The history of comics as entertainment is defined by two distinct poles: the American superhero tradition and the global diversification of the medium. In the United States, the medium was almost strangled in its crib by the moral panic of the 1950s, which led to the creation of the restrictive Comics Code Authority. For decades, American comics were synonymous with capes and tights. However, the late 20th and early 21st centuries saw a "comics renaissance." Works like Art Spiegelman’s Maus (which won a Pulitzer Prize) and Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns proved that the medium could handle mature, complex themes ranging from the Holocaust to political corruption.
These digital comics are designed for smartphones. They utilize "infinite canvas" techniques, where scrolling creates suspense and reveals splash pages incrementally. This format has merged comics with social media algorithms. The history of comics as entertainment is defined
In 2021, Netflix adapted the Spanish comic El Vecino by Santiago García and Pepo Pérez. The story of a failing slacker who suddenly gains alien powers (while his neighbor turns out to be a demon-fighting superhero) became a massive hit. It proved that delivers the humor and heart of One Punch Man with a distinctly Iberian sensibility. However, the late 20th and early 21st centuries