Comics are a unique form of art and storytelling that blends literature with visual arts, where text and images work in tandem to create a seamless narrative. Although illustrated stories have existed for centuries, the modern era of comics began in the late 19th century in newspapers, while the true Golden Age dawned in 1938 with the appearance of the first issue of "Action Comics" featuring Superman. Since then, comics have evolved from inexpensive entertainment magazines for children into a complex cultural layer encompassing superhero epics, graphic novels, Japanese manga, and underground art.