Over the Hedge by T Lewis and Michael Fry for September 18, 2011

actually, the origins of comics is with various types of illustrated parodies, satires and other visual social commentary developed as far back as the late Middle Ages in Europe (although I think the Chinese and Japanese developed something similar, but not as extensive). Once printing was invented the form expanded dramatically reaching its early modern development during the 19th Century, particularly in Great Britian (Punch, et al). The Americans basically reduced it to innane light entertainment – kind of like they do with every other art form. Happily, there are a few exceptions.