The history of American comics began in the 19th century in mass print media, in the era of sensationalist journalism, where newspaper comics served as further entertainment for mass readership. In the 20th century, comics became an autonomous art medium and an integral part of American culture.

Histoire de Mr. Vieux Bois, published in English as The Adventures of Mr. Obadiah Oldbuck, is a 19th-century publication written and illustrated by the Swiss caricaturist Rodolphe Töpffer.