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Did You Know? 12 Strange Facts About Comic Books
Comic books have been a cornerstone of popular entertainment for nearly a century, captivating readers with colorful heroes, dastardly villains, and epic storylines. While many fans know the mainstream stories of Superman, Batman, and Spider-Man, the comic book industry harbors numerous bizarre, fascinating, and downright strange facts that even dedicated enthusiasts might not know. From peculiar publication decisions to unexpected historical events, these twelve strange facts reveal the wonderfully weird world behind sequential art storytelling.
1. Superman Couldn’t Always Fly
When Superman first appeared in Action Comics #1 in 1938, the Man of Steel couldn’t actually fly. Instead, he could only “leap tall buildings in a single bound,” as the famous phrase goes. The ability to fly wasn’t added to his powers until the 1940s, primarily because animators working on the Superman radio show and cartoons found it easier to animate flight than repeated jumping. This animation convenience became canon, permanently changing one of the character’s most iconic abilities.
2. The Comics Code Authority Banned Zombies
In 1954, the Comics Code Authority was established as a form of self-regulation for the comic book industry following public outcry about violent and horror-themed comics. The code explicitly banned the word “zombie” from appearing in comics, along with vampires and werewolves. This bizarre restriction lasted until 1989, forcing creative writers to use workarounds like “zuvembies” in early Marvel stories. The code’s influence dramatically shaped comic content for decades, often in nonsensical ways.
3. Archie Comics Once Killed Archie Andrews
In 2014, the eternally teenage Archie Andrews met his demise in the “Life with Archie” series, taking a bullet meant for his friend Kevin Keller, the first openly gay character in Riverdale. The death of such an iconic, wholesome character shocked readers worldwide. However, the main Archie continuity continued unchanged, as this death occurred in an alternate future timeline, allowing the character to remain alive in regular publications.
4. Comic Books Were Burned in Mass Public Demonstrations
During the 1940s and 1950s, communities across America held public comic book burnings, similar to historical book burnings. Parents, teachers, and religious groups believed comics contributed to juvenile delinquency. These demonstrations destroyed thousands of comics, including many now considered priceless collectibles. The anti-comic hysteria was fueled largely by psychiatrist Fredric Wertham’s book “Seduction of the Innocent,” which made dubious claims about comics’ harmful effects on children.
5. Marvel Once Published a Comic About The NFL
In 1991, Marvel Comics created official superhero identities for all NFL teams in a promotional comic series called “NFL SuperPro.” The series featured a former football player who gained superpowers and fought crime while wearing an indestructible football uniform. Despite Marvel’s legendary creative talent, the series is widely considered one of the company’s worst ideas and lasted only 13 issues before cancellation.
6. Wonder Woman’s Creator Invented the Polygraph
William Moulton Marston, the psychologist who created Wonder Woman in 1941, also invented an early version of the polygraph machine (lie detector). This connection explains Wonder Woman’s signature Lasso of Truth, which compels anyone caught in it to tell the truth. Marston deliberately created Wonder Woman as feminist propaganda, designed to demonstrate that women could be superior to men in both strength and virtue.
7. The Joker Was Almost Killed in His Second Appearance
The Joker, arguably the most famous comic book villain ever created, was originally scheduled to die in his second appearance in Batman #1 in 1940. The story showed him being stabbed and apparently killed. However, editor Whitney Ellsworth recognized the character’s potential and requested a last-minute change, adding a panel showing the Joker survived. This editorial decision changed comic book history forever.
8. Comic Books Helped Soldiers During World War II
During World War II, comic books were among the most requested reading materials by American soldiers overseas. The military distributed millions of comics to troops, recognizing their morale-boosting value. Comics were lightweight, easy to share, and provided escapist entertainment. Some estimates suggest that by 1944, approximately one-quarter of all printed material shipped to American soldiers consisted of comic books.
9. Stan Lee Created Spider-Man Because He Liked Watching Flies
Stan Lee has stated that part of his inspiration for Spider-Man came from watching a fly crawl on a wall and thinking how dramatic it would be to see a human being do the same. Combined with Lee’s desire to create a teenage superhero who wasn’t just a sidekick, this observation led to one of the most successful characters in comic book history. The original concept was actually going to be called “Fly Man” before Lee settled on Spider-Man.
10. A Comic Book Sold for Over $3 Million
In 2014, a pristine copy of Action Comics #1, featuring Superman’s first appearance, sold for $3.2 million on eBay, setting a world record for comic book sales at the time. Only about 100 copies of this 1938 comic are believed to exist today, and fewer than a dozen are in good condition. The original cover price was just 10 cents, making this one of history’s most remarkable investment returns.
11. Batman’s Original Costume Included Red Tights
In his very first appearance, Batman wore a significantly different costume than the iconic look fans know today. The original design featured stiff, bat-like wings instead of a cape, red tights, and a far less menacing overall appearance. The character’s costume evolved rapidly over the first few issues, transforming into the darker, more streamlined design that became iconic. This quick evolution demonstrates how collaborative and experimental early comic book creation really was.
12. There’s a Comic Book With Blank Pages That Sold Successfully
In 2009, Marvel published “Deadpool #11,” which featured an issue where many pages appeared completely blank to readers. The story explained that Deadpool had been infected with a virus that turned him invisible. While readers saw blank panels, the other characters in the comic could supposedly see Deadpool. This experimental storytelling technique divided fans but demonstrated the creative risks comic publishers occasionally take, turning a potential printing error concept into an intentional narrative device.
Conclusion
These twelve strange facts merely scratch the surface of comic book history’s peculiarities and surprises. From Superman’s inability to fly initially to Marvel’s invisible Deadpool experiment, the comic book industry has consistently demonstrated creativity, controversy, and occasional absurdity. Whether through censorship battles, record-breaking sales, or bizarre creative decisions, comics have maintained their cultural relevance by constantly evolving. These stories behind the stories remind us that the comic book world is just as fascinating off the page as the adventures depicted within. The next time you pick up a comic book, remember that you’re not just reading a story—you’re participating in a medium with a remarkably strange and wonderful history.
