist and cartoonist, commits suicide at the age of 38.
  • April 7, 1840: William Heath, British caricaturist (History of a Coat), passes away at age 46 or 47.
  • June 8, 1846: Rodolphe Töpffer, Swiss comics artist (Histoire de M. Vieux Bois), dies at age 47.
  • April 18, 1849: Hokusai, Japanese illustrator, manga artist and painter, passes away.
  • March 13, 1856: Isaac Robert Cruikshank, British cartoonist and caricaturist (Every Man on His Perch, of Going to Hobby Fair, The National Pop-Shop in Threadneedle Street), dies at age 66.
  • October 29, 1864: John Leech, British caricaturist and illustrator (Mr. Briggs), dies at age 47.
  • November 8, 1865: David Claypoole Johnston, American political cartoonist, dies at age 65.
  • February 1, 1878: George Cruikshank, British cartoonist and caricaturist (The Preparatory School), passes away at age 85.
  • February 10, 1879: Honoré Daumier, French cartoonist, illustrator and graphic artist, dies at age 70.
  • January 23, 1884: Gustave Doré, French illustrator (Les Travaux d'Hercule, Trois Artistes incompris et mécontents and Histoire Pittoresque de la Sainte Russie) dies at age 51.
  • August 18, 1884: Léonce Petit: French illustrator, caricaturist and engraver (Histoires campagnardes, Les Mésaventures de M. Bêton), dies.
  • 1890: Émilie de Tessier, French comics artist (Ally Sloper), passes away at age 42 or 43.
  • May 27, 1890: Kobayashi Eitaku, Japanese illustrator, painter and prototypical manga artist (Decomposition of the corpse of a courtisane), dies at age 47.
  • January 4, 1891: Charles Keene, British cartoonist and comics artist (The Adventures of Miss Lavinia Brounjones, Our American Cousin in Europe), passes away at age 67.
  • September 20, 1894: Heinrich Hoffmann, German psychiatrist, novelist and illustrator (Der Struwwelpeter), dies at age 85.
  • October 12, 1897: Charles Henry Ross, British comics writer and cartoonist (Ally Sloper), dies at age 62.
  • August 23, 1898: Félicien Rops, Belgian illustrator and graphic artist (M. Coremans au tir national.), died at age 65.

    • References

    Before 1900s in comics Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA


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