Comic strip historian Brian Walker recognized that the majority of histories focused on the early strips (Little Nemo, Krazy Kat, Flash Gordon, Tarzan, Dick Tracy, Little Orphan Annie, etc.) and there was a dearth of modern histories of the strip, and he rectified it with this decade by decade survey of comic strips from 1945 to 2000.

From the publisher:

It is hard to imagine a world without Little Orphan Annie, Popeye, Snoopy, and Garfield. Newspaper comics arrive in millions of homes each day and make families laugh out loud. They're not only funny - they also reflect their times.

American newspaper comics evolved during the latter half of the nineteenth century when powerful forces of social and technological change combined to revolutionize mass entertainment. The comics industry has changed dramatically since that time. Radio, television, and the internet have challenged newspapers for dominance. Throughout its history, the art form has, time and again, proved its popular appeal and commercial adaptability. From the newspaper wars at the end of the nineteenth century to the cutting edge competition on the information superhighway at the beginning of the twenty-first century, comics have continued to thrive.

In this color packed compendium, cartoonist and historian Brian Walker has amassed more than 700 illustrations, including scores of rare examples provided by the artists themselves. Organized by decade, with biographical profiles and descriptions of different genres and themes, The Comics is both comprehensive and graphically stunning. This humorous collection is a classic survey of American culture since 1945.